Chapter 15 – Preparations


-:-:-


The others went back to school Monday, but Harry ended up staying at Auradon Castle for another week.

Ben arranged for them to join him every day after school, the lot of them working on homework and eating dinner together, unwinding and cuddling as though they were back at Ben's suite on campus.

"I have news!" Lonnie declared one night, all but skipping into the suite before she draped herself across Harry's back. "Jane is now dating Audrey."

Harry's first thought was 'Poor Jane', but as amendable as the Light Fae was, he was pretty sure she wouldn't commit to a relationship if she wasn't actually interested.

"Yeah," Aziz drawled. "It turns out one of the reasons Audrey was so grumpy all the time was because she was trying super hard to be straight when she was really bi. On the bright side, I'm pretty sure dating Jane suits her way more than dating Ben did."

"Less pressure," Doug said. "We forget that she has three kingdoms to represent. That's three times the stress. Combine that with Ben's union of kingdoms… she was struggling, but now she's not. I'm happy for her."

"Me too," Harry said, and he found that wasn't a lie.

While the others' parents and guardians ended up returning to their respective kingdoms, Harry's family didn't exactly leave.

"We have a schedule!" Queen Rapunzel chirped. "We're going to take turns staying at the Corona summer house we keep in Auradon City for council sessions. That way, one of us will always be here for you and Ruby."

"That isn't necessary," Harry said, his cheeks hot at the very thought of it, because it wasn't like any of the others' parents – Ben and Chad aside – were around on the regular.

Her only response was to cradle his face between her hands, giving him a meaningful look. "You will find that it very much is for us," she said solemnly. "We already missed out on sixteen years of you, we're not losing another second."

The current rotation was Lady Cassandra and Uncle Vance, who came to the castle a few nights a week to join them for family dinner with Ben's parents. It was strangely domestic, and Harry would have been lost to that but he was too busy being amazed at the way Lady Cassandra openly poked fun at King Adam, proving where Harry's own lack of self-preservation had come from.

"Your mom's awesome," Aziz had whispered, and Harry had been tempted to say 'I know', which had kind of been terrifying in itself.

It turned out that his parents had gone on a lot of adventures before they'd settled down and gotten married. They took turns trading off stories, though Harry was always reluctant to share his.

"The ways of the old Isle aren't really exciting," he'd tried to explain. "More demoralizing and horrifying than anything else."

"You realize that makes us only want to know more, right?" Uncle Lance had said. "We wanna know your life, kiddo. You don't have to spruce it up for our sakes."

So Harry offered what minor victories he could, stories about the days they'd managed to score well at the barges. Surprise gifts of medicine that the crew was able to hoard that kept them alive through the winter. He talked about finding enough scraps of fabric to sew their clothes together, about Helga Sinclair accepting meager payments from boredom and agreeing to take them on as students, teaching them the sword work that they passed onto the rest of their crew.

"What about Captain Hook?" Lance asked, Lady Cassandra shooting him a look that indicated some sort of agreement that they weren't going to mention Harry's- tormenter, he guessed. "Got any stories about him?"

Harry made a face. "No good ones," he said. "Unless ye count me killing him, which most wouldn't."

That had been a tense afternoon, but Uma had planned things down to the second, to the very last detail. When Captain Hook met his end, it was at the hands of the three children he'd claimed, the three he'd abused for years. CJ hadn't gotten a strike in by Harry and Harriet's agreement, but the other two had made short work of the captain, torching his body and his ship the moment they were able to, eager to put the mess of him behind them.

"All the villains are gone," Lady Cassandra said, sort of a careful transition. "What about Mother Gothel?"

"Ginny got her," Harry said. "Your sister, I guess." He paused, making a face. "Aw fuck – that means she's my aunt."

Half aunt, or whatever. Ironic, that Harry found out he was a prince but he was still fucking related to a damn villain. At least that explained where his magic affinity came from, as little as he knew how to use it. Guess that was something he could ask his mom- ask Lady Cassandra – later.

Aziz was kind enough to laugh at his misfortune, because he didn't know that Ginny was close friends with Harriet, who would definitely use this information to taunt Harry in the most obnoxious ways possible.

"We'll have to invite her over soon," Lady Cassandra said, her eyes shining with mirth.

That was something Ben talked about later, when they were getting ready for bed.

"I'm working on getting your family over," Ben said, fidgeting in a nervous tell. "There's a lot of paperwork to navigate, which is why I probably won't be able to manage anything until your coronation."

Harry's coronation was scheduled at the end of the month, close to Yule. It was around the time Ben would have been coronated, but his parents had already gone through with the announcement of that being pushed off until the Isle reforms had gone through, which would likely take until Ben finished college at the earliest. While the move seemed to make Ben relieved, it had curtailed the extent of his power somewhat, which meant he couldn't instantaneously bring people over from the Isle the way he might have before. Now he had to go through approvals, but that was fine, because it gave Harry plenty of time to freak out.

He didn't know how his family would take his sudden ascension in the world, he could only hope that things turned out okay.

At this point, it was his only option.

-:-:-

The day of Harry's coronation arrived far too soon.

After being reunited with his true family, his life seemed to devolve into a chaotic whirlwind. There were interviews and a press conference for both his status as prince of the Dark Kingdom and his relationship with Ben – and hadn't that been awkward as hell, Harry trying to be charming and engaging and genuine – all the things Evie was as natural as breathing – and feeling like a fraud the entire time. There were fittings and years of etiquette to learn in a manner of weeks, his various relatives coaching him through things with indulgent smiles even though he was pretty sure he was messing up everything.

"Trial by fire is sort of a family tradition," his dad had chirped. "We all suffered through it, but don't worry – after your coronation things will slow down. You can take things nice and easy, no pressure."

There was just a bounty of pressure until they got to that point, but Harry didn't complain about it. This was his sudden opportunity, he had to take advantage of it.

His partners were more than willing to help with all the different dance practices, his new sister, Ruby, helping him with the Corona group dances as they practiced in the school's dance hall after school each day.

"Don't worry if you get lost," Ruby chirped. "Mama did at her coronation, and if that's proven anything, it's that people are more than willing to freestyle on behalf of the newly-crowned heir."

"I'm always happy to freestyle with you, baby," Aziz offered with a wag of his brows, prompting Harry to roll his eyes hard enough that Chad giggled.

"Do we have to make a work schedule for you too?" Lonnie asked when she found Harry buried deep in the books on Dark Kingdom history and royal etiquette. "We do it for Ben, don't think we won't do it for you."

"An exception," Harry asked. "Just for these few weeks-"

"No," Ben declared, and then the prince was scooping Harry into his arms, dragging him reluctantly into the bathroom to ease some of the tension from his body.

"Sonny," Doug sighed when he stumbled upon Harry reviewing his notes early in the morning before the others got up. "I know you're worried, but no one else is. You're going to be great, and even if you mess up, you've got an entire family that will be there to back you up."

Harry knew that on an intellectual level, he just also knew that if Ben successfully got his family off of the Isle he would be the one coaching them through the experience, which meant making them outfits based on old measurements and trying to think of a way to talk to Harriet that would leave her not an obnoxious shit and having a heart-to-heart with Mr. Smee that he didn't really have the composure for with everything else but he'd have to manage somehow, he always did.

"It doesn't hurt to be prepared," Harry offered, rubbing at his eyes. He felt exhausted almost constantly nowadays with the influx of attention, young royals who had never talked to him before suddenly wanting to be his friend, congratulating him on his happily ever after. There were those that glared too, mostly for his relationship with Ben, but the good outweighed the bad.

It was just a lot. Harry was used to attention from being a lover to the queen, but that was back on the Isle, where they didn't have social media. Where he was respected and knew everyone.

Auradon was a land of strangers, and half of them were torn between his new status and the effortless way he had dealt with his would-be assassins.

'KILLER' had been painted on his locker in bloody letters, not that Harry knew about it since he barely used the thing – only visiting it when he needed to store extra stuff for his electives, the only classes he took with other students.

Like everything else, Harry ignored it, even if the others seemed furious on his behalf.

"I mean," Harry sighed when Ben started pacing a frantic path up and down his bedroom. "They're not wrong."

"Yes, they are," Lonnie declared, curling around him like a shield. "Let's call your parents."

"But-"

"I'm reaching out to his mom now," Doug said, holding up his tablet.

Harry promptly threw up his hands in surrender.

At least he was busy. At least his mind was occupied. He didn't have time to overthink his official relationship or their dates, didn't have time to worry because he was always busy with his work.

The days seemed to both fly by and drag horribly, until they finally got to winter break and the lot of them traveled to Corona, which had decided to host the coronation on the Dark Kingdom's behalf, as it was the more accessible kingdom between the two of them.

"You nervous?" Chad asked as they were given a tour of the castle by a very enthusiastic Uncle Varian, the whole thing culminating in the unveiling of his royal suite – something his parents and Ben had worked together to furnish in secret until it seemed perfectly attuned to 'Sonny'. The suite was an explosion of color – Corona's purple mixed with the Dark Kingdom's teal and plenty of gold to connect the two – everything else tasteful neutrals and creams and over there was a wall of bookcases and over there was a sewing station and a vanity with makeup lights and-

It was fucking ridiculous how much he didn't deserve the space. Everything done up in Uma's colors accidentally was a gift he couldn't help but love, but he didn't need this much room or that big a bed or so many pieces of homey yet intricate-looking furniture and he sort of hated having all of them as much as he loved it.

"Like it?" Ben asked, his smile just as hopeful as the ones on his parents' faces, so Harry forced through his bout of self-loathing to muster what he hoped was a genuine grin.

"It's perfect," he said, knowing that he'd give it all to Gil and Uma as soon as he could, that this was only a temporary win for now.

"You'll need to eat to keep up your strength," Lady Cassandra declared. "I know you're nervous – all of us were too, but you have to eat something or you won't make it through the day."

It was like she knew he hadn't been able to muster breakfast down. He managed to get down some of his lunch under her watchful eye before he was allowed to retreat to his suite and steam the outfits he'd created for his Isle family, who Ben assured would be there any minute.

"You want us to stay with you while you get ready?" Aziz asked, watching Harry walk off his nervous energy. "We don't mind helping your family."

"No." Harry shook his head. "It's been a while since I've seen them, it'll probably be messy. Go ahead and get ready in the guest suite."

Normally they'd stay in Harry's room with him like they did with Ben, but with his family coming they figured it would be best to let them get ready in Harry's space before moving them to their own guest suite. He did have the best security, after all. Lady Cassandra had been sure to point that out to him when he was exploring the room.

It was like they were afraid of losing him again. Which in itself put Harry more on edge, because that likely meant he wouldn't go back to the Isle.

He hadn't known he could ever miss that place, but it was a kingdom he'd helped build from the ground up. A place he helped protect. As much as he enjoyed his new family and his Auradon partners and some of the amenities he'd gotten, Harry knew he'd gladly trade them for the easy domesticity he'd gotten back on the Isle. Things were just… easier there. And yes, he knew if he went back he'd miss this too, but there was no way he could ever have both. And if he had to choose one over the other, Uma would always win out, no question.

He felt detached when he finally changed into his dress uniform – grinning at the intricate long-sleeved tunic worn under his black ceremonial armor – black with teal accent embroidery, topped with a cape that was clasped in the Dark Kingdom insignia. The pants were tighter than he'd like, but the boots were cool, knee high and embellished with teal designs, much like the edge of his cape.

He held off on the gloves and gauntlets, staring morosely at his hair before he gave up on it entirely and returned his attention to the outfits he had made. They seemed close to what he was wearing – definitely fit for royalty. It should be fine.

His thought process was somewhat jumbled when Ruby popped her head into his room, her smile going wide when she caught him in his dress uniform.

"Looking good, Slick," she chirped, offering him a wide grin. "Your family's almost here, but I actually wanted to tell you about a surprise Ben made for you."

Harry froze, hoping he didn't look as off guard as he felt.

"It's a good surprise," Ruby rushed to assure, confirming that he'd failed in that regard. "You were supposed to find out about it during the ceremony, but I thought you'd feel better with a little heads up. And by me, I mean me and Lonnie and Doug and everyone who isn't Ben."

"Bless ye," Harry said, feeling his shoulders slump with relief. "What's the surprise?"

"Come on," Ruby said, a mischievous smirk tugging at her lips. "It'll be better to show you."

She dragged him by his wrist down another set of hallways, towards the guest rooms reserved for visiting royals. There were two halls for this, and his family and Auradon partners were in the other one. It made Harry wonder why they were going this way. Maybe the others' parents were there? He did have a pretty good relationship with Sultana Jasmine. Maybe she wanted to say hello before things devolved into pure insanity.

"Hello?!" Ruby called as she knocked on a random door. "Is everyone decent?"

"I haven't been decent a day in my life," King Eugene called from the other side, making Ruby giggle. "More the merrier, blondie, we're just saying hello to our guests."

"Perfect," Ruby whispered, and then she was tugging Harry into the receiving room of the suite, revealing-

Uma.

There was no mistaking her, Harry's gaze drawn towards her on instinct. He would always be able to pick her out of a crowd, and here and now she looked every inch the queen she was – seashell crown perched atop her head and dressed in an intricate gown of Evie's creation, everything teal and shimmering, covered in fringe, making it look like she'd just gotten out of the water.

The others were there too, of course. Gil and Jay in their dress guard uniforms, Mal and Evie in their own elegant gowns. Carlos had even been coerced into a suit, and he looked entirely dashing where he was trying to hide away in the corner, Evie keeping him company.

To be so long without them and to suddenly have them hurt in a way Harry hadn't expected, because the only thing he wanted to do was throw himself into their arms. Once the shock had worn away, he'd been expecting hugs at the very least from Gil, who could rarely restrain his excitement, but aside from some polite smiles, everyone stayed exactly where they were.

Right. Harry's parents were present – all of them, not just his father. They probably wanted to play things cool. Of course.

Auradon had made him soft.

"Hey Shadow," his dad said, ruffling Harry's dark locks with a fond grin before slinging an arm around his shoulder. "We were just getting to know your friends."

"We're always happy to meet another polyamorous couple," Queen Rapunzel chirped. "And express our thanks and admiration for everything you've done for the Isle. They're very lucky to have you, your majesties."

"No need for that," Uma said, lazily waving her off. "We just did what was decent."

"Hmmm," King Eugene murmured. "Wonder where I've heard that before."

Thankfully, Lady Cassandra pushed on before they could get lost in poking fun at Harry. "Queen Mal and Queen Uma were just telling us the good news," she said, giving Harry a broad grin. "We are officially the first people to receive their engagement announcement."

Engagement? Did that mean-

The world felt like it had shattered under Harry's feet, but he stayed calm, stayed present the way he did for any battle when he wasn't feeling his best, knowing that the trial he was about to face required him to maintain a specific persona, lest Uma's crew be seen as weak.

"Yep," Uma drawled, Mal looking carefully neutral beside her. "We're setting the date for two years from now. We know we're young, but the six of us know who we're dedicated to and would have no others." She offered Harry a small smile. "You're free to be part of the wedding party, Sonny, if you're not too busy."

For a moment, Harry struggled for a response, felt himself flailing before he had to forcibly pull himself together. "I'll always have time for ye, captain," he said, white noise seeming to ring in his ears.

Six. She'd said six. Made a point of it. Harry wasn't included. They didn't need him anymore.

"Would you like some privacy to catch up?" Queen Rapunzel asked. "We can move on-"

"No," Harry said – light, not pointed, knowing his disbelief would fade soon and when it did, he'd be left with nothing but misery. "My family's almost here, I need to help them get ready."

"Of course," the queen said, her smile gentle. "Perhaps you guys can catch up after the coronation. They'll be staying the full weekend, so you'll have plenty of time."

"Thank ye," Harry said, giving her a polite nod before he turned to do the same for the others.

They were just standing there, polite, like this was a normal conversation. As though Harry hadn't just been outwardly cast out in front of them. The only one who looked close to effected was Jay, whose lips tugged down in a slight frown, but that could just as easily be his displeasure at Harry's presence, he wasn't-

"Until later," he said, and then he pushed himself back out into the hall, mind racing.

They didn't want him anymore. Of course they didn't want him anymore, why would they? They'd seen the pictures of him dressing like a pansy, they'd taken record of his assassination attempts. He'd grown weak in Auradon – undesirable, and they were moving on without him. They might have done it a while ago. He had been in Auradon for months. They may have realized how much he was holding them back. They probably realized how much better things were without his stupid presence.

It seemed reasonable, but Harry couldn't stop coming back to the conclusion that Uma didn't want him anymore. Uma didn't want him and the only reason he was getting coronated was for her, and now he was wearing this stupid ceremonial outfit, dating people who would grow bored with him in a few months' time, thoroughly losing the only home he'd ever had, because if they didn't want him in their relationship, they sure as shit weren't going to let him back on the Isle. It was over.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, because apparently she was following him back to his room. "You don't look so good."

"Nerves," Harry said, feeling distracted and warm with humiliation. "I just um- I just need some time to gather my thoughts, is all."

"Okay," Ruby said, seeming to believe him. "I'll guide your family up as soon as they get here, alright?"

"Thanks, Ruby," Harry said, parting ways with his sister as he slid back into the room he hadn't wanted. At once, he had a painful nostalgia for the small closet-like cabin he'd once shared with Gil. Sure, things had been cramped, but they'd been happy in the end. Upgrading to Uma's room had seemed like a promotion akin to this suite, it was so large and superiorly furnished. That had been everything Harry had wanted, right there. Those two people in that one room, and he'd dared to hope for more in having his family safe, in liking Mal's crew, in wanting a secure Isle. He'd pushed and been greedy when he should have been happy with what he had.

It hurt more than he could express, more than he had words to articulate, so much so that he ended up slumped on the edge of his bed, hiding his face in his hands as he finally surrendered to a swell of tears, knowing full well there was no saving him now.

Eventually, they would realize what a monster he was. His novelty of being alive would wear off and his parents would be disappointed and the others would be disappointed and Harry would just be by himself again, something he hadn't faced since his father had thrown him off the Jolly Roger in the middle of night, sick of his multitude of deficiencies that prevented him from being a true pirate.

Harry had spent three weeks hiding in alleys and sewers, fighting and stealing to get by until he ran into Uma and knew what his north star was. He might be useless for his father, but he could scrub dishes and bus tables and catch fish as well as anyone else, and as long as he kept her happy, it was like he had a purpose.

Eight years, Harry had been living off that one motivation.

And now it was gone.

It made him wonder how much longer he had until he was gone too, until every trace of Harry Hook that had ever existed was replaced by Sonny Fitzherbert. Sonny the weak. Sonny the fool.

Harry hated him, but that wasn't a surprise. He'd always hated himself. And since that was the only person he could blame for this predicament, he surrendered to the numb feeling of sorrow, allowing himself this one indulgence until his family arrived.

He'd get back on the ball later.

For now, he'd mourn.


-:-:-


Endnotes:

Harry, after failing to update his past boos on literally any of his new humongous life developments – WHY would they ACT in SUCH A WAY?

Story notes:

Helga Sinclair is from the animated movie 'Atlantis – the Lost Empire'.

Ginny gets a delayed invitation to Auradon for perfectly plot-relevant reasons that have nothing at all to do with me forgetting to include her. Nothing at all.

I based Harry's ceremonial wear after King Edmund's base design. It seemed like a lot of people wear armor in the Dark Kingdom as a matter of habit, so I figured fancy armor would not be amiss.

Until next time :)