Chapter 12: Arrival
After Cotillion, Mal, Ben and the villain kids had a wonderful time. Mal was genuinely happy with Ben for the first time since arriving in Auradon, she no longer had to pretend to be someone else and there was no giant octopus monster threatening them at the moment. Ben's kingly duties were not nearly as intensive as Mal had expected and they were thus able to spend much more time of their vacation together.
Her friends, meanwhile, each had their own source of happiness.
Evie and Doug had taken a vacation to Doug's homeland and Evie's plans of opening her own clothing store had become much more realistic with Doug being the ideal financial partner. Furthermore, little Dizzy Tremaine had seldom left Evie's side during this time and wanted nothing more than to combine their dreams to start a fashion and hairstyle emporium.
Carlos had spent most of his time at Auradon prep working on new inventions and research. He was often accompanied by his buddy Dude and had regular dates with his new girlfriend Jane.
Jay had planned to travel through multiple kingdoms for the summer but ended up staying with Lonnie at her home for the larger part. Their initially flirty relationship had blossomed into an actual romance.
The VK's had not forgotten about each other though and had planned to spend the final week of vacation together as a group at Auradon prep. Dizzy had not been the only villain kid already brought from the isle and while most still mostly clung together, Freddie Facilier had quickly joined the ranks in their group of friends. This now consisted of Mal, Ben, Evie, Doug, Carlos, Dude, Jane, Jay, Lonnie, Freddie, Jordan and sometimes Chad and Audrey.
One week before the start of the new school year, Ben had made a public announcement that members of the righteous sons would be attending the new year at Auradon prep. This caused excitement for both the VK's and Auradon kids. Most of the Auradon kids had for years been told of the troop's bravery and proficiency in battle and for them it would be like meeting celebrities. Ben had naturally told the VK's all about his year spent with the troop and even they had to be impressed with some of the stories he had to offer.
"Are you sure you're not exaggerating a little bit?" Carlos asked Ben after he had told a harrowing tale of an encounter with a large mountain troll, which, according to his story, Archer had single-handedly defeated.
"I might spice up things here and there, but the story remains true." He replied with a smile.
"If this Archer guy is genuinely as good a swordsman as you say, I can't wait to take him on!" Jay said. "I'll show him how we do things on the isle."
Both Mal and Evie rolled their eyes at Jay's boasting, but Ben seemed genuinely worried. "Please don't do anything to get on Archer's bad side, Jay. He's a really nice guy but trust me when I say that he could beat you with one hand tied to his back. He's also a prince, so don't forget that.
"I promise that he'll behave." Lonnie said as she gave Jay a pet on the head.
Jay playfully swatted her hand away. "When do I ever not behave?" he asked his girlfriend.
"You fist-bumped my father when you first met him!" Lonnie said sternly, which caused the rest of the gang to choke on their food.
Jay just shrugged and concentrated on his lunch.
"Do you know how late they'll arrive?" Evie asked Ben.
"Archer said he'd be here around noon, so make sure you'll all be at the front porch by then. I want to personally introduce you all."
"This is not a formal occasion, is it?" Carlos asked with a frown. "Because I'm getting quite tired of having to wear my tux all the time."
"But you look so handsome." Jane said as she placed her head on Carlos' shoulder. "You can suck it up for one more day."
The rest grinned as Carlos sighed.
"Don't worry Carlos, I don't expect any of you to dress up formally." Ben said.
"Aww." Evie pouted.
"That doesn't mean that you can't." Ben said to her, which caused her to crack a wide smile again as she stood up.
"I'll finish up my latest dress right away." She said as she grabbed Doug by his arm, right as he wanted to take a bite of his pudding. He had no choice but to follow her.
"How many people do you expect to welcome them to Auradon prep?" Mal asked her boyfriend.
"Not so many I hope. I've been keeping their exact arrival time from the public. I hope to not overwhelm them." He replied.
"Then you probably should have not told Evie." Mal said as she looked at her phone.
Ben looked confused as Mal handed her phone to him. He saw the message posted not a minute ago by Evie on her social media account.
OMG, the righteous sons arriving tomorrow at noon. Who else is super exited?! #cantwait #righteoussons #auradonprep.
Ben groaned. "Well, I guess the entire school will be welcoming them." He said as he handed Mal back her phone.
"It will probably not just be the students." Mal said darkly.
"What do you mean?" Ben asked.
The VK's and their friends watched as a horde of paparazzi had gathered in front on the Auradon prep gates. They were all pushing and shoving in order to get the best possible position for taking pictures.
Mal stood beside Ben, in front of his father's statue. For the occasion, she was wearing a violet, knee-length dress and had her purple hair in a long braid. Evie had persisted she at least looked like semi-royalty, while she herself wore a brand new elegant blue gown.
Mal looked behind them. A large group of students had gathered at the porch to see the new arrivals as well. She and Ben were at the front, with Evie, Doug, Carlos, Jane, Jay, Lonnie and Freddie just behind them.
"They're late." Ben commented as he looked at his watch.
"Or they're just having trouble breaking through the great wall of paparazzi." Mal said and Ben couldn't help but smile. "Don't be nervous." Mal told him as she softly stroked his arm.
"I'm not nervous. More excited. They're some of my best friends and I want them to make a good impression on you."
"For their sake, I hope they do." Mal smiled.
Just as Ben wanted to reply they suddenly heard a large tumult and constant flashing of cameras near the gates. The noise only got louder as Mal was able to distinguish five people on horseback making their way to the school. It took them a while to force their way through the paparazzi, but one by one they made it towards her and Ben.
The first person who approached them sat atop a white stallion, had a handsome, reckless appearing face and long black hair in a top knot. As he stepped off his horse, Mal saw that he was covered in knives. He handed the reigns to his horse to a servant and approached Ben.
"It has been far too long my friend!" he shouted, and he gave Ben a big hug. He grinned broadly as he stood back to look at Ben. "You haven't aged a day, we were starting to wonder if you are even capable of growing a beard." He said before bursting out laughing.
Ben joined along before ushering him to Mal. "Aden, this is my girlfriend, Mal from the isle. Mal, this is Aden, son of queen Rapunzel and king Eugene."
Aden bowed deeply for Mal, who curtsied politely in response, she did not feel as though she stood above all royal inquiries.
"Ben has written to us about you, and I expect that he has been boasting of our adventures to you as well." Aden said.
"He has mentioned it." Mal said while rolling her eyes.
Aden looked over Mal's shoulder. "Excuse me, milady, we will continue this talk later, I have some family business to attend to." He said as he walked past Mal and was quickly jumped by his sisters Anxelin and Ruby. Mal smiled at their reunion and had therefore missed the arrival of the second warrior.
Ben had already given him a big hug and they still held onto each other's shoulders. He had a more youthful appearance than Aden, with short blonde hair and a clean-shaven face. He carried a bow and a quiver on his back. After a brief conversation, Ben ushered him to Mal.
"Royce, this is my girlfriend, Mal from the isle. Mal, this is Royce, son of Robin Hood and the lady Marian."
Mal curtsied for Royce, who just nodded in response. "How do you do, milady?" he asked stiffly.
"Fine." Mal said, "Thank you." She couldn't help but notice the quite icy stare he looked at her with but paid no further attention to it when the next guest arrived, and Royce went on to great Aden's sisters.
The next member of the righteous sons was arguably the largest man Mal had ever seen. She estimated that he was around 6'8 tall, over a foot taller than her! On top of that, he was extremely muscular, with very short, blonde hair, a kind face, a large chin and a bit of a tan. On his broad back, he carried a large war hammer. He would have looked menacing, had it not been for the jovial smile on his face.
The second he'd jumped off his horse, he grabbed Ben in a tight embrace and lifted him off the ground. Mal couldn't help but laugh seeing as how this mountain of a man made even Ben look puny.
After being placed back onto the ground, Ben straightened his jacket and looked up at his friend. "A bit less would have sufficed." He said while grinning.
The large man answered in a deep voice. "Who would I be if I wasn't to share all my happiness with the world?"
Ben smiled. "It's good to see you Alex." He said before they shook each other's hand. "Come, let me introduce you to my girlfriend." He ushered Alex to Mal. "Alex, this is Mal from the isle. Mal, this is- oh!" Ben's eyes widened when instead of bowing to Mal, Alex picked her up in a similar hug he had given Ben earlier.
Mal felt as though her ribs were being crushed as she felt Alex's muscular arms around her torso and she couldn't help but make a surprised sound. When Alex lowered her again, he did so very gently though.
Ben grinned. "Mal, this is Alex, son of Hercules."
"I could feel that." Mal said as she rubbed her sides.
"He's like this with pretty much everyone." Ben said as he put his arm around Mal and gave Alex a judgmental look.
Alex raised his hands. "I just like to share the love." He said before looking over their shoulders. Mal looked back and saw that his younger brother Herkie had just made his way through the crowd. "Excuse me." Alex said with a bow to Mal and Ben before he walked around them and hugged his brother tightly.
Mal continued to watch as Alex had started to give his brother a noogie, and only looked back when a new person had already greeted Ben.
This was a boy of around her age, tall and slender, with long, brown hair and a pale skin. He was not particularly handsome but had a kind face.
"Lady Mal." He said before bowing before her. "I am Lancelot, of Camelot and ward of Merlin." He said ceremoniously.
Mal curtsied for him. "Lancelot, it's a pleasure. Ben has told me so much of your magical abilities."
Lancelot smiled. "In his letters, he has also spoke highly of yours. I look forward to studying your magical abilities, if you would let me of course."
"We'll see about that." Mal said slightly uncomfortable. Lancelot bowed again, and Mal could now see the final arrival.
Mal knew this had to be Archer, and even with everything that she had been told about him, she was still surprised.
He was incredibly handsome, with wild yet perfectly styled jet-black hair. He had a slight beard of the same color on a striking jawline and a slender yet lean physique. His most astounding feature were undeniably his ridiculously blue eyes however. Like Ben, he looked every bit the perfect prince, and when he smiled at him he revealed a mouthful of pearly-white teeth.
"Finally!" He yelled as enthusiastically gave Ben a big hug. "It has been far too long." He said as he held Ben at an arm-length. "Still no beard though."
"Aden already commented on that." Ben said with a broad smile. "It's good to see you man."
Archer looked over Ben's shoulder at the school. "It's good to be back." He said softly. Mal noticed how most of the girls in the audience started swooning just by looking at him. Archer noticed this as well and gave a small wave and grin to the audience, which caused all the girls to burst out shrieking.
Ben then turned him to Mal to introduce him. "Archer, this is Mal from the isle. Mal, this is Archer, son of king Arthur." Archer bowed before Mal as she curtsied simultaneously before he softly grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on it.
"I guess the stories were true." Archer said while looking at Mal with those incredible blue eyes. "It was said that our dear Ben had found the love of his life with the most beautiful girl in the land."
Mal couldn't help but pull up and eyebrow and let out an exasperated breath before a smiling Ben grabbed her around the waist.
"What did I tell you of flirting with my girlfriends Archer?" He said almost laughing.
Archer simply raised his hands apologetically with a sarcastic smile. "Sorry my king, but my charms simply cannot be helped when confronted with such beauty." He said with another wink towards Mal.
She was almost ready to hit him, before Ben let her go and hugged him again, laughing loudly. This was apparently an act they had performed numerous times.
Before making any further introductions, Archer called his troops and went on one knee before Mal before being joined by his troop, with a slight hesitation from Royce.
"Mal." He said to her. "As lady of my king and more importantly my good friend Ben, I hereby declare that should the need arise, me and my troop will be at your disposal from this day onward. My sword is at your command." He stated before removing the sword on his back from its scabbard and placing it in front of him. The rest of his troop followed him, with Lancelot placing his staff, Alex his war hammer, Aden a machete and Royce his bow.
Mal was quite flabbergasted by this ceremonial turn of events but could not help but let her eyes get glued to Archer's sword however. Besides it being inarguably the most magnificent sword she had ever seen, she could feel an almost dizzying amount of magic radiating from it. It just managed to make his picture of perfect princeness even more perfect.
Archer noticed Mal's stare and gaping mouth and quickly stood up while saying. "Ah yes, and this is Excalibur, my family's weapon." He presented the sword to Mal while the rest of his troop stood up as well.
Mal naturally needed no introduction to the weapon, even on the isle the tales of Excalibur were legendary. The sword had been the main reason that the villains had been defeated in the war and Mal could never have dreamed of ever actually seeing it in person.
Archer held out the hilt of the sword to her expectingly and Mal first gave a doubtful look to Ben, who nudged at the sword, before taking it in her own hand. It was far lighter than she had expected, as if it had adjusted itself perfectly for her hand, she knew quite little of swords, but even she realized the exquisite balance of the weapon and could not help herself from admiring every detail in both the hilt and the blade with open mouth.
"It's amazing." She told him, and she performed a few practice swings.
"Careful, Mal." Ben told her.
"I can handle myself around a sword, Ben." She said reasonably annoyed.
Before Ben could say anymore, Archer intervened. "My apologies, milady, but Ben simply means that this is an extraordinarily powerful magical relic. Those who already possess magic of themselves, like you, may find themselves overwhelmed by Excalibur's capabilities."
"Oh." Mal said as she lowered the sword. "I'm sorry Ben."
"That's okay." He said with a kind smile as Mal handed the sword back to Archer.
Ben then proceeded to introduce the members of the righteous sons to the other VK's. They all enthusiastically greeted Jay and Carlos and politely bowed to Evie and Freddie. Jay and Carlos could barely contain their excitement when meeting Archer and he gracefully let them hold Excalibur for a minute.
After the other Auradon kids had greeted the righteous sons as well, Ben ushered them all inside for a party he had organized.