Birthright
Chapter 1
(***)
Isle of the Lost
Present Day...
The mixture needed a touch more lavender.
Mal swallowed the bit of dough on her tongue and wiped her finger on the nearby dishcloth. She opened the jar she'd placed on the counter earlier, and silently sighed at the scent that escaped.
She really did like that smell. Lavender had such a calming effect on her, much to her chagrin. Funny what a simple little plant could do. Magic may have been nullified on the Isle, but since she'd returned here, she'd discovered that the herbs and flowers that came from the earth itself had an innate magic unto their own. She may not have been able to practice her own powers, but she'd developed a feel for the kind that grew around her.
With quick, deft movements, she sprinkled some of the dried flowers into her bowl and continued to mix. The motion, much like the scent of the lavender itself, lulled her. It was familiar, comfortable, and gave her a sense of security she hadn't ever expected. Who would've thought that her amateur first endeavor as a teenager into baking a love spell would have led to a lifelong love of baking ten years later? Definitely not her.
A sad smile crept its way onto her face. Had ten years really gone by already? Sometimes, it felt like just yesterday. And sometimes, it felt like eons ago. Ten years since that fateful day when the group of them had left the Isle for the first time. Ten years since she'd experienced a lifetime of firsts ... of first tastes, of first discoveries, and of first loves. What an adventure that had been. It had been life-changing to say the least. Ten years since then, and ... and five years since she'd been banished.
Without fail, her chest tightened at the memories. She took a slow, deep breath to ease the pressure, and focused solely on the task at hand. There was no changing the past, even if she could still use her magic here, so there was no point in dwelling on it. After several more stirs, she finally decided the batter was thoroughly mixed, and quickly poured it into the baking pan. She popped the pan into the pre-heated oven and was in the middle of closing the door when a sudden unsteadiness overtook her.
At first, she thought it might've been the heat from the open oven, but the feeling was too sharp, too unsettling, for something like that. Mal braced herself on the countertop, and waited as it passed.
Something was ... off.
This wasn't anything physical. There was an energy shift, in the air and within herself. It felt almost ... magical.
She hadn't felt anything remotely close to this since she had been practicing magic back in Auradon.
But how?
Magic was still banned on the Isle. Granted, since her adolescent sojourn outside the barrier ten years ago, travel between the island and Auradon had increased somewhat, thanks to Ben's very first official proclamation, but magic was still very much something found only on the mainland. It was non-existent here.
Puzzling indeed.
"Mal? You home?" The familiar voice was followed by a solid knock on the cottage door.
Mal shook off the unease that had settled over her, and strode over to the entrance. "Yeah, Evie. One minute."
All concerns fled the moment the door opened. Mal smiled at the sight of her best friend, all blue-haired and bright-eyed. Whatever beauty secrets her mother had instilled in her had served Evie well over the years. Her skin was as amazingly smooth and lips as wonderfully vibrant as they had been when she was younger. But what Mal thought brought out the beauty most in her friend was the inherent happiness that now shone on her face. Happy endings definitely agreed with Evie.
"Oh, are those lavender tea biscuits I smell?" the new arrival exclaimed as she gave Mal a quick hug. "Love it! I knew there was a reason I visit every month!"
A corner of Mal's lips lifted up into a half-smirk. "Gee, and here I thought it was my irresistible company that kept bringing you back."
"Yes, yes, that too," Evie chuckled as she made her way onto a chair at the kitchen table. "Now, where's the tea?"
Mal shook her head in mock exasperation as she closed the door. In the five years since she'd returned to the Isle, Evie had made a point of visiting her regularly, and for that gesture alone, Mal would never be able to repay her. It had kept her sane in the beginning, kept her from lashing out and, heaven forbid, reverting to her old ways. Now, she looked forward to Evie's visits mainly because she loved chatting with her best friend, and to indulge in the gossip from Auradon.
"So, how's Doug? How's the baby?" she asked conversationally as she moved to fill her kettle, and set the water boiling for the tea.
"Good."
Mal threw Evie a warning look at the one word answer. Her friend did this every time. She understood the reason for it, appreciated the intent behind it even, but she was far from some delicate flower that would wilt at the thought of strong emotions. "You know you don't have to be so cautious around me, right, Evie?" she said. "We went over this last time. You're allowed to be happy."
Evie looked away briefly. "I know. It's just ... It's just ... "
"If you say you feel guilty, I'm going to kick you out of here," Mal stated sternly. "Without any tea biscuits."
An amused twinkle entered Evie's eyes. "Doug's doing great. He took Vi to the fair the other day. The two of them were so cute together."
"And when are you going to bring Vivian to visit with her Aunt Mal? I haven't seen her since she was just a newborn. She's what? Two years old now?"
Evie nodded. "Two years exactly in about a month and half. I'll bring her by next time I come. I just didn't want to bring her here before because it's such a long ride, and this isn't the safest place for a baby. And ..."
"And because you felt guilty," Mal finished for her friend.
"Mal, after what happened when you left Auradon, I didn't want to bring back any bad memories."
The kettle whistled, and Mal took it off the stove. She paused for a moment, contemplative lines etched on her forehead. "I know, Evie. But it was a long time ago. And I'm over it."
(***)
Auradon
Five years ago...
Pink.
Mal blinked, somewhat disbelieving.
Maybe she'd done the spell wrong. Maybe she'd used bad ingredients, or said the words incorrectly. She tapped the glass of water - pink water - on the night stand, unsure of how to react.
She hadn't expected it to turn pink. She had expected it to stay crystal clear, and then, she'd planned to take a sip from it since she was feeling a bit thirsty. But that was now the farthest thing from her mind.
It had started with a bit of queasiness, an urge to throw up that she'd thought was because of some bad seafood she'd had the night before. Then came the heart-stopping moment when she'd mentally tallied up the days since she and Ben had decided to make use of a dusty, dark corner of the college library. That had been quickly followed by a comparison with her cycles, which had finally led to the spell she'd just done.
Shit, she was pregnant.
"Mal, what have you just done?" she berated herself as she rubbed her face, hoping to make sense of it all. She stared at the glass again, and half-hoped some divine power would tell her what to do next. She wasn't ready for this. In fact, the thought of it had never crossed her mind. She was too selfish, too ambitious to even consider thinking of anyone else but herself. What was she supposed to do now?
As if on cue, the lock to the dorm clicked, and the door swung open.
"Oh, oh, Mal! You won't believe what I just saw!" Evie rushed into their room in a flurry of blue hair and designer fabric. She plopped down on the bed beside Mal, practically buzzing with energy.
Mal didn't respond immediately. She wanted to confide her own discovery to her best friend, but after a moment of hesitation, decided to wait. "What did you see, Evie?"
"Well, you know how I've been playing around with the magic mirror?"
Mal nodded. Evie was no slouch herself when it came to magic. The gifts her mother had given her, surprisingly, weren't just skin deep. In the last year, Evie had slowly cultivated the magic she'd had with the mirror, and had reaped some interesting rewards.
"I've been practicing my scrying. You know, trying to get the mirror to show me the future instead of the present? Well, for fun, I tried to look into your future, Mal, and guess what I saw?"
"I'm afraid to ask."
"A baby!"
Mal stayed silent as Evie clapped in excitement. She watched her friend beam at the news, and at the accomplishment she'd achieved in learning the news.
"Isn't it cool, Mal? I finally got the mirror to show me something that hasn't happened yet, and it showed me that! I don't know how many years from now that was, but it worked!"
"Evie..."
"Seriously, can you imagine the fun I could have with this?" Evie continued. Her exuberance was almost uncontainable. "You, with your magic, and me with this, we could ..."
"Evie."
"We could totally wreck a bit of havoc on some of the girls here. In a completely non-evil way, of course. We could ... "
"Evie!"
The blue-haired girl finally stopped. "What?"
"I'm pregnant."
The words felt strange on Mal's tongue, as if something foreign and unfamiliar had left a lingering taste there. But as the phrase hovered in the air between them, something changed. In saying those words, the reality of them was finally beginning to set in for Mal.
"What?" Evie squeaked, wide-eyed.
"I'm pregnant," Mal repeated, this time with more certainty and conviction.
"How?"
Mal shot her friend a sidelong glance. "Well, when a guy and a girl really like each other and decide to get together ..."
"I know how it works, Mal. I mean, how'd you and Ben manage to find time to ... you know. He's always away doing his usual kingly things, and you seem to always be on the go."
Mal shrugged and pushed the glass of pink water farther away on the nightstand. "It was just that one time in the library. We were so careful too." She stared at the glass, unsure of what she should be saying or doing next.
"Aren't you happy, Mal?" Evie's tone was more serious now, her concern genuine.
"Yes ... no ... I don't know."
Evie waited patiently for her to continue, and Mal appreciated the gesture. She took a moment to sift through her thoughts, still fairly scared herself of the uncharted waters that would soon become her future.
"What do I know about being a mother, Evie?" Mal finally said. She stared at her friend, surprised she'd been able to articulate her reservations so soon. "I mean, look at the shining example of motherhood that I had to learn from. Can you imagine how screwed up the kid's going to be?"
Evie watched quietly, a rather contemplative expression on her face. Then, she shifted a bit closer. "Remember way back when we first showed up at Auradon Prep, Mal?"
Mal let out a muted laugh at the memories the question evoked. "Do I ever."
"Well, remember Remedial Goodness class? Where you said to pick the answer that sounded the least fun? Basically, doing whatever we normally wouldn't do? I think you had something there. Just do the opposite of what your mother would do, and I think you'll be mother of the year in no time."
Mal gave Evie an amused smile. The girl did have a point.
"Besides, Ben had the model parents growing up. He'll make up for all the deficiencies you'll have."
"Umm, thanks... I think." Sometimes, Evie had a rather sharp wit when she wanted it.
"So when are you going to tell him?"
Mal suppressed a sigh. She hadn't really thought that far ahead yet. But she supposed delivering the news was inevitable. "I'll tell him when he gets back from his trip next week."
"Want back-up?"
"Definitely."
(***)
Isle of the Lost
Present Day...
"Oh, and Jay just made captain of the King's Guards," Evie supplied eagerly as she popped the final bite of the biscuit into her mouth.
Mal watched her friend chew thoughtfully as she placed her own teacup down on the table with a delicate clink. "He probably just wanted the uniform," she remarked dryly.
"I thought so too, but you know he'll deny it."
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes as they each privately reminisced about the past high jinks they used to get into. Finally, Mal addressed the topic that had been hovering over them for the last hour. "So, you've talked about Jay, and Carlos, and Jane, and Lonnie. You've even told me what Fairy Godmother is up to these days. You're avoiding Ben. Why?"
Evie shrugged off the observation and reached for another biscuit. "What? I'm not. Ben's doing fine. All kingly and stuff. You know how it is."
Mal's eyes narrowed. "Evie, spill it. I've known you too long. What are you hiding?"
Her blue-haired friend shook her head and brushed the question off with a dismissive wave. But Mal could see her squirming on the inside.
"Evie."
"Oh, fine," the other girl said in a huff. "You're going to have to tell me how you do that one of these days. This intimidation-interrogation thing, it's annoying."
"Evie, answer my question. What're you hiding?"
"Ben's engaged."
Mal searched Evie's face for any hint of humour, and when she couldn't find any, she looked down at her teacup and traced the rim of it with her fingertip. She took several long, slow breaths until the wave of sadness and regret subsided. "Who?" she asked without glancing up.
"Audrey."
If Mal had still been drinking her tea, she was sure she would've choked. Instead, she swallowed the bitter taste that had developed in the back of her mouth. "It was bound to happen," she said impassively. "We couldn't expect him to wallow in misery forever."
Even if some petty part of her had wanted him to, she added mentally.
She met her friend's gaze across the table, and pasted on a wobbly smile. "I'm happy for them," she stated firmly. "I really am."
And maybe, just maybe, if she said it enough times, it would be true.
(***)
Auradon
The words on the petitions had begun to blur together when the interruption came. Ben waved Jay into the office without pause, grateful for the distraction. He sometimes wondered why he'd been given these duties at such a young age, and how he had not harbored any resentment for losing a part of his youth to duty. It was a testament to the teachings of his parents, he supposed.
"What is it, Jay?" he asked the new captain. He eagerly brushed aside the forms on his desk.
"We just got some reports from the eastern borders, Ben." Even though his new position required a certain respect for position and rank, Jay still couldn't change his natural, informal devil-may-care attitude. Something would have to be so very wrong for the former thief to even consider addressing him as 'Your Majesty'.
Ben didn't mind though. In fact, he actually liked being called just 'Ben'. It reminded him of a time when things had been simpler, when right and wrong were easily defined, and the world hadn't yet developed its varying shades of gray.
"What's going on out east?" He straightened in his chair and took the reports Jay handed him. He scanned the eyewitness accounts written on the sheets, a sense of foreboding slowly forming in the pit of his stomach.
"I'm not sure, Ben. But people say that several towns have been burned to the ground."
"Casualties?"
Jay's mouth thinned into a grim line. "Twenty-two people. Twelve men, eight women, and two children."
Ben met Jay's dark gaze. There was empathy on the man's face, something he doubted would've been there over a decade ago. His proclamation to bring the children of the Isle to Auradon back then had been a radical one - some may have called it naive even - but it was an action he would never regret ... no matter how much it had scarred him emotionally.
"You see it though, right, Ben?"
Ben nodded as he clenched and unclenched his hands involuntarily. "It looks like a dragon attack," he noted mechanically.
Even now, five years after the betrayal, the wound still felt a bit raw when he thought about her. "It's not Maleficent," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Fairy Godmother made sure of that years ago. Be honest, Jay. I know you keep in touch with her. Is it her? Is it Mal?"
A brief flicker of guilt passed over Jay's face at Ben's observation. "No, Ben, she's still on the Isle."
"Good. Then send some men out there to investigate. We need to know what's going on out there."
Ben looked down at the reports again, not wanting Jay to see any of the thoughts that were assaulting his mind. He could feel those dark eyes weigh down on him, trying to gauge where he stood. Then, after a few uncomfortable seconds of scrutiny, the new captain gave him a small salute before leaving the office.
Ben let out a breath he hadn't realize he'd been holding. He didn't know why thoughts of her still bothered him. He had promised himself years ago to erase her from his mind - her smile, her eyes, her borderline insolent manner that teased and attracted him to no end. He growled in frustration and stood up abruptly.
He had to get out of here for a bit, had to do something ... anything ... to get away from the ghost of her. Tossing the reports aside, he strode purposefully from the room. If only the memories could have been so easily discarded...
End Chapter 1