Rest comes, a grateful respite in the eye of a storm.
There was something strangely morose about the calm that greeted them when they came up upon Evie and Mal's home. It was like any other day returning home. If not for the few additions to their group it would be easy to pretend this was just dinner with their friends.
"Seriously? A castle," Harry snorted, eyeing Mal.
Mal shrugged. Uma stared up at the stone walls for a moment before a small smirk crept on her lips.
"Not bad Princess. Not as impressive as the king's one but I imagine this is easy on Mal. Less chance of her getting lost in the halls."
Mal's jaw twitched.
"Something wrong Mally?" Uma asked, wearing a playful smile.
"Let's just getting inside before something else happens today," She said. Inside she started heading to the kitchen, but Evie took her by the elbow guiding her to the stairs.
"No, bed first,"
"We have a lot of people to feed." She argued.
"I have the boys for help."
Mal didn't look convinced but she also didn't resist as Evie took them to their bedroom. Evie pulled the curtains closed, shutting out the evening light as Mal pulled off her boots. She winched, trying to diminish it, but nothing evaded Evie's careful watch.
"You're hurt."
Mal stretched, winching again, "I think in the fall."
"You're going to kill me faster than anything else," Evie sighed, running her hands over Mal's sides, lightly pressing against her ribs. When Mal flinched against her touch she pressed her whole palm against the spot. Mal hissed but didn't pull away.
"It's not broken, I think." She got the healing potion Dizzy had refused to finish and dabbed some over the spot before handing the rest to Mal who drank without complaint.
Evie arched a brow at that, "You must be worn if you didn't try to argue for conserving that."
Mal, with a half-smile, said, "I know you'd win the argument anyway."
"And don't you forget that."
Mal took Evie's hand, just holding quietly. With her free hand, Evie brushed some hair back from Mal's forehead. Mal met her gaze, smile shifting to something soft and tender.
"I'm sorry I asked you on the isle."
"I'm not. Could there have been more romantic spots? Sure. But I'm not sorry you asked, no matter where we were."
"At least I know I got the surprize part down,"
"Asking me at all was the surprise."
Mal looked up at her, brows frazzled. "Which part exactly?"
"I didn't think you wanted marriage."
"E…"
"I know you and are in this for the long game. We never needed a ceremony to tell us that. I just thought you wouldn't want to bother with all the tradition."
"This is something you want, right? Marriage."
"With you? More than anything," She said, a smile growing.
"Then, a little party planning is small consequence to make you happy. I want to say I love you, in every way I can say it. But it's whatever you want. When we talked about the future, I always thought marriage would be part of it."
"It's funny. I figured if we did anything, we'd go down the courthouse one day in the future."
"We can do that if that's what we want."
"And deny me the chance to design our wedding dresses?"
"Isn't bad luck if you see my dress before the wedding?"
"I don't have to see you in it, I just need to make it."
Mal snorted, her eyes drifting shut as she leaned against Evie's shoulder, "You have the answer to everything, don't you?"
She hummed faintly, "Most things."
"Wish you knew who was behind this,"
"I don't know that, but I do know we will stop them."
"I'm starting to doubt that. I haven't had one win against them. They're always one step ahead of us. At Sixth Circle. The Manor. Ben. If something happens to Ben…"
"We can't think like that. They took him alive. That means they want something from him. We just need to figure out how to stop them, before they get what want from Ben. How long do you think we have?"
"Until he breaks? Well, Adam's a statue and Belle's with us, so the biggest weaknesses for him are off the table. He's strong, mind and body, so I think he can last most traditional torture methods. But…"
"The faster we find him, the better."
"Exactly."
"Then I should leave you to rest so we can get back out there."
Mal nodded, laying back without any more argument. "Thank you, for being stubborn with me."
"I learnt it from the best after all," She kissed her forehead before slipping out of the door quietly.
Downstairs, Carlos and Belle were in the kitchen, already ahead of her idea to prepare a meal.
"I hope you don't mind," Belle said when she came in, as she stirred a pot, "Times like these, I find keeping my hands busy helps keep my mind quiet."
"No, no. I'm happy for the help. Do you want us to take you somewhere safe?"
Belle's hand stilled, "With the castle compromised, I don't know if there is anywhere safe anymore. With Ben… And Adam, everyone will be looking to me for leadership. I can't just vanish into a safehouse reguardless."
"What do you need from us?" Evie asked.
"Oh dear," Belle's expression was like a warm cloak, "You all have done more than enough."
"We're not slowing down until we've stopped the people behind this," Carlos said.
"We're going to bring Ben back to you. Safely. And we'll figure out how to reverse what happened to King Adam and everyone else."
"Got a wee problem with that plan," Harry appeared in the doorway, spinning his hook around his finger, "We got not the foggiest idea of what to do next."
"Maybe you don't," Carlos said.
"Aye. But if you do, by all means, point me in the direction our enemies need gutting."
"Alright, I don't know that. I may have been bluffing."
Harry snorted, "Aye, I gathered that much."
"Hook," Uma slinked into the space next to him, "Play nice. We're on the same side."
She groaned and gave a little salute, "Aye, captain," He bemoaned, managing an impressive expression that was equally bored and amused.
"Because you've been playing so nice Uma," Carlos said to her.
She smirked, "I've been nothing but a team player."
"Sure…"
"Being on the same side doesn't stop me from taking a playful jab or two at the dragon. For old times' sake."
"Jay and Gil are getting along at least. They offered to take the first watch together."
"Maybe we should all take something from their book," Evie said.
Harry chuckled, "That's a funny one, Princess. Gil with a book."
"Tell them to come in for dinner first. I can't imagine when was the last time any of you ate anything."
Evie, Carlos, Jay, Celia and Belle sat together at the kitchen table to eat the tomato soup Belle and Carlos prepared. Uma, Gil and Harry took their bowls outside, but it wasn't it long before Gil was coming back inside, the brightest smile on his face. And a good bit of soup on his chin.
"That was amazing, your queenness, um, ma'am."
"O-oh," Belle seemed a little taken back by his enthusiasm, "You're welcome. You can just call me Belle if you're more comfortable with that."
"Cool. Is there more?"
"Yes, help yourself."
"Doubly cool." He got himself a second bowl and stuffed a couple of the slices of bread they'd toasted to have with the soup into his mouth. He paused and looked at the others, "I don't want you to think I'm stealing this since we're on the same side now, but I know Uma and Harry want more, and they're both too proud to ask, so can I make it look I stole the pot so they'll have some more."
Jay and Carlos both laughed at the request, Celia snickering herself.
"You don't ask to steal things." She said.
Belle looked very confused at that, but she put her most understanding smile.
"Have at it, Gil."
"That's awesome," He reached for the pot, but Jay dove out of his chair to stop him.
"Wow, the pots still hot. Use these," He handed him a pair of oven mitts.
"Oh. Good to know. If you guys want more you can just steal the pot back."
There was this pause when he left, the room almost smaller now with his energy gone.
"I don't think I've ever seen someone that excited about soup before," Belle said, still bemused.
Evie looked down at her own bowl, "I've forgotten. How good the food tastes when you just arrive."
Celia stopped, "So this isn't like a special dinner? I assumed it was because she's the queen."
"We have been living in Auradon too long if we've stopped being impressed by the food," Carlos said.
"I'm pretty sure Jay cried over a grilled cheese the other day."
"Oh, then we're good."
Gil came back in for some more drinks at one point, which was when Jay and Carlos raided the pantry, finding chocolate, taking it out to Uma and the others as a peace offering. Evie set aside some dinner for Mal encase she woke up during the night, then set everyone up with rooms for the night. With Belle in their main guest room and Celia in the room Dizzy usual stayed in when she slept over, she set up the third and final room for Uma, Harry and Gil.
"Sorry, you have to share." She said to Uma and Hook as she showed them the room.
"We've been in tighter corners than this together," Harry said.
"We're good Princess," Uma said, looking at her, "You don't have to be so apologetic."
"I'm taking watch after Gil and Jay regardless so we won't be fighting for bed space. Not that we need to on this endless expanse,"
"They make mattresses in larger sizes than that."
"How big are the families that sleep on those?"
"I believe it's usually couples with beds like that. Most kids get their own beds. Or share with their siblings."
Uma and Harry shared a look, "Fortune is wasted in Auradon," Harry said.
"If you need anything, I'll be up for a bit again. I'm sure I've read something on magical petrification before so I'll be in the basement.
Uma just nodded in acknowledgement. Evie gave a quick nod in return. When she went to check on Mal, Carlos was curled on the other side of the bed already asleep. She couldn't help her smile, pulling the blanket over them. Jay and Gil were set up in the backyard with coffee so she left them to their devices and turned to her research.
The first book she looked through had known causes of petrification, a special potion a fabled medusa... Evie regretted not thinking to have Mal ask Hades if that myth had any truth to it, but nothing about revering the effects. She didn't get far into the next book. She didn't even register falling asleep, but she opened her eyes and by the lighting in the room she knew it was morning. Later into the morning too. Someone, she guessed Jay, had taken her to her bedroom. Mal was still sound asleep next to her, but neither Jay or Carlos were in the room.
She slipped out of bed, carefully, not to wake Mal. She could hear snores coming from the direction of the room she'd set Uma's gang in. She heard another set of snores, these more familiar as she made her way down the stairs. Jay and Carlos had each claimed a couch.
She got a little worried when she saw the front door open, but Uma was out in the front yard so she let her guard drop halfway. Pulling on a jacket she went to join Uma.
"Not cold?"
"Sun's plenty high enough to warm my bones," Uma answered. She lifted a mug in her hands, "Also, this coffee is obnoxiously good.
"Don't tell me you're really half fish and cold-blooded."
Uma shrugged, "If anything, I think I run warmer. The cold ocean never bothered me as much as it seemed to bother my crew."
"Mal's always been less bothered by the cold. It might be a magical blood thing. Or a just a dragon, sea witch thing."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You've got magical blood, don't you?"
"Not like you. Not like Mal."
"Magic is magic."
"Yes and no. Mal's magic comes from fae roots and I'm guessing you're the same. You have a more primal connection to magic. I can't channel my magic into flashy transformations or raw elemental eruptions like you can. I'll need a special conduit designed to do that if I wanted to do that."
"Is that how you usually use your magic?"
"Usually I don't use my magic. That song with you yesterday might have been the first time I used my magic without a typical conduit."
"Huh."
"Outside of making potions, I've never really explored the extent of my magic."
"You're able to do it, obviously. You definitely contributed to the siren song."
"I have my own theory about that."
Uma arched a brow, clearly curious.
"I think you took the place of a conduit for me."
"I did?"
"You and Mal both, probably."
"How could I do that without knowing?"
"Magic naturally reaches out for magic of the same resonance. It's why Mal can draw fire magic so easily and I'm guessing water is your affinity."
"…Maybe…"
"When we harmonized, our magic synced up. At least that's my theory."
"How are you so sure you weren't a conduit for us?"
Evie chuckled, "That's because of the laws of science. Energy, matter, naturally wants to travel from the point of high concentration to the lower."
"You're saying I have more magic than you?"
"Easily. Transforming like you're capable of is incredibly rare and takes immense power. You're able to do innately."
"You know a lot about this stuff."
Evie smirked, "You don't think all we've been doing since we got here was sipping gourmet coffee and flirting with royalty."
Uma huffed and took a defiant drink from her own coffee. "I know you haven't been flirting with royalty. Or you'd be living in a much bigger castle than this."
"How can you be so sure about that?"
"I remember what you were like on the Isle. Mal was the more territorial one, but you were just as determined. Although I suppose you struck your territory in broken hearts."
Evie rubbed her brow, amused, "Those days seem so long ago. I almost fell for the prince cliché when I first got here."
"What happened? Did your dragon turn him into a toad?"
"No, I fell for a dwarf instead."
Uma choked on her coffee, spitting some out. "You?"
"Would have made mother proud, wouldn't I?"
"When you tell her you're marrying Mal, lead with you could have been marrying a dwarf. In her mind a woman is probably more acceptable than a dwarf."
Evie glanced down at the ring sitting on her finger, fiddling with it.
"I ran into her on the Isle. I couldn't bring myself to say I was with Mal."
"I don't blame you. I've heard about her reputation."
"I love Mal. More than anything. But, how can I saw that, when I can't even say those words to one person who's unimportant to me."
"Do you really want my advice on that?"
"If you want to give it."
"It's only your mother's business who you love if you want it to be. You don't owe her anything just because she gave birth to you."
"Where do you stand with your mother on things like that?"
Uma didn't answer and Evie didn't push. The silence was comfortable, surprisingly. as it grew between them. Or it wasn't until Uma pointed to a line of bushes that were shaking along the edge of the yard.
"I don't live here, so I don't want to assume, but I don't think they're meant to move like that."
"They aren't."
They approached the line their guards up. There was a burst of leaves and Uma ducked under a figure that jumped from the brush. Pivoting, she leapt on her attacker.
"What the- fish breath?"
"Gothel?"
Dizzy stumbled out of the bush with a huge sigh, "Oh we found it."
"I told you cutting through the woods would save us time," Freddie said, her voice coming from behind Dizzy, but Evie couldn't see her yet.
On the ground, Uma and Ginny didn't have each other in a grapple anymore but were just staring at each other mutely. Their expressions glazed with a touch of disbelief.
Dizzy tilted her head before looking to Evie, "So you brought Uma back with you."
"And you brought Ginny with you."
"Oh, Mal's gonna hate this. It's going to be great."
Its been a hot minute since the last update. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.
Nardragon- Until the next page.