AN: Zahabiya: Don't worry about being pushy, I appreciate your reviews and love for my stories! Hope you enjoy!
Creator of Magic: In the picture, Rose is wandering around the ballroom from the chapter 'Rose's Pat Part Two' in The Lost Princess. I'm glad you relate to her. She'll be refereed to more in future chapters. I'm excited to see how you'll react when she come out into the story.
Ben was standing in front of his parents and Fairy Godmother. Concerned expressions were spread across their faces. With Mal at his side, he was ready to have this tough conversation. "I think we all know why we're here," Beast took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. Ben shook his head. "The people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out." Ben tried to laugh it off, but nothing came to his lips but a smile.
"Who knows what he would've done if he escaped," Fairy Godmother shook her head at him. Her soft brown eyes looked frightened. Ben wiped the grin off his face.
"We can't afford to have another villain on the lose," Beast said sternly.
"Especially after Rose," Belle added. Ben look at his mother with a touch of disgust. At any chance she could, his mother would always try to throw Rose under the bus. but it was her parenting that lead to it. Ben would always be sure to remind her of that.
"I really feel like this is my fault," Mal said in a low voice. He looked at her, confused. "I'm supposed to protect Auradon."
"You did," Ben reached out to her. "You do protect Auradon. Mal, you can't blame yourself for almost losing a battle. You're working too hard."
"Every time we open the barrier," the ex king cut in,"we're exposing ourselves to danger." Ben couldn't deny he had a point. "Maleficent, Uma, Hades, and Rose. They can strike at any moment when the barrier is down."
"Well you locked Rose up pretty good," Ben shot his father a discouraged look. "Maleficent's a lizard in the Isle. People are searching for Uma. Hades is back where he belongs." He wanted to tell his father more, but his phone began to ring. He put it up to his ear and heard the message. He sighed. This was against everything he was fighting for. He turned around. "Maleficent's staff and the queen's crown have been stolen."
Everyone gasped. Adam pointed his glasses at his son. "Uma."
"Rose!" Belle put a hand to her mouth.
"We don't know that!" Ben cut off anymore accusations. "Rose should be in her cell."
"When people hear this they won't want to leave their houses," Fairy Godmother whispered.
"What do we tell them?" Belle asked her son. Ben didn't know what to do. After this, Rose would never be able to see the sun again. Ben didn't respond. His mother turned. "Mal, what do we do? How do we keep evil out of Auradon?" Ben gaze at the perplexed look on his fiancée.
"I think there is only," Mal trailed off. This made Ben nervous. "One way to guarantee their safety. And I think that there can't be anymore going in and out." As she said this, tears began to pool in her eyes. "I think we have to close the barrier...forever." Ben couldn't believe what he just heard. He looked to his parents to see them nodding their heads in approval.
"If we were to do that," Belle continued to nod,"Rose could go to the Isle. There she could never use her magic." These words hit something in Ben.
"No," the king shook his head. "Not my sister too. Don't take away everything I've worked for." He thought about the night of the party four years ago. He told his sister she was lucky to be here in Auradon. She laughed at him. At the time, he thought it was weird, but now he understood why. She told him to take down the barrier as king, and he planned to, until now. All he wanted was for those kids to have a fresh start. Just like how he wanted Rose to have one.
"Son," Beast called to him.
"No," Ben walked the other way. "No. No. No."
"Ben," Mal called after him. "Hey." She caught his hand and turned towards him. A tears streamed down her cheek. Ben could feel his own eyes begin to water."I don't want to take away your dream because it is so beautiful. And it is why I fell in love with you. But, as king and as queen, what's out duty?"
"To protect Auradon," Ben mumbled. She nodded and grinned at him. "Don't you know what this means? All of those kids...Are you prepared for that?"
"I know what it means," Mal let another tear fall. "And no, I'm not prepared for it. I just think we have no other choice."
"But Rose." She was the only piece of family he had left. His parents would never be the same now, but she was still the same little sister Ben loved.
"They can't take her away from you," Mal shook her head and whispered. She took his hands in hers. "You're still the king, and you have reign over your parents." This was what Ben needed to hear. Rose told him the same thing not so long ago. It gave him strength.
"Son," Beast cut in. "Mal's right."
"I just don't think we would be able to forgive ourselves if something terrible happened," Mal stepped forward. "Again." Belle and Adam's expressions softened. Belle took her husband's arm.
"Rose gets to stay though," Ben said firmly,"No exceptions."
Back at Evie's cottage, Evie and Mal sat in her fashion room. Mal kept her eyes looking outside of the glass bubble. "Who else knows about the crown and the scepter?" Evie asked her. Mal got up and began to pace.
"No one," she shrugged and laughed a little. "I mean, think about it. People are scared enough as it is that we have to apply these whole new security measures." She looked down at her best friend. Her blue hair was swept to the side. Her eyes were filled with concern.
"Will they still allow us to bring over more VK's?" she asked.
"We're talking about closing the barrier for good." Mal folded her arms.
"But you said no," Evie nodded. Mal silently stared at her. "I mean the four of us are living the dream here and we finally get to share that. What could be more important than that?"
"Yeah," Mal admitted as she took a seat. "I know." It was hard for her to think about. Closing the barrier would also mean she could never go back in. She felt like she would be losing a piece of her soul. Mal promised herself to protect both lands but it was so hard when everyone was against the Isle. She wanted to sound hopeful for Evie. "We might have done VK day a little to soon after Rose. Belle wanted to put her away on the Isle too if we closed it. I told Ben he could keep her here but I don't know if he actually could. I mean, maybe we can bump up security. Or maybe peace of mind for everyone in Auradon."
"Is that what they're thinking?" Evie tilted her head. Mal didn't know what to say. She wished that could be the answer, but nothing good has come out of it so far. The barrier would have to close. "Are they seriously thinking that no one will ever get to go in or out of the Isle ever again? We would never get to go back and see our parents in the future? What about these kids? We promised them that they could go back and visit whenever they wanted." The blue haired princess rose to her feet.
"Yeah I know," Mal didn't want to disappoint Evie anymore.
"M," Evie grabbed her hand. "I am so glad you're going to be queen. You'll be part of these conversations and you will stand up for the VKs. Thank you for telling me." She hugged her. Mal wished she could've told Evie the truth, but nothing was definite. She hated to lie to her, especially after Evie had been so hopeful for those kids. "You're going to be a great queen." The two exchanged smiles.
The next morning, Evie put on a blue ruffled dress and Carlos' heart necklace. After getting the mail, she entered the kitchen. Jay was packing the picnic basket. "Heads up!" Evie threw three sandwiches at him. Jay briskly caught all of them and laughed. She then threw apples at him. The ex thief packed them always flawlessly. "You still got it. You also got a letter in the mail today." Evie pointed to the stack of mail.
"Lonnie!" Jay darted for the letter. He had already read all of the letters she wrote him before the end of the first week she was gone. He looked at the envelope to confirm it was her hand writing. Jay opened it with care so he didn't tare the return address. His hands shook a little as he took out the letter. He opened piece of paper inside. Heart pounding, he began to read.
Jay,
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner. The team and I have been practicing everyday for the last couple weeks. I've already read through all of the letters you wrote me before hand. (So much for sparing them for later) . Its really intense here to see the other teams practicing. I have already been making a few friends with other captains. Too bad I'll have to rub in their defeat. I'm getting kinda nervous for nationals. Fingers crossed we win!
Anyway, how are things going at home? Who did you choose for VK day? Are they settling alright? I heard about Mal and Ben's engagement and I'm so excited to come back and start making wedding plans! Say hi to everyone for me! Also tell Evie I love the new jacket!
I miss and love you,
Lonnie
The letter brought a smile to Jay's lips. He really missed her around here. He looked up to see Evie smiling at him. "She loves the jacket and says hi."
"I knew she would love it!" Evie clapped her hands together. "I miss her around here."
"You're not the only one," Jay tucked the letter away,"I'll have to write her back after the party."
"Good morning!" Carlos came into the room with a smile. "I've got the beach towels." He stacked them away in another basket.
"The blue one?" Evie asked as she bit into an apple. She pet the black purring cat Scales in front of her.
"Yes the blue one with the crown on it," Carlos packed it away. "I know its your favorite." After he closed the basket he walked over to Evie and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Thanks for agreeing to come to Jane's party."
"I know things got a little out of hand," Evie shrugged,"But I'll do it for you, love." Carlos looked at Evie's cheek to see the scar was still there. It was small and unnoticeable at first glance. It happened last summer. Audrey had told Jane that Evie kissed Carlos on the cheek, which wasn't anything unusual. Jane got a little worked up. Carlos thinks that Rose's magic made her scratch Evie deep with her nails, but it was never proved or disproved.
Carlos kissed her cheek. She turned her face towards his. Their lips were only inches apart until Jay called to them. "Uh Carlos. Is the cake supposed to have a piece missing?"
"What?" Carlos let go of Evie and walked to see the blue and pink cake had a piece missing. He looked over to the cat to see her lips were frosting free. "Okay!" Carlos yelled so everyone in the house could here. "Who got into Jane's cake?!" He sighed when there was no response. When he turned around Evie and Jay tried to stifle their laughs. Carlos couldn't help but grin himself.
Outside of the cottage, Celia and Dizzy at on a garden bench. Dizzy finished her cake easily. She missed the baked goods in Auradon. It was her suggestion that she and Celia have some. At the time she didn't think anything of it."Delicious." Celia smiled as she ate another bite. Dizzy was surprised Celia hadn't finished it quicker. "I especially love the lack of dirt."
Dizzy nodded with agreement as she licked her fingers. "Ans the lack of flies." Celia nodded and took another bite before offering Dizzy more of her cake. She thanked her and took a chunk. They both ate together and sighed. Auradon was the best place to be.
Mal walked outside to hear the crows in the woods. The sound reminded her of her mother, but it still brought a smile to her lips. She gripped her birthday present for Jane as she looked to see the calm forest. Their bikes were parked all in a line and ready to go. Mal brushed off her purple and green miniskirt. She was excited for Jane's party. It would be a chance to take the edge off before breaking the news about the Isle.
Suddenly, a pink burst of smoke crackled by the motorcycles. Mal gasped at the image. Audrey stood there in the queen's crown, scepter in hand. Her once pale blue and pink highlights were now vibrant. A black cape flowed behind her as she walked up the stone path to where Mal stood frozen. She couldn't believe Audrey was the one who stole her mother's scepter.
"I was hoping you were hone." Audrey said in a dreamy voice. Her green eyes widened as she gazed upon the pink haired girls new look.
Mal awkwardly laughed. "Is this a joke?" Audrey shrugged and grinned mischievously. "What are you doing with the crown and the scepter?"
"Well," Audrey seemed confused why Mal was asking this. "I wanted them so I took them. You of all people should understand that, Mal." This again. Mal was being framed for stealing away Ben. She was sick of being blamed for it. Audrey began to bow down to the scepter and whisper to it. Mal knew what she was doing.
"Audrey wait!" Mal set down her bag and reached for the staff. "Stop! Don't use that." Audrey pulled the scepter away from Mal and studied her face curiously. The curse the scepter puts on users is very dangerous, and Mal wouldn't wish that on anyone. Even Audrey.
"I thought you liked spells?"
Mal was taken aback by this. She had to reason with her. "Okay Audrey-"
"QUIT!" Audrey cut her off from saying anymore. Mal drew back as the girl turned away from her.
"Its not a toy. Its dangerous!"
"I WANT to be dangerous," Audrey whipped back around. The look in her eye seemed different than before. It had a touch of uncontrollable wildness. She took a step closer to her. "My life was perfect until you stole it, and then Auradon turned its back on me."
"You ratted out Evie and got her sent to prison for the night!" Mal defended. "You've always been mean to us. Please just ration a little-"
"No," Audrey shook her head. "I'm the queen of mean and I'm going to stay that way." She turned and began to walk back onto the stone path. "Its time for some payback." Before Mal could protest, Audrey turned on her heal and pointed the scepter at her. Mal screamed at the pink magic surrounded her. Audrey's laugh was the only thing she heard before her eyes gazed on the sorceress again. " "You think Ben will love you now you old hag?"
Mal looked down at her hands to see they were wrinkled. Her face felt leathery and baggy. She was turned into an elderly woman. "'Mal?!" Evie's voice called. Mal looked to see Jay, Carlos, Celia, and Evie all running from the doors. When their eyes look at Audrey, they gasped.
"I promise, you'll pay the price and so will all of Auradon!" Audrey announced to them. "So long, suckers." In another pink puff of smoke, she vanished. Mal only now cought her breath as the laughter echoed into silence.
The group gathered around her. Evie bit her lip as Carlos pulled her in close to him. Jay reached down to Mal, but pulled back quickly and yelped. "Ah," he tried to play it cool "You might want to think of a spell for that." His voice was panicky.
"There's no spell that can reverse the curse of the scepter," Mal's voice sounded raspy. She didn't like the looks on everyone's faces.
"Well that's a shame," Carlos raised an eyebrow. Jay and Celia nodded in agreement. Evie punched him in the arm a little. The blue haired princess went to Mal's side. Her red glowed hand placed on her shoulder.
"Forget about me," Mal shook her head. "Audrey's out for revenge. And all of Auradon is in danger."
"What should we do?" Evie asked as she exchanged nervous looks with Carlos.
"The only thing more powerful than the scepter," Mal stopped for a moment, "is Hades' ember."
"Oh!" Jay suppressed his laughter, "Like he's just going to give it to us on the Isle after he tried to escape."
"And no one knows where his lair is," Evie looked at Mal sadly. Mal had been trying to uncover that for years. Her father had gone missing after her birth. He just up and left, not even telling his daughter where he had gone.
"I do," Celia shrugged. "I'm his errand rat. I've got the key at my dad's."
Mal nodded. "You're coming." The red head groaned.
"I just got here," she complained.
"Mal?" Dizzy called from the doors. They all looked to see her and the twins. When they saw Mal's face, Dizzy screamed and the twins grabbed hold of her.
"Dizzy," Evie commanded,"Stay here to take care of the twins. We'll be right back. Everything will be just fine. Now, go back inside." She turned back to her friends. "Guys, get changed and get your stuff. Out in ten." She had taken the initiative like Mal would, and she felt proud of herself. Jay and Celia ran back insdie, but Carlos stayed. His eyes still were glued on Mal.
Evie snapped at him. "Hey," she brought from back from his daze. Their brown eyes locked on the other. "I'm the only pretty face you need to be looking at." He smiled before planting a kiss on her forehead and running inside. She tried to keep herself from blushing as she turned to help Mal.
"How bad is it?" Mal smiled. Evie leaned down to her hunched over level.
"You age..." Evie tilted her head,"beautifully." Mal nodded her head. They both knew this was a lie. "Now let's just get you into something that's fabulous."
"Okay," Mal nodded. Evie stood and began to walk to the door. She was about five feet forward before she realized Mal wasn't keeping up. Evie turned and rushed to her best friend's side and helped her hobble along back into the house.
"But I should come," Dizzy defended. "I've been on two war missions before." She was sitting on Evie's bed in her room. Evie had been collecting her gear for the trip after helping Mal into a new outfit downstairs.
"And you've done your time," Evie zipped up her red jacket. She looked at herself in the mirror and was pleased with her new outfit. "You shouldn't have to put yourself in anymore danger. You've been through your scrapes and you were almost burned to death by me. We can't look after you this time. You don't need numbers, we need to be undercover."
"But Celia's coming," Dizzy continued to protest.
"She's only coming because of the key," Evie clipped Carlos' heart necklace around her neck. "What does Jay say?"
"What does it matter what Jay says," Dizzy narrowed her eyebrows. Evie turned to her and stared at her. She was unconvinced she's talked to Jay about this matter. The two were oddly close friends. Carlos had told her the two spent time together when Lonnie had practice. It was good fro when Evie and Carlos wanted their own alone time for dates. "Fine. He said the same thing as you. But I still don't understand why I can't go."
"Because you have the twins to take care of," Jay called from the hallway. The three of them stood in the doorway. "Believe me, you'll be doing enough service by sitting safely on the sidelines this time."
"Fine," Dizzy sighed again,"I'll take them." She followed Jay and the twins out of Evie's room. Evie laughed a little bit before pinning the crown on her head. It didn't exactly feel right though. She began to braid her hair into the small 'v' she used to do. When she finished she looked back in the mirror and pinned it back. It reminded her of her time back on the Isle. When she was younger and more focused on beauty than anything else.
"I always liked your hair in those small braids," Evie looked from the mirror to see Carlos leaning against the door frame. "It pulls back some hair so you can see your beautiful eyes." The blue hair princess blushed as she turned to him. He wore his new white leather jacket fit him well. It had a few stripes of black and red. His collar had been done wrong.
"Come here," Evie walked to him. He put his hands on her waist, but she began to fiddle with his collar. He grumbled a little as she got the fabric free from its entanglement and strapped it across his neck. While she did this, Carlos leaned down and kissed Evie's cheek and then a little of her neck. Once she had finished, her fingers tilted his face towards hers and her lips pressed against his. She felt her body tense up as his arms squeezed their bodies closer together. Evie felt the tingling feeling in her chest she had experienced the first time they had kissed. They hadn't shared a moment like this in what felt like forever. They were just never alone anymore.
Once they parted, Carlos kept her close to him. She rested her head on his should as he swayed back and fourth. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked her. She didn't really know how to answer.
At one time, she was the one trying to take over Auradon. In fear of love and acceptance of new powers she had ran off and attacked her new home. It was Carlos' love that had brought her back to her real life. The magic hadn't gone away and it continued to affect Evie's life. Then, she was taken prisoner by Rose. She was forced to train her army for battle. She escaped, but the experience would forever change her. At least now she didn't have the magic to deal with.
"I don't know," Evie whispered. She felt water springing to her eyes. Carlos lifted her head so he could wiped the spilling tears. "I just don't want to be taken away from you again. I don't know if I would be that lucky again to escape."
"You're not going to be taken away," Carlos shook his head. "Not as long as I live. No one will ever do that to you again. I understand that?" Evie held back her tears and nodded. Carlos brought her back into his arms. Evie let her tears dry as she pushed out the memories of the past. She needed to focus on the now. If she was going to help safe Auradon, she would have to forget the pain of the past.
"I love you," Evie whispered as she pulled back and wiped her eyes carefully. She didn't want to mess up her makeup. "I just wanted you to know that before we go into another one of these things."
"I love you too." Carlos kissed her lips one last time before they heard the call from Jay. Evie grabbed her bag and joined Carlos. As he put his arm around her, he said. "Just remember the promise." She would.