...
...
"Life is not what you expect: it is made up of the most unexpected twists and turns."
...
The night was dark and howled with wind. Auroria was quiet, everyone hauled up in the library not brave enough to separate to different bedrooms. Dying embers in the fireplace cast an orangish light across many sleeping faces as Mal stared coldly out the nearest window. In her arms she held the compendium, still thinking about what was being predicted.
War? It didn't even seem real. Auradon was one of the most peaceful places to ever exist. It wasn't like the isle. War didn't happen...couldn't happen. Gnawing on a knuckle worriedly, the purple haired girl glanced around. Lonnie slept peacefully across Jay's chest, while Carlos held Jane tightly. Uma, Harry and Gil slept sitting up, hands on their swords and knives. Evie had collapsed down onto folded arms, blue hair sprawled around her head like a halo. Mal was the only one not asleep yet, and she couldn't even dream of sleeping now.
Standing quietly as possible from her place in one of the velvet barrel chairs, Mal set down the Compendium and left the library. The rest of the palace was terrifyingly quiet, an eerie sense of dread settling over the Dragon Girls heart. Audrey's Grandmother had been murdered here, and her parents would never return to these hallowed halls. The palace was Audrey's, and Audrey's alone. She was the last of her line, about to guide Auradon into a war against their own king.
Ascending the large marble staircase, the sounds of the storm grew louder as Mal approached an open door. It appeared to be a study, papers and books sprawled across the floor in anger. The twin glass doors were open to a balcony, a dark figure standing alone in the rain. Audrey's pale hand clutched Dragon Eye tightly, and in a flash of lightning, Mal could see black tendril like veins beneath her skin. Her dark pink and black cape whipped in the wind, cracking like a forest fire.
"I know you're standing there."
Jumping slightly, Mal stood a bit straighter as Audrey turned to look at her. The darkness of her veins had spread up towards her neck, one good eye a black pit of nothingness as dark pink hair stuck to her cheeks, "you should be with the others."
"I came to check on you." Mal admitted, leaving the safety of the study to stand in the rain next to Audrey. Her face barely flickered with emotion, "are uh, you ok?"
"How can I be ok, Mal?" Audrey questioned, not harshly or angrily, but honestly, "my family is dead, murdered by someone I once loved. My friends are now in danger because of me. And now, I have no idea what to do next when a magical book is predicting war."
"Yeah, sorry. Stupid question." Leaning on the wet balcony, the freezing marble stung the bottom of Mal's arms. What was she supposed to say?
"You don't have to say anything," Audrey spoke again, practically reading Mal's thoughts as another strike of lightning touched down in the distance, "I have...nothing, left. I'm ready to end this."
"Don't say that." Mal argued softly, though her heart wasn't really in it, "you have us. Something I never thought I'd say. Auradon needs you."
"Even if we defeat Ben it won't make any difference." Audrey complained softly, "I...I made a deal, with Dragon Eye."
"What do you mean?"
Mal's heart was louder then the thunder, Audrey's hand tightening around the staff's hilt as she pursed her lips, "Audrey? What do you mean?"
"I promised my body to it, if the staff gave me the power to defeat Ben."
"What? Audrey why would you do that! You'll die."
"I had nothing to lose!" The girl snapped harshly, turning her face in shame. Mal couldn't tell with the rain, but Audrey appeared to be crying, her shoulders quaking, "no one cared when Ben dumped me for you. No one cared when I tried to tell them something was wrong after I found out about the prophecy. I had nothing, Mal! And now my family is dead, you all are in danger and it's all my fault! I would rather die then let Auradon fall because of me."
Staring at the girl for a long time, Mal couldn't help the leap in her heart. Through everything, all of her downfalls, Audrey had been humbled. She held the weight of her families deaths on her shoulders, and now was taking the whole Kingdom under her protection. Gone was the petty, pink princess of their first year. Before her stood a queen, ready to sacrifice everything for a world that ousted her at Ben's word. Mal couldn't help the heat that suddenly rose up in her gut like a flame.
"I have a confession to make." Mal spat out awkwardly, not entirely sure what she was saying but her brain on complete autopilot, "I...care, about you, Audrey. More then I want to admit."
"That's obvious," the Princess snorted slightly, some of her old snarky self peeking through for a moment as the rainwater made her mascara run, "you'd have left me to die if you we're truly heartless."
"I think I'm just amazed at how quickly you've changed." Mal stated, ignoring the shiver in her bones from the outdoors. Audrey didn't seem to bat an eye at it, all but her head still like a mounted statue, "I mean, you were awful when we met. But you're so strong."
"I'm not strong," Audrey mumbled, one hand coming to rest on the cold stone balcony as her head fell slightly, "I'm broken."
"No, you're not broken."
Reaching out tentative fingers, Mal placed them over Audrey's. She expected the Princess to pull away. But rather, she seemed to waver closer, her grip on Dragon Eye's hilt loosening up slightly, "I grew up on the Isle of the Lost. I know hardship and pain; I've felt it, and I've inflicted it. But that stuff doesn't break a human spirit, it only makes it stronger. Sure your perfect princessy self is broken, but what good will gowns and etiquette do for you in a time like this?"
Turning Audrey around slightly, Mal lifted both hands to her shoulders, "Auradon needs a pillar of strength right now, Audrey. You need to be that pillar."
"...the kingdom doesn't trust me," the girl groaned, "I was forgotten the moment Ben left me. They look to you."
"No, I would be the worst choice right now. Stop using Ben as a crutch. You are so strong on your own. You've certainly proven that to me by standing by your truths, and fighting through all of the bullshit that happens to come your way. All I've ever wanted to do Audrey was shift the status quo between good and evil, now is that time. Whether we like it or not. You don't need Auradon to trust you, but you need to trust yourself."
Staring at one another for a long time, Audrey nodded her head.
"You're right. I took Dragon Eye to protect the kingdom, and even if I may die trying I won't let Ben or his stupid curse hurt anyone else. But Mal...it hurts me so much..."
Cradling the place where her heart was, Mal could almost feel it's ache in her own blood as she lifted a palm to caress Audrey's good cheek. It was true the last Princess of Auroria could be the strongest power against Ben if a cure couldn't be found, but she was only one single soul standing alone with every odd stacked against her. Feeling brave, Mal pulled the girl to her.
Their lips met with a hot spark. It wasn't like kissing Ben at all, which was sometimes quick or sometimes lustful. Audrey was almost hesitant, her mouth still tasting slightly of strawberry chapstick despite the events of the past few days. Pulling away, the girls dark eye stared past wet bangs in bewilderment. Despite the magic now surrounding her soul, Mal could see the true princess behind the glassy surface. Keeping both hands firmly on her face, the Dragon girl smiled.
"You aren't alone in this fight, ok? I'm here, our friends are here. We are going to weather this storm together."
"What about Ben?" Audrey questioned hoarsely, her stoic exterior lowered to reveal her inner fear of rejection, "you are to be married."
"Ben has been lying to me since we fell in love. Curse or not, he could have told me. And If not him, his parents should have. We could have helped him get over this thing. Instead, he kept it a secret until it was too late. I want to cure him because Ben is a good person somewhere deep inside, but I don't love him like I did. I'd rather stand by you. Besides," smiling crookedly, Mal stepped closer into Audrey's arms, "I kinda have a thing for badass queens."
"You are so full of yourself." Audrey complained, mirth clear in her eyes as her lips quirked upwards.
"I know. Now can we please get off this balcony, I'm freezing my ass off right now. I'd much rather warm up someplace."
"Fine, I know just the place." Smiling, Audrey rugged at Mal's hand, "Malum quidem nullum esse sine aliquo bon. (There is, to be sure, no evil without something good)."
Smiling, Mal found a place under the girls long pink cloak as they turned back to the dark Study.
"Mens regnum bona possidet. (His own desire leads every man)."
...
"Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves."
...
Mal never thought she'd end up here. The morning light breaking past the thick pink curtains, the former girlfriend of the king laid in the bed of her former greatest enemy. Audrey was sleeping heavily, pink and blue hair still damp from the shower she had taken the night before, chest rising and falling at a steady pace. Searching her anxiety drawn face, the Mal couldn't help but frown in concern.
The black, ink like blood in her veins was spreading quickly, now brushing the skin on her ear and branching out across the back of her neck. Dragon Eye was leeching the Princess of her very essence, and eventually, Audrey would be completely consumed by its power. Continuing to watch her, Mal's eyes trailed along her scars, some of them still scabbed, while others were a faded red. Claw marks trailed down her shoulder and back from the monster that she now assumed was her boyfriend, stealing away not only Audrey's sight, but her smooth, porcelain skin.
Mal had her own battle-scars from the Isle, ones that now only Audrey had seen. But none were as angering as those now left on the Princess for the rest of her life. Feeling the flame from the night before once again spark in her gut, Mal felt it both warranted and unwarranted. After all, Ben was under a curse set upon him when he was born. These were not the actions of the sweet boy she had come to love upon arrival. But then, Ben must have known what he was doing? Just as Audrey knew how the Scepter would take her. It was a dilemma, and Mal felt conflicted on how she was supposed to feel.
"...Mal?"
Glancing up from her thoughts, the Dragon Girl didn't notice she had been still for an extended amount of time. Audrey was staring up at her, looking as innocent as a puppy waking from a nap. Her one dark eye had yet to cloud over with despair, anger and worry which was the new normal as of late, "is something wrong?"
"No. I just have so many thoughts and questions, and I still don't have any answers." Smiling down at the Princess, Mal tucked a curl of pink hair behind her head, "how are you feeling?"
"A bit better," Audrey answered half heartedly, "it was nice not sleeping alone last night."
"Same." Mal admitted, leaning down to steal a kiss from Audrey just to make sure last night hadn't just been a one night thing. The same spark was there, just like before, "we should get going. The others probably know something is up."
"Let them wonder," Audrey groaned, yawning slightly, "just a few more minutes."
"No can do, Sleeping Beauty," Mal chortled, only to earn a slap to the shoulder as Audrey groaned at the terrible use of wording, "ok, ok sorry. That was bad."
"Yes it was. But, apology accepted." Smiling slightly, Audrey sat up slightly. Her bare shoulders looked golden in the early light, her skin tone finally having gone back it's to usual shade as Mal pursed her lips. Even with the claw marks raking through flesh, Audrey was still indescribably beautiful, "you're staring again."
"Am I not allowed to admire the girl I just slept with?" Mal asked, left alone on the bed as Audrey gathered up her blankets and walked towards the wardrobe.
"I'm not beautiful," the Princess insisted, picking out a practical pink sundress, the white lace crawling down its shoulder immediately fading to the darkest of blacks at her touch, "black and pink again?"
"I sorta like it," Mal mumbled, snapping her fingers as her magic made her an outfit for the day, "gives you and edge."
Audrey said nothing as she closed the wardrobe, waving a hand as her hair did itself, falling around her shoulders in bouncy waves which made Mal a bit envious. Extending a palm, Dragon Eye materialized in her grip, it's stone glowing a ferocious green as black thorns appeared to create a shadowy crown on Audrey's head. Watching from a distance, Mal could feel the magic pulsing through the Princesses veins. It was both invigorating and concerning.
"We should go." Audrey said after a moment, her raven skull pendant the last to materialize around her neck, "maybe the others have found something helpful?"
"Maybe. After you, Princess."
Scrunching her nose slightly, Audrey led the way out of the bedroom as Mal followed close beside her. Looking over the girl carefully again as they walked, Mal couldn't help but notice how her hands trembled, or how her eye struggled to find focus. The magic was moving faster then Mal thought. "Come on, lets get to the library."
"Right. Coming."
Walking towards the library in silence, the rest of the gang was already awake upon arrival.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up." Uma grumbled, sprawled across the lounge sofa with Harry and Gil popping grapes from a bowl into their mouths. Audrey didn't even address the she-Pirate, instead moved straight to the balcony and disappeared to survey the kingdom. Watching her go, Mal just rolled her eyes as Uma snorted.
"Wow, nasty. She really is the Queen of Mean, isn't she? So what exactly went down last night?"
"What do you mean?" Mal asked, moving towards the table where Evie was going over the Compendium.
"I mean, Mal, that you went to find little miss pink and black, and didn't come back till just now. So, what happened?"
"What do you think happened?" Mal teased good naturedly, causing all heads in the room to snap up in surprise.
"You didn't." Evie breathed. Shrugging, Uma's just scoffed in irritation as Lonnie leaned to Jane.
"I knew it. You owe me ten bucks."
Laughing lightly at the commentary, Mal rounded the desk to look down at the Compendium.
"Have there been any changes?"
"Images of what when down at the picnic, and then a change to the battle scene." Evie mumbled, flipping back to the war page which was now engulfed in fire, "I didn't quite understand what this meant till just now."
"So it had to do with us getting together?"
"I think so. The Compendium didn't know which side you were going to take till last night. And then this page."
Flipping to a new space, Mal looked over an image of a beast like creature taking down a horse in a moonlit field.
"must be what Ben was doing last night." Mal mumbled, "I can't imagine it's easy being a monster."
"I think our judgement about the Compendium was wrong, I'm not sure it's only cataloging Ben's life." Evie said lightly, flipping to a new page. This one was designated for the Queen, whom they now knew was Audrey. It was in the style of a stained glass window, portraying her as her old self, but shattered from the center radiating outwards, "Do you understand this page? We've been trying to figure out what exactly it means...Mal? Are you ok?"
Silence draping over the room like a sheet, Mal clutched the edges of the table, "Mal. What is it?"
"I...uh," glancing up slightly, the Dragon Girl felt conflicted again. The looming shadow of Audrey in the doorway, a pained look of shame and regret on her brows, saved her from an explanation.
"I had to do something to stop Ben," she said, addressing no one in particular as her eyes traced the patterns in the carpet, "I made a deal with Dragon Eye, in exchange for my life."
"But that's not possible," Uma spoke up, "only blood of Maleficent can wield the staff without being cursed. Mal told us that herself."
"Dragon Eye isn't a mere trifle," Audrey spat immediately, the shift in her tone startling as the whole room silenced, "It was crafted by Hephaestus in the golden ages of the gods, when Hades was still pandering after his lover — the dark Fae, Maleficent. It is the second most powerful artifact in the known world, next to Hades ember."
Waving a hand, Uma gasped as the blue stone was suddenly pulled from her shell necklace, Audrey catching it easily.
"Oi!"
"This is the most powerful artifact in the known realms," Audrey spoke carefully, watching the blue stone sparkle in the early morning light, "it's powers could bring down any kingdom, and fall any Titan it came across. But, like it's master, both the Ember and Dragon Eye are quite sentient, and eager to screw over human kind."
"How exactly do you know this?" Uma asked, catching the ember in both hands as Audrey tossed it back.
"Advanced Magical Literature," Audrey responded promptly, "school can actually be useful if one pays attention."
"Wait, if the ember is so powerful maybe it can reverse Ben's curse!" Carlos exclaimed, "Mal, you got the ember from Hades? How?"
"Well it's...erm...a bit complicated..."
"Hades magic is powerful," Jane admitted from the side, where she had a book in her hand, "he can literally raise the dead."
"I don't think we have any other options." Jay agreed, all eyes on Mal, "we need to go to Hades."
"Alright! Alright, we can go back to the Isle. But I can't promise anything, we aren't exactly on speaking terms."
"Ye got the ember, didn' you?" Harry spoke up, mouth still filled with grapes, "that seems like speakin' terms to me."
"It's not, we aren't buddy-buddy or anything." Mal complained, hands on her hips, "he's...ugh, he's my dad."
"Wait, hold up! Pause." Standing from her place on the sofa, Uma approached Mal with a lifted brow, "you mean the blue haired maniac is your father? That's so rich."
Ready to start a fight with the turquoise haired girl, all were startled as a mass of black feathers suddenly rocketed into the room. Flapping noisily and landing on the back of a chair, all eyes were on the crow as it ruffled itself and screamed loudly.
"Ichabod." Audrey greeted the bird, unperturbed by its entrance as she lowered a hand for it to hop onto one of her fingers, "what did you find out? Speak."
Waving a hand over the small body, a green flash illuminated in the birds eyes as it opened its beak and spoke human words.
"Bawk! The king and queen are rallying an army. An army, my queen! Bawk!"
"Is Ben with them?" Audrey asked the bird curiously, a deep frown on her lips, "has he found a way to return to himself?"
"The King has stayed a beast! Bawk! A beast. Said he's more powerful that way. Danger, my queen! Danger! Danger!"
"I understand. Did he say anything about Mal?"
"Princess? Princess? He said he wanted her back! Bawk! The rest are traitors! Traitors! Kill them all!"
"I see," pursing her lips together, Audrey sighed heavily through her nose, "when will the army be assembled?"
"Bawk! Bawk! Less then a day, my Queen! Tomorrow's dawn, Auradon will march on Auroria! Bawk! Danger!"
"That is all the information I require now. Gather your brothers and sisters, Ichabod, return here by the evening. I may need your assistance."
"Bawk! Yes my queen, anything my queen! Bawk!"
"Fly now, return if anything changes."
Tossing the bird into the air, Audrey followed it with her dark eye until it was gone. "So what the compendium predicted is to be true then."
"What can we do?" Evie breathed, feeling Jay pull her into a hug, the rest of the room shifting in discomfort as the news sunk in. There was to be a war in Auradon.
"The only thing we can do." Mal answered, turning to Uma who had gone as quiet as the rest of them, "you're the leader on the Isle, they'll listen to you."
"Yeah? What of it?"
"We need an army to defend the people of Auradon," Mal insisted, "we can get the barrier down. All of those kids will be free, just like you wanted."
"Why can't Audrey just level the army? If the scepter is as powerful as you say it is."
"I won't have the deaths of thousands of innocents on my shoulders." The girl admitted darkly, "I will do what I can. But facing Ben is my priority."
"What about the ember?" Lonnie questioned, "you said it was more powerful then the scepter? Maybe it could do something."
"The ember alone could destroy Auradon as we know it in the right hands." Jane mumbled as an answer, "there'd be nothing left for us to fight for."
"Jane is right," Mal mumbled, "we need an army, and I need to talk to my dad, see if he's willing to try and break Ben's curse."
"Guys!"
Glancing up, Harry stood at the edge of the balcony, pointing across the harbor. Watching in horror, dozens of balls of fire erupted around the islands borders.
"What the hell is that?" Uma cried, "what's happening."
"The war has begun." Audrey hissed, snarling angrily as her fist clenched around Dragon Eye tightly. Clacking the staff against the marble of the veranda, all looked to the sky as the clouds darkened, casting a somber, heavily quality across the whole kingdom. Rain began to fall, pink lightning streaking across the sky.
"We need to get to the Isle, now." Mal insisted, grasping Uma's arm, "this is our one shot to save those kids."
"I'm in. My crew too,"
"Good, Lonnie and Jane? I need you guys to go and get fairy godmothers wand. Bring the barrier down."
"But Mal I..."
"Jane, you have magic, I know you do. Now is the time to use it. Bring the barrier down, then rally any Auradonian's you can reach. Take them as far away from here as you can."
"O-ok." Jane stuttered fearfully, Lonnie's strong hand landing on her shoulder and squeezing it tightly.
"Take what you need from the palace," Audrey said, her face stony as more lightning cracked through the air, "stay safe."
"You too, Auds. We'll be back to fight for Auradon."
Leaving the study, Mal turned to Evie. Taking both of her pale hands in hers, the Dragon girl squeezed them.
"E, go back home. Get the kids and take them someplace away from here."
"But Mal..."
"E, things are about to get really ugly here really fast. They aren't safe in Auradon. Please do this for me."
"Just promise you'll come back for us." Evie whimpered, tears already pouring down her face as Mal fought back her own emotions for the sake of clear headedness.
"I will. Jay and Carlos will escort you. I need to talk to Hades alone."
"We'll come back too," Jay insisted, "we'll fight."
"I know you will. But the citizens safety comes first. Grab as many as you can, try and convince them to get someplace safe. I'm not sure we'll be able to avoid bloodshed this time around. But we'll all do this together. Because we're rotten."
"To the core." The other three VK's stated, hugging Mal tightly before Jay and Carlos had to practically drag Evie out of the study. Turning back, Uma, Harry and Gil had also slipped out, leaving only Audrey standing on the balcony. She looked truly menacing in this light, her black, vein filled skin more prominent against her cheeks as her one good eye stared out at the burning Isle.
"Audrey." Mal spoke up, "I want to try and find a cure for Ben..."
"I know." Audrey spoke softly, her voice so quiet in the wind she had summoned, "But if you can't, I won't hesitate to do what needs to be done."
Turning slightly, the Princess looked the part of an evil queen. All softness from that morning had fled, as if a dream. Audrey was nearly gone, hidden in the maelstrom of cruelty and a thirst for justice, and it twisted in Mal's gut to know there wasn't much she could to to stop it.
"Ok. I'll come back for you. We'll do this together, just like I promised."
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. Mal."
Audrey mumbled somewhat shallowly. It is honorable to die for the fatherland.Nodding, Mal didn't keep back her tears this time.
"Carpe Deim."
Seize the day, for today was the beginning of an end. A battle that Mal truly wasn't sure they could win this time.
•••
A/N: Oooooo. We had a lot going on in this chapter, wow! Over 4000 words is a first for me. As y'all now know, this is the beginning of the end. However, if there are any plot holes I have yet to wrap up that you've found, please comment them so I can address those in the chapters leading up to the final battle. This is it guys, the calm before the storm. Until next chapter lovelies!