Author's Notes:

Dear Readers,

Thank you for continuing to follow along with this story (despite the hiatus), as well as the reviews/faves/follows. As I've mentioned before, I certainly appreciate each and every one.

I hope you're enjoying it so far. For those who commented on Belle's fate, you can probably figure out what happened to her with the clues dropped in Chapter 2 and 4. It'll be confirmed in the next chapter.

This chapter is a bit slower moving, with a bit more exposition than I like, but hoping it'll be good enough to bridge the last chapter with the next (which will likely be the final chapter!)

Anyways, without further ado, please enjoy!

Cheers,
K.

(***)

Birthright
Chapter 5

(***)

Auradon
Present Day...

"Your Majesty?"

Ben looked up from the map he'd been staring at, unaware of what the guard standing in front of him had asked. In fact, he hadn't truly been aware of what was going on around him in general, the map included. After the dragon had taken off with Mal, everything had moved as if some invisible finger had pressed fast forward on reality. There had been men rushing about, and raised voices elevating overall confusion and chaos. Reflexively, Ben had taken charge. He couldn't remember exactly which commands he's issued or to whom; the din of it all had barely registered in his brain as he'd made a show of evaluating the area map. His mind had been focused on other things...

"Your Majesty?" the guard prompted again.

Ben blinked and gave himself a mental shake. "My apologies," he finally responded. "What was that?"

"The captain and the reinforcements you wanted, they're here. They're just coming up the pass."

All Ben could do was nod. That was right. Somewhere in the frenzy, he'd sent for Jay and more men. They needed to start organizing search parties. They needed to find that dragon ... and Mal.

His jaw clenched involuntarily at the thought. She couldn't have planned this. She had pushed him out of the way, and out of danger. And yet ... yet, she had gotten on that dragon as if she could control it, command it. He had seen it. Everyone had seen it. Once word spread, he would be hard pressed to find anyone who would believe that Mall hadn't had a hand in the death and destruction the dragon had wrought.

"Send the captain to me when he arrives," he ordered, needing something other than the wild speculations to occupy his mind. Jay might be able to shed some light on this, or at the very least, provide a good sounding board for discussion.

The guard saluted in agreement, and marched away, leaving Ben to make an assessment of their makeshift base. They hadn't moved much from where the original search group had encountered the dragon just a few hours ago. The clearing was large enough for a few tents to be set up, and for him to get things organized. He hadn't seen the need to waste time, and truth be told, he hadn't been in any frame of mind to go anywhere else. He was still trying to process and make sense of what they'd all witnessed.

"Ben, I got caught up with everything on the way over. Got here as fast as I could. What do you need me to do?"

Jay approached at a near run, and Ben detected no artifice in his voice. That, and the concerned lines on his face made him believe the new captain played no part in Mal's recent escapade - if it was her escapade. Still, he knew they were close, and as much as he wished to believe in their ability to do good as he had when he was younger, Mal's actions five years ago had made him wary. He would be a fool to think a nice school and a few luxuries in Auradon could erase a friendship forged by a childhood on the rough streets of the Isle.

"Jay," he returned, and folded up the map in his hands. He tried hard not to let any of his misgivings show. After all, he was as in the dark as everyone else as to what'd happened, and he couldn't assume his newest captain was involved. "I'm sorry, but I need to ask..."

Jay's expression hardened. "No, Ben. As I said before, I don't know anything about this, and I didn't have a hand in any of it. The only thing I'm guilty of was helping Mal see you back at the palace."

Ben looked away briefly, feeling guilty for suspecting the man. But he brushed it off quickly, and squared his shoulders. He was the king, and he couldn't let doubts or second guesses cloud his judgement - at least, not visibly. He'd learned to play his part well over the years. "I had to be sure, Jay," he said steadily as he turned back to meet his friend's gaze.

"Look, whatever is between you and Mal is your own business, but know that if I was forced to take sides, it would always be Mal, king or not."

There was resolve in Jay's dark eyes, and as much as Ben didn't like his stance, he admired him for it. "I would expect nothing less," he noted quietly, and donned a more business-like demeanor as he handed the former thief the map. "Now, we need to divide the surrounding areas into quadrants and split the men up into search parties to cover as much ground as possible. We can't have a dragon on the loose."

Jay took the map. "I'll do you even better. Carlos sent along his new GIS program. Don't ask me why or what he was doing with it. Apparently, he was bored. We can use it to better track the terrain."

A corner of Ben's mouth lifted up in amusement. Trust Carlos to hack out a mapping program just for the fun of it. "Great, then use it."

Jay nodded, and took only a step before he paused. "Ben, what do you want us to do when we do find the dragon? And Mal?"

The question had been hanging over him since they'd realized what had happened. There was optics to consider. Part of him didn't want them to find Mal because he didn't want to admit he might've been duped again if they found out she'd orchestrated the whole dragon attack. And yet, the other part ... As much as he wanted to deny it, he was worried about her, and was afraid for her. What if she was as innocent in this as she claimed to be?

No, he couldn't waver this time. He couldn't let his feelings blind him. Enough people had been hurt because of it.

He looked at Jay, a sharp edge creeping into his voice. "Arrest her."

(***)

The flowers on the castle grounds were beautiful this time of year. The vibrant hues couldn't have been more vivid if they had come from the brush stroke of a master painter. Mal walked slowly across the lush green grass, and along the neatly trimmed topiaries, feeling the warm sun dance along her skin and breathing in the fresh air. But this wasn't right. Something ... no, everything wasn't right.

She'd left these things long ago. She'd left the castle, and the sun, and the chirping birds. She'd left ... Ben.

The sound of a child's giggle drew her attention to the far side of the garden. She walked toward the hedge, and watched as a little girl, around four years old, and all smiles and chubby limbs, ran toward the gazebo. She appeared intent on a mission - exploring and adventure - but she was thwarted when strong arms swooped down, picked her up, and swung her around in a wide arc. There were screamed protests but they were sprinkled with the music of her laughter.

Mal stood rooted on the spot. Her eyes were fixed on the owner of those arms.

Ben.

She tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, but her mouth had gone dry. What was going on?

A familiar voice traveled across the space just then. Mal's eyes widened as she watched herself join the group. It was a surreal sensation, and yet, rather heartbreaking when she noticed how happy her other self was.

This wasn't real. She knew that now.

But oh, what a cruel trick to play. This was crueler than anything even her own mother could devise. To show her what she could've had ...

"You've lost a child."

The deep, baritone voice beside her startled Mal, and instinctively, she made to send a defensive blast of magic its way. But nothing happened. Her magic didn't work. Puzzled, she looked down at her hand, and then back up at the stranger who'd just approached.

The man who stared back at her seemed eerily familiar. A mop of dark hair framed an angular face, and pale skin. But what really caught Mal were his eyes - dark, obsidian, and piercing.

"Dragon..." she breathed out in awe, the memory returning to her in a rush. "What ... why ...?"

"You've lost a child," he repeated. The tone of his voice was lulling, magnetic even, its deep timber resonating deep within Mal's core. She wanted to give all, and tell all at his mere suggestion.

"I - " She squeezed her eyes shut, and fought off the wave of sadness that had washed over her. There was a huge hole inside her that she ignored quite well on most days, but she felt its gaping presence right then. In fact, it threatened to swallow her whole at the moment.

"Yes," she finally said. "She was never born, but I feel the loss nonetheless." Her eyes burned as she spoke the words, and that lump in her throat caused her voice to crack. Damn, how she hated this weakness in herself.

"I have lost as well."

Mal watched on in confusion as he began to walk away. She was compelled to follow, and so, with one last regretful glance back at the idyllic scene by the gazebo, she did.

"Where are we?" she asked as she caught up. "Why am I here?"

A small, enigmatic smile graced the man's lips. "One question at a time."

"Okay, where are we?" she asked again as she grabbed his arm to stop him.

He tilted his head slightly at her touch, but he didn't pull away. "I don't know. You tell me."

It was an answer that wasn't an answer, and that frustrated Mal. "Look, I'm not in the mood for riddles. That ... that scene back there, it was in bad taste. If you're doing it, stop it."

"I'm not doing anything. It's all you. I'm just visiting," he replied calmly. "This is the only place I could go to converse with you."

Mal let go of his arm, more confused now than before. "What are you talking about?"

He waited patiently, as if allowing a simple lesson to finally make sense to a child. But when Mal showed no indication of understanding, he continued. "Look around you. Everything you see, everything you hear and smell, it's all from you: your memories, your thoughts, your dreams ..."

"We're in my head?"

"Well, we're certainly not in mine. I've been asleep for eight centuries."

Apparently, the dragon understood sarcasm, Mal noted. "Why?"

"As I've said, it was the best way to communicate with you."

"No, that's not what I meant." Mal didn't know if he was being obtuse on purpose, or if this was in his nature. She was becoming a little annoyed. "Why are we here? Why did you call me?"

She'd been brushing it off the last few days, but now that she thought about it, he had been calling her on some magical level. She'd sensed it all the way on the Isle when Evie had visited. And if he'd been able to pierce the barrier there, then he was powerful indeed. She would have to tread carefully.

"To honor a bargain."

That was unexpected. "Bargain? What bargain?"

He didn't appear bothered by her ignorance, although she was bothered by his evasive answers. She hated being at a disadvantage, and not knowing what was going did just that.

"A bargain struck many of your generations ago, before I went to sleep."

Mal stared at him, silently urging him to continue when he paused.

"I mentioned I have lost too. When I was young, many of us roamed the lands. But we were killed off, one by one, at the hands of various humans: self-professed heroes, daring knights, valiant princes ... we were hunted to near extinction. Myself, almost as well. But whereas my family fell, I was saved by one of your ancestors. A fairy, I believe you call your kind."

"Among other things," Mal supplied.

"Be that as it may, in return for saving my life, I granted your ancestor any wish within my power to give. And what she wished for was the magic of dragons, for herself and all other of her line."

Mal processed the story the dragon was telling, and various pieces began to fall into place: how her mother had been labeled a dark fairy, how she had possessed magic different from others ...

Still, her original question remained unanswered. "So, why are you here?"

"Because the magic has weakened with each generation, you being the weakest. I'm here to continue honoring my side of the bargain. Helping you reclaim your birthright, you could say."

Mal bristled at being called weak. "So you're here to 'refresh' my magic? Seems kind of extreme to destroy villages and kill innocent people for something so small."

His face broke out into a smirk, and his dark eyes briefly shone an iridescent green at her remark. Mal took a step back, surprised by the sudden predatory air around him. "That? That was just for fun. It has been centuries, and I needed to spread my wings."

At one time, Mal wouldn't have blinked an eye at destroying innocents for the sake of fun, but now, after everything she'd been through - after being with Ben - the thought sat heavy in her heart. She took a sudden dislike to the dragon for his callous disregard of life.

"They were still innocent," she asserted.

"They were human," he threw back, unruffled, as if that was reason enough.

Yes, she was starting to dislike him, and wanted him gone. "So, if we do this, what happens then? You leave?"

He thought on this for a moment before he nodded. "There's nothing left here. I think I shall head toward the eastern horizon. There are lands out there still untouched by humans."

Mal tried not to let the thought of him being one of the last of his kind bother her. His loneliness wasn't her concern, her stupid sense of empathy be damned. She focused on the fact that he'd be gone.

She was about to tell him to get on with it when another thought occurred to her. "The Widow's Curse ... is that part of the magic?" Hope, however small, started to bloom inside her. If the curse was a part of this deal, then she could do without the magic. She would forgo it in a heartbeat.

But the dragon gave no indication that he knew what she was talking about. He watched her impassively for a moment before he replied. "Dragon magic is ancient and pure. It does not deal in curses. Whatever it is you speak of was acquired after the bargain had been struck."

That tiny flame of hope flickered and died. Mal bit the inside of her mouth to prevent a sound of disappointment and defeat from escaping.

"You don't seem pleased that I am here," he observed.

"Because, unlike my mother, I don't see the point in getting power when you can't have happiness with it." She let out a sad laugh. How ironic that she, the daughter of Maleficent, was turning down an offer of power when her mother's lust for it had caused her to think that way in the first place?

"You didn't hear me. My magic is pure, neither good nor evil. What it becomes, and how you use it depends on you, just as it was with all the generations before you."

"How I use it ..." Mal repeated. She'd done a love spell, and while it may have created the illusion of happiness, it was as far from the real thing as it could get. Her ancestors may have been fine with it, but she wasn't. She'd learned ten years ago what true happiness was, and what it meant to have free will to choose her own path, and she would not taint that memory.

"You misunderstand me," the dragon said, as if reading her thoughts. Or perhaps, he was reading her thoughts, since they were in her head after all. "What I gave to your family when the deal was made, what I am renewing with you now, pre-dates good and evil, curses and spells. Everything came afterwards. Everything descended from it."

Mal was still clueless as to what he was getting at. She stood for several minutes, thinking, and then ... Shit! She was an idiot!

Everything descended from it, she mused, which meant -

"Someone's coming," the dragon cut off her train of thought. He grabbed her without warning, and before Mal knew what was happening, she was gazing into his eyes, dark obsidian eyes that now began to glow a familiar green. Mal couldn't speak, couldn't move, only stare and marvel at the infinite beauty and depths before her. Every fiber within her vibrated, and a frisson of electricity shot through her whole body.

Strength ... power ... magic ... she felt it coursing through her like a tidal wave, changing her, nurturing her, seducing her. And she, throwing away all caution and reservations, embraced it and welcomed it. She savored each and every ounce of it.

"A bargain struck, a bargain sealed," the dragon said in his neutral tone. With that, he leaned forward, and gave Mal's forehead a light tap.

Her world faded to black.

(***)

The call came sooner than Ben had expected. If there was a time he was grateful for the efficiency of his staff, it was now. Reports of sightings had come in within an hour after the search parties had been sent out, and confirmation within three. Given the area they were covering, the speed was admirable.

Ben quickly checked the tablet boasting the GIS program Carlos had supplied, and noted the area that Mal and the dragon had been found. Jay was farther away than he was, which was a good thing. Despite Jay's silent acceptance of his orders earlier, he knew the former thief would never arrest Mal. He, on the other hand ...

He rounded up several men, and without preamble, set off in the direction of their search targets. If he got there before Jay, he could go through with whatever would be required.

The all-terrain vehicles made short work of the rough, dirt roads, and within half an hour, he and his entourage approached the hilly clearing around which some of the original search party had already created a perimeter.

He saw the dragon first, its large, dark outline at odds with the tranquil countryside. He wasn't sure if it saw them yet, and so, he quietly gave the command to ready the nets, and approach. They stalked it, like a pack circling their prey, and strangely enough, the whole action spoke to Ben's more primal side. The beast, often dormant within, stirred, and he welcomed a rush of anticipation at the hunt. His senses were heightened, and his muscles strained at the ready. Adrenalin coursed through his veins, and he'd never felt more alive. It had been too long since he'd indulged his ... less civilized side like this.

Yet, when he was just close enough to make out the fine details of the creature's glossy scales, it flapped its great wings, and he froze involuntarily. Some men fell back, but Ben stood his ground, willing to fight for his life if needed. But instead of attacking, it flew up, the large gusts of wind caused by its movements forcing his men to think twice about approaching. There were shouts of surprise and panic, but before any of them could mount any sort of attack or retreat, the dragon flew away.

Confused, the nearby men looked at Ben for direction, but he was at as much of a loss as they were. After a brief second though, he gave the nod to follow the creature, and several of the guards formed up to do so. He was about to turn back as well, when a glimpse of purple caught his eye atop the hill.

His heart stopped. "Mal!" he yelled. And without another thought, he ran up to her unconscious form.

He knew he wasn't supposed to be concerned about her, knew she could readily betray him now as she had five years ago, but none of that stopped the frantic need to ensure she was still alive from overwhelming him. He thought he'd killed all feeling for her, but the sight of her lying motionless affected him more than he cared to admit.

He got to her before his men, and immediately checked her pulse. Relief flooded through him at feeling the steady beat beneath his fingertips. She was alive.

"Mal?" he said again, hoping he might wake her. She looked so serene and innocent as she was. It was almost easy to believe that everything that had happened between them had simply been a dream, ephemeral as a wisp of smoke. And for a brief moment, he pretended that it had been. He traced his finger gently - lovingly - along the slope of her cheek, and marveled at the warm, soft feel of it. He hated what she'd done, hated how she had hurt those closest to him, but damn it all, he still felt something for her.

"Your Majesty, should we arrest her?" one of his men asked as he neared.

Ben withdrew his hand quickly, and stood. His skin was still tingled where it had touched her, and he clenched his fingers to bury the emotions deep.

"Your Majesty, should we arrest her as you've ordered?" the guard asked again. "She was controlling that dragon, wasn't she? We all saw her."

Ben took a steadying breath, and straightened his spine, not wanting to appear unsure in front of his men. He glanced down at Mal, and then around at the group of guards forming around him. He willed away the softer emotions that had welled up in him, and latched onto reason and common sense like a lifeline.

Then, he nodded firmly. "Yes, take her back to the palace, and lock her up."

End Chapter 5