Author's Notes:
Hello!
I wasn't satisfied with the pacing in the initial draft of this chapter, and had to do some re-arranging to make it better. As a result, this story will probably be six chapters instead of the initially stated five. Hopefully, this will make the next few chapters flow smoother, but if it doesn't, my apologies! This also means I won't be able to finish this story before September (my self-imposed deadline) because there's an original work I'm wanting to finish for another deadline in that month. So, the last bit might drag on a bit before being posted. Again, I apologize in advance.
Other than that, thank you once more for the reviews/faves/follows. They always keep me motivated, and I appreciate them greatly!
Please enjoy chapter 3!
Cheers,
K.
(***)
Birthright
Chapter 3
(***)
Auradon
Present Day...
"I heard that you were back. I was hoping it was a lie."
Mal turned in the spot she'd been perched on atop the grand staircase bannister of the palace entrance. She had kept a casual eye on the frantic activity in the area for the last hour, the servants and footmen rushing about like bees in a hive, preparing a royal entourage for a trip to the eastern border. Mal wasn't sure if Ben had wanted to see the damage for himself or if he simply didn't trust her, but he had given her temporary amnesty into Auradon only if she was accompanied at all times during her travels here.
She schooled her features to remain impassive as the new arrival neared. "It's good to see you too, Audrey," she replied in a neutral tone.
The Auradon princess stopped beside Mal, all business in her pink skirt suit and pumps. "I can't say the feeling is mutual."
Although they had never been friends per se during her years in Auradon, Mal would safely classify their relationship as being … cordial. There was only so much closeness a person could achieve after stealing another's boyfriend, but once the excitement of Ben's coronation had passed, they had at least managed to develop a level of respect for each other. That was … until five years ago.
"That's not a very princess-like thing to say," Mal remarked snidely, pasting a smirk on her face. She remembered the role she was playing here, although it wasn't very hard to play the villain with Audrey.
"I don't care if I sound like a princess or not. What I do care about is why you're here, Mal." Audrey pinned her to the spot with an accusing glare, as if trying to dissect Mal with just her eyes alone.
Mal returned the glare with a wicked smile. A tiny, juvenile part of her enjoyed taunting Audrey. "Don't worry, Princess," she said in a teasing, musical tone. "I'm not here to cause you harm … much."
Audrey didn't buy into her prodding. Instead, she remained serious, her back ramrod straight as she continued to stare at Mal. Ten years ago, the princess would've been riled up by the remark, and their banter would've escalated to thinly veiled violence. Perhaps Audrey had changed after all.
"I don't care either if you're here to cause me harm. I'm used to it. But stay away from Ben."
Mal smirked. "Oh, yes, I hear a congratulations is in order. Looks like you got the boy after all, Audrey. Though, I'm suffering a bit of déjà vu here. Didn't we already do this, I don't know, ten years ago? You warned me away from your boyfriend. And remember what happened then?"
Audrey's brow creased in puzzlement, a reaction Mal hadn't expected. "Look, I don't know what you're playing at, Mal," she said. "But even I was gracious enough to concede defeat when I saw how happy you and Ben were back then."
The woman who spoke those words, so succinct and so clear, was such a departure from the girl Mal had once known. She'd forgotten that just as she'd been shaped by the experiences around her these past few years, Audrey had likely been shaped by hers as well. "Then why are you getting married?" Mal decided to ask out of pure curiosity.
The princess didn't respond right away. Her perfectly mascaraed eyes bore into Mal for a moment, trying to assess the intent of the question. Then, with slow, deliberate motions, she moved to stand beside Mal. For all appearances, they were simply two friends casually chatting in front of the royal palace.
"Marriage is good for the families," Audrey stated in a rather quiet, resigned tone.
Mal made a sound of disbelief. "Bullshit."
Audrey threw her a sidelong glance. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"Hey, I was with Ben for five years. I know enough about him, and hell, I even know enough about you, to see that that is as shitty a reason as they come. You two never cared about stuff like that."
"No, you don't know, Mal!" Audrey shot back, voice slightly louder now. "You don't know because you weren't around these last five years. You never saw the mess you left behind. You never had to pick up the pieces like the rest of us did."
Mal's chest constricted at the accusation. She knew Audrey was right, but she hated her for saying it. She couldn't meet her companion's gaze, and focused on the footmen instead.
Audrey continued, unrelenting. "He was a mess, Mal, after you left. We all tried to get him out of it, but it took years."
Something formed in the back of Mal's throat, and she swallowed hard, trying to prevent it from overwhelming her. Damn Audrey and her stupid recollections. She didn't need this. She didn't need her one-time rival seeing her tear up. Part of the reason she'd been able to move on was because of her ignorance of the destruction she'd caused.
"We slept together," Audrey said after a brief pause. "Once. He was so drunk, and I'd had a few myself. And when we woke up the next morning, it was like he'd changed. He was a different person. Harder, focused, more realistic and less idealistic. So marriage to me seemed like a logical conclusion."
There was no malice or ill-intent in Audrey's words, only acceptance. It dawned on Mal that Audrey still cared about Ben in her own way. But she didn't know how to respond to it, her emotions in turmoil deep within her. "I'm happy for you," she managed to say in a stilted voice.
"Thank you." Audrey let out a slow breath. She remained standing where she was for a few minutes, and Mal wished she'd leave, just so she could work through her own masochistic thoughts in peace.
But then, Audrey added, "Don't hurt him again, Mal. He was so broken last time. If it happens again, I'm not sure we can put him back together."
(***)
Auradon
Five Years Ago...
Mal heard Ben's return before she saw Ben himself. The footmen had rushed by in a cacophony of footsteps to receive the king and his entourage, leaving no doubt as to who had arrived. Mal stood up from the chaise she'd been sitting on, and mentally readied herself to welcome her boyfriend home.
"Don't do this, Mal. There has to be a better way," Evie pleaded with her. She had waited with Mal this whole time, listened and analyzed the plan, and now, she was trying to stop said plans from moving forward.
Mal's resolve was only so strong, and she was slightly frustrated with her blue-haired friend's attempts at dissuasion. "I can't think of a better alternative, Evie. Plus, things are already in motion. I can't stop them now."
"But … I …" Evie's eyes seemed brighter than usual.
"Don't you dare cry, Evie," Mal stated sternly. "Think of the puffy eyes."
"But if this goes through, I … I might not see you again."
The thought had crossed Mal's mind, and it had saddened her as well, but she had forced the prospect aside and kept her eye on the larger picture. In the end, the result would be worth the smaller sacrifices.
"You will, Evie. If there's anything we're good at, it's getting our own way, even if it means breaking a few rules."
Evie gave her a watery smile and blinked away the unshed tears. "Fine, I'll go along with it, but I don't have to like it."
"Thanks, Evie." With that, Mal turned away and began to look for Ben. She dodged several footmen as they scurried about with boxes and suitcases before finding Ben in the foyer directing traffic. As if sensing her presence, he stopped what he was doing, and looked over with a welcoming smile as she approached. If there had been any doubts or reservations in her about what she was going to do, they all disappeared like wisps of smoke in that moment.
This. This was what she was working to preserve. This was what she wanted: Ben, strong and alive.
"Welcome back," she said in the way of greeting. She hoped she sounded like her usual self enough not to raise any suspicions.
"Thanks." He pulled her in for a kiss when she was within arm's reach, his movements so possessive and so natural.
Mal allowed him his way willingly. These little actions … she didn't know how much she cherished them until she faced the possibility of never experiencing them again.
He tasted of sunshine and warmth and mint. It was something uniquely Ben, and Mal wanted all of it. She sought him out with her tongue, laving his lips and then, greedily plunging further to taste more. He was startled by her assertiveness at first, his spine straightening slightly beneath her hands, but he quickly relaxed into it, and gave as good as he got. The heat that had coiled itself in the pit of Mal's stomach when they'd first touched flared, spreading fire through every nerve in her body and eventually pooling between her legs.
Damn it, she obviously had no concept of decency because she wanted him to take her right there in the front foyer, and the kinky side of her didn't care who saw.
Ben was the one with any common sense between the two of them because he pulled away first. Almost instantly, Mal felt bereft, her skin missing the touch of his.
"It's good to be back," Ben finally managed to say breathlessly, and with a look of incredulity on his face. "Had I known that was waiting for me, I would've come back sooner."
Mal reluctantly stepped away. "Now you know for next time."
"Which hopefully won't be for a while."
"Could you be so lucky?" Mal tried to sound as normal as possible. She used to lie so well, but the last several years had dulled her skills. Not only that, but Ben had developed some uncanny ability to see through her facades.
"Hey, not my fault. Things happen and I just go where I'm told," he threw back with a teasing grin. His lips were still a bit swollen from their kiss and his eyes were staring down at her, screaming promises of wicked things.
Had she been a weaker person…
"Your Majesty, an urgent message just arrived." A footman rushed toward them, a piece of paper in hand. "Cogsworth received a call just minutes ago, and he told me to pass this on immediately."
Mal's heart pounded loudly in her ears as Ben took and read the message. She could see the slight tensing of his shoulders as the contents on it registered.
"I have to go out again," he said brusquely as he handed the paper back to the footman.
"Why? What's wrong?" She knew exactly what was written in the message, but she also knew her part, and damned if she wasn't going to play it well.
Worry was now etched on Ben's face as he started to walk away. "There's been what looks like dragon attacks near one of the northern villages."
"Dragon?" Mal followed him, showing the concern expected of her. "My mother …"
"We'll have Fairy Godmother check on her. Have her make sure it's not Maleficent. Maybe magically seal her in that form temporarily, just to be safe."
Mal nodded in agreement, although she was a bit resistant to the idea. This was her mother they were talking about after all, and despite everything, Mal felt a certain obligation to keep her safe. "But I don't get it. Why are you in such a hurry?" She quickened her step, trying to match his longer stride.
"Because my parents are vacationing out by that village."
Mal knew the situation, but the borderline panic in Ben's voice threw her off kilter for a second. Still, she also knew what she had to do. "Then I'm coming with you. If a dragon is involved, you'll need my help."
(***)
Auradon
Present Day ...
The car ride was longer than Ben recalled. He was certainly tenser than the last time he'd been out this way. He casually glanced over at the woman sitting beside him before quickly turning to look out the car window. He refused to give her the satisfaction of knowing he was affected by her presence, even if she was more beautiful than he remembered.
And shit, how badly he was affected...
On a conscious level, he knew he was supposed to hate Mal, condemn her and send her back to the Isle for what she'd done. But on a subconscious level, he wanted nothing more than to touch her, feel her smooth skin beneath his fingers and simply soak her all in. He'd been fighting that unwanted urge since the moment he'd walked into the yellow drawing room and saw her standing there. It had been as if the last five years had never happened, and they were picking up where they'd left off before she'd so cruelly betrayed him.
But the last five years did happen. And she had betrayed him.
"We're almost there." She broke the silence as she sat up straighter in the seat. "I can feel it. There's magic in the air."
He found it difficult to trust her words, but in these matters of destructive magic, he had no choice. She was the best authority on the subject. "Can you tell what it is?"
She stared out her side of the car for a moment, concentration set in her features. "No, it's like nothing I've ever felt before. It's powerful."
It wasn't the news he'd wanted to hear. Nevertheless, it was news he would have to deal with.
Minutes later, the landscape outside the car changed. Green, lush fields and vibrant, colorful flowers gave way to a bleaker tableau: the blacks and grays of charred remains.
"Oh, no..."
If Ben didn't know any better, he swore he heard a hint of sadness in Mal's voice. But he brushed it off as a fault in his own hearing. The devastation of the village around them shocked him as well.
When the car finally stopped, Ben hopped out without waiting for the driver to open the door. He wanted to assess the damage firsthand just as much as he wanted to get away from the close confines of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the scent of lavender – her scent – lingered with him.
"It's worse than I thought," he heard Mal say.
His expression remained grim as he took in his surroundings. The scene was indeed bad. They had stepped into what he assumed to have been the town square. Where quaint village shops and market stalls had once stood sat nothing but blackened frames that were mere shells of what they had been. Even now, the pervasive smell of smoke permeated the air, reminding them all of the destruction that had happened here. Life seemed to have been siphoned right out of the place, leaving nothing but ash. And this… this war zone touched Ben deeply, for it reminded him of the provincial town his mother had grown up in.
"Your Majesty."
A middle-aged man, about a foot shorter and a few stone heavier than himself, approached Ben with a small retinue of two others. He bowed politely. "My name is Henri. Henri Leclerc. I am ... I was the mayor of this village."
Ben shook the man's hand and gave him a reassuring smile. "No, Monsieur Leclerc, you still are the mayor here. We'll see what the royal treasury can do about helping with the rebuilding of the town."
A small, grateful smile appeared on the older man's face, a face that had seen much happier times judging by the laugh lines on it. "Thank you, Your Majesty. You don't know how much that means to us."
"What happened here?" Mal asked as she made her way over. Ben was keenly aware of her presence beside him.
Leclerc looked back and forth between the two of them, and only when Ben nodded for him to continue did the man answer. If Leclerc knew who Mal was, he gave no indication of it. "It came from nowhere, Mademoiselle, spewing fire and destroying everything in sight."
"It? A dragon, you mean?"
The mayor nodded slowly. "There was so much screaming and panic. Children crying, and mothers with babes in their arms trying to find shelter. Only … only there was no place to hide."
Ben regretted having to make the man relive the horrors he'd just witnessed. "I'm sorry this happened, Monsieur Leclerc."
The mayor shook his head in denial. "No, Your Majesty. There was nothing you could've done. Nothing any of us could've done."
"Did you see which way it went?"
Ben shot Mal an admonishing glare. The blunt question could've been asked with a bit more tact, in his opinion, but he supposed he couldn't expect that level of diplomacy from her.
Leclerc, though, didn't seem bothered by it. "Yes, many watched it fly west toward the mountains after it was done here."
"Then that's where we'll head first thing tomorrow, Monsieur," she said. "The sun's going down, so it's a bit too late to hunt it now."
"Hunt, Mademoiselle? Surely, you don't mean to …"
"Yes, hunt. We can't have it rampaging through Auradon and destroying all the villages in its path."
Mal sounded so set in her course, a rather altruistic course for a so-called villain, but Ben didn't want to air any of his doubts in front of the mayor.
"Please, Monsieur Leclerc," he interjected calmly. "Let us help with this matter as we see fit. I'm sure your village needs you right now for more urgent matters."
"Yes, yes, of course, Your Majesty."
Ben shook the man's hand one more time, and took his leave. As the mayor walked away with his advisors, chatting about their reconstruction plans, Ben felt pleased to have done something for the town, even if it was just all reassurances and promises at the moment. It was the best he could do under the circumstances.
He turned back to Mal after Leclerc had moved out of earshot, ready to warn her against being so overtly unsympathetic during times like these, only to find that she'd walked away. His pulse quickened at the trouble she could cause without supervision, but he quickly caught sight of her several feet away.
She was digging through some rubble, brushing aside burned wood and broken stone. Eventually, she pulled something out of the mess – a ripped and ragged doll. Her fingers caressed the thing with such gentleness and care that it caused Ben to pause.
That image of her – head bowed, and her eyes so sad – was so at odds with the woman he had expected she would be. His first instinct was to go to her, to hold her and protect her from whatever demons she looked like she was battling. Yet ... yet, the rational, sane part of his mind kept him rooted to the spot. Appearances could be deceiving, he reminded himself, Mal's most of all. And even if he could forgive her for what she had done, he wasn't sure if he could ever forget.
End Chapter 3