Chapter Eighteen

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!

Guys, you want to know something amazing? This fic is now in my Top 15 reviewed fics! At the time of this note, only three of my Top 15 are not Descendants fics—the three in question are Times, They Are A Changing, Under the Sea, and A Very Weird Musical. All the others are Descendants fics which is just funny to me considering Descendants is technically my newest fandom and Harry Potter was the fandom I cut my teeth writing fic with :D So I guess this rambling paragraph is my way of saying thank you guys for your reviews and now I kinda want to see if I can make my Top 15 all one fandom lol!

Just as a friendly reminder as we get closer to November that I will be off for another vacation before possibly taking a hiatus for the holidays. I'll still be writing, I just don't know how often or if I'll be able to update :D

OceanBlueSeaEyes: Ah the image of Gaston being pelted by smoke bombs is one I love to imagine! :D

danifan3000: Something tells me Ben wouldn't mind having all those sisters though people have said that when adopting you're not supposed to mess up the birth order and since there are older LeGume girls, that would drop Ben from being first born to in the middle. Not that he'd mind that but it'd be confusing for a five year old.

AmethystDragon14: Yay! True he might be adjusting a little too quickly but then again, he's got Hades kicking his butt constantly when I'm sure he just wants to wallow.

Katt Kiki: I'm so glad you liked the chapter!

CrystalKaouri: That is very creative though I think I might just leave it for readers to imagine, otherwise the rating might have to go up lol :D

eiracloude45: Trust me he's cringing!

twilightgirl587: Oh yeah, Gaston is brainless and he takes pride in that! Oh well, it makes him easier to outwit which is always a good thing!

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D

Persephone sighed as she sat across from Belle, the younger woman looking probably as frazzled as a single mother who also had to rule the country and who was worried about her husband could look. She wasn't sure if this was the right time but the meeting had to happen.

They had to determine whether or not Mal would be sent back to the Isle full stop or if, like Persephone, she would be able to spend six months in the sun of Auradon.

Personally, Persephone was in favor of the latter. How did it make sense to send Mal back to an environment that had already hurt her? Simple answer, it didn't.

"If…If it makes things easier, Queen Belle, we can move this meeting," Persephone offered. She really didn't want to but it was clear that Belle was trying to juggle a machine with several moving parts, trying desperately not to drop a single one.

"No, no," Belle shook her head before letting out a small sigh. "My…my apologies Lady Persephone but keeping busy…keeping busy right now is preventing me from falling apart. And Ben and Abby need their mother, they've already lost one parent and it wouldn't be fair to Mrs. Potts or Chip to ask them to step in there. Especially since Mrs. Potts may not have a job after this election."

"How…how is that going by the way?" Persephone asked.

"Better than we thought it would," Belle told her. "Leah tried running a smear campaign about Adam being sent to the Isle and how Auradon can't trust us…but it resulted in Aurora seeing a five point dip in the polls."

"Really?" Persephone asked, taken rather aback. She knew what Auradon thought about the Isle after all.

Belle nodded. "It certainly didn't hurt that I might have slipped an anonymous tip that Leah wanted to bring back betrothal contracts to Snow White," she said.

"Oh Hera's not going to like that," Persephone shook her head. "Neither is Aphrodite for that matter."

"Oh right, Lady Hera's the Goddess of Marriage and of course Lady Aphrodite's the Goddess of Love," Belle said, her eyes growing slightly wide in the realization that by letting that information slip out, she may have inadvertently angered the Gods. "I do just want it known that neither Ben nor Abby are under such a contract. I want my children finding love in their own time, with who they want to marry."

"I never assumed otherwise," Persephone said, giving Belle a calming smile as if to reassure the monarch. "After all, everyone knows your story. Of how you and King Beast wound up together because you fell in love. It would make sense you'd want the same thing for your children."

Belle nodded before biting her lip slightly. "How…how is he? Adam I mean?"

"He's…He's about as well as you'd expect," Persephone said, seeing no reason to hide to Belle but seeing no reason to be blunt about the matter either. No matter her own thoughts about Beast, he was still Belle's husband.

Plus, as she'd come to learn from her time in Beast Castle, there were always little ears about. The last thing Persephone wanted was to have Prince Ben overhear and find out that his father wasn't doing well.

"…Has Gaston…?" Belle asked but seemed unable to finish her question.

Persephone sighed. "From what Hades has said, yes. There was an incident at the restaurant where Gaston had confronted King Beast but only words were exchanged. Hades reminded Gaston that…that King Beast was under his protection and that if Gaston did anything to increase his workload, Hades would not make things pleasant for him."

Belle sighed in relief. "Oh thank Gods…I mean, I had faith in Lord Hades but…"

"Of course, it'd make sense you'd be worried about your husband," Persephone nodded.

"Not only that," Belle sad. "But…if Gaston was causing trouble…I…I don't know how comfortable I'd be sending Ben there. I'm already a bit on edge sending him anyway. I mean no disrespect of course but…you've met Ben. You've seen what a bright and happy boy he is and…and I don't want that to disappear."

Persephone sighed. "I know, and the last thing anyone wants is for him to lose his innocence. If Ii had my choice, Mal would permanently live here in Auradon but she's got her friends and of course her father on the Isle. I can't take her from them."

"I know," Belle nodded with a sigh of her own. "And I guess that brings us back to the topic at hand doesn't it? Determining whether or not Mal can go back and forth with Ben and Abby when she's old enough."

"Would it make more sense to wait until the election so we know if the adoption will go through?" Persephone asked.

Belle shook her head. "This would be more of a royal edict which from what Adam has told me, are close to impossible for other royals to overturn. They consider it a professional courtesy not to since they wouldn't want it done to them. Granted in those cases, the edict is being debated about after the royal had died—."

"Queen Belle?"

"Yes?"

"I believe you have begun to ramble."

Belle flushed slightly and cleared her throat. "Oh yes, my apologies."

"Quite alright," Persephone nodded. "But perhaps we could go back to the topic at hand. Will Mal be going back and forth with Prince Ben or is she to stay permanently on the Isle?"

"I want Mal to come with me!" Ben's voice called out before Belle could say anything.

"Ben?" Belle asked and Persephone had to hold back a small smile at the sight of Ben coming out of a secret passage.

"Sorry maman, I didn't mean to listen," Ben said softly. "Chip was showing me and Mal all the secret passages in the castle, they thought it might cheer me up."

"And did it?" Belle asked, giving Ben a small smile as he made his way out of the secret passage and stand up. She knew how much her son loved learning new information and if Chip and Mal had managed to cheer up Ben even the slightest amount, then Belle wouldn't even mind the fact that Ben had eavesdropped on a private conversation.

"A little," Ben said, his voice still soft. "I'm sorry I listened to your talk with Lady Steph, maman. I was trying to find the exit that came out the library and then I…I heard you mention papa…"

Belle sighed and gently pulled Ben into a hug. She couldn't fault him for wanting to hear more about his father, after all he was only five and while they got letters and updates from Lady Persephone, it sometimes wasn't enough.

"I miss him…" Ben whispered, his face buried in Belle's legs.

Belle sighed. "I know sweetheart, I miss him too. But you'll see your father again soon, I promise."

"But…that's not fair to you maman," Persephone heard Ben say and she couldn't help but smile slightly at the words. Even as he was missing his father, the young Prince was thinking about his mother.

Wait a minute, Persephone thought. I think I have a way that Queen Belle would be able to see King Beast. After all, it would make sense that she'd want to see the portal in question before Prince Ben made his way through it to the Isle wouldn't she?

"Queen Belle?"

"Yes Lady Persephone?" Belle said, looking over at the Goddess.

"Forgive me, this may be none of my business but I might have come up with a temporary solution," Persephone said. "You know, of course, that I have a portal that allows me to transport between the Isle and Auradon every six months."

Belle nodded but tilted her head in slight confusion, as if she was wondering where Persephone was going.

"Well, even when I'm here in Auradon, I can still use the portal," Persephone explained. "I can't walk through it to see Hades in person but I can talk to him face to face. Would…would you like to see it so that young Prince Ben can talk to King Beast?"

Ben perked up and looked over at Belle with big, pleading eyes. "Please? Can we maman?"

"I want you to be able to see your father," Belle said with a small sigh. "But I can't leave Abby alone, Ben. Even with Mrs. Potts watching her, she's too young."

"So bring Abby with!" Ben said, with the tone of voice all young children had when they were saying something that was so obvious but the adults just didn't get it. "We can bring Mal too!"

"That's actually not a bad idea," Persephone nodded. "After all, I'm sure Mal could use this opportunity to introduce her friends to you, Prince Ben, so that way they have a chance to get to know you before they meet you in person."

"What…what if Mal's allies aren't there?" Ben asked and Persephone couldn't help the slightly sad smile that pulled at her lips as she heard that. Already the Isle was removing a bit of the young boy's innocence and yet, Persephone couldn't find it in her to be upset that Mal had taught him how to navigate some of the vocabulary of the Isle.

Better he know now while he was still in the relative safety of Auradon rather than going to the Isle as a sitting duck.

"If Mal's allies aren't there, then I can have Lord Hades call them so they can talk to Mal," Persephone promised. "I'm sure he'd be happy to do that."

"And…and they'll be okay talking to me?" Ben asked, his voice soft as he looked down at the ground. "I…Mal told me that people from the mainland aren't really popular over on the Isle and if papa's not well liked there…"

Persephone sighed. "Well we won't know until we go there, will we? Can you go and get Mal for me? And then, with Queen Belle's permission of course, we can go and get your sister and then I can get my portal up so you can see your father."

"Of course it's okay with me," Belle nodded. Why wouldn't it be? A chance for Ben to see his father even if it wasn't in person? A chance for Abby to be able to see her father, to keep him in her memory so that he wouldn't be a stranger to her when she did start going to the isle?

And of course Belle wouldn't pass up the chance for Ben to make new friends—he'd already managed to make a close friendship with Mal. Or at the very least she thought it was close. They were always together at some parts of the day, Ben happily teaching Mal some French.

So soon enough the group was formed and they made their way over to Persephone's portal. Well with one extra member of the group since Ben had asked that they include Chip as well. Something Belle had agreed to if it was alright with Persephone.

Persephone saw no harm in it, especially since Ben considered Chip to be an older brother and it would make sense that he'd want to contact Ben over the portal.

"Hades," Persephone called into the portal; Ben looking at it with unabashed amazement on his face while Mal was looking suitably nonchalant like she had seen it before. Abby was babbling excitedly in her mother's arms.

"L-Lady Per-Persephone?"

"Oh hello Virgil," Persephone said with a smile as Panic's son appeared in the portal. "I hope you're doing well?"

"Y-Yes L-Lady Per-Persephone."

"Oh now Virgil, you know you can call me Steph," Persephone said. "Oh before I forget, let me introduce you to Prince Ben. I'm sure you're aware of the agreement where Prince Ben will be joining me in my six months on the Isle?"

"Y-Yes L-Lady S-Steph," Virgil nodded. His dad had told him after Lord Hades had informed him and Uncle Pain. "It's n-nice to meet y-you, your h-highness."

"You as well," Ben nodded. "And you don't need to call me that. Just Ben is fine."

Persephone couldn't help but smile at the interaction. After all, she knew most kids would likely comment on the stutter or make fun of Virgil for it even if they were around their parents.

"Virgil, dear, would you mind grabbing Lord Hades?" Persephone asked.

"No L-Lady Steph…r-right away!"

"Thank you," Persephone said and Virgil ran off to get her husband. It didn't take long before the Lord of the Underworld was in front of the portal along with…

"Papa!" Ben grinned as he saw his father for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Prince Ben was missing his father and I thought it might be a good idea to show Queen Belle the portal before we go over there for the first of Prince Ben's six months on the Isle," Persephone explained as she noticed Hades' raised eyebrow.

"Uh huh," Hades nodded.

"Hey…dad…" Mal said, her voice slightly soft as she still wasn't completely sure if that was the right title for her father or if, as a God, he would want something more formal. However the smile she got in response told her that she had made the right call.

"Hey Mal," Hades said. "Still in the wheelchair?"

Mal nodded, though she made a small face at the fact that Hades had pointed it out. "Yeah…but Lady Steph says I should be able to get out of the wheelchair in a couple of days! Then we never talk about this again!"

"Rodger that," Hades nodded.

"I was hoping Mal might be able to introduce Prince Ben to Uma and Harry, if they're around?" Persephone told Hades. "That way they'll know him and he won't be a stranger to him when he's on the Isle."

"Not a bad idea, Steph," Hades nodded as Beast smiled at his son, his daughter, and his wife.

"Dada!" Abby cooed, her eyes growing wide as she realized what was going on. Or at the very least realized Beast was there.

"Hello my darling," Beast told her. "Have you been a good girl for maman and for your brother?"

"Both of our children have been amazing," Belle said.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Beast asked.

Hades shook his head. "Before this conversation grows teeth degrading sweet…oi, food tasters, front and center!"

"There're better ways to call us Uncle Hades!" Uma called back from the kitchen.

"Hmm, maybe there are but I didn't use them now did I Uma? Besides I've got Mal on the portal—."

That seemed to be all that needed to be said as the next thing anyone knew, Uma and Harry were right in front of the portal.

"Hey Mali!" Uma grinned. "How's Boreadon been treating you?"

"Not too bad," Mal said, grinning back at Uma. "How's it been over there?"

Uma shrugged. "The usual really. It's still cloudy all the time, the food's still gross at least from the food barge and Blueberry's still annoyingly prissy."

"You hurl any smoke bombs at her?" Mal asked.

"She's not our favorite target for nothing but it's not the same without you here Mal," Harry spoke up.

"I'll be back soon though," Mal promised. "Blueberry won't know what hit her."

Ben bit his lip. He knew that bullying was wrong but none of the adults weren't saying anything. And he didn't want to give a bad impression with Mal's friends…I mean allies.

"If…if she's not doing anything wrong, why are you hitting her with smoke bombs?" Ben asked, his voice soft.

Uma rolled her eyes. "Cause it's fun. And we don't always throw smoke bombs at Blueberry, she just acts like she's too good for the Isle so we bring her down a peg."

Persephone sighed. "Uma, be nice okay? Prince Ben does have a point, and it's not the best idea to make enemies with the Evil Queen considering she's part of Maleficent's clique."

Uma made a face but nodded, hearing what Persephone wasn't saying: there was no sense in drawing more enemies to Prince Ben when his family would already be dealing with the Isle residents.

Normally, Uma would have been part of the group of VKs going after the Prince but she had given her word to her aunt that she'd help look out for Beastie Jr. Though that didn't mean she wouldn't be annoyed by it.

"Lady…Lady Steph?" Ben spoke up, looking at Persephone. "How will maman be able to use this portal when…when you're on the Isle with me and papa?"

Persephone paused as she thought about the question. It was a good one, she wasn't going to lie, especially since the portal only allowed for her to activate it on the Auradon side rather than on the Isle side.

"If it's connected to you, wouldn't that mean anyone connected to you with magic be able to use it?" Mal said with a shrug. "Lady Demeter might be able to do it as a favor to Lady Steph, everyone knows how much she adores her daughter."

"That's actually not a bad idea Mal," Persephone said. "I'll talk to my mother and we can test to see if she can activate the talk function of the portal before I come over there."

"Oh hey, speaking of that, weren't you going to decide whether or not Mal was going to go over every six months or not?" Hades asked.

"Wait, what?!" Mal exclaimed.

"…I take it you hadn't told her?" Hades asked, giving a small sheepish smile as Persephone gave him a look.

"No, I wanted to know for certain before I talked to her about that," Persephone sighed. Not to mention we didn't get a decision made…

"Yes," Belle spoke up and Persephone looked over at her, trying to hide her shock. "Mal would need to be able to interview when the adoption process goes into full swing and that would be better done in person. So I see no harm in allowing Mal to come back and forth with Ben and Lady Persephone."

"You know you've opened yourself up to a battle with Leah, right?" Beast told her.

"Let her complain, there's nothing wrong in allowing Mal to come to the mainland for six months," Belle said firmly.

The conversation continued from there and Persephone couldn't help but smile as she signed off. Even if things felt a little crazy, it felt as if they were looking up slightly.