This chapter I didn't write until I already finished two chapters that come next. I thought about whether or not I should write this and decided to after some consideration. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Mal knew something had to be wrong when her beloved prince didn't answer her phone call that morning.
Instead of panicking immediately, Mal waited until she dressed to call him once more. No answer. Hurriedly eating her breakfast, Mal called again after she cleaned her plate. Still no answer, but this time, it has went straight to voicemail.
"Something's not right," Mal insisted to her parents when they asked who she was trying to contact. "Ben usually answers on the first ring, but now his phone goes to voicemail. He wouldn't ignore me like that."
"Maybe he's in the shower or his battery is dead," Maleficent suggested, so her baby girl wouldn't stress too much. "Or maybe he's sick and his mother turned his phone off so he wouldn't be disturbed. Do you know his parents' number? Or his home phone?"
"Ben he said his father blocked my number when I tried scheduling a time to practice for our callbacks over a year ago," Mal informed with a sign. "Him not answering is making me really worried."
"Stop by his place and check on him," Hades suggested, and wiping the crumbs off his face. "I have a virtual conference in a few minutes, but I can postpone it if you want to drive you."
"I'll text Jay since he goes through this way," Mal offered, though she really didn't want to get her father's temper involved just yet, in case the situation were to escalate. "I know he won't mind stopping for me. I'll let you know when I find out what's going on."
For some reason, the drive to Ben's house was completely nerve wracking for the childhood friends. When Jay received the call, he knew something just had to be up. Knowing him longer, Ben has the habit of answering in the first ring because he hates having to make people wait. He will apologize if he answers on the second or third ring. Jay rushed around his house before he ran out to pick up Mal.
After ten minutes of driving, the friends pulled up to their inactive companion's home.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Mal joked half-heartedly, "Wish me luck."
"You'll need it," Jay warned seriously. "Just make it short, sweet, and to the point so the Beast doesn't get pissed off."
Keeping that thought in mind, Mal grudgingly climbed out of the rusted pick-up truck and wakes up the driveway. Before she could have the change to ring the doorbell, the front door opened, revealing the grumpy looking owners. "What do you want?"
"Mr. Adams," Mal greeted with a curt nod. "Mrs. Adams. Is Ben home? I tried calling him, but he wouldn't answer."
"We know," Belle grumbled with a slight yawn. "His phone kept going off in his room until his father bro—shut it off. What did you want?"
Thrown off by the rude attitude behind the question, Mal insisted, "I'm looking for Ben. Can you tell me where he is?"
"Not here," Beast answered bluntly. "So go."
Mal didn't have much time to process that reply before the door slammed shut just millimeters away from her face, nearly knocking her in the nose. Taking a moment to somewhat regain her composure, Mal slowly walked back to the truck, feeling her breathing pick up to dangerous speeds. As she climbed into the truck, she felt something climbing up her throat. Cheeks puffing out, Mal leaned her head out of the vehicle, committing the breakfast she ate less than thirty minutes ago.
"Right in their yard!" Jay proclaimed with a hint of teasing in her tone. Waiting until she was back fully in the truck with the door slammed shut, he wondered, "I know this is a bad time for me to ask, but are you pregnant?"
"Hell no," Mal denied, wiping her mouth with her jacket sleeve. "I wouldn't ruin my chances of attending Moors University like that."
Snickering at his friend's response, Jay quickly pulled away and down the street before Beast could yell at them. Once they were a couple streets away, the teen put on a serious face.
"Let's think about this strategically," Jay suggested, keeping his eyes on the road. "We know Ben left home, but don't know when. We know his first option would be going to his grand-father, but he's in the next town over and Ben wouldn't go all that way on foot. So let's put the situation into your perspective. Where would King Ben go? His castle is at the home we just left, but where else would he go where he felt safe? Where is his throne room?"
Thinking about it for just a moment, Mal perked up in realization. "The school," she deduced knowingly. "That's where he became king. The Tourney field is the dungeon, or sometimes the torture chamber. I think his throne room would be the theater. It's where he fees the most comfortable to rule."
"Then off to school we go," Jay commented hopefully. "You go talk to our king while I go talk to the Headmaster—"
"Professor," Mal interrupted instinctively. "Fairy Godmother is headmaster, or headmistress."
"Professor," Jay corrected without a second thought, "Yen Sid about what happened at Mr. And Mrs. Beast's home and how they treated our Lady of the Court."
