Chapter Twenty Three
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to Disney or the Greek Myths.
*blows horn in celebration* Guys, can you believe we're over 500 reviews? I certainly can't! Thank you all so much for your continued support!
Ah May…why must you bring pollen? I swear to all that is good and pure, if you make it hard to write, I'm going to hit fast forward until we get to June!
Oh! I know people keep asking for an updated reader list so here it is: Mal, Ben, Uma, Jay, Elle, Melody, Harry, Beast, Hades, Persephone, Hera, Demeter, Chad, Kitty, Lucy, Alexandria, Ella, Kit, Aurora, Phillip, Phillip Jr. Audrey, Leah, Poseidon, Ariel, Eric, Belle, Fairy Godmother, Jane, Hercules, Meg, Hyllus, Macaria, Herkie, Emma, Neal, Snow White, David, Chip, Hadie, Aziz, Ashaki, Emir, Aladdin, Jasmine, Anna, Kristoff, Akiho, Evie, Carlos, Tiana, Naveen, Esmeralda, Phoebus, Rapunzel, Eugene, Rachel, Rowyn, Robin, Rose, Ruby, Evan, Milah.
darkpegasuzz: Oh thank you so much!
Urmimala Hazra: Thank you so much, yeah Freddy's definitely a pest!
preciouslittletoonette: Oh thank you!
Diana Fowl: Well you won't have to wait long!
Guest: I can definitely see about bringing them in!
danifan3000: You know that's a good point, you can't just retire magic especially when magic is a huge part of people's lives in Auradon (Mal, Elsa, Jordan, etc).
Katt Kiki: Thank you!
Katir2911: Thank you so much! I have to admit Hadie's going to be an interesting person to write the reactions for. I mean, he knows it was over ten years ago but at thee same time it's still going to hurt him. Ah Audrey, she's also a fun one!
Tracie Adams: Thank you so much!
medical ranger: Oh thank you!
Marcus Emrys: I'm so glad you liked the chapter! As for the gang of magic users not working with the Rats? I dunno, stupidity I guess?
CrystalKaouri: So I'm going to be honest here…I can not stand Snow White (the animated version). Every time she talks I want to stab my ears with a rusty spork. I get that she's only supposed to be fourteen but I…she irks me. There are times when I come close to rooting on the Evil Queen. Now, Snow in OUAT? Give me more of her please! Hence why the cooing Snow is more than likely the animated while anything fairly competent is the OUAT version. And yes I know that the animated was fourteen, again, still can't stand her!
OUAT: I definitely borrowed a bit from this review! Thank you so much!
Cara: I mean, there's not much the AKs can say without sounding horrible since the VKs were trapped kids raised not to show weakness around a bunch of actual villains. Glad you like the fic!
lilyflower101: I think a lot of pregnant people would get some peace and quiet if that was the case!
Hufflepuff24: Thank you! And thank you for the idea too!
Guest: Hope you enjoy!
Lord of the A.U. FanFiction: Well she doesn't know that yet….
Guest: Oh thank you so much! I'm not Evie's biggest fan myself just due to her behavior in D2 and D3—she knows what she did!
AmethystDragon14: Yay! Yeah, unfortunately—at least Claudine turned out normal. Estelle's the best! Oh yes Audrey, enjoy your thoughts!
Guest: I mean I wouldn't write it out of the realm of possibilities!
Anonymous Reader: It'll be interesting that's for sure!
Dance love 2007: Thank you so much!
twilightgirl587: Ben's still with Audrey at that point so I guess…will break up with her? You know what I should bring in Dude! Estelle's probably scary beyond all belief for Carlos! And yeah, Ben's a bit naive isn't he?
AthenaArtemis25: Thank you! Yeah I guess it is a miracle isn't it?
billyandkimfan1994: It'll be interesting that's for sure!
Roxas Itsuka: Yep I am doing all three stories, and I can definitely see Audrey being disgusted when they get to..that chapter.
OnceUponADream: I…I love your oneshots! Every time they appear in my reviews, I need more and more of them!
Hope you all enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Evie bit her lip, careful to once again not leave any teeth imprints on the lipstick. She must be out of her mind to even consider this but it wasn't as if Maleficent would ever find out about it right? The Fates clearly wanted the people of Auradon to know what was happening on the Isle and Snow White was probably the closest thing Evie had to family here.
"Excuse me, your highness?" Evie asked as she walked up to Snow. "Can…can I have a word?"
"Of course Evie," Snow said, giving the blue haired girl a smile. "And you don't have to call me 'your highness'. After all, we're practically sisters."
That's debatable, Evie thought as she could almost hear the rant her mother would go on had she been there to hear that. "Um…do you mind if it's in private? I…"
"I understand," Snow said and they walked off a bit to a nearby corner, still in sight of the others but far enough away to be out of earshot. "Is everything okay Evie? I know it can't really be easy hearing about Mal's treatment of you. I'm just sorry I haven't said anything before now."
Evie shook her head. "No, no. I mean, of course it's not easy but that's pretty much the way life was on the Isle. Not to mention our mothers…I mean my mother and Maleficent are pretty much the textbook definition of frenemies. They may be in the same clique but my mother could jump at the chance to snatch power from Maleficent and Maleficent knows it."
"That doesn't mean Mal has to be mean to you now though," Snow stated. "You and Carlos, you both seem to be here without any friends. You know you're welcome to sit with me and my family but I…I don't think that's what you wanted to talk to me about."
Evie shook her head once more. "I…I need your help," she whispered.
"Okay," Snow nodded and knelt down as establish eye contact with Evie. "I know that couldn't have been easy to say, especially being from the Isle as we've seen in these readings. How can I help you?"
"My…my dad…"
"What about your dad?" Snow asked, tilting her head slightly, confused as to the direction the conversation had taken.
"Maleficent has my dad," Evie said, her voice still not above a whisper, terrified about the possibility of the Dragon finding out that she said anything. "She…she gave me a task to do upon getting to Auradon and if I…I don't do it, she's…she's going to…"
"You don't have to say it," Snow said, longing to wrap Evie up into her arms and give her the biggest hug. "Evie, I promise, no matter what the task was, you don't have to do it. My kingdom will help you get your father back. Alive. In fact, I'm on King Beast's council. I could petition for Auradon itself to help in getting back your father."
"You'd…you'd do that for me?" Evie asked, unable to help the look of shock that she was sure was on her face. "But…I'm just a villain kid and not even one at the top of the food chain."
"There's more to life than power," Snow said. "Love is more powerful and more beautiful than anything power itself can be. It's magic. And real love, true love, is the most powerful kind of magic of all. So powerful that a barrier can't suppress it."
"But…but I don't have a true love…"
"There's different kinds of love. There's the love that siblings share as Queen Anna proved and then there's the love a daughter has for her father. I think that Prince Ben was right about you all. If you were truly wicked and evil as some in attendance here like to claim, you wouldn't have come for help. You wouldn't have cared that Maleficent had your father. You would have just carried on with your assigned task."
Before Evie knew what she was doing, she wrapped Snow into a big hug; her worries and stress melting away at her step-sister's words.
"Oh! I'm so…forgive me," Evie said after a minute but Snow only gave her a kind smile.
"Forgive you for what? I'm a hugger after all," she said. "But just so I'm aware, what's your father's name?"
"Daniel," Evie said and Snow's smile grew.
"So Regina got her true love after all," she muttered as the two of them walked back. "Good."
"Your highness, if you don't mind…why did my dad get brought back?" Evie asked. "He wasn't a villain…"
Snow couldn't help the slightly sad smile that grew on her lips. "Let's just say it was my way of apologizing to your mother. I…I made so many mistakes when I was younger, thinking I was sparing Regina the pain I felt living my life without my mother…but all it did was cause her more heartbreak. At least this way I could allow her a little bit of the happy ending she was due."
She sighed before shaking her head, pulling herself out of her memories. "Evie, I mean it, would you like to sit with us? You're more than welcome."
"I mean…if it's not too much trouble or inconvenience," Evie said and sat down between Emma and Neal. Something that did not escape Ben's attention as he couldn't help but smile.
Good, it's nice to see the VKs be welcomed into the fold, he thought as he saw Mal pull Hadie off to the side. I hope everything's okay. Then again, it's probably just a brother sister talk. Emir has a lot of those with Ashaki after all.
"What's wrong?" Hadie asked Mal as he looked at her, having moved a considerable distance away from the others.
Mal sighed. "Okay storm cloud. I'm sure you've gathered that these scrolls seem to focus a lot on my life and my thoughts."
"No really? I didn't notice Mal."
"I've taught you well in the art of sarcasm," Mal chuckled before kneeling down. "I wanted to give you a heads up. When you were first born…let's just say I wasn't as loving to you as I am now."
"You mean like how Uma said that Celia would be 'useless' when she was a baby?"
"…yeah sure let's go with that," Mal nodded.
"Mal, I'm not a baby. I can handle you be mean to me over ten years ago," Hadie said with a chuckle before batting Mal's hands away as she ruffled his hair. "Gah! Stop that!"
"Never!" Mal declared with a grin as she ruffled his hair once more.
"Mal!"
"Yes Hadie?"
"You're so weird!"
"I get that from your side of the family you know?"
"I don't think that's how that works!" Hadie said as they went back over to the group. Giving his sister a small smirk, Hadie said, "so you looked nice and cozy next to Prince Beastie over there. Gonna take Emir up on his invite and sit next to him?"
"Why would I do that?" Mal scoffed. "Just because he invited us to Boreadon doesn't mean I have to like him."
"Uh huh," Hadie said. "You're seriously going to pull an Uma about this?"
"I am not pulling an Uma, Hadie! Uma's been in denial about her feeling for Harry for years whereas I have nothing to be in denial about!"
"Keep telling yourself that sis," Hadie said, plopping down in his seat just as Akiho pulled Ben to the side. "Wonder what's going on there?"
"Something royal probably," Mal shrugged but kept watch as Akiho pulled out his phone and began showing Ben something on it. She frowned slightly as Ben's face clouded in fury before it vanished and he walked over to his dad.
"…we've got to do something…we've got your full council right here…" she heard him tell Beast, his low tone not as low as he thought it was, more than likely due to his anger.
"…we can't just accuse Leah without proof…not to mention we don't truly have a full council…" Beast told his son.
"There's the proof dad," Ben said, his voice a near growl. "I don't know what else you call handing the captain of the deliver barge a stack of bills other than proof of wrongdoing."
"Without the shipment records though it's just—."
"Begging your pardon, your highness, but I think we might have those," Emir muttered, walking up. "Akiho told me about the tapes so I texted Doug. He could only get the past five years but there's enough here for at least a council hearing. There's a delay every month after all."
"You mean Leah's caused a delay every month," Akiho said, his voice a near snarl.
"I'm sorry there's a what?!" Harry exclaimed and the royals turned to look at the VKs, who stared at them in shock.
"You…you weren't supposed to hear that," Ben said, looking almost guilty as if they were talking about the VKs in front of them.
"Then go off to the side like Blueberry and Snow or Hadie and Mal did," Uma stated, crossing her arms. "Not to mention the fact that you're not exactly the most quiet when you're angry Beastie Jr. Now, what did you mean by there's been a delay every month?"
"I…I um…I can't comment until there's an official council hearing," Ben said, more than slightly nervous as the girl's glare deepened. "But um…it's exactly what it sounds like."
"Harry, no!" Mal exclaimed before Uma could say anything more and Jay immediately lunged to hold Harry back as Harry lunged toward Leah.
"I don't care Mal! Let me at her!"
"Harry, don't! You do this, you could get stuck on the Isle forever!" Jay muttered, wincing as Harry's hook dug into his arms as his best mate scrambled to escape his grasp like a determined badger.
"Jay, I mean it!"
"Now really! I don't know what you all think I did to deserve this kind of treatment but if you think this is an acceptable way to treat royalty—!"
"My mother would still be alive if it wasn't for you, you twisted harpy!" Harry roared. "I don't need the evidence! So far, Prince Beastie's the only one here who's kept his word to the VKs and if he says there's proof of you delaying the barges and Mal believes him, that's good enough for me!"
"Sire, I know it's not the council room but should we have the hearing now?" Eugene asked.
"It's not a full council," Leah said though a slight smirk could be seen. "Chi-Fu and the Duke are not here."
"Ah good, so you all can actually have a council meeting not take five hours?" Anna asked. "I'd be happy to stand in my sister's stead, King Beast."
Beast nodded. "Very well. Queen Leah, you're accused of delaying the food supply to the Isle thus making it almost inedible to the citizens there. How do you plead?"
"They got their food, I don't know what the big fuss is abo—."
Leah had to duck as a fireball went off near her head. But it wasn't Mal who did it. This time.
"Hades!" Persephone exclaimed as Hades glared at Leah.
"Do. You. Know. How. Many. Children. You. Sent. To. The. Underworld? How many babies? Gods, Beastie might have imprisoned the children but at least he had the wherewithal to provide food! Tell me, what crimes did my children commit against your family? What crime did Milah Hook commit? Or the numerous children now roaming around Elysium? You say we got our food but it's only because of Steph and Poseidon that we had edible food!"
Turning to Zeus, Hades growled, "I want her. I want her soul. You owe me little brother."
"I…Hades, it's a council decision and if they don't vote to kill…"
"Then send her to the Isle! She won't last five days there anyway and I'll still get her soul!" Hades exclaimed, not noticing Persephone walking off to the side and whispering to the floating eyeball that appeared once more.
"Now really! Did I really do anything to deserve this? The Isle's a prison after all, not a luxury hotel—."
"Three hundred fifty three," Mal said flatly.
"I beg your pardon?" Anna asked, looking over at her.
"That's how many people have died on the Isle since this whole mess started," Mal stated. "I am the daughter of Hades, I know the death count by heart. And that is counting miscarriages, still births, and people who have died in childbirth," she said as she looked over at Leah. "Madam, you have made children mothers before their time. You have made children killers to try to get better access to food. And you say you've done nothing wrong?"
"I have the tapes right here," Akiho said, passing around his father's phone. "And Queen Leah, before you get any ideas of deleting the tapes, our security team has them on a cloud server only available to the royal family of Arendelle and Auradon."
"And how do we know that these tapes haven't been altered in someway?"
"You can't," Carlos spoke up. "Can…can I see it?"
Eugene nodded, handing the young boy the phone. Carlos looked at the footage and nodded.
"You see those lines? That's a VHS tape that's been digitized. Poorly but still digitized. Meaning if the security team was going to alter the tapes, likely they'd have to alter the VHS tape before digitizing it. I don't think they'd be able to do that and still send the tapes to Prince Akiho as quickly as they did."
"…we've got to get you into some tech classes over in Auradon Prep when this is all over," Ben said with a nod.
"And how do I know that this hasn't been altered magically?!" Leah demanded.
"If you're looking to blame me, I'll remind everyone that I didn't even know the tapes existed before this moment," Mal said, examining her nails. "Though I do appreciate the idea that you think I'm powerful enough to alter something I don't know exists."
"Same," Uma said with a smirk. "Makes one feel all warm and fuzzy inside."
"Enough!" Beast exclaimed as Leah opened her mouth. "Queen Leah, since you're obviously not going to say anything to your defense, I open the floor to suggestions for sentencing."
"Send her to the Isle!" Shang spoke up. "I'm pretty certain that this is a crime, the attempted decimation of an Island of people!"
"I second that!" Aladdin nodded. "I've been in their positions, to not know where my next meal was coming from. To know that this was done to them on purpose!"
"Very well. All those in favor of stripping Queen Leah of all titles and sending her to the Isle once this is all over, raise your hands."
The VKs couldn't help but stare in amazement as all the hands of Beast's council rose.
"And all opposed?"
It almost seemed like a pointless question but one that had to be asked. Needless to say, no one raised their hand.
"Queen Leah, you are to be stripped of your title as Queen of Auroria and sent to the Isle once this has finished up." Beast stated.
Aurora leaned over to Belle. "Belle, in light of everything, I'd understand if you wanted to discuss removing the betrothal contract."
"Let me talk to Ben about that," Belle said. "I don't think this is something we should spring on the kids but I do agree that should be something that we talk about."
Aurora nodded and then sighed as she looked over at Harry who was still struggling to get out of Jay's grip. "That poor boy…I couldn't image how Audrey or Phillip Jr. would have reacted if the same thing had happened to me…"
"He loved his mother, that much is clear," Belle said softly just as the eyeball floated down and began to spin once more. This time, however, it wasn't as bright of a spin and it only deposited one person, a woman.
This woman was clearly dead judging by the transparentness of her appearance.
"Oh right," Persephone nodded and walked over, handing the woman a red jacket. Where Persephone got the jacket, no one knew but no one really wanted to question a Goddess.
"Thank you your Ladyship," the woman nodded, putting the jacket on and becoming solid just like all the other people in the room. Her appearance seemed to have calmed the wild badger that Harry had become as he stared at her in shock.
"Mom?"
"Hello my darling," Milah said softly as she went over and wrapped Harry into a hug, frowning slightly as Harry froze at her touch before melting into the hug. "Lady Persephone informed me as to what was going on and the Fates allowed me to be in attendance for the readings."
Harry didn't care. He didn't care what his mother was doing there or why she was there. All that mattered was that she was there in front of him. He dropped his hook and wrapped his arms around his mom for the first time in fourteen years.
"How did you—?" Hades asked.
"The other two realms might be your playthings Hades, but Elysium is my territory," Persephone said with a small smile as they all sat back down, though Estelle seemed to have appointed himself guard duty against Leah.
"Um is he—?"
"Don't worry your pretty little head, Beastie Jr.," Mal said as Ben looked in concern. "Estelle won't let anything happen to the harpy. Now, who's reading next?"
"I'll read," Naveen said as he reached over to grab a scroll. No one questioned the appearance of another seat, big enough for two people. Nor did they notice Milah and Harry taking that seat.
As much as his crew was his family, Harry wasn't going to be apart from his mom if he didn't have to.
"Uh…what are we going to do about food?" Emir asked.
"Yeah, and sleeping," Akiho added. "Unless the Fates have frozen time, it'll be getting near dinner soon and we've got some young kids with us."
"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it," Anna said.