So who's totally excited about the D3 announcement tonight?! I am! I am!

I was really hoping to update soon on "Mommy Missed You" but I've been so busy and now I'm sick, so it might be a bit. But its coming for those following that story too.

danifan3000 - I'm not sure about the sister thing, Snow definitely takes on that roll, but I'm not sure if they're going to think of each other that way for a bit yet. We'll see, I'm still figuring it out too. :-) thanks for reading.

FlatFox - the food issues are basically that they didn't have enough to eat and are still worried about where the next meal will come from. I haven't really addressed it much in any prior chapters but I do have some hints of it coming up in the future. Especially with Carlos.

narutogirl103 - I think Evie is in pretty good hands, don't you? She'll be ok.

"Hey Jay, you ready to get going?" Aziz said as he came over.

"Oh hey Aziz. Yeah, I'm ready I just want to wait for Mal to make sure she has her ride." Jay answered.

"You go ahead, I'll be ok." Mal said, but Jay could tell she was uneasy, she wasn't sure who was picking her up and no one had come over yet for her. Jay was not about to leave her standing on the front steps alone.

"No, I'm waiting with you." he said.

"But…"

"No." he said more firmly and for once Mal relented.

They didn't have to wait long before a fancy new town car pulled up. A driver got out and opened the back door and an older woman in a smart suit stepped out. She walked right up to Mal.

"Mal I presume?" she asked in a get right down to business way.

Mal looked at Jay with a quick look of panic before responding to the woman, "Yes, I'm Mal. You must be Queen Leah."

The woman pursed her lips and studied the girl for a moment. Mal wanted to melt into a puddle.

"Yes, well let's get going."

Mal turned and gave Jay a hug goodbye and waved to Aziz before grabbing her bag and walking over to the car. The chauffeur took her bag and closed the car door behind her once Mal was in.

Mal looked around the luxurious car, it was huge. She smiled weakly at the woman sitting next to her who's sour expression didn't change at all. Mal decided that looking out the window would be a good distraction and she bounced her leg nervously.

"You're awfully quiet." Queen Leah said after a while.

Mal looked over at the woman surprised by her comment, it annoyed her that the woman who she had just met about 20 minutes ago would be presumptuous enough to comment on her behavior when she didn't even know her. It annoyed Mal even more because the woman was absolutely right, Mal was almost never this quiet. The woman sat with a smug expression on her face waiting for Mal to answer. The girl cleared her throat.

"I'm just worried about my friends, we've never been a part like this." Mal had decided to answer honestly.

"That's preposterous, they're all going to lovely homes and fine Auradonian families." the woman dismissed Mal's concern as if it were trivial.

Mal sighed and leaned back again and watched the scenery as the car sped into Auroria. It soon became obvious that they were headed to the nicest of the nicest neighborhoods and finally pulled up to the biggest house on the private drive. The chauffeur got out and opened the doors for Queen Leah and Mal to get out. Mal was about to get her bag but Leah shook her head.

"Jeffrey will get it and bring it up to your room. Come."

Mal looked back at Jeffrey who nodded and gave her a little wink. Mal followed Leah into the house, a maid opened the door for them as they came closer and into the foyer.

Mal gaped at the exorbitant decorations and followed Leah as she showed her around the huge house.

"This is the main dining room, dinner is at 7 sharp, I do not tolerate tardiness, out there is the parlor where we serve drinks before dinner if we have company. And through those doors is the kitchen, but you don't have any reason to go in there, you can simply ask the staff to get you something to eat if you're hungry. Now over this way is the music room, and that is the library, and this is Stefan's study, you are not to go in there unless he specifically invites you in. This door back here leads to the patio and gardens and the pool is out through these doors over here." Leah went on for a while about several pieces of art and other not so interesting information about the house. Mal was only half listening. "Do you have any questions? Do you need anything" Leah finally asked.

Mal shook her head "No, ma'am. I think I'm all set."

"Call me 'Leah' the staff calls me 'ma'am' " Leah said. Mal looked over at the maid that was nearby and had clearly heard. It made Mal feel a little uncomfortable.

"Ok. Leah" she replied dutifully.

"Why don't you look around a bit on your own, get to know the place, make yourself at home, and we'll see you at 7 for dinner."

Mal nodded and wandered off to find her bedroom. She seriously doubted that she could make herself at home. You certainly couldn't put your feet up on the furniture here or lounge about, and the staff was everywhere. Mal found her room, or more accurately suite of rooms, there was a room that was like a small living room and a bedroom and bathroom off it. At least here Mal felt she could be a little more herself. Jeffrey had already brought up her things and placed the clothes in the closet or dresser and had carefully left the rest for Mal to put away as she felt. She looked out the window at the enormous backyard and pool and felt completely trapped.

At five to seven Mal headed down to dinner. When she walked into the dining room she saw Leah and Stefan already seated waiting for her.

"Mal!" Leah said "This is my husband former King Stefan. Stefan, dear, this is Mal."

The man looked up over his spectacles "Well hello young lady, so pleased that you'll be staying with us." Mal smiled genuinely.

"Thank you so much for having me." She said as she went to her seat.

"Why Mal, you haven't changed for dinner." Leah said, honestly surprised.

Mal looked down at the outfit she was wearing, her purple skinny jeans and a t-shirt, the same outfit she had on all day, she frowned slightly. "I can go put on an other t-shirt." she offered.

"Is that all you have?" Leah asked.

Mal furrowed her eyebrows in worry and looked down, for the first time ever feeling ashamed of her clothes.

"Leah." Stefan hissed hashly "remember where she is from she might not have the proper clothing."

Leahs face showed understanding "Ah, well then we will just have to go shopping and get you some suitable clothes. Agatha!" Leah called to one of the maids who scurried over.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Please clear my afternoon schedule tomorrow. Mal and I are going shopping."

The maid responded affirmatively and hurried away. "Now then, that'll be fun won't it."

Mal gave a little half smile and nod as another member of the staff came and set out the first course. Mal looked at the table settings. What was she supposed to do with all these forks?! On the isle forks were not necessary, if you couldn't grab it with your hand and run you weren't going to be eating. At school she had gotten used to having one of each but what were all the rest for? She felt completely overwhelmed by everything.

"Start with the outermost fork and work your way in." a butler whispered in her ear as he offered her the rolls. She smiled gratefully at him. She should have paid more attention to Evie when she tried teaching her all this.

"So Mal, tell us a little about yourself." Leah said after a few minutes. Mal quickly swallowed the roll she was chewing on.

"Well… I'm 16. I'm an only child. I like to draw and paint." she said not sure what the woman would be interested in knowing.

"Thats wonderful." Leah said in a false excited tone "Stefan, did you hear the girl? She said she likes art, isn't that just wonderful?"

"Yes, yes, very good." Stefan answered his wife dutifully and continued on with his dinner.

"What would you like to do when you're an adult?" Leah asked.

"I'm not really sure, I haven't really thought about it."

"Haven't thought about it! You're 16, you should have a plan set up by now of how you plan on getting to your goals."

"Leah!" Stefan interrupted "she has plenty of time."

Mal decided to interject "It's just that on the isle I didn't have a future," Mal shoved some of the food in her mouth and continued to talk, forgetting her manners of not talking with your mouth full "you can't really decide what you want to be, you just sort of survive or … not. I've only been here a couple months so I'm really still getting used to three meals a day and hot showers. What is this anyway?" Mal motioned to her plate.

"Foie gras." Leah answered aghast at both the conditions she just learned about and Mal talking with her mouth full.

Mal had no idea what foie gras was but she ate pretty much anything and it was surprisingly good. She finished off her plate quickly.

"That was really good." she praised the food. Leah was still speechless, and Stefan was quite amused by their new house-guest. This was going to be an interesting week indeed.

Thank you all so much for the follows and favs, it really feels awesome to know so many people are enjoying the story. Please remember to review, I love hearing what you think.

Thanks!