An eventful night at the Queen's Castle

The moon overlooked the Queen's Castle as it hung low in the night sky. It was rare to see the moon so clearly when the Isle was always so grey and cloudy. Harry always liked the moon. He liked the soft light it reflected down on the world. He liked how it tied the stars together. His dad would tell him stories of how sailors would use the night sky to navigate the oceans. Harry was fascinated by the stories his dad would tell him. Stories of pirates and loot and adventure. Stories of hunting crocodiles and clashing swords with devil boys who could fly. Adventure he never had. Adventure he always wanted.

Of course he found adventure in the small cracks and corners of the island he was damned to live on from birth. That's part of the reason why he loved Uma so much, despite being a measly waitress she found ambition and purpose. The other kids of the Isle, with their parents teaching them and their villain legacy to live up to, were never quite as compelling as the pirate queen. She made herself an adventure while all the others were just handed their assignments. Now that's a captain he could sail the seas with.

A captain who had ordered him to go to the Queen's Castle once again. He lightly scratched the stone walls with his hook. It let off an orange glint in the candle light as he engraved 'HH' into the rock. While he was distracting himself, he was trying to come up with a plan; a strategy; some talking points. Harry wasn't one to let his dear captain down. He took a deep breath and looked behind to see the door to the Queen's quarters.

Why couldn't Uma have done this herself?

Then he let out a sigh, ran his hand through his hair, and put on a convincing smile as he entered the room. He came across the mighty queen already lying in her bed, strange for being so early in the night, but he thought nothing of it until he saw her pale, unmoving face and dark, sunken eyes.

"Damn," he mumbled to himself, "someone beat us to the chase."

That slight bit of sound stirred Evie in her, now realized, slumber. So she wasn't dead yet. A small groan escaped her lips as she opened her eyes.

"Who?" she whispered, "...Harry?"

"Uh…" he scratched the back of his neck in a cold sweat, "hi, love?" was all he could come up with.

She sat up more, struggling to gain strength, "what… what are you doing here?"

"Well," he started to speak but then realized he hadn't come up with anything to say, "I came to see if you were okay."

The lie of a scoundrel came to save him once again.

"How did you know?" she suddenly became concerned.

"I've heard… from around." He nodded affirmably.

"So the whole Isle must know by now." she shook her head in shame.

"Well… I said I heard you weren't okay. Not what happened," another simple lie, "tell me please, yer majesty."

She took a deep breath, which she then winced at afterwards, "my predecessor… she's as innovative as ever."

"Yer talkin' about the Dragon Queen, right?"

"Yes, Harry, I am," strangely she found that response amusing, "I was played a fool."

He hesitated, but then remembered Uma's words:

Not just for our crew, but for all the Isle.

He sat down on the bed next to her, "what d'you mean?"

She laughed lightly, "I don't think I should be telling you. What if word gets out?"

"Then you'll know who to kill." He shrugged simply and she looked down with a smile at his comment.

"I can see why Uma keeps you around."

"Because I'm dashingly handsome?" he cocked his eyebrow and put on a wide smile and Evie laughed, only causing her to grimace more but her mood wasn't affected.

"I guess you wouldn't understand," she told him, "it was nice of you to come here."

"Yeah don't make me regret it." He dropped his boyish charm and the dirty pirate came out again.

"Well I hope I'm not boring you." she pushed him playfully. He noted that it was significantly weak even for her. She really must be on her deathbed.

"Yer highness-"

"Majesty." she corrected.

"Right, yeah, whatever, um what is exactly wrong with you?" He played with the rings on his fingers as he asked. They were all just a little bit too big for him so they were easy to twirl around.

"The doctors say I've been poisoned," she told him, "ironic isn't it?"

"What's that?"

"Well… nevermind."

"Alright but I wouldn't even want to know what an ironic is anyway."

Their exchanges were interesting. Like they were each having half a conversation. Evie seemed like she was trying to talk to him about things he didn't know anything about. As if she was talking to herself rather than him.

"Hey, you still got me trinket." He pointed to the pendant necklace that she had tucked under her nightgown. A seasoned pirate like himself knew how to spot valuables when they don't want to be spotted.

"Oh yes," she pulled it out, "I forgot about this."

She got that same distant look in her eye. She thought too much, Harry concluded.

"What's it for?" it was such a compelling question, Evie was inclined to answer.

"Mal gave it to me a long time ago," she confessed, "back before she turned into whatever she is now."

Harry scrunched his eyebrows. She seemed just about the same to him.

"You kept it?" he asked, really genuinely interested.

"I remember when I saw it for the first time I couldn't believe so much beauty existed in the whole world," she said, "I used to hide it under the floorboards in my bedroom so my mother wouldn't take it."

"It is mighty pretty." Harry admitted, looking into the glittering gem.

Then, Evie did what he least expected to do, she ripped the chain off her neck. He didn't think she even had enough strength to do that. She looked at the pendant in her hand for a moment before her eyes were drawn to the fireplace in her room. The orange glow reflected off her face.

"Would you do me a favor, Harry?" She said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Toss this into the fire." she spoke with a monotone voice as she held out the necklace.

He gently took it. He was generally offended by the thought of the destruction of such a precious item. Imagine how much someone could get in the marketplace with this. Besides, he was already planning on taking it anyway.

He stood and walked toward the brilliant, glowing flame. On his way there, he pulled out a couple loose metal bits from his pockets and held them in his other hand. Once he was standing in front of the fire he looked back at the queen to see she had her head turned away from him.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Just do it." she ordered.

He tossed in the metal pieces into the fire and slipped the necklace in his other pocket. The flame crackled at the disturbance and shifted in it's form. The light flickered in the room. Harry looked back to see Evie was still looking away from him.

"It's done." he told her.

"Please leave." her voice turned into a raspy whisper. She was almost commanding him.

He had no intention of staying, especially now since he had her very valuable necklace in his pocket. He went for the door, though before completely leaving he looked back at the queen. She was so weak and frail. She had that look in her eye all Isle kids were accustomed to staring into. Those empty black pupils, the sign of death. He wondered if this was the last time he'd see her alive. He shook his head and went on his way. A hefty burden suddenly carrying in his pocket.

Echoing footsteps travelled down the stairs towards the dungeons. Lights danced on the wall from the lanterns both guards carried with them. The son of deVil looked forward with swarming menace. Carlos was always told he had the eyes of his mother.

The lieutenant had two upper level guards flanking him. Their jagged, misshapen spears protruding up towards the ceiling. They marched down the hall to meet with their victim.

Carlos almost flinched when he saw the place where he remembered his dear friend laid on the floor in pain. His fury only grew when he was met with the cell door that contained their target. He peered into the blackness of the cell and ordered the guards for a lantern. He held it up high to look into the cell. As the light creeped onto the floor, he saw two seared ropes scattered on the floor. His face filled with confusion as he brought the light up closer towards the chair their prisoner sat in. The light inched forward to find two chair legs, but no sign of feet. He was overcome with revelation.

"Open the door!" he commanded.

With the keys turned, Carlos rushed into the cell with his lantern held up high only to find an empty room. All that remained was a vacant chair stained with blood, a faintly glowing iron rod, and loose bindings that once contained the demon they kept.

"No…" Carlos let out a breath as he dropped his lantern, the light then flooded the side of the cell.

The guards got their spears at the ready, looking for any sign of incursion they hadn't yet realized.

Carlos bent down and picked up the rope. The ends were charred and still warm.

He swiftly turned back towards the door, "she couldn't have gotten far," he shoved the rope into one of the guard's chest, "search the palace and form a perimeter."

"Yes sir!" They said in unison, nodding to him and rushing out of the room.

"The Queen's life depends on it!" He shouted towards them as they left.

He adjusted his jacket and then made his way out of the dungeons himself. Making his way up, he was heading for Jay's room where he was no doubt already asleep. He marched down the hallway to, guards scrambling around the castle on the lookout for the she-devil. He reached Jay's door and swung it open.

"Jay!" He said into the room, hoping to wake him up.

"What?" he heard an annoyed voice from across the room. He looked past the bed and saw a wet, shirtless Jay standing there drying his hair with some cloth.

"Where've you been?" Carlos said, a bit offended.

"I took a shower," he put the cloth around his neck, "just got back."

"Happen to see the Dragon Queen on your way out?" He asked facetiously as he made his way over to the window to look out. Part of him hoping against hope to see Mal and part of him wanting to avert his gaze from Jay's chiseled torso.

"What?" Jay asked, confused.

"She's escaped. Her cell's empty." his eyes wandered back to Jay who then sat on his bed with a heavy sigh.

"Shit." He said bluntly.

Carlos banged his hand on the glass and looked back outside, "that was our one chance!"

"We can still find her. I got her once I can do it again." Jay assured.

"You know her. You know Mal never falls for the same trick twice," his eyes scanned the Isle, "she could be anywhere."

"Does…" Jay took a breath, "does Evie know?"

"No," he said darkly, "and she isn't gonna know. No one is to tell the Queen what happened."

"Carlos, she has a right."

"She doesn't need to know anything else other than we're finding a cure."

Jay let out a deep sigh and then stood from his bed, drying his hair more he pulled a leather jacket from a hook in his room.

"I'm getting those books tonight." He said as he zipped up his jacket and tossed the cloth on his bed.

Carlos finally turned to face him, "you're going to Bargain Castle. You're going to her mother's home."

"Carlos, I know what you're thinking and I'm not questioning Maleficent," he said firmly, getting out a bag full of tools, "I still get nightmares about what she did to those goblins when we were 12."

An involuntary shiver went up Carlos' spine. Jay started gathering various supplies from around his room and putting them in the bag.

"It's an in and out job," Jay continued, "I don't want to get caught by any of her henchmen either."

"Evie's life depends on it." Carlos pleaded.

"Her life depends on finding a cure, not Mal." he told him, tying up the bag but before he could pick it up Carlos stopped him.

"She has to pay for what she did." He argued.

"Don't you think she's already paid enough?" Jay jerked his bag away.

"My god… you don't actually feel sorry for that demon do you?" Carlos raised his voice in offense.

"I'm just saying she's our friend. Or she was our friend. You can't stay angry forever."

"How can you say that?" he became resentful, "after everything she did. To Evie; to us."

"I'm not saying she was right but I am saying maybe we weren't innocent either." he proposed.

"Look at what she's become, Jay, she's a bloodthirsty monster. She won't be satisfied until we're all dead."

"Look at what we've become!" Jay raised his voice in frustration, "deceiving our own friends, making backdoor deals, and hunting down one of our own! Look at yourself, Carlos! Remember when we were kids? Remember when I used to push you down on the concrete and you'd hold back tears? Remember when we'd run across the rooftops together and we felt like we were flying over this whole shit island? Remember that? Remember when titles and allies were words we didn't even know?"

Carlos was speechless, he opened his mouth to say something but he held back his words. He looked down at the floor. Jay slung his bag over his shoulder and went for the door.

"Wait." Carlos called out, still looking at the floor.

"Yeah?" he turned his head back to look at him.

"If you find Mal, not ordering you to, just if you find her will you bring her back? If not for me then for Evie?" He looked up to meet eyes with Jay who saw the shimmer of a boy holding back tears.

"I will," Jay nodded, "for Evie."

Then he left out the door.

Dizzy trudged up the castle stairs with a backpack bound tightly to her. She had just heard what happened to Evie and she was going in to check on her dear friend, gifts in tow. However it was a rather long walk up to her quarters.

As she passed by a room with the door slightly ajar, she heard a very familiar voice.

"The guards will be questioning all of us." Said the voice. It was cold, blunt, and rough. Dizzy couldn't help but turn her gaze to peer into the room. That voice couldn't be mistaken for anyone but her mystery servant boy.

"Crap, I was cleaning the hall by the dungeons today." Someone else who was out of view spoke.

"You think the Dragon Queen really escaped? How is that even possible?" The boy asked.

"You remember what she was like; she always has a way out." The other servant responded.

"I suppose you're right."

Dizzy heard guards coming up the stairs. The clanking of their makeshift armor was distinct. She quickly leaned behind a pillar trying desperately not to look suspicious. The metal clad guards made their way up the stairs and entered the room where her servant boy stood.

"You!" one of the guards said in a commanding voice, "you were cleaning the dungeons today, correct?"

"That's me."

"Come with us."

Dizzy peered past the pillar to see two guards leading the servant down the stairs. She couldn't resist looking back into the room to see her mystery boy sitting at a desk facing to the side.

Her heart beat against her chest. This excitement, she didn't know if it was love or fear. He was awfully callus the last time they met. Though what Evie said never left her mind. The romance of it all was just too enchanting.

She opened the door a crack more, trying to muster up the courage to speak to him. But before she had a chance to think about it, he leaned over the desk and knocked against the old wooden floorboards. Her eyes narrowed as she examined what he was doing. The floorboard popped up and he slid it over to the side. Dizzy was growing ever perplexed by his actions. He reached into the floor and pulled out a small lump of items wrapped up in a linen cloth.

She leaned further into the room, trying desperately to see what he was doing. He unwrapped the cloth and out spilled three incredibly nice and expensive items: a fountain pen with intricately carved wood and a golden tip, an inkwell with gold trimmings and a silver stopper, and a most chilling revelation. It was unmistakable. He placed a wax sealer on the desk and Dizzy had a view clear as the day of a distinct Auradon royal crest engraved on the bottom.

Her chest clenched, her heart stopped, and her mouth opened agap which she politely covered with her hand. She staggered backwards, trying to remain silent, and leaned up against the wall next to the room. She couldn't calm her breathing. She looked back towards the door, terror suddenly creeping up her spine.

She couldn't think of what to do. Obtaining a seal with the Auradon royal crest was infamously impossible among Isle folk. How was he able to obtain one if he hadn't been there himself? Too many questions raced in Dizzy's mind, but they had to wait as she heard another pair of guards coming up the stairs. She shook her head and turned back to continue her journey. If anyone had to hear about this; it was Evie.