As Much as They Please

(Day 59: Tuesday Evening)

"I'm sitting with King Ben, who has finally decided to speak up about the sexual assault case against his girlfriend Mal Bertha." The blond smiles at him, "I'm glad you're here tonight."

"Thank you, Lyla," Ben smiles back as he sits in the beige armchair, before he nods once. "I'm glad to be here."

"Tomorrow will be the third day of your girlfriend's trial," she states. "How are you feeling about the way things have gone so far?"

Ben tries to keep his smile, "It's certainly been a challenge to confirm Mal's innocence. I have no doubt that the video shown today has brought up a lot of questions and assumptions."

"Do you have anything to say about the video?"

He shifts in his seat, "Yes. I have a lot to say, actually. Do you mind if I examine it issue by issue?"

She gestures, "No. Go right ahead."

"Thank you," Ben says again, and he pauses before continuing. "Let's start off with something simple: Mal's old job." He folds his hands, "The video and the trial itself may not have made it very clear, but when Mal was stated to have sold drugs and… influence the customers to stay, that was just part of her job. Harry Hook and Uma, the daughter of Ursula, are part of an influential gang, which Mal was offered to work for after she had met Harry Hook and was shown that attraction they claim is a restraint. If anything, it's one of those bars, really."

"Are you saying your girlfriend was part of a gang?" Lyla frowns with interest.

Ben pauses as he wets his lips, "What I'm saying is that Mal didn't sell drugs or seduce customers because she wanted to. Primarily, she did it because it was her job at the time."

"But she seduced the customers even before she got the job. Isn't that what this Harry Hook claimed?"

"It's possible that Mal did try to obtain heat from a customer once and that's how she got the job," Ben accepts, "but the idea that she did it regularly can only be contributed to the fact that it was part of her job after she'd been brought on."

"What about the allegations of her trying to get her boyfriend fired?" she brings up.

Ben frowns, glancing down for a second, "Harry Hook is a topic in of himself, and first, I must say, he was not her boyfriend. He was her primary heat source of the time, nothing more."

"Are you sure about that?" the host questions. "She seemed rather upset about him."

"She has other reasons to be upset with him," Ben insists. "The fact of the matter is that she trusted him with her life, and he took advantage of her. Trust in him," he flusters. "He betrayed her. That's why she's upset with him."

"But she had sex with him," she retorts. "Are you saying that is irrelevant to whether or not they were involved?"

"No," Ben objects. "If he was her primary heat source, then of course they were involved. But they weren't dating," Ben stresses. "They weren't together in the way you or I would think of it. They were only involved physically." He shifts his head, "And as far as the intercourse goes, like Mal said on the stand, she only did it because he wanted her to." He slightly lifts a hand, "That's the whole reason why she went to her employer in the first place. It wasn't about getting Hook fired. She just didn't want to find herself in a position again where someone could influence her to do something she wasn't a hundred percent sure she wanted to do."

There's silence for a long moment, before the woman asks, "What about you? Do you think Harry Hook should have been fired for his misconduct in this influential gang?"

"Well, if you're referring to the sexual misconduct in general, then you know how things typically work here. However, if you are referring to my personal opinions on what should have happened to Hook…" He slowly comments, "I have no words for what would constitute punishment for the betrayal he caused my girlfriend." He lifts a hand, "Mal wouldn't agree with me here, but I say any punishment would be futile, because the damage has already been done."

The reporter nods, "Is there anything else you would like to say?"

He's quiet for a moment, "Everyone is probably wondering about Mal's relationship with her best friend, whether they ever actually dated as Hook proclaimed."

She smiles, "Yes. What do you have to say about that?"

Ben takes a second to think, "I should first say that they have never claimed to be anything other than just friends or best friends, and according to both of them they never used the term girlfriend or the like even on the Isle of the Lost." When the interviewer doesn't respond he continues, "It is known that Evie has been Mal's main heat source over the last few years, but just because they have had that interaction with each other, it doesn't mean they were ever anything more."

"But Harry Hook said your girlfriend and Evie were exclusive. That makes it different than what she had with him, doesn't it?"

"It's about trust," Ben easily responds. "After Hook's betrayal, I can only imagine how distrusting Mal must have been since then. It wouldn't surprise me that if she already had a heat source of whom she trusted that she wouldn't risk looking for someone else as well."

"He also said that it would be hard for your girlfriend to be exclusive, because of her heat situation." Ben looks down. "What is your response to that?"

He looks back up, "I say that my girlfriend cares about me and that she knows how I feel about cheating." He lifts his thumbs. "Keeping that in mind, she does have an atypical need that has to be taken care of, and I have implemented measures to make sure she can get what she needs even if I'm not there to provide it to her."

"Can you clarify that?" the woman inquires as she scoots to the edge of her seat.

"She has a heat lamp now, which should help her at least a little. For when it doesn't, I have also spoken with Evie and set a couple ground rules for when she does offer Mal heat."

"You're allowing this girl to give heat to your girlfriend?" her mouth gapes in disbelief. "Aren't you worried about having one of Mal's past," she lifts hands, "involvements giving her heat like that?"

"Look." Ben wets his lips, "Evie is Mal's best friend. If there comes a time when Mal needs someone, then Evie will offer her help. And I can respect that." He pauses. "As far as any worry of what may or may not happen between the two of them, that's what communication and rules are for."

"But she does have an attraction to her?" the reporter insists.

"Perhaps," Ben slightly nods. "But I'm not worried. Evie told me herself, I make Mal happy and she would never want to take that away from her. That means she's not going to risk anything romantic or overly sexual that could potentially cause me to break up with Mal." She doesn't speak, so he continues, a hint of a smile making it to his face, "Evie's been Mal's heat source for a long time now, and Mal trusts her. I know no one more qualified to take care of my girlfriend if I am unable to see to her needs myself." He laughs, "And honestly. I am so much more comfortable with setting terms with Evie, rather than having Mal find herself in a desperate situation again and cheating on me with someone who's just there and willing of whom she may not even know. It's safer and more respectable this way. For everyone."

"So, you have no concern at all about your girlfriend and Evie?"

"No," Ben confidently states. "And neither should you. What you should be worried about is how Audrey's legal team was able to interview the people from the island in the first place, because I know my family didn't authorize any visits there. Which only leaves three options: one, they used magic to get past the barrier; two, they snuck onto a shipment heading there; or three, they stole my family's car. All of these actions are illegal, which means that video was illegally obtained." He sits straighter, "But because of my respect for Audrey and the fact that she may not have known this herself, I am willing to look past it."

The reporter stills with shock, before she slowly comments, "That is very interesting— and knowledgeable— information." as she brings her hand to her earpiece. "I have word that we've been getting a lot of call-ins. How do you feel about answering your people's questions on live television?"

Ben attempts to smile, "Let's do it." and it's not a minute later that the first caller can be heard through the sound system.

"You say you have respect for Princess Audrey, but how can you if you're still going against her in this trial?"

He clasps his hands together, "Well, ma'am, I can still respect Princess Audrey as a fellow royal, even if I am backing my own girlfriend in this trial. The fact is Mal is innocent until proven guilty, and Audrey has a lot less to lose if her side doesn't win."

"Your girlfriend isn't innocent. There's an entire video to prove it!"

"And that video makes her look bad," Ben admits, "but it doesn't show the context of the situation. Also, the video shows no actual crime being committed. All it shows a one girl getting upset with another girl and maybe, just maybe, about to do something regrettable. However, it in no way definitively proves Mal to be guilty of any crime."

"You're a political hack. You know that?" the woman angrily accuses.

"You can think that if you wish," Ben calmly comments. "You are completely welcome to your own opinions on this matter."

There's a pause, "I know one thing for sure. That monster you call a girlfriend is never going to lay a hand on my daughters."

Ben squints his eyes as he lifts a hand, "What would my girlfriend ever want with your daughters?" but there's no response.

"She ended the call," Lyla informs. "Ready for the next one?"

Ben nods, and then he hears the man speak, "Are you spelled. Did that witch put a spell on you?"

"Mal's not a witch," Ben slowly replies. "Witches can't even do magic. What my girlfriend is is a hybrid of fairy and dragon ancestry."

"Did she spell you?" he questions again.

Ben grins, "My girlfriend has never casted a spell on me. Neither as she ever used her hypnotism on me. I am supporting her out of my own free will."

"Then go to Hell," the man yells, before the call drops.

Ben frowns as Lyla uneasily smiles, "Let's just move onto the next one, shall we?"

After Ben nods another man is heard, "You're a terrible king. If you think you, or your girlfriend, or anyone is above the law, then you should give the job to someone else."

He's silent for a moment, "I realize you're upset and that this trial has been very hard on a number of people, but I assure you: I do not think anyone is above the law."

"Then why haven't you banished your girlfriend back to that prison?" Ben can hear the man is hurt, holding back tears. "She's going to ruin everything that your family built. You have to stop her."

"She hasn't done anything wrong," Ben insists, before he sighs. "At least nothing more than anyone else has done." He lifts his head, "Back when I was on my school's tourney team I pushed a friend of mine down onto a bench. Do you think I deserve banishment?"

The man huffs, "You should kill yourself."

"I'm sorry," Ben raises his eyebrows, "but I'm too busy to do that right now. Do you have any other requests?"

"Yeah." He yells, "How about you stop being so careless and start taking your job seriously?"

Ben feels his temperature rise as he narrows his eyes, "Believe it or not, I am taking my job seriously. I'm taking all of this very seriously, in fact."

"No," the man counters. "If you did, then you would have accepted your girlfriend's guilt by now and she'd be in prison."

"If she goes to prison," Ben nearly yells, "then she will die." The man doesn't speak, as Ben rests his elbow on his knee and places a hand to his forehead. He feels his eyes gloss over, before he softly speaks, "And I'm not sending her back to the Isle either. I may have never been there, but even I know it's the embodiment of Hell." He lets out a shaky breath before looking up again. "She deserves a chance at a life where she doesn't need to do unspeakable things to survive. She deserves to have the opportunity to do more than just survive."

"She had that chance," the man evenly responds. "She wasted it."

Ben doesn't speak, only gulping, knowing that if he did speak his voice would only be either an inaudible whisper or an incomprehensible crackle. The interviewer comments, "I think that's enough calls for today." before she observes Ben for a moment. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your fault," Ben manages, before he half laughs. "I've been left hundreds of messages like that since Mal had the confrontation with Audrey."

"Not people telling you to go to Hell or kill yourself?" she disbelieves.

"No," Ben softly responds. "Exactly like that. Most people just tell me to resign… but still. My words don't mean anything. My actions have already made up their minds."

"But you're just a kid," she breathes.

"No," he flatly states. "I'm not a kid. I'm a political figure. Which means that people can like or dislike me as much as they please."

"Hey," Doug comments as he sits with him at the cafeteria table.

"Hey," Ben responds as he sits. "What's up?"

"I saw your interview." Doug smiles, "Not too shabby." Ben tears up the ham and places it into the cheesy noodles. "It could have gone a lot worse, you know."

"Yeah," Ben breathes as he takes the meat and cheese from the sandwiches and places them between two of the bread slices. "I'm just lucky it was Lyla. Some interviewers don't even let you talk— but Lyla. She just waits for the story to come to her, you know?"

"You're not crushing, are you?"

Ben lifts a shoulder, "From a professional standpoint, maybe. Just a little."

Doug watches as Ben rolls up a piece of bread and dips it into the catchup, "You're eating weird again."

He gives him a look, "It's just bread in catchup. I'm sure a lot of people do it."

"You're getting the bread all soggy," Doug complains.

Ben mumbles, "And people say I'm a control freak." before he takes a bite out of the tall sandwich.

"I don't understand how you can eat that much."

He sets the sandwich down and lifts a hand, "If it bothers you, then at the next meal make me have a plate of raw vegetables. I can't chew those to save my life."

Doug sighs, "I'm not making you eat vegetables."

"Raw ones," Ben repeats. "Steamed ones I can manage."

Doug shuts his eyes and cringes, as Ben dips another rolled up piece of bread into the catchup. "Just stop for a minute." Ben gives him an annoyed look, before he takes out his phone, "Audrey was interviewed after court today. You're going to want to see this."

"Tell me. How bad is it?" Ben questions, before he dips another ball into the catchup and chews it.

"It's not bad," he promises. "In fact, it's really good."

He presses play and sets the phone down in front of Ben. Audrey is standing on the concrete stairs, smiling, "My boyfriend said something today that I need to correct." She takes a breath before saying, "I will no longer be holding the petition for hybrids to be documented at Auradon Prep." and after a few camera flashes and a question from a reporter she continues. "I know I've been very open about my views on hybrids, but today I'm saying that not all of them are bad and that they deserve the chance to continue their lives without being judged for something they didn't choose and don't have any control over."

Another reporter speaks, "What changed your mind? Why the sudden change?"

Audrey pauses, "I came to the realization that hybrids can look and behave just like the rest of us. Not all of them are pretending to be human. Some of them just behave like humans, because they grew up in a human society and learned the same values and morals that we did." Ben can hear the long breath she lets out, "The fact is, if hybrids can look and behave just like us, then that means they could be anyone we know. They could be our friends, a distant relative, or even someone we love." Ben glances up at Doug, their eyes meeting, but neither one says anything. "I don't want to be responsible for people getting kicked out of their homes or for having someone's career become ruined just because of who they are."

When the video stops Doug comments, "You should thank her." but that causes Ben to make a disgruntled noise. "What?"

"Well." Ben hesitates, "It's just that the last time I spoke to Audrey, I may or may not have stormed into the girls' bathroom and harassed her." Doug's mouth gapes, but there's irritability in his eyes, as though this is just the kind of thing Ben would do. "That's what Fairy Godmother said anyway… I just thought we were talking."

Doug narrows his eyes at him and sternly states, "Apologize. And thank her."

Ben picks up his spoon, "I'll do it later."

"Now," he firmly responds.

Ben sighs, "Come on." as he gestures at the noodles. "It's cheese, liquid cheese, and there's ham— lots of ham. And it's warm." Doug continues to glare at him. "Audrey probably isn't even here anyway. She's probably gossiping and fixing her lip-gloss in the bathroom. I can't just go in there… again."

"You don't have to," Doug frowns, as he nods over to another table. "She's there."

Ben sighs again, "Look. I'll do it after dinner, okay? When everyone goes up to their rooms. I can just knock on her door and ask to chat. That way it might actually be private too."

"You better," he sternly replies. "Because if you don't, I'm going to give away all of your protein bars and fruit chews."

"To who?" Ben calls his bluff.

Doug takes a second to think, "Carlos De Vil. He's skinny as a rail, and from what I hear he loves chocolate. I'm sure he could use it."

Ben frowns, "Your threat isn't necessary. I'll talk to her."

"You'll do what?" he questions.

Ben wets his lips and takes in a deep breath, "I will not talk to her like I did last time. This time I will merely apologize and say thank you."

Doug lets out a calming breath, "You know, if you were anyone else, you would be in so much trouble right now."

Ben slightly nods, "I know."

- Next up: Ben and Audrey talk. Any predictions?