Ben did call his father, and his father wanted to talk with him in person, so they met in the village for lunch to discuss the plans for the kids on the Isle.
"I know we've agreed to bring some more kids over, but I think we need to get them all at once and maybe adjust the magic to prevent any more. Those left will be in grave danger if we just take groups. I was thinking we could build a bit of a village for them. Mal said they operate separate of their parents anyway for the most part. The older caring for the younger and such." Ben told his father. He decided getting directly to the point was best.
"I've thought about it a lot, and I've discussed it with your mother as well as Anita, who you may remember works with orphaned youth here in the kingdom. I think my best course of action is to give you a budget to work with, connect you to Anita and then step away. Your mother has already told me I am certifiably insane, but I think it'll be good practice for you as king and if what I've seen from Carlos's friends is any indication the kids of the Isle pose very little threat to us." The king watched his sons face, shock was first, then amazement then fear.
"What happens if I fail? For what ever reason?"
"The kids go back, so it's in your best interest not to fail." he took a folder from his bag and handed it to his son. "Here are documents about the funding, Anitas' contact info and the deed to a plot of land outside Auradon prep. I've already started a small expansion of the school, to add classes for more kids."
Ben's jaw dropped, "you've already started the project?"
Adam smiled, "Merry Christmas to you and your friends. I have faith in you son, I think much like your mother, you can tame the beasts."
Ben was in shock, he'd expected to be involved in getting the VK's out, but to be put totally in charge was a lot. He realized with a start, it wasn't as scary as he thought it would be. He had Mal to help, not to mention Evie and Jay and Carlos, between them all this was actually possible. Mal was going to flip out when he told her. He skimmed the documents while he ate his lunch, his eyes widening as he saw how much was in the fund for the VK's.
"Dad, this has to be wrong, there is no way the kingdom can spare that much money on a whim."
"It turns out Anita has some connections and they were very happy to donate to the cause, the kingdom itself put a very small amount into this. It's mostly private donations." Adam said
"Whoa" was all Ben could say on the subject.
They finished lunch and he walked back to the school, he saw the familiar shock of purple hair he loved so much sitting in the bleachers while a black and a white blur ran around the field. Next to her Evie was pouring over a textbook. He redirected towards them, deciding to tell them the news as soon as possible.
He sat and pulled Mal into his lap, "I have the most amazing news"
"I am not guessing." Mal said.
Ben chuckled, "Believe me you'd never get it. My father put me in charge of a project."
"That is not that amazing." Mal said.
"I am in charge of building and populating a refugee village for the VK's that are still on the Isle" Ben said. Evie's head snapped up, Mal stood up to stare at him while screaming "YOU WHAT!". Jay and Carlos froze when they heard Mal yell, both jogged over to where the group was.
"What's up guys?" Jay asked.
"I get to make a refugee village for the other kids on the Isle."
Two more jaws dropped.
"I have a hefty budget, a couple contacts and you four, I think the odds are in my favor." Ben smiled at the four around him.
The rest of the evening and night was spent in Ben's room spread out with notebooks making plans for the VK's.
"Getting them is still tricky, but lets plan for when they get here, since that will take a while to build."
Evie shook her head, "Don't build much" she warned.
"Evie's right, make a big warehouse like building. They are going to be scared shitless here, either keep it open so they can see everything, or make small cubicles for each kid, anything else is going to scare them more." Jay said, "Remember how we arranged our room?" he asked, their room was still arranged so they were comfortable. Ben nodded.
"Yeah, we can add more as they adjust, maybe build an apartment type thing for the older kids to move to when they are ready. I think the real little kids would do well to get adopted here, when they're ready." Mal added.
"I think we pretty well have this wrapped up" Ben said hours later. "I'm gonna call Anita tomorrow, maybe meet with her tomorrow if she's available. I think the best time to get the word to the kids is on Christmas, my first plan is to send boxes of food to each kid, meaning there is no fight this year. Our garbage scraps can go to the garbage. Each box will also have a packet of snack the kids can eat on the way home, or rather than fighting. If you guys go over with the stuff you can talk to them, you say its only under sixteen so that should be pretty fool proof." Ben waited for them to protest.
"I'll go alone" Mal said instantly, trying to protect her friends from seeing the Isle again.
"Like hell!" Carlos said, startling everyone. "We all go or none of us go. We've always had each others backs, now is not the time to end that."
"He's right, I remember you guys when you got out of the limo, it was like seeing one person in four bodies. I think that's some of what threw the locals, we don't trust anyone like that." Ben admitted.
"But you guys are all good and trusting and thing here" Evie said.
"We are, but we don't need to be, you guys it was clear how you rely on each other. I bet if we'd put you in separate dorms we'd have found you all together within hours. You actually need each other."
All four were silent, that had been their plan. Carlos was the one to put it into perspective for them all, "If it wasn't for them I'd be dead, multiple times over."
"I'd be crippled if Jay didn't patch me up" Mal added.
"I'd have starved to death if Evie didn't get me food that one summer" Jay said.
"We won't talk about my sanity" Evie said.
"It's settled, you all go or none of you go." Ben said. The four of them got up to leave, "I guess you guys on the Isle aren't so evil after all."
"Not evil, just lost" Jay said, as they all worked out the door to their dorm.
Back in the dorm Carlos and Jay were lounging on the couch.
"What'd Ben say this lady's name is again?" Carlos asked, trying to sound disinterested
"Anita, why?"
"Well it's probably a common name, but remember that's my real mothers name." Carlos said
Jay's eyes looked like dinner plates, "There is no way our luck is that good, you need to tell Ben so he can ask!"
"I will sooner or later, maybe." Carlos trailed off, he wanted to know but at the same time the thought terrified him.
"Thank you for meeting with me." Ben said, they were in the clearing his father had gifted to his project.
"It's my pleasure, I've spent the last fourteen years helping the kids of Auradon, I'm looking forward to helping the Isle kids." Anita told him
"My girlfriend suggested calling our project The Descendants, since they really aren't evil, or lost."
"I love it, so tell me what you know so far" Anita said.
"We're gonna make one large building for them to sleep and live in at first, one apartment type building so as they are ready they can move into their own places. There will also be a store of sorts, but mostly we want a large open area for them to adjust and make their own area. I think in the end they will end up as their own village, in every sense of the word. I don't know how jobs and such will work, but I think it will answer itself in time. To get them here the four kids already here are going to go back and spread the word of when we will pick them up." Ben cut off. "That's it!
He exclaimed, "any kids missed that want to leave can come with the goblins, that is the only thing we couldn't find a solution for."
Anita smiled, "it sounds like you really have thought this through."
"Not me, Mal and Evie, Jay and Carlos. They had dreamed of an escape for years, needless to say they've though of every possible way to not only get here, but survive once they did." Ben said.
"I have to talk to the builders, but I think we could have a warehouse ready for them as soon as January. It's a simple build. I don't know what your time line looks like, other than the initial contact."
"After initial contact, everything is as soon as possible." Ben said.
Anita nodded, "Tentative date of January 15th sound good? I'll call and confirm it tomorrow?"
Ben quickly agreed.
"I must ask, what happens if we fail?"
Ben liked that, it wasn't him anymore, it was we. Then again with the VK's maybe it always had been. "The Descendants will be sent back to the Isle, so we won't fail."
Christmas morning Carlos woke Jay up with a kiss, that quickly lead to a full blown male out session. "Merry Christmas" Carlos told him when they'd finally broke apart.
Jay grinned, "If someone told me last Christmas I'd get to wake up this Christmas with a mouthful of you I'd probably have buried them behind the shop." he pulled Carlos in to another kiss, "I'm glad no one told me."
"Hey Jay?" Carlos asked wanting to make sure the other boy was paying attention to him, not daydreaming.
"Yeah, C?"
"I love you" Carlos said, watching Jay to see his reaction. First came surprise, then happiness, then Carlos couldn't see anything else because Jay was kissing him again. They'd been together long enough he shouldn't still get butterflies, but right now his stomach felt like he was back on the barge. Jay pulled back and leaned his forehead against Carlos', "I love you too" he admitted, "I could have saved us a lot of time and told you that years ago"
"I think the wait was worth it" Carlos told him, before moving to grab their gifts from the end of the bed. He didn't know how they'd gotten there but there was a stack of gifts there. Carlos quickly divided them up.
Evie had given them both new outfits, Mal had gotten them each a box of candy. Ben had sent a gift addressed to both of them, they tore the paper open together, both feeling shock as the paper pulled away. Inside was the picture Mal had taken of them at the dance, Carlos was wrapped in Jays arms. She'd managed to take it in the split second before their lips met. It had been enlarged to be the size of a small poster. Jay grinned as he read the note stuck in the frame.
Don't shoot the messenger, Mal took the picture.
I just helped her print and frame it, then she framed me!
~Ben
Everything was ready. The barges were loaded, the days up to Christmas had been a push, but two hundred boxes had been made. Each one had a single Christmas dinner in it. On top was a smaller pack that had a simple sandwich and some chocolate. Ben felt it wasn't enough, but Mal told him it would be enough to send the smaller kids into tears of joy.
Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos were dressed back in their Isle clothes. Carlos left his eyebrow piercing in, he hadn't taken it out since the dance and was not about to start now.
"If there is any trouble, tell the goblin and he will get you out. Please, please, please don't leave the barge." Ben told the four teens.
"Where do you think we were raised, Auradon?" Mal sneered, quickly falling back into her ice princess role. "I can handle the offspring of minions with ease."
Ben laughed and pulled her into a kiss, "I would be so screwed on the Isle, the only thing that act does is make my pants uncomfortable". The other three teens laughed while Mal blushed. "We'll be safe, I promise. I'll see you in a few hours."
"I'll be here waiting" Ben called while he hopped off the barge onto the dock.
"I hate boats." Carlos groaned as he held tight onto Jay
"I know, but I think this is pretty important." Jay said while rubbing circles on his back.
"It is, I mean we are basically rescuing half of a generation." Carlos said "I wonder if Diego will be there" Carlos rarely spoke of his family, but he really did love his cousin, even if he wasn't technically family.
"I doubt it, but maybe he will sneak down hoping you show up, how old is he now?" Jay asked.
"He would be eighteen this year". Mal chimed in having been eavesdropping, "sorry, old habits die hard" she smirked.
"Mhmm, I see the Isle. I think we need our old formation, they are going to be weary as hell."
"Or they may be just as desperate as I was." Carlos said.
By silent agreement Mal and Jay stood shoulder to shoulder near the gang plank. Carlos stood one step behind Jay and off to his right, Evie did the same with Mal on the right. As the barge docked the kids jostled each other for position. Carlos winced when he saw a small boy get shoved into the water, luckily he got out quickly.
"Silence! Position means nothing now!"Mal started. All four were shocked that all the kids settled. Carlos wanted to cheer as he saw Diego off the the tree line, but held back, he was with other kids his age.
"Mal, older kids, off to the right" he quietly told the girl.
"Christmas will not be hell this year; it ends now-" Mal was drown out by cheers. "You in the trees, out now." She commanded. The group came out, it looked to be eight near adults. "Why are you here?"
"Damage control." Diego answered her, "it's been rough without a real leader" he admitted.
"Fine, I trust you to be loyal to the kids if nothing else. On the barge is a box, one for each of you to bring home. On top is a pouch, take it and eat it before you leave the barge!" Mal said, she looked over the group, these were their friends, their family. "Jay, you want to tell them the rest?" Mal was getting cold feet, while she'd been in luxury everyone here was still suffering.
"We're offering a way out. It is extremely important the adults don't find out. Anyone not here that is older than you can not know. On January 15th a barge will come and take anyone who wants to leave. If you miss the barge you can leave anytime after then with the daily goblin boat. On the mainland, it is different, but it's better". Jay finished, he didn't feel like a leader, he was just Mal's muscle.
"We're gonna let you on board, take a box, eat your snack and go home. We have nothing else to offer today." Mal said before stepping back. Diego was first on the ship, to onlookers it looked as if he'd teleported. Carlos yelped when he was caught in a bone crushing hug by his older cousin.
"Nothing to offer, you just gave hope to half the fucking Isle. Mal you psycho, how the fuck are you managing this?" Diego was talking a mile a minute.
"I'm dating a prince, who is less than happy at how his father handled the Isle."
"You are dating prince Ben!?" Diego couldn't believe his ears, "What about you and Jay?" he asked.
"He is mine" Carlos practically growled, Diego laughed. "You four are a riot! I better get outta here, I'll see you the 15th okay?"
"Hell yes!" they all agreed.
As Diego left, they stood back to watch kids as young as five eat their snack, before grabbing their box and running down the gangplank. Two hours later the barge dropped them back in Auradon, true to his word Ben was waiting.
"Well how'd it go?" He was practically bouncing.
"They are beyond words." Mal said, "now can we get back to Auradon prep, this outfit is not nearly as comfy as I thought it was last year."
Ben grinned and they climbed in the car to bring them back to school. So far everything was going perfectly.