Chapter Four
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths.
*Waves* Hope you all are having a great March! And happy Spring! It's finally sprung! :D Meaning for where I am, we have about a month of decent warm weather before the humidity hits us like a ton of bricks.
Thank you all so much for the constant support here! It's honestly hard to believe we're only four chapters in and we're 48 reviews away from 100! It means the world to me, honestly!
Katie2001: Yeah that doc probably won't be enjoying life for the next bit. Though considering I borrowed my real life experiences from when I sprained my arm when I was six, chances are the Auradon doc is still working. :D
CrystalKaroui: Oh yay! Queen She-demon is just perfect for her! :D Lol I might just have to do that, bring Baymax in to get an actual scan of the kids. Though that might encourage people to want to kill Leah more than they already do…what am I saying? That's a good thing!
danifan3000: To avoid spoiling anything, I can say that anything's possible here but that Leah's still around to sink her claws into Audrey. So for now, anything's possible.
Katt Kiki: Oh yay! Unfortunately for me, the last kid that age I was around was myself so when I write young kids, I base them off of me. And even though I wasn't living in a penal Island, I was still a rather mature young kid. Actually 'precocious' was often the word of choice to describe me.
AmethystDragon14: Yay! :D Yeah poor Mal but at least they were able to determine what was wrong and get it patched up! :D And Steph and Belle will meet! :D
twilightgirl587: If I don't answer a question, generally I'm trying to avoid spoiling something later on :D But thankfully I think your question will be answered here!
61394: I don't think it's possible to not drop your guard around Baymax, the old marshmallow :D
Guest: May I offer a compromise and combine the Core 4 and the Rotten Four? Just because I really like the dynamic of Mal, Uma, Harry, and Jay and the idea of splitting them up…doesn't really appeal to me.
Guest: You're giving me fic thoughts…if only Emma wasn't sixteen in this universe (mainly because I'm a Swanfire shipper). Though with Bae being the oldest, does that mean he abdicated in order for Ben to be taking the crown?
Lauriverfanboy1: Oh I'm so glad you're enjoying my stories! Yeah Mal definitely deserved a better mom than Maleficent—though I would not complain having K.C. as my mother.
Guest: Oh you're right, it could work like that! The only reason I'd be leaning more toward Mirabel/Ben is because someone's requested a Mal/Akiho fic.
IWantColouredRain: *cackles evilly as she thinks of the upcoming chapters* trust me, there's no getting off Scott free this time :D
Anonymous Reader: Soon, I can promise it'll be soon!
Isabelly Silva Sousa: Oh don't worry, this fic won't be Ben/Mirabel—that'll be a different fic that'll be a ways off. Like once I've completed one of the four active fics.
AvatarUzumaki: You know that's a good question—would Hiro still be a teen in the Descendants universe (like how I've got Melody still as a 12 year old) or would he be an adult with kids of his own?
LotusQuil: Oh trust me, getting to write Steph for so many chapters warms my heart too! And yeah I might have borrowed my mom's reaction from when I sprained my arm when I was six for Steph's reaction to the doctors (see my parents had spent the entire time waiting for the x-ray telling me it wasn't going to hurt and then the doctor had me turning my arm about a million different ways so yeah, it hurt. A lot.)
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
"I'm terribly sorry but do you mind repeating that?"
Persephone sighed as Belle stared at her in shock. Mal had been set up in a guest room almost as soon as Belle had seen her, saying it would likely be more comfortable than just sitting in the hospital provided wheelchair for however long the meeting was.
Meaning it was just the two adults in the room which allowed Persephone the chance to tell Belle all that had happened without needing to watch her language around Mal. Yes there was still the need to be diplomatic but Persephone could allow a bit of her anger to seep through.
"You have the registry, you can see that Maleficent has had a child." Persephone said.
"I know that part," Belle said. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she had a child with Hades."
"And what's so confusing about that?" Persephone asked, feeling more than slightly defensive for her husband's sake. Even if she didn't like the idea of Hades having a child with another woman, he was still someone who was perfectly acceptable to father a child.
After all, people let Zeus father a child and no one batted an eye there.
Belle shook her head. "According to records, Lord Hades was the most faithful of the Big Three before he was sent to the Isle," she explained. "The idea that he would cheat…well like I said, it's hard to wrap my brain around it."
Oh…Persephone thought. That makes more sense actually. I knew Belle of all people wouldn't insult a God to his spouse's face. For someone without a royal background, she has certainly mastered the art of diplomacy.
"Hades and I haven't really talked about the cause of his…indiscretion," Persephone said. "But I know it doesn't matter. Mal is Hades' daughter, who her mother is only matters in that it allowed Mal the chance to be born."
Belle nodded and picked up the folder that Persephone had brought with her. "I glanced over the report from the doctors that they had sent before you arrived," she said, gesturing to the tablet on her desk. "Especially the report from the Baymax robot who scanned young Mal. They're concerned about how the ankle grew to be broken, as it looked as if it had been purposefully inflicted."
"I haven't been able to get much in terms of details from Mal as to how she broke her ankle," Persephone said. "However…knowing what I know about Maleficent, it wouldn't surprise me if she had inflicted that on Mal purposefully."
Belle sighed. "I'll need to speak to Mal to know for sure but Baymax's scans are showing things like malnutrition, healed injuries, scars…"
"If you scanned anyone from the Isle, you'd get the same results," Persephone said and Belle looked at her in shock. "What? Your highness, you can't honestly expect anyone to have decent nutrition from the food that's sent over. I'm surprised you're not getting reports on the quality of the food for that matter."
"What do you mean?" Belle asked, her eyes growing wide at the thought. "We check the freshness of the food with every donation that comes from the food drive."
Persephone sighed. "Your highness, I can only attest to what I've seen in the six months that I live on the Isle but I can assure you that none of the food the Isle receives is fresh. But that will be a topic for another meeting. I wanted to talk to you today to see about filing for custody of Mal."
"You…you want to adopt Mal?"
"That's right."
Belle sighed. "I can understand feeling a kinship to her, Lady Persephone, but as far as the registry is concerned—."
"To Tartarus with the registry!" Persephone exclaimed, startling Belle. "Apologies for raising my voice but Hades and I have already spent four years trying to find ways to get our daughter back from the Dragon's talons since we knew Maleficent didn't list Hades as her father."
"Your…your daughter? I thought Mal was your step-daughter?"
"She might not be my daughter by blood but I am more of a mother to her than Maleficent would ever be," Persephone said firmly. "I for one would never break Mal's ankle over what I assume to be some sort of slight against me or for any reason for that matter! You said it yourself, your highness, the reports from the doctors indicate that the break has been purposefully inflicted. Never mind the fact that if Mal wasn't half God and had friends to help her, she'd be a sitting duck with an ankle injury."
Belle sighed softly. As a mother, she knew she'd do whatever it took to defend her children—poor Abby had been slightly premature which had caused Leah to start back up with her nonsense about a betrothal contract.
It only took Belle ranting to her husband once before Leah mysteriously stopped—though Belle suspected Adam had gotten Aurora involved somehow. The blonde Princess was truly the only one who could get Leah to back down when Leah sank her teeth into something.
However, this wasn't just a request to adopt a child. This was a request to adopt a child of the Isle of the Lost. Even though Belle agreed with Persephone in that young Mal could not (and should not) continue to live in Maleficent's 'care', she also knew that her husband's council would lose their heads at the thought of a child of the Isle of the Lost living among them even if it was only for six months.
"Let me talk with Adam," Belle said after a few minutes. "I promise you, Lady Persephone, I will get you an answer before you go back to the Isle but I can't guarantee anything."
"I understand," Persephone said. In all honesty, she didn't understand but sometimes diplomacy was a better idea than smiting someone. Especially if that someone was key to making sure she kept custody of Mal.
"I would like to talk to Mal at some point as well," Belle said.
"Why?" Persephone asked.
Belle looked over at her in slight shock, as if the reason for her wanting to talk to Mal should have been obvious to the Goddess. "I may be the mother of a four year old and a one year old but my memory still works, Lady Persephone. And as much as I hate to put Mal through it, of the two of you, she is the only one who lives on the Isle full time. You qualified your statement that what you've seen in your six months on the Isle…."
"So you're going to question a four year old?" Persephone exclaimed.
"Who else would I talk to?" Belle asked. "Lady Persephone, I mean no offense but it's either I talk to you or I talk to Mal. And I'm more than willing to talk to you but you've even said that you only know what happens on the Isle during the six months you live there. Meaning there's a period of six months where even you are not aware of what transpires on the Isle."
"You could always talk to my husband!" Persephone said firmly.
Belle sighed. "Alright. And how would I be able to do that?"
"I have a portal that Zeus designed," Persephone said. "It's how I'm able to go back and forth between the Isle and Auradon. While I'm only able to use it every six months to go back and forth, it also works as a looking glass where I'm able to talk to Hades and he can see and talk to me."
"And would I as a mortal be able to use the looking glass to talk to Lord Hades?" Belle asked.
Persephone opened her mouth and then paused as she realized that Belle had raised an excellent point. No mortal had ever used the looking glass before and while Persephone knew it was powered by her magic, that still didn't answer the question of whether or not Belle would be able to use it.
"I know the idea of my interviewing young Mal is not a pleasant one especially while she's hurt," Belle said. "But it'd need to be done. But you would be in the room the entire time Lady Persephone, I promise."
"You're sure?"
"I'm a mother myself. I know that if anyone tried to talk to Ben or Abby without myself or Adam being in the room with them, heads would roll," Belle told her. "But the conversation needs to happen."
"Not right away though," Persephone said. "I'm still working on getting her walls down…she's lived with Maleficent most of her life."
Belle frowned. "Oh…the poor dear. Do you think she'd enjoy going to Ben's birthday party? It's coming up soon and it might be a good way for her to make friends here in Auradon."
"I'll ask her though 'parties' aren't usually done on the Isle," Persephone said. And the last thing either of us want is Mal making a comment about you all having a party while the Isle barely is able to survive, she thought.
"Please do," Belle said. "And Lady Persephone? Please consider young Mal and yourself our guests for however long you need."
"I have an apartment—."
"I know," Belle nodded. "But a wheelchair needs a lot of space to move around in and apartments usually aren't the most spacious."
"…this isn't a way to keep an eye on the 'villain kid' I smuggled into Auradon is it?"
"Of course not!" Belle insisted. "Lady Persephone, the only thing I want is for the injured child you brought to Auradon to feel comfortable. Plus…there are certain individuals who might not take too kindly to seeing Mal in Auradon."
"You're speaking of Queen Leah I presume?"
"I am in fact speaking of Queen Leah, yes." Belle nodded. Or Queen She-Devil as Chip has taken to calling her even if it is a rather apt nickname.
Persephone sighed. "And Queen Leah would definitely be the type to go after a four year old for her 'mother's' slights against her family….is she going to be at Prince Ben's birthday?"
"No, thankfully," Belle said and then paused. "I mean…"
"I think you can speak truthfully to me, Queen Belle," Persephone said. "I can promise you nothing that you say will be repeated outside of these four wall."
"And that's appreciated Lady Persephone but the walls have ears," Belle said. "Not to mention, little ears don't understand the importance of decorum or keeping things secret."
"Hey!"
"Chip Potts, how long were you in there?" Belle exclaimed, looking over at a nearby panel in the wall that was pushed out.
"Not that long," Chip said as the blond teen poked his head out of the panel. "But mom wanted me to ask you what you wanted her to make for lunch."
"And you know perfectly well you could have just knocked on the door."
"I know. But Adam said you were having a secret meeting and I figured you didn't want Benji knowing about this and possibly interrupting. Oh! Hi Lady Persephone!"
"Hello Chip," Persephone said with a small chuckle.
Belle shook her head. "So you thought it'd be better to eavesdrop on my meeting than just knock on the door?"
"Yep!" Chip said with a grin.
I think I can understand Hades' argument a bit more, Persephone thought. He always says that being in the Auradon sun must melt the brain of those in Auradon. Either that or being forced to be a tea cup for ten years, on top of not aging all that time, affected Chip more than what was thought possible.
"Can you please tell your mother that I'd love her grilled cheese sandwich for lunch?" Belle said, bringing Persephone out of her thoughts. "Lady Persephone, was there anything you wanted for lunch?"
"I'm not picky, a grilled cheese will be fine," Persephone said. "Will one be sent up to Mal?"
"We can certainly make sure one is sent up to her," Belle nodded.
"Oh I didn't mean to put more work on anyone," Persephone shook her head. "I can be sure to take it up, I just want to make sure that Mal gets something to eat for lunch."
Chip grinned. "I can ask mom to include some chicken noodle soup with the grilled cheese. That's usually my sister's meal of choice anyway so mom's used to making it."
"…isn't tomato soup the soup of choice when it comes to grilled cheese?" Belle asked.
"Maybe but those people haven't had my mom's chicken noodle soup," Chip said. "And don't worry, mom's making Benji a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Cut into triangles, not squares and grape jelly, not strawberry."
"Thank you Chip," Belle chuckled, obviously amused at her son's lunch order. "I'll be down to get Ben's lunch and bring it up to him momentarily."
"I can do that," Persephone offered. "I'll be bringing Mal her lunch so it'll be not a problem to bring Prince Ben his lunch."
"Knowing Benji, if he knows we've got a guest in the castle, he'll be trying to find her," Chip chuckled. "He's probably with her right now, sharing every fact he knows about dragons, reindeer, or tigers."
"…dragons, reindeer, or tigers?" Persephone asked, turning to Belle as if to ask her why those three animals in particular.
"Ben has made friends with the son of Queen Anna and King Kristoff and the second son of Sultan Aladdin and Sultana Jasmine," Belle explained. "Sultana Jasmine is famous for her pet tiger while King Kristoff's fondness for reindeer is probably known almost as well as his passion for ice."
"And the dragons?"
"My son has a favorite research topic," Belle explained. "For the past year or so, Ben has been fascinated with the mythological but specifically dragons."
"Why dragons?"
"To quote my son, because they're 'awesome'," Belle said with a small chuckle.
Persephone smiled slightly, trying not to picture the dragon onesie she had purchased Mal when she was a baby. It'd been the onesie she had been wearing when the goblins snatched her from the Underworld, the last time she had been the care free baby she'd been.
At least I have the memories of you in the onesie…and the photos we can at least show you once I get custody of you.
"Oh Queen Belle? When will I know about the other matter I discussed with you?" Persephone asked, trying to keep it vague due to Chip still being in the room.
Belle nodded. "Let me speak with my husband about that and I'll get back to you no later than say two weeks? Unfortunately with Ben's birthday coming up…"
"I completely understand," Persephone said. It had to be difficult running a kingdom and being a parent of two small kids at the same time.
"But I promise you Lady Persephone, you'll have an answer soon," Belle reassured her. "And now I think I should go make sure my son has some lunch before he comes in here himself."
"Nah, like I said, if Ben knows there's a guest he'll be trying to find her rather than trying to find you for food," Chip chuckled. "But I'll go and check on the lunches so that they can eat together if Benji has found our guest."
"Thank you Chip," Belle said and chuckled as Chip turned back through the secret passage. "Honestly it's like having three kids sometimes."
Persephone smiled. "It's nice that you have him."
"I know most teenagers wouldn't want to have a four year old always trailing around him but Chip treats Ben like a brother," Belle said. "But I've kept you long enough Lady Persephone and I'm sure you'd like to get back to young Mal."
"Considering it was me who asked for the meeting, I would say that I'm the one who was keeping you, Queen Belle," Persephone said with a small smile. "But thank you."
The two brunettes smiled at each other before Persephone turned to leave the room. One thing was certain, she was definitely going to get her daughter some food.
They were in Auradon, Mal was going to enjoy the life she should have had all four years of her life if Persephone had anything to say about it!