Evie and Ben's faces were neutral but Mal could feel the calamity of unspoken issues start to brew. Did they think she was trying to flee Auradon and go back to the Isle? She starts to say something but glances at Ben and Evie's faces. Ben's expression was as blank as a fresh canvas, but his lips, suddenly curved down in a disappointed frown.
Mal inaudibly gasped as she realized her boyfriend was upset with her. She reaches out and touches his jacket sleeve, but he quickly pulls away. Mal's eyes go wide as her expression turns hurt because of the rejection. Ben's face turns to stone and Mal looks over to Evie for support but finds none. Evie's beautiful face was twisted in unspoken anger.
They both hate me! Mal felt her shoulders slump, and she stomped into the room she shared with Evie alone slamming the door in an act of defiance.
Walking toward her bed, Mal slipped off her shoes and placed them on the floor. Throwing herself on top of the comfortable sheets of her bed, she starts to count down from a hundred.
Evie and Ben both blinked at the closed-door wondering if maybe they both had overreacted.
Evie's stiffened stance stood strong but Ben's stony demeanor broke down like General Shang when he found out they wrote him out of his wife's live action movie. Ben wished he could break out into a song about his feelings right about now. But like the live-action Mulan movie, there were no songs for him to sing.
Ben goes to open the door but Evie places her hand over his, mouthing the word no. She makes a motion to an area a couple of feet from the door and Ben nods agreeing to the idea.
"I'm not sure what to say to her. I feel bad that we missed out on how everything was affecting her. Especially, because we both knew how hard giving up magic was for her. But she ran, again!" Evie shakes her hands up and down in frustration.
"I don't want to push her away. I don't..." He doesn't finish but Evie already knew his unvoiced words. For she felt them too.
He couldn't lose her. Ben would do absolutely anything to make Mal happy. Including, avoiding any current issue afflicting their relationship. Not that there were any issues to speak of.
Sure, they both didn't communicate their feelings well and it left them in an insecure time loop. Eventually, they will overcome the minor issues if they ever decided to talk about it. Still, negative thoughts kept whirling around Ben's freshly overstressed out kingly mind. Like, what was with Mal's reaction that night of Cotillion to that murderous confrontation with Harry and why did she let Harry go?
"Ben, you and Mal still need to communicate with each other. You can't protect your relationship by brushing everything under the rug."
"Evie, if I wasn't so hard on Mal in the first place. If I had just paid more attention to her feelings then she wouldn't have left. And if she never went back to the Isle then Uma wouldn't be about to die. I'm to blame, Evie! For all of this!" Ben lamented his voice become more and more despondent with every word.
"Ben, you're not. This isn't your fault. If it's anyone's fault it's the Isle. We were always taught to never share our feelings. Mal still struggles with that rule."
"My dad made the Isle, Evie. I'm still partially to blame."
"Ben, please stop. You aren't to blame for any of this." Evie pleaded," Besides, think of the bright side. Without Uma, our eyes wouldn't have been open to see the kids we've forgotten."
Ben feels his chest tighten in anguish, and he feels his eyes get hot with tears. "At the cost of Uma's life? Evie, she doesn't deserve an ending like this!"
"And she won't get it. We have to have hope that we'll save Uma."
Ben nods meekly and shakily utters. "Yeah, stay hopeful."
"Go meet Fairy godmother and get my mother's mirror. I'll go see Arabella."
"What about Mal?"
"I think she needs some space. We should give it to her."
"Are you sure?" Ben asks with uncertainty.
Evie wasn't sure. There was a part of her that wanted to run to Mal and comfort her. A part of her that knew Mal had a valid reason to run away.
However, there lied a mild glowering thought that was very unhappy with Mal at the moment. She understood that Mal was uncomfortable sharing discomforting feelings.
Evie herself still struggled with openly sharing her emotions. So, in no way could she feel anger towards that. It was how Mal coped with the feelings that bothered her.
The few times they went back to the Isle Mal had instantly reverted back to her old self. The self that locked Evie in Carlos's mom's closest and caused the stunningly gorgeous princess to spend ten years in solitude with her mother. Maybe, I'm jumping to conclusions?
Mal hadn't shown any signs of regressing back to Isle Mal. She did transform into her dragon form...but Mal could never do that on the Isle. I guess I'm not still over her running away back to the Isle.
Evie's mind frayed with regret that had been building up ever since anger infused itself with her usual calm mood. Mal needed results. It was better for Ben and her to accomplish something before they talked to Mal.
"Yeah, I'm definitely sure," Evie confirmed carefully hoping Ben didn't notice the twinge of doubt in her voice. "If we come on too strong it could push her away, again."
"That's the last thing I want to do. You're right. I'll go to Fairy Godmother's office right now and tell her the direness of the current situation." Ben remembers the brief conversation he had with Fairy Godmother just minutes ago.
Fairy Godmother was quick to deny Ben's request. The mere mention of allowing a student to partake in magic with her approval was clearly something she would never agree too. And while Evie's mother's mirror was just one broken piece, its power was clearly heavily laced with strong dark magic.
Evie didn't need the temptation. That if he cared for his friend he would advise her to look for results elsewhere. Ben then explained the reason why they needed the mirror in the first place. Fairy Godmother laughed not believing Ben's words at first.
"You want to save the daughter of the vicious Sea Witch? The one that spelled you and tried to destroy Auradon?" She had said in disbelief.
Ben answered with a firm yes and Fairy Godmother replies with a noise of disgust. Ben breaks away from the memory as it nears the moment when he realized Mal had left.
Ben cleared his throat as he notices Evie staring at him with worry.
"I'm fine," he assures Evie who gives him a look saying he looked far from it. "I will be. We have to hurry. I'll meet you back at your dorm?"
"Of course, I'll see you later, Ben." Evie waves goodbye and Ben waves back.
The King of Auradon turns and slowly moves in the opposite direction. He makes sure not to obviously linger by Mal and Evie's room walking slightly pass it.
Evie whirls around and starts walking to Arabella's room not noticing Ben's struggle.
Ben waits for the sound of Evie's footsteps to disappear and walks back to Mal and Evie's room. His hand lingers at the door handle but Evie's words play loudly in his mind.
He pulls his hand back as the fear of pushing her away overwhelms him. He paces back and turns away walking back in the direction of Fairy Godmother's office.
Mal's head perked up as she heard footsteps outside her door and found herself anticipating their arrival. She waits for Ben or Evie to open the door but the door never opens.
She hears someone's footsteps walking further down the hall and her shoulders slouch with depression. She was alone.
Mal turned herself around on her bed and focused her eyes on the door wondering if her ears had deceived her.
I don't want to be alone. Mal suddenly jumps from her bed to open the door. Even though she knew Ben and Evie were gone she found herself wishing they would appear.
She opened the door and her wish went unanswered as she saw nobody there.
Space that's what Mal needs. Mal needs space. Evie repeats the thought like a possessed demon owl they sell as a holiday toy. Why was the space between her and Mal killing her inside?
Evie felt a tad bit guilty. While speaking to Arabella about Melody was Mal's plan, Evie didn't think her friend would be happy being alone right now.
She needs me. Evie turned her heels and started back. Praying Mal didn't feel abandoned by her or Ben. No, Mal had left them in the first place wanting alone time. She clearly needed it. If Evie was to talk to her now Mal may resist opening up to her.
I'm right about this. Mal clearly just needs to clear her head and be alone with her thoughts for a short while. Then we'll have a big heart-to-heart and all will be forgiven.
Evie twirls back in the direction she was going. Arabella's room was a little far from the room she shared with Mal so it would take some time to get there. She felt nervous as she hadn't yet told Arabella why she needed to speak with her. She had mentioned Melody when Arabella had texted her wondering what they had to urgently speak about.
Evie took a couple of minutes but replied she needed Melody's number. That someone's life depended on it. She had expected Arabella to send back a bunch of question marks. Even just the number itself.
She hadn't expected a please meet me in my room text. It had thrown her off and unexpectedly helped her notice Mal had bolted from the room.
Mal. Why couldn't I tell something was bothering her? I'm supposed to be her best friend. Evie thought about how she ignored Mal's uneasiness when magic was mentioned.
Should we take magic out of the equation? She thinks about how they weren't sure how Uma was doing. She didn't really know Uma but still found herself worrying about her well-being. No, we don't have a choice. She quickens her pace to Arabella's room praying this will all be over soon.
As Arabella waited for Evie she looked out of her opened window admiring the sea she called home. This room was given to her because of the beautiful overview of the sea to comfort her whenever she was homesick. Her family including her grandfather were very disappointed in her choice of school. Why couldn't she go to Queen Athena's academy like every other mermaid her age that lived under the sea?
The only reason Arabella's mother had agreed to her attending Auradon Prep was because of her sister, Ariel, making sure that Arabella roomed with her older cousin, Melody. Not that Melody paid her younger cousin any mind. Melody was closed off and their relationship was distant at best. That didn't stop Arabella's obvious admiration for her cousin. Who wouldn't admire Melody?
Melody was beautiful and graciously defiant just like her mother. In every disagreement, the princess of both land and sea had been in her eye's emulated Princess Ariel's signature rebellious glare. At one time her mother's longing for a life elsewhere shown inside her too but Ursula's sister had killed that dream. She had almost killed Melody's grandfather by Melody's own hand as well. Morgana had failed but the damage to Melody's psyche had been permanent.
After that incident, when everything was supposed to be tied in a happily ever after bow, Melody had fallen into a deep depression. She wasn't sure what had stabbed it's sharpened blade in her more the fact her mother lied to her for her whole life. She had a whole family she didn't know and would never know if it was up to her mother.
And for what? To protect her? The other blade pierced her deeper as she remembered how her mind was set on ending her grandfather's life. She had so easily convinced herself he was a terrible man and had so readily been able to take his life.
What kind of person did that make her? An awful one. That thought had planted itself snugly in her head and darkened her mind with its agenda. She soon found herself feeling more tired than usual and unable to join in the newly reunited family's bonding activities.
Melody found the scene that would have led her down a dark path constantly streaming in her mind. Guilt was always gnawing at her like a talking bunny eating a carrot.
Her mother tried to comfort her and tell her no one blamed her for her actions. Morgana had manipulated her and shrouded her rational judgment. Melody was a victim. Ariel blamed herself for overly sheltering Melody and being the cause for the young princess's easiness to persuade.
Melody didn't see it that way. She knew what she was doing. She had determined it was just because of his supposed evilness. She was willing and she had tried.
Melody had closed herself off then and forever it seemed until now. She had silently propelled herself up the ranks of those who oppose King Ben's plan to bring the Villain kids over to Auradon Prep. Her words once sounded lyrical in her usual sweet-sounding voice but now her words are cold and layered up like a brick wall.
When Arabella was called by Ben to calm her cousin down she felt as if she didn't recognize the girl. She was used to the empty stare Melody had become known for but this... this was different. Her cousin seemed to embody one emotion and her eyes were vacant.
Arabella placed a comforting hand on Melody's shoulder but Melody quickly shrugged her off. In Melody's anger, she let one true emotion slip, "You can't let the daughters of those monsters go free! I won't let you!"
Ben had said nothing and neither did Arabella. They knew whose daughters she had meant. Worry slipped into Melody's empty eyes.
She had slipped up and she felt vulnerable. She wrapped her arms around herself and mumbled incoherently. Arabella ended up calling her Aunt Ariel who brought Melody back home to the castle by the sea where Melody grew up.
She hadn't seen her cousin since that day. She didn't have any free time at all. She was much too busy with school and Melody was never up for visitors anyway.
It's not like I don't want to visit her. Arabella loved sitting awkwardly across from Melody and waiting for her cousin to acknowledge her presence. There were plenty of times when Arabella debated if Melody hated her, but she knew Melody treated everyone like this.
Arabella knew the reason why. Everyone did. Yet, still, Arabella felt uncomfortable by Melody's actions.I'm a terrible person. She's traumatized I should be there for her!
But how could Arabella be there for someone who wouldn't even let their own mother in? And now Evie wants to speak to her?
Arabella's foot taps hard against the wooden floors of her room as she leans on her bed frame for support. Whatever Evie's going to ask for will probably be simple? Why am I stressing?
Arabella hears a knock on the door and balances herself. She opens the door and greets Evie with a hospitable grin. Evie tried to muster a smile but the seriousness of the situation stops her.
"I hate to immediately jump into this but I need Melody to talk to King Triton as soon as possible," Evie stresses the urgency of the situation but Arabella prepares to present her long reasoning why Melody couldn't be involved in whatever was going on.
Arabella closes her door and gestures for Evie to sit but Evie politely nods no.
"Is there something you need from Atlantica?" Arabella wondered.
"A pardon for Uma daughter of Ursula would be nice."
Arabella stares at Evie perplexed as her mind processes Evie's words. Uma daughter of Ursula? How would the daughter of Ursula even get to her grandfather's kingdom?
Arabella thinks back to just before she came to Auradon. She stood in her grandfather's throne room weeping as she begged him to understand.
She wasn't turning her back on her culture and her life here. She was only seeking to expand her world. Her words didn't reach him as his eyes turn cold.
"If that is the life you want to choose so be it. Don't forget that only sea-folk can find their way to our kingdom. If you give up your fins for legs you can never come back here!"
"Is that why Aunt Ariel never visits?" Arabella spats and instantly feels regret. Her aunt was presented with a special bracelet by her grandfather after the Melody incident. The former princess of Atlantica could easily find her way back home if she wanted to, but she never came. The surface was her home now. She had left the sea behind long ago.
King Triton winces as soon as he hears his youngest daughters name. The daughter he tried so hard to protect and failed in so many ways. "Go to the surface world but know that you will never find your way back here."
King Triton swam away and Arabella felt herself crumble in shame. Was she making a terrible mistake?
Arabella's thoughts stray back to the present and Evie waits with her eyes close praying she's not sent away.
"What happened?"
Evie blinks surprise at Arabella's calmness. She was expecting an outraged scream or even an angry shooing out the door. Not this.
"Uma tried to steal your grandfather's trident, but thankfully she was quickly caught." Evie watched Arabella's neutral face with interest as she continues. "King Triton, your grandfather wants to punish Uma with death."
"Sounds like him." Arabella assesses. "Did her mother ask her to steal my grandfather's trident?"
"No, she acted alone."
"And you want her to go free? My grandfather may be right in his decision. Sea witches are nothing but trouble."
"Doesn't she deserve a chance, Arabella?" Evie hesitantly pressed.
"She was raised by the vilest person to ever live. I don't think she's capable."
"I was raised by a villain too. Just six months ago Mal, Jay, Carlos and I were in Uma's shoes. We've changed. We found good. Why can't Uma have that same chance?"
"You don't know what she's done to my family!" Arabella loudly roared with clearly misplaced anger. Evie felt her stomach twist in knots as she thinks of how many Auradon citizens blame the children of villains for their parent's crimes. There was a time she took pride in being the daughter of the Evil Queen but now all she could feel was an endless shame.
"That wasn't Uma. That was her mother and her aunt."
"They destroyed my family. Melody is nearly catatonic. My grandfather hates me and I haven't seen my mother's face in two years!" Arabella hollered so loud that she feared she might lose her voice.
"Arabella I know all about destroyed families. My stepsister won't even acknowledge my existence if there isn't a camera on."
"Snow is like that with everyone. Unless it's her husband or your name is an adjective or doc."
"I know, but It still hurts."
Arabella thinks of her earlier thoughts and couldn't help but feel a swell of joy that Evie could understand her fully.
"I understand, Melody's like that too. It bothers me, sometimes." All the time.
"I'm sorry, for everything Ursula and her sister did to Melody and the royal family."
"Thank you, but it's not your apology to make."
"I know."
"How did she even get away from the Isle?"
"Mal's spell book."
"How did..." She trails off as she notices Evie's discomfort with the topic. "I guess I missed a lot."
"I'll tell you all about it later. It's just hard to talk about right now."
"No, I get it." She assures then mumbles." The one time I skip out on Cotillion."
"Did your aunt have you doing some royal errands for her?"
Arabella deeply sighs as she remembers her aunt's stressed out face, "Yes, she's been so overwhelmed lately. This news about Uma will-She can't know. Neither can Melody."
"Do you think you can convince your grandfather to spare Uma?"
Arabella avoids the question and asks her own, "Do you know how powerful my grandfather's trident is? What do you think she would have done if she had gotten my grandfather's trident? We'd be under her tyranny right now if she got her way. And you want me to save her?"
Evie bit her tongue, she couldn't deny that wasn't Uma's true intention. Uma did intend to release the barrier surrounding the Isle knowing full well all the villain parents would also be free. Uma wasn't thinking straight. She was angry, rightfully so. Uma wanted freedom for villain kids and everyone failed her. She took drastic measures but Evie couldn't blame her. Most of Auradon was still ignorant of the abuse and poverty that plagued the Isle. Though, there were many that were aware but just didn't care.
Like Chad Charming. Ugh, I don't want to ever think about him. Chad was the least charming of them all. Evie regrets ever crushing on the son of Cinderella.
"Arabella, I'm not going to say you're wrong because you're right, but she still deserves a second chance. And I don't think Uma would go so far and try to destroy the world."
"Can you confirm that without any doubt?"
"No," Evie admits frowning. "I can only beg you to see this from Uma's side. The Isle is an ugly place and Uma's spent most of her life constantly ridiculed by Mal. She was always made to feel like she wasn't good enough. That she had to always prove herself." Evie thinks about how she'll never be beautiful in her mother's eyes and holds back a sob.
Arabella was still unsure but Evie was right. She never considered how Uma's life was on the Isle. But did it matter or was just an excuse? She looks at the usual happy Evie who looked on the verge of breaking down. Maybe she should give Uma a chance? From the stories, she heard about Ursula she didn't think the sea-witch was a warm loving mother. Isn't that why I doubt Uma?
Arabella almost bites her tongue as she looks into Evie's pleading eyes, but against her better judgment words, she never thought she would say came out.
"I'll do it. I'll help you save her."
A.N. Do you think Arabella's words will sway her grandfather? Or do you think he'd prefer to listen to a melody instead? I deleted a Doug/Evie scene because I felt like it'd work better later in the story. Oddly enough the Arabella and Evie scene was so difficult to write cause I kind of wrote myself in a hole by including her. Thank goodness I figured out a way to include them both. Next chapter is Carlos and Jay centered with a couple of other familiar characters sprinkled in.
I got a review saying this story was submitted as a descendants fan favorite on a descendants fansite and I just want to thank everyone so much. You guys inspire me a lot and I'm overjoyed by this! This fanfic journey is gonna get a little more ridiculous with its references and a lot more angsty so I hope you guys are ready! Till, next time!