Author's Note: THANK YOU! I have honestly been overwhelmed with the review/feedback I have received. You have all been so kind/supportive. I have decided to continue with this story and see how I go with it. Thank you to everyone who has review/PM'd me about my story. I hope I don't disappoint you with what I do/where I go with my story.
As per a few requests I have had I will try and include some more people's POV in the story where possible but it will still feature a lot of Mal's POV. I will also try to make my chapters longer as a few people have asked me to do this and I will do my best but on some chapters this just won't be possible. This chapter for instance won't be longer. This will only be a brief chapter but I feel it's necessary for the story that this happens here.
Ben's POV.
I woke before Mal did this morning. I couldn't help it. I think I'm more excited then Mal is about today. She has her twelve week scan this morning before we leave on our honeymoon. I could tell yesterday had drained her and that isn't how I would have liked to end our wedding day, actually that's probably the worst way it could have ended. But at least I married the love of my life and mother to my children. That's the main thing as far as I am concerned.
I noticed it was only 6:30 and I knew Mal wouldn't be up for another few hours. I had two options here; I could stay here with Mal or go downstairs and see my parents who were no doubt still awake. I rolled onto my back and stretched my muscles but as I did the decision on whether or not to stay in bed was taken out of my hands as Mal rolled into me, pressing her baby bump into my hip, placing her arm over my stomach. I tried to move away a little knowing from experience that I would just wake her up but she tightened her hold on me so I literally couldn't go anywhere.
I resigned myself to the fact that Mal would probably be awake soon since I always fidget when I'm awake and lying in bed. I got as comfy as possible and turned my head to look at Mal's face. She always looked so peaceful as she slept. Like all her worries and problems just melted away when she closes her eyes to sleep. I felt her starting to stir so I pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and watched as her eyes fluttered open.
"Morning." I said to her. I hated waking her up this early especially now she's pregnant.
"Morning." Mal muttered and she tried to cuddle closer into my side. "Why are you up so early?" She asked. She always asked me this if I woke before her.
"Restless night and excited for today." I admitted. One thing I can't do is lie to her. Somehow she always seems to know when I'm lying. I felt her nod against me and as I looked down at her face I could see the worry creeping back into her features. I knew it wouldn't take long for her to remember how yesterday ended but I just hoped this week away for our honeymoon will help her to relax.
"Ben? Do you think we should go on our honeymoon with everything going on?" She asked me, and there was the question I was waiting for and actually debating myself. "I mean what if something happens and were not here to help?" The worry in her voice was easily heard.
"Mal." I started as I sat up a little, forcing her to do the same since she was still cuddles into me. I gently grasped her chin, lifting it so her gaze met mine. "I know you feel responsible but none of this is your fault okay? Mom and Dad will be able to handle things, they did for twenty years. Plus even if we are needed we are just a few seconds away since you can transport us back here." I explained to her. She seemed to debate what I was saying before she gently smiled and nodded at me.
"Okay." She whispered in her agreement. "We should really get up now." Mal said to me as she slowly started to turn over.
"Why?" I asked her.
"Because I can smell Mom's home made strawberry cookies." Mal stated as she got out of bed and wrapped her white dressing gown around her. I quickly got out of bed, not ready to let Mal out of my sight after yesterday and after throwing on a top to cover my chest I gently grasped Mal hand and we headed down stairs.
"Morning kids." Mom said to us without even turning around as we got to the kitchen doorway. Me and Mal glanced at each other before stepping into the room. The work surfaces were completely covered in baked goods and there was a table/island full of stuff ready to go in the oven.
"Mom, is everything alright?" I asked. I knew last night what happened yesterday upset bout our parents but I didn't think it was this bad. I shared another worried look with Mal before I turned my attention back to mom.
"Of course Ben, why?" She asked me while trying to put on her fake, 'I'm okay' smile.
"Because you never bake like this unless you extremely stressed out." Mal answered for me. I watched as mom's fake smile fell from her face and tears gathered in her eyes. Neither me nor Mal thought twice. We both just walked over and hugged mom, tightly.
"I'm sorry." She apologised to us as she stepped back out of our embrace. "How are you two doing? Excited for the scan today?" She asked us. I noticed the change of topic was a sign to drop it for now so me and Mal went with it.
"Of course we are excited." Mal told Mom and I noticed her smile, it actually reached her eyes as well. Mal must have noticed too since she glanced at me before turned back to face Mom. "Would you and Dad like to go with us?" She asked and I could see Mom didn't know what to say. I smiled at Mal for asking. I know if anything could cheer her up it would be seeing her grandchildren.
"Are you sure?" She asked us, her gaze flitting between myself and Mal. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her.
"Of course we're sure, Mom." I answered. How could she think we weren't serious, I mean really. I don't know whether to be insulted or upset. I decided to change the topic before either Mom, Mal or heaven forbid both got emotional. "So, where's Dad?" I asked.
"He's in his office right now. He's filling out some paperwork about last night." Mom told us. I nodded to her as she turned back to the oven. As Mom turned I couldn't help but smile as Mal, as quietly as possible, reached over the table and tried to grab one of the cookies. "Leave the cookies alone, Mal. They're for when your travelling." Mom told her, again without turning around. How she always did that I will never know. I couldn't hold back my laughter even if I tried when Mal actually pouted at Mom. Mal was soon laughing along with me though.
After a few minutes we had both stopped laughing and were trying to catch our breath. "I'll be right back." Mal told me and Mom. We both nodded to her and she grabbed a cupcake from the island we were stood near before turning to leave.
Mal's POV.
I quickly left the kitchen and walked to the front of the castle. My feet were almost on autopilot. After a few minutes I found myself facing the door I wanted and raising my hand I quickly knocked. I heard a low and tired sounding voice call "Come in." and I quietly stepped through the door, closing it once I was through. I couldn't help but feel a little a little sad at the scene that greeted me. Paperwork was spread out all over and Dad had his head resting in his hands, clearly exhausted.
"Morning Dad." I greeted him. His head lifted and turned to face me quicker then I would have thought possible.
"Mal, are you okay?" He asked me as he stood and walked over. I walked into his outstretched arms without a second thought and felt safe and loved (like I always did when I hugged Ben) when he wrapped his arms around me.
I nodded my head but I actually answered his question with one of my own. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course." Dad told me.
"Can I go and see Gaston?" I asked, feeling him stiffen immediately at the mention of the name. I couldn't help but feel bad. I mean of all people Maleficent could have got off the isle she chose bloody Gaston, the person who tried to kill Dad last time they fought.
"Why would you want to go and see him?" He asked me, venom and anger clear as day in his voice.
"It's hard to explain, and I hope I'm very wrong, but I can't shake the feeling that someone helped them last night." I explained my reasoning. "I mean how would they know exactly where to stand and not be seen without a little help. Then there's the fact of they seemed to know who had what kind of magic when they were fighting. They shouldn't have known about Ellie or her ice magic yet they seemed to. Something's not right. Someone helped them, I'm sure of it." I finished my explanation and looked up at Dad. I could see him thinking back to everything that happened last night and a look of realisation came over his features.
"I think you're right, Mal." Dad agreed with me. I stepped out of our hug and looked at him. "Let's get Ben and..."
"No!" I quickly interrupted. "Ben needs to stay with Mom so she doesn't suspect anything. If Mom finds out were going to see him she'll want to come herself and I think she's freaked out about it enough." I explained.
"And as nice as that is, she will murder us of she finds out we went and didn't tell her. Trust me. I've made mistakes like that before." Dad told me. I really didn't want to worry Mom anymore then she already was but I nodded to Dad anyway. I saw him type out a message on his phone, I'm assuming to Mom, before he spoke to me again. "Why Gaston anyway?" He asked.
"Because out of the two of them Gaston is the more stupid one. That makes it easier to manipulate information from." I stated. A few seconds later Ben came through the study door closely followed by Mom.
"Okay, let's make this quick." Dad send. Both me and Ben nodded to him. I had absolutely no desire to drag this out any longer then I needed to. As far as I'm concerned he can rot down there.
The four of us reached the cell containing a tired looking Gaston. The guards bowed to us and allowed us a bit of privacy by moving a little further down the hallway.
Gaston's eyes locked onto Mom as soon as he noticed us there. "Couldn't stay away?" He asked her, smirking. I couldn't help but let my anger rise a little as the sight.
"Hey!" I snapped at him and caused him to look at me. "Don't say another word to my Mom." I demanded. I felt Ben place his arm around my waist at the look he was giving me. To be honest if I wasn't getting mad it would probably creep me out a little. "Who helped you yesterday?" I asked him.
"I have no idea what your on about." Gaston stated. His gaze never felt my own but that wasn't about to make me back down.
"Bullshit! None of you could have gotten the information you had of the others last night by yourselves so who helped you!" I was almost shouting right now but I didn't care. I hadn't noticed though that I had moved closer to the cell door while I had been talking. It wasn't until Gaston tried to reach through the bars of the door and I felt two pairs of arms pull me back that I noticed how close I had gotten. I looked around and found it was Ben and our Mom who had pulled me back.
"Make another move to touch my daughter, wife or son and it'll be the last thing you ever do. I can promise you that." Dad practically growled out. "Now answer her question." He snapped at Gaston, who actually looked a little frightened now.
"Who helped you yesterday?" I asked him again. I watched as he looked around the cell he was in before his gaze turned back to me.
I placed my hand on my baby bump just before Gaston spoke. "Damn that stuck up cow! I knew we shouldn't have trusted her!" He snapped as seemingly no one. I quickly lifted my head to look at him the unexpected outburst from him gaining my immediate attention.
"Who shouldn't you have listened to?" I asked him, praying this time I got an answer.
"Queen Leah Beauty, she told us her name was." He replied. I actually couldn't believe it. Leah! Okay I knew she was crazy but enough to risk everyone's life, including her own granddaughter! That woman is frickin' insane! "Sure the knowledge of people's magic helped but we were stupid to listen to her and try it when we did." He continued to rant to himself. I looked at Ben and our parents and could see the anger and disbelief on their faces. I knew she hated me but I didn't think she was willing to go to these kinds of lengths.
I turned and quickly walked away from my family with the intention of finding Leah but before I could transport myself I felt Ben's arms around me. "Mal, don't." Ben whispered to me as without me realising he led me into his study with our parents behind us.
"You can't be serious Ben. She deserves a lot worse then what I have planned for her." I stated but made no effort to move from his hold. As angry as I was I always felt like I was at home when he held me like this.
A loud bang made me jump as I spun to find the source of the noise. My eyes settled on Dad with his fist against the wall. "Adam, that wont help the situation." Mom told him. "You need to calm down."
"Calm down!" Dad shouted, making Ben jump a little and me flinch. "Hoe the hell can you stand there and tell me to calm down!? He almost hurt you, our daughter and our grandchildren yesterday because of that self entitled..." He cut himself off from whatever he was about to say and roared. Like he actually roared. I turned and looked into Ben's eyes and found even he was a little scared of his father's behaviour right now just like I was. I don't think I've even actually heard him roar before and I leant into Ben for a little support. The repetitive thumping indicating the wall was getting the brunt of his anger.
Mom turned and looked to us with sad eyes but upon looked at both me and Ben her eyes hardened a little. "Adam, stop!" Mom shouted. Now that in itself was worrying. Mom never shouted. Dad seemed to notice as well as he immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to face Mom. "You are scaring our children." She stated and we watched as the anger on his face softened slightly and concern and regret showed through as well.
"I'm sorry, kids." Dad apologised to us. He came over and wrapped his arms around us as he kept repeating 'I'm sorry' over and over again.
"Dad, it's fine." Ben reassured him. After apologising once more he released us and went over to hug Mom. "But what do we do about Leah? Now we know she helped them she has to be punished right?" He asked.
"Yes, she will certainly be stripped of her royal title and control of Auroria will be given to Aurora and Philip." Mom explained. I nodded along knowing how much that would bother her but I couldn't help but worry.
"Won't that cause her to lash out at us again?" I asked them. When I said us I really meant me but I wasn't going to sound that damn selfish. However, Ben seemed to realise what I wanted to say and answered my unspoken question.
"If she knows what's good for her she won't even think about coming anywhere near you." Ben stated. "She tries it I have no problem shipping her off to the Isle of the lost under the crime of treason." He growled out.
"Seconded." Dad stated. I couldn't help but smile at just how over protective Ben and Dad were being.
"While that would also make me incredible happy this decision lies with Mal." Mom said to them. The three of them turned to face me. "How would you like to proceed if she tries anything, Mal?" Mom asked.
"I'm happy with what Ben and Dad suggested." I stated. While I don't like the idea of being the reason someone is stuck on that hell hole I would do anything right now just to have Leah off my back. The three of them nodded happy with my decision when a thought occurred to me. "Wait, do me and Ben need to but our honeymoon on hold to strip Leah of her title and kingdom?" I asked them.
"No, Mal. You and Ben will go this afternoon as planned." Dad told me. I couldn't help but look a little confused at him. "Me and your Mom can make the announcement since we will be acting King and Queen until you both come back from your honeymoon. Besides if we make the announcement then she can't twist it and say you are doing it because you dislike her for what she said at Family day or some crap like that." Dad explained.
"Now go get ready for your scan and bring your bags down so they can be put in the car." Mom instructed us. I smiled at Ben before turning back to our parents.
"Your both still coming to the scan right?" I asked as I realised they didn't mention getting ready themselves.
"Of course." Mom answered completely ignoring Dad's confused expression. I smiled at them before taking Ben's hand and allowing him to lead me from the room and upstairs. I couldn't wipe the smile from my face as I double checked my bag and got changed.
Before long I had eaten breakfast with our parents and was in the car on the way to the hospital for my twelve week scan. I just hope the stress of the last few weeks hasn't affected our little beastie and faerie in any way.
Author's Note: I know this chapter is a little short but I felt this was a good place to stop. My next chapter should be longer then usual. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. x