Chapter Sixty Five
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.
Holy cats you guys, can you believe we're only 318 reviews away from 2000? I honestly can't believe it! Thank you all so much for your continued support, it means the world to me! :D
Also, is it just me or has time gone by really fast? Then again, it is February, the shortest month of the year, so that could be it too!
AmethsytDragon14: Yay! Lol, that's certainly the case! The old bat won't last long on the Isle and I think Shenzi would like that dinner bell!
Katt Kiki: It really is, isn't it?
The Christian Dino: Then I'll have to check out your account and follow you because I'm intrigued about that Descendants/Pokemon crossover! So glad you enjoyed the chapter!
OceanBlueSeaEyes: Ooh that's a good idea! Strawberry short cake for Mal! :D
danifan3000: Leah's going to stay until what would be chapter 15 of Choosing Love :D Trust me, as much as I'd love to cause that, we can't deny the hyenas :D
61394: Ooh this was so good! I loved the one shot :D Oh yeah Adam should have appointed an official or several officials to oversee the Isle at least then it wouldn't have fallen through the cracks. There's a theory that when Hans blocked the guard's shot into the chandelier, that was him trying to kill Elsa without making it seem obvious that's what he was trying to do. After all, if Elsa accidentally died, how could he be to blame when he was trying to save her?
Marcus Emrys: Why am I now imagining the scene from the Spongebob movie when King Neptune has his crown stolen and he shows off his bald head and everyone's just like 'Bald! Bald! Bald!' Heh, heh.
smc-smfan1: The Isle of Misery is in one of the books I believe (there are multiple Islands around Auradon, one such Isle is History Island)
Guest: That's definitely a good idea and I'll take it under advisement!
luvdescendants: I can confirm that Leah will be leaving after they read chapter 15 of Choosing Love :D
Guest: I guess I wouldn't have a problem with the suits being his own choice if he was a college student—I had two classmates my senior year wear three piece suits because of the careers they wanted to go into. But for a 16 year old? The first time we see him makes sense, he's getting tailored for his coronation outfit, second time, probably wanted to make a good impression with the VKs, but every time? Unless they wanted to actually have Auradon Prep have a uniform like they implied with Jay's line about not doing uniforms unless they're leather, its just seems oddly forced to me—especially since none of the other royal kids are wearing suits or other formal wear.
JaclynnM: I hate her too! And to everyone out there—if your first ever scene is you lambasting two sixteen year olds for events that happened before they were born? I'm going to hate you (looks over at Snape in the Harry Potter fandom—you know what you did!)
twilghtgirl587: It's coming, I promise! :D The Leah that's reading is from Choosing Family, right as the VKs arrive in Auradon. But I doubt anyone would listen to her about a mistrial :D
LOST MUSES: Yay! Welcome back! Glad to see you're still enjoying Truth or Fiction—and that you enjoyed the WAL series! :D
a-person-on-the-internet-75: We can relax…for now. Who knows what else is coming? By the way, I loved the one-shot! :D
jessaminego5134: Yeah we're definitely getting into the heavier parts…which means they're the fun parts to write! :D
Unknown Person67: Glad that you enjoyed the chapter! As for pairings—I'm always going to pair Harry with Uma. Full stop, they belong together. I'll try different pairings for other characters here and there but that's the only one where it's 100% always going to be the same.
IWantColouredRain: Sure! The list of people who are there: Chip, Ben, Belle, Lonnie, Macaria, Hadie, Uma, Elle, Neal, Mal, Jay, Lucy, Tiana, Hyllus, Beast, Snow White, Kit, Hades, Persephone, Naveen, Dizzy, Fairy Godmother, Phoebus, Harriet, Esmeralda, Meg, Audie, Posideon, Abby, Herkie, Malinda, Carlos, Celia, Chad, Robin, Emir, Anna, Akiho, Benji, Rapunzel, Ashaki, Aurora, Phillip Sr, Melody, Rowyn, Hera, Aladdin, Aziz, Kitty, Cinderella, Lucas, Milah, Claudine, Harry, Zeus, Demeter, Alexandria, Phillip Jr., Audrey, Leah, Ariel, Eric, Jane, Hercules, Emma, David, Jasmine, Kristoff, Evie, CJ, Eugene, Rachel, Rose, Ruby, Evan, Mulan, Shang, Lil Shang, Mr. Smee, Sammy, Squeaky, Squirmy, Elsa, and Henry
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Claudine shook her head as she grabbed a scroll. Honestly, if you'd told her that she'd be in a room of the Fates, reading about the future with Henry and his crew along with a future version of Mal and Prince Ben…well she would have thought you were as insane as her brother was.
"Hold up…did more scrolls appear?" Mal asked, noticing the bigger pile.
"We're never getting out of here are we?" Uma sighed.
Henry chuckled. "Well maybe if you let Claudine read, that wouldn't be a possibility cap'ns."
"Fair point Henry," Mal chuckled.
While life seemed to be looking up in Auradon, with Leah being sent from its shores, life seemed to stay the same over on the Isle of the Lost.
"And that's not new," Celia said, shaking her head.
The days were still cloudy, the food still rotten.
"The food barges hopefully no longer a death trap every month?" Harry added.
While that might have been better than the alternative of things getting worse, it was still rather unpleasant.
"That's a valid point," Rowyn said softly.
Particularly for one Isle resident.
"Gee, I wonder who they could be talking about there?" Harriet shook her head.
"The spawn of Satan himself?" Harry scoffed.
"For the record, I'd like to just state again I know you all are going to insult Fred. Have at it," Claudine told them. "I bear no ill will for the insults."
Fred Frollo, or Freddy as he was mockingly called by Mal and her crew despite being three years older than Mal, stalked around the floor of his hideout.
"You know, I probably could have come up with a better nickname," Mal said. "Considering how other people get him and Freddie confused when we talk about them."
"In your defense Mali, you were five when you came up with his nickname," Uma stated.
It wasn't much, just a dilapidated church his father had tried to form but found that no one was attending.Such an activity had become a daily past time of his, so much so that his underlings had taken to clearing out of their haven to give him his privacy.
More like they didn't want to be used as target practice if Fred had his daggers on him, Claudine thought with a small sigh. Henry gently rubbed her back, having heard the sigh.
"How dare that little witch," he growled, strands of his jet black hair falling into his eyes as his hands balled into fists. "First she dares to show her face around the Isle after fleeing in disgrace to Boreadon and then taunts me by attending that coronation in Beastie Jr's. carriage?!"
"Taunting you?" Malinda scoffed. "I'll taunt you any day Freddy but Ben has nothing to do with it."
If he had been in a calmer state, Freddy might have wondered how he hadn't recognized the boy who had been with Mal and Jay as the Crown Prince of Auradon.
"Calmer? Or just an idiot?" Uma said, moving her hands like scales. "Tomato, tamato."
I mean, a change of clothes and a beanie could only change so much about a person.
"I do not agree with him, I do not agree with him," Hades muttered under his breath.
It must have been Mal's doing. She put a spell on Beast Jr. so that no one could realize who he was!
"Oh wow, Freddy sounds like Audrey!" Harry chuckled.
"What?! I don't sound anything like him!" Audrey exclaimed.
Phil Jr shook his head. "Scroll-you does though, with how she's insisting Mal spelled Ben."
"Honestly Fred," a feminine voice broke through his thoughts and Fred glared in her direction.
"Only one person that could be," Henry said as he wrapped an arm around Claudine as if to protect her.
"How do you know it's Claudine?" Jay asked.
Claudine shook her head. "I'm the only one who could talk to Fred like that. Shayla's too busy fawning over him, Strat's trying to butter him up to take my spot as number two and Morgan's too low on the totem pole to not get a dagger in the gut for even thinking of talking to him like that. Plus, in the scroll, we might have gotten Locklyn and Brooke but they wouldn't be high enough to be able to talk to Fred like that either."
"It also helps remove Strat from the choices by the fact that he doesn't have a 'feminine voice'," Malinda pointed out.
"Though with that kick to the groin I gave him when he walked out of the crew, he should," Uma muttered.
"We were seven and eight respectively, wouldn't he have recovered from that?" Jay asked.
"He wishes."
"You're acting more like a jilted lover than anything else,
"Ugh! Not even in his nightmares!" Mal exclaimed.
"Yeah I think I'm going to be sick," Malinda muttered.
obsessing over something that happened over a month ago. You are aware that Mal hated the ground you walked on right?"
"What's this past tense nonsense? I'm sure Mal still hates the ground Freddy walks on even if she's in Auradon," Celia said.
"As if I care what the little witch thought," Freddy scoffed, looking at his little half-sister and second in command.
Henry smiled as he looked over at Claudine. "And enter one of the best people I know."
"And what are you doing here? I thought you were on a food run Claudine?"
"Why not just come to me?" Henry asked. "I would have gotten you something if you really needed it."
"I likely did," Claudine said. "But chances are I'll be lying to Fred to keep him off my trail."
"Why go back there if you have to lie to him?" Lucy asked.
"Because it's likely either go back or risk my life as a gangless girl," Claudine said, shaking her head. "Plus…if Brooke's going to be in the Angels…then I'm the thing standing between her and Fred."
Henry gently rubbed her back. "If you need us, we'll help you Claudine. You know we would, even if some of us just want to embarrass Freddy."
"Hard to do that when the pirates control the docks," Claudine said with a shrug.
"Plus we're banned from Lord Hades' place," Claudine added. "So really the only true food place we have is the crepery and I wouldn't go in there unless we were desperate."
"Why?" Phoebus asked.
"Frollo runs it," Henry explained.
Claudine nodded. "Unless I'm in the mood to be lectured about the importance of staying pure and avoiding witchcraft, I stay far, far away."
She was used to Freddy's erratic behavior concerning Mal. Or anyone really. The last time he had acted like a sibling to her was when he was nine and somehow got his hands on a set of daggers.
"Anyone else get a chill run up their spine at the idea of Freddy with a weapon?" Rowyn asked.
He had declared that she was going to stop being an embarrassment to the Frollo name and learn how to use them.
"Of the two of you, I think he's the embarrassment," Uma shook her head.
"Thank you, but really the joke's on him," Claudine said with a small smile. "I'm a better shot than he is now."
Henry smiled and held her close. "I don't remember the last time he's hit one of us in a face off."
"That's because he backs off into the shadows like a chicken whenever one starts," Harry muttered.
That way, she'd stop being a timid little thing and be someone who belonged on the Isle.
"Yeah well she doesn't belong on the Isle anyway," Alexandria said. "Jealous Freddy?"
Honestly, I was fine in the bell tower of Dragon Hall, she thought as Freddy continued to pace. Fred and dad are exactly the same in one regard, they both live to control the lives of others.
"Sadly Claudine, I think Freddy surpasses your father in some ways," Malinda said with a small sigh.
Though there was that one time, the day of the coronation, that Claudine had thought they had finally started to develop a sibling bond.
"Really? Why would I even try?" Claudine asked.
They had taken the opportunity of Cruella being out over at Maleficent's to sneak in.
Carlos looked over at Claudine. "Do you think that was your idea or his? Because who ever thought of that is crazy."
Originally the goal was to steal some furs that Cruella wouldn't miss—the floor of the Haven wasn't exactly the softest and they only had a couple of mattresses.
"What?! No, no, if you take the furs, my mother will kill someone! If I wasn't off the Isle right then it would have been me!" Carlos exclaimed.
"…so Ben made the right choice in getting him off the Isle," Kitty muttered to Lucy.
Freddy and Claudine got to use those as the leaders, and whoever was Freddy's fling of the month shared with him, while others like the other underlings made use of ratty old sheets they were able to snatch from a barge delivery. The furs would at least provide some padding that the sheets could not.
I try to make sure Morgan at least has an extra blanket, Claudine thought with a small sigh. Or if things are really bad, I'll share the mattress with her.
Claudine sighed as she thought back on that day, that fateful, fateful day.
"Was I that disinteresting?" Benji asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Hey, you think we could swipe a couple of her furs?" Claudine asked as the two Frollo siblings made their way to Hell Hall. Every member of their gang had split up to try to find a working television to watch the coronation.
"He's going to say no isn't he?" Melody asked. "Because it wasn't his idea."
Not because Fred had a pressing need to see the Boreadon elite get all gussied up but it was a good idea to know who they'd be going up against for the future.
"That…was actually smart," Uma said with a small frown. "Claudine, did you come up with the idea and Freddy just took credit?"
"Considering that happens in the future, I can't tell you," Claudine shook her head.
"No!" Freddy snapped. "You want the old bat to know we were here? What would we even do with them?"
"Two smart moments in a row. We sure this is Freddy?" Harry asked.
Carlos couldn't help but be thankful that his scroll-self was off the Isle for all of this. Otherwise, he knew he would have been punished for anyone even thinking of touching the loves of his mother's life.
"Wear them? It does get cold at night—or we could use them to make the mattresses in the Haven a bit softer."
"…you get two. Any more and you know Cruella will notice and that would just bring that witch Maleficent after us."
"Guess he does have a brain," Ashaki muttered. "A small one but one nonetheless. He can at least see logic."
"Do you think I'm stupid? I know how to take things inconspicuously Fred," Claudine said, rolling her eyes as they broke into the DeVil place.
"He probably does think that," Henry muttered.
Though she had to admit, she was a little shocked that Fred didn't put up more of a fight. Then again, they were on the border line between Mal's old territory and the Caster's territory.
"That makes a lot more sense as to why he's not snapping at you more," Uma said.
The last thing they wanted was to run into Yzla or Zevon without the rest of the Angels with them. Daggers didn't work well against potions after all.
"Well…if they focused on Freddy, would you fight that hard for him? You could give them a target and get out of dodge…just saying," Harry said.
Freddy rolled his eyes. "Well grab 'em now otherwise you'll miss Prince Beast's coronation. I know girls like that sort of thing."
"And he knows that how?" Sammy asked. "I doubt he actually listens when a girl talks."
"Eh, I'm not exactly interested in the stuck up Boreadon princes but I'm on it," Claudine said with a scoff as she made her way to the fur closet.
"Er…no offense," Claudine said, looking over at Ben and Benji.
Benji chuckled. "None taken. You warm up to me."
Freddy shook his head and turned on the television. His timing seemed to be perfect as he had turned it on just as the camera showed the prince's carriage.
"Thats…good timing," Macaria said.
"Wait a minute…" Freddy muttered as he looked closely at the image before him. "That's Mal. But that means…that sneaky little witch!"
"Does he know any other insults than witch?" Rowyn asked.
Mal, Jay, Harry, and Uma all snorted in amusement. "Nope."
No wonder she'd been so wound up the last time he saw her! He had been looking right at the Crown Prince of Boreadon!
"Well duh," Dizzy said. "After all, you've made it kinda clear what you'll do to him and Mal won't let you! She'll stop you—and Evie will too!"
She had actually brought the Crown Prince to the Isle! Freddy thought. And apparently sank her talons into him since she's riding to the coronation with him! That little…how did she pull that off?!
"Hmm…'sank her talons' probably isn't the right phrase. Not that I mind at all," Benji said.
"Okay, I know Mal's not your favorite person but what did she do this time?" Claudine asked as she came back in, Freddy's eyes narrowing at the television.
"Let me guess….any time he glares it's to do with Mal?" Elle asked.
"Are we sure I can't turn this cretin into a tree?" Demeter said, looking at Posideon.
"I'm not stoping you Demeter," Posideon told her.
"You're staring into that television like you're our father and it's showing you a vision of Esmeralda."
Esmeralda felt a shiver run up her spine at the thought. "If…if we could kindly stay away from those images? Thank you."
"Look who's carriage that little witch is riding in!" Freddy growled. "She made a fool of me the last time she was here and now she does this?! She sank her claws into Boreadon's Crown Prince!"
"Me 'making a fool out of you' is a day ending in y, Freddy!" Malinda said with a smirk.
Claudine smirked slightly. "Only the best for Maleficent's daughter I guess. Oh, by the way, check these out! I got black panther and snow leopard, figured the darker and less rare of the furs would be less likely to be missed."
"I'd like to revise future me's statement!" Claudine said quickly.
Hadie shrugged. "I mean you're half right—Mal does get the best! She's just not Maleficent's."
Freddy couldn't help the small smirk on his face as Claudine stroked the furs.
"Is he actually…proud of you or is he just pleased you did what you were told?" Henry asked softly.
"Very nice. How in the world did Cruella even get black panther or snow leopard fur? We don't exactly have snowy places here."
Everyone turned to look at Carlos to see if he could fill in the gaps there.
"All I know is that she gets them from Shere Khan's pawn shop," Carlos said softly. "I do know it's synthetic fur though."
"Don't ask me," Claudine shrugged. "Maybe she got the snow leopard fur from a contact in Arendelle? All I know is that furs are definitely hard to come by on the Isle, making them somewhat valuable and geez does Ms. Fur Ball guard them! I had to dodge bear traps in that closet!"
Carlos stared at Claudine in shock. "Are…are you even human? It took me years to learn to dodge the traps properly and you seemingly do it one your first try?"
"I know I'm human," Claudine said with a small shrug before pausing. "The real question is why are there bear traps in a fur closet? And why would you have to dodge them?"
Carlos shook his head, glancing down. "My…my mother's furs mean a lot to her, she guards them from everyone. And if I can be near them then I know when they need to be cleaned."
Lil Shang frowned. "Wait…one of the earlier scrolls said that you sleep in a nest of furs. Is…is that closet your room?"
"…as I said, it's better than the streets," Carlos muttered.
"Bear traps? Really?" Freddy scoffed. Such an idea was insane, no one cared about furs that much that they'd try to steal them. While he was aware of what they were doing to Cruella's furs, it was less because they wanted the furs and more because as a mid ranked gang on the Isle they didn't get the comforts that Mal's gang of sinners and misfits got.
"Sorry not sorry Freddy but you're not exactly the type of person who we could give easier access to 'comforts' by having an alliance with us," Uma scoffed.
Claudine nodded. "Dibs on the snow leopard."
"I hate black," Claudine said softly. "At least the snow leopard's got some color in it, dim as it might be."
Ashaki tilted her head. "Why do you wear black? Everyone else seems to have a signature color—Mal's got purple, Uma's got teal, Harry's got red…"
Claudine rolled her eyes. "Because Fred says so. The only reason I can get away with my purple t-shirt and purple accents is because I'm his sister and second in command. You don't even want to know what he has the other girls wearing."
"You really don't," Mal muttered, shaking her head.
"You and the other girls can fight over the furs," Freddy said as he shook his head. "There's only one thing I want…revenge on that little witch over in Boreadon."
Mal rolled her eyes. "And the sky is grey."
Are you sure it's not the fact that Mal sank her talons into someone more sane that you have a problem with? Claudine thought.
"And that upsets him…why?" Phil Jr. asked.
After all Fred, you've been obsessed with Mal for as long as I can remember. You're acting like Mal just humiliated you by riding in the Boreadon Prince's carriage.
"He's been obsessed with her since the dark day they first crossed paths," Harry said.
It's not even as if you were ever 'together'.
"Again, where does he get the nightmarish idea that I would…that he and I…would ever…bleagh!" Mal exclaimed.
Everyone on the Isle knows she hates you and you her. Besides, Zevon would probably kill you if you made Mal one of your flings. Everyone knows about his not so low key obsession with her.
"See 'obsession' is a descriptor I can buy," Mal said, looking at Harry and Jay. "But 'crush'?"
"Doesn't matter, he's not getting near you," Jay said firmly.
"You planning something specific in terms of your revenge?" Claudine asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts.
"Nah, probably just his usual rants about how he'll do things that will never happen if he gets close enough to her," Uma said.
"Even if I was, I can't get off the Isle," Freddy growled. "God, I want to know how Mal got her claws into the Crown Prince!"
"How do you think she did it?"
"Probably a spell or something—Maleficent is a witch after all and Mal is her daughter."
"I got my 'claws' into Ben because he showed me an emotion you have never felt in your life Freddy," Malinda said firmly. "He showed me love—romantic love."
Claudine sighed softly. "What does it matter anyway Fred? It's not like you'd be able to get near Mal. You're acting like dad did with Esmeralda to be honest. I'm waiting for you to start singing about Hellfire. Just be smart about this."
"Charming…he really is a chip off the old block," Phoebus muttered.
"You know, when Mal was back here, she had Beastie Jr. with her?" Freddy growled, his hands clenching into fists at the memory. "He was in front of me and I didn't recognize him! Both the little witch and beastie made a fool of me and I want my revenge! On both of them!"
"My Gods, from the sound of it, half the Isle didn't recognize Ben," Naveen said. "Why does it matter so much?"
"Wow…Beastie Jr's. either very brave or very stupid," Claudine muttered.
"Considering he's Belle's son, my money's on very brave," Chip said with a grin.
"Doesn't matter what he was because he's going to regret his impromptu trip!" Freddy promised, a small growl to his voice.
"Yeah, I don't think I will," Benji shook his head.
Claudine sighed softly. That was all Fred did nowadays, rant about either Mal or revenge.
"Broken record," Celia coughed.
On occasion he'd mix it up and rant about Uma.
Harry growled as his eyes narrowed at the thought.
"Harry, cool it," Uma said. "It's just words."
Sometimes it'd even be all three subjects—revenge on Mal and Uma.
"I'd ask you to record one session as it actually sounds like it could be quite funny with how worked up he gets but knowing a small part of his character and what he'd probably say…I'd better not," Evan asked.
Claudine didn't know why her brother was on this kick but she didn't really care.
She didn't know why she'd been hoping that coming here could be a chance for some sibling bonding away from the other Angels.
"Why did I bother?" Claudine sighed.
Of course Fred would be more focused on the fact that Mal was on camera. Never mind the fact that Mal arriving with Beastie Jr. might mean some positive things for the Isle.
"And it did indeed," Malinda said with a small smile.
Fred just saw it as a slap in the face and another way Mal humiliated him.
"Why him specifically?" Elle asked. "It's not like Mal looked into a camera and said 'I hope Freddy Frollo's watching so I can rub it in his face' or anything."
"Ooh can I do that this go around?" Mal asked.
God, why couldn't her brother be normal?
Aziz sighed as he looked at his younger brother. "We know. Being normal is vastly overrated."
"Actually I was going to say that I agree with Claudine," Emir told him. "While I might live my life with that motto, Freddy doesn't deserve to have it applied to him."
He took after their father too much. Maybe that was why she couldn't have a normal brother. After all their father was Mr. Choose Me or the Pyre.
"I mean…I wouldn't exactly call Harry normal," Harriet said.
"Oi!"
"Just teasing you, Harry."
Sometimes she wished she could have been someone else's daughter? Anyone would have been better than her father.
Smee sighed. "There's…there's a chance you are. At least…according to Mollie…she always said that there was a question about who your father was…"
"What?" Claudine said, looking at Smee in shock.
Smee nodded. "Your mother was Red Jessica, of that there's no doubt, but with the time you were conceived…it's possible…and I would never want to talk negatively about my captain but…"
"You could be my sister," Harriet said softly, looking at Claudine.
"I could be a Hook?" Claudine gasped.
"We can look into it further once Auradon sets up our medical system," Sammy spoke up.
Smee looked over at Milah. "Begging your pardon Captainess but I'm surprised you're not more outraged."
"That my husband had partners before me? Why would I be outraged about that?" Milah asked.
"Do you ever miss doing things like this?" Claudine asked softly, trying to save the reason she came along.
"That's probably a no because we didn't do stuff like that," Claudine shook her head.
"Breaking into Cruella DeVil's house and stealing her furs?" Freddy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know, when put like that, it's kinda funny," CJ said.
"I meant doing things as siblings," Claudine sighed. "How many years has it been since we went off on our own to do something?"
"We're only half siblings," Freddy scoffed.
"And here we go," Claudine muttered and rolled her eyes.
"Why do you keep bringing that up? You've done it ever since you were nine! What does it matter? We're still blood right?"
"because to him, all that probably matters is that you don't have what he sees as his 'pure' genetics." Henry said with a sigh.
"Lying's a sin Claudine. We're only halfway related through our father."
"But it's not a lie," Cinderella shook her head. "They're still related somewhat, as unfortunate as it is for Claudine. So why the big fuss?"
"But we were still raised as brother and sister." Claudine told him. "I just…I don't get it. I don't get it why it matters so much to you! It doesn't matter to me—you're my older brother! Full stop."
"Well you're a lot kinder than I am," Uma said. "If I was in your shoes, I'd probably not even acknowledge it if he puts up that big of a fuss."
Even if you're creepy, obsessed with Mal and Uma, and are completely self obsessed, whether I like it or not, you're my brother, she thought.
"You…you really put a lot of value on family, huh?" Aziz asked.
Claudine sighed. "On the Isle, family's all you have that you can count on. That is, you're supposed to be able to count on them."
Freddy rolled his eyes. "Look Claudine, I don't know what you want to hear. You may be my half sister but you still mean something to me.
Claudine froze, more than slightly shocked as she read that line. She…she never expected to hear Fred say that to her.
"Do…do you want me to take over?" Henry asked and Claudine shook her head.
If you didn't, do you think I would have helped you get over that timidness you used to have? You would have been eaten alive and it would have been a bad look on the Frollo name."
"Yes, I'm sure you did that purely out of the 'goodness of your heart' and not because you saw your reputation at stake," Celia scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah because that's the most important thing," Claudine rolled her eyes. "Never mind the fact that our name kinda already has a bad look on it around the Isle.
"And sadly Frollo created a Frollo 2.0," Malinda said.
Our father's the only villain who attempted the murder of an entire city just to get with a girl."
Esmeralda shuddered softly. How many people died because of me?
"He was unfairly judged Claudine! How many times have you been told that?"
"How…how does he figure that?" Hadie asked.
"More times than I can count Fred but think about it. Some of the villains don't deserve it here—Smee, Queen of Hearts, the Ringmaster, who's not even a villain now that I think about it. He just ran a circus.
"Um…didn't the Queen of Hearts try to kill Alice for simply beating her at croquet?" Lucas asked.
But Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella, our father…you can't honestly say they were all unfairly judged."
"She's right. They committed or attempted to commit murder and most of it in cold blood," Hyllus said.
"Maleficent and Jafar have magic, they deserve to be here! Cruella's a crazy old bat! But our father was just following the word of the Lord and they persecuted him for it!"
Posideon shook his head. "No God has a word to kill people who've done nothing but live their lives."
"By the way, Luci would like me to let you know that while he knows he won't get you when the time comes, he appreciates your flair for the dramatic," Hades told Phoebus.
"Luci…?"
"Lucifer. You know, fallen angel, guy Freddy thinks anyone who's not him is going to?"
Phoebus blinked. "And he…appreciates my 'flair for the dramatic'?"
Hades snorted. "Oh yeah. He likes to replay the memory sometimes to torment Frollo…at least he did until someone decided to bring back the dead. 'Citizens of Paris, Frollo has persecuted our people, ransacked our city! And now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself! Will we allow it?' That's his favorite part, which he has told me. Multiple times."
"I thought you hated dealing with the other Gods of the Dead?" Persephone asked.
"Hey, the first four years before Mal…when you'd be in Auradon, I welcomed any company that wasn't Pain or Panic," Hades said.
"Clearly," Leah muttered.
"Yeah, you? You don't talk," Hades said with a glare.
"Fred, have you actually read the Bible properly? One of the commandments is 'Thou Shall Not Kill' and our father killed half a city in the fires he caused!"
"Yes! Thank you!" Rachel exclaimed.
Freddy rolled his eyes. "If that witch didn't put a spell on him, that wouldn't have happened.
Malinda rolled her eyes. "And when exactly did she do that? Oh wait I know, she didn't because Esmeralda's not a witch."
And yet she lives in Boreadon with that traitor Phoebus while our father rots on the Isle."
"I'd rather be considered a traitor by a murderer than be one myself," Phoebus muttered.
Claudine shook her head. "Esmeralda and Phoebus aren't dangers to Boreadon though."
"Thank you," Phoebus said, looking at Claudine. "I know defending us is probably a risk with him."
Claudine shrugged. "It's an old argument we have—I don't believe you two did anything wrong to be considered 'traitors' though it probably helps that I'm not close to my father the way Fred is."
"All witchcraft is a danger, didn't our father teach you anything?"
"Yeah, he taught me to know who my friends are."
"And I do," Claudine said, resting her head on Henry's shoulder.
"That's kid's stuff. When I was your age, our father was warning me about the dangers of witchcraft and reminding me about the importance of remaining pure."
"Oh really?" Jay scoffed. "So is that why you're tied for Zevon for the highest number of flings amongst boys on the Isle?"
"Not that you took that lesson to heart," Claudine muttered. Freddy and Zevon were tied amongst the boys on the Isle for most number of flings.
"Yeah, it's like he decided to ignore that lesson," Jay snorted.
"Women are the ones who cloud the mind and lure others into unholy thoughts," Freddy told her.
"Women and girls have mind control?" Rose asked. "I didn't know that!"
"If that was true then, our gang would have three members and I'd be the only girl because you'd have kicked out all the other girls for 'tempting' you!"
Henry shook his head. "He won't admit that because he doesn't follow logic."
"There's safety in numbers Claudine. If we only had three members, the Warf Rats and the pirates would overpower us and we'd have no territory. We'd be lower ranked than the Casters!"
"We overpower them anyway!" Harry exclaimed.
"Harry's right," Uma nodded. "We've got nineteen to their seven. The only reason why they beat the Casters is because the Casters only have four members."
"Doesn't change the fact that it's hypocritical."
"How appropriate because that's what he is," Hadie muttered.
"Yeah, yeah," Freddy said, waving his hand as if brushing off the point. "Come on, let's watch the Boreadon brat become king before we have to hightail it out of here."
"Hate to say it…but he's got a point," Phil Jr. sighed.
Claudine sighed and tightened her grip on the two furs in her lap as she turned back to the television. Freddy rolled his eyes before doing the same. However, it wasn't long before things got interesting.
Evie stared in horror. She…she had almost let him out? Had almost unleashed Freddy on Auradon along with Maleficent?
"What's going on?" Claudine exclaimed, her spat with Freddy forgotten. "Did…did Evie just grab the wand?"
"Under duress…but yes," Snow White said softly.
The ground began to shake and Claudine looked toward her brother in fear. "F-Fred, what's going on?"
"That's probably the only time I'd let myself show fear in front of him and that's probably because he's too distracted to notice," Claudine muttered.
"The bluette may have actually been useful for once! She just broke the barrier," Freddy yelled in shock, jumping up and thankfully not commenting on Claudine's stutter.
"Oh I can assure you Freddy, Evie has more 'uses' than that," Malinda muttered.
"We can leave?!"
"It may be temporary and I don't know about you but I'm not standing around to find out!" Freddy snapped as he started to bolt out of Hell Hall.
"He doesn't get out does he?" Henry asked, looking over at Malinda.
Malinda shook her head. "The Rats did their job—he tried to dive into the Cove and swim before the barrier repaired itself but our crew fished him out of there in the nick of time."
Claudine looked at the furs before leaving them on the couch, bolting after Freddy.
"No! No! Take them," Evan said. "Otherwise, being there was pointless!"
"So are you going to actually do anything or just pace a rut in the floor?" Claudine asked, pulling herself out of her trip down memory lane.
"He's going to rant isn't he?" Harriet shook her head.
"What do you want me to do?" Freddy growled. "Like you said, the pirates control the docks and the docks are the only way off the Isle. The only chance I have would be…"
"Yes well Freddy sadly for you that is our job," Henry said. "And I for one don't intend on messing that up."
Freddy looked over at his sister and smirked, an idea forming in his rotten little brain.
Henry's eyes narrowed as he heard Claudine read that. What are you thinking Freddy?
"What?" Claudine asked before getting on the same brain wave as Freddy. "What? No! Fred, I am not going to be a spy for you!"
"My scroll-self is right! Even if I wasn't…wasn't with Henry, that's still a one way ticket to dying if I'm caught!" Claudine exclaimed.
"Of course not," Freddy scoffed. "You're going to use your feminine gifts to distract Henry. He's the only one of the pirates who seems to maintain a constant watch on the docks. Not to mention you're the only girl who'd work. All the others were formerly Rats themselves."
"How does he think that's going to work?" Harry asked. "Claudine's never flirted went anyone during face offs and then all of a sudden she starts flirting with Henry? Freddy honestly thinks that wouldn't send alarm bells ringing for the Rats?"
"So why not use them?"
"Yes! Use her! Give her an out, give us Brooke!" Harriet exclaimed.
"You'd think any of that crew would trust them?" Freddy rolled his eyes.
"Hmm, let's see," Henry said tapping his chin. "Morgan's only ever hit us with daggers in our sides or our shoulders during face offs so we always survived that, and I'm assuming we're still considering Brooke one of ours."
Malinda nodded. "Brooke was always considered a Rat from what Henry told me. It was really only Locklyn and Shayla who the crew lost trust in."
"The Rats may be insipid but they're not blind. They know after weeks of being Angels, it'd be risky to bring them back into the fold. The only one I think that could maybe get away with it would be Brooke but she's so timid and meek, she'd crack under the questioning.
"Jade would kill anyone who went too hard on Brooke," Jay said, shaking his head. "She's her duckling after all."
The other two are too busy competing for a second shot of having a fling with me which leaves you to attract Henry's attention. Once he's lured away, I can get off the Isle."
"Why is Claudine going through all this work for Freddy to get off the Isle?" Lonnie asked.
"Because, although he won't admit it and not to toot my own horn, I'm the brains of the Angels," Claudine said.
"Oh that's not risky at all! You honestly think Henry'd break his rule just because I batted my eyelashes at him?" Claudine snapped.
"Well it would depend on where we were when you 'batted your eyelashes at me'," Henry teased.
"I know you Henry. Even if I bat my lashes at you, you still won't do everything I ask. Not if you don't feel comfortable with it," Claudine told him.
Henry Kersey was the only guy on the Isle old enough to have a fling who hadn't had one.
Henry shrugged. "So I'm a bit different than other guys. I won't apologize for it."
"No one's asking you to," Claudine said gently.
It wasn't because he was an unattractive guy either, with his light red hair and bright blue eyes that seemed to shine every time they faced off against each other.
Henry flushed slightly as he heard that.
"Seriously where does the Isle get its genetic pool? It has some good looking guys, I won't lie," Ashaki muttered.
Jay chuckled and Harry smirked as they both heard that. "Why thank you," they said.
There were girls who fought to be the one to claim they were his first fling.
"Just ask me for the food, you don't have to have a fling for it," Henry muttered his face bright red.
"Why haven't you had one?" Akiho asked.
"Akiho! That's a rather personal question," Anna told him.
Henry sighed. He could tell Akiho didn't mean anything bad, he was just genuinely curious. "I believe in loyalty. Loyalty to your crew, to your family, and if you're with a girl, you're with her full stop. She doesn't deserve to be dropped as soon as you're bored with her."
"…are we sure an Auradon kid didn't end up on the Isle?" Evan asked.
"Well Gaston's son somehow ended up my brother so it's an even trade," Kitty chuckled.
Ginny Gothel had almost draped herself on him before he turned her down.
"I don't know why Ginny even tries," Uma said as Henry flushed at the memory. "Every girl on the Isle knows that Henry wouldn't be interested in a fling."
"Besides, by now, you'd think she'd have learned that she could just ask Henry for food," Mal shook her head.
Though Ginny more than likely was just trying to get some food, being a girl without a gang on the Isle.
"She was," Henry said softly. "I gave her the food I'd just gotten from Lord Hades' restaurant and then walked away."
There wasn't much lower you could go in terms of rank than being a girl without a gang. There was a reason why the phrase 'flings for food' had become a popular past time—the boys of the pirates/Warf Rats were the most sought after since they had the best access to food.
"Under fifteens in the room!" Uma barked, looking at Harry.
"Oh yes because I'm Dustin, cap'n," Harry shook his head. "I have a filter after all."
Nine times out of ten though, the guys would turn down a fling and just give the girls the food. Especially if it was a younger girl trying to do it and especially if it was a younger girl under the age of fifteen.
Jay shook hiss head. "No girl but especially no child should have to put herself through that just to eat."
Claudine could only assume Mal and Uma had trained their crew well.
"You bet we did!" Uma said firmly while Mal nodded in agreement.
Fred and Zevon, she knew, had no such scruples. There was a reason why, despite the fact that a few of the Warf Rats were older, that Fred and Zevon had the most flings on the Isle.
Some of the adults in the room and even some of the AKs' eyes narrowed at the implications of that.
If I don't do this, the only other girls would be Locklyn or Shayla. Henry'd trust Brooke but even so she's too young. Henry'd just get her some food if he didn't bring her back into their fold, she thought.
"Brooke's under fifteen, if she's coming to me to try to get a fling you can trust I'll bring her back into the fold," Henry said firmly. "The only reason I could think that we'd let her go in the first place would be because we'd trust Locklyn to look out for her."
"Maybe…maybe that's why Claudine tried to suggest it," Lucy said. "From what we've seen of the Angels, they wouldn't be the best environment for someone Brooke's age…and Claudine would likely know what Henry would do. It'd be a way for Brooke to get out of there permanently in a way Freddy wouldn't suspect."
Claudine nodded. "The best environment for someone's Brooke's age is the Rats with how they train their crewe to keep their flings fifteen and older. As we've seen…Fred doesn't believe in that age limit. Hopefully nothing's happened to Brooke because she's in the Angels."
"Freddy better pray nothing's happened to Brooke because if we find out something has…the hyenas will have found their next meal," Harriet growled.
Knowing the other two, they'd be a little too…enthusiastic in getting to be the ones to get Henry to break his vow of no flings.
"I can take Shayla or Locklyn in a one on one but thank you for the concern," Henry said, gently kissing Claudine's head. "I'd rather it be you anyway."
"I know," Claudine said, her voice soft. "But scroll-me is probably thinking more what if Fred assigned both of them to try to get you to break your policy?"
Everyone stiffened slightly, as if that possibility hadn't occurred to them. "You two need to tell the crew what's going on. The risk in you sneaking around just escalated," Jay said.
"I can handle both Shayla and Locklyn. I train enough so that I should be able to…but I don't want anything happening to Claudine," Henry said.
Uma shook her head. "Henry, I think what they're getting at is now that Freddy's given Claudine this assignment, how long can Claudine stall him before he starts suspecting that she's deliberately not encouraging you to do anything?"
"I know Uma, I just…you really think Freddy's going to care about anyone but himself? If he starts getting suspicious, we can always start faking things. I don't know what though…"
"We get that Henry," Mal spoke up. "But for whatever reason Freddy now cares about breaking the Rat chain of command, specifically you. What happens if or when he decides Claudine's not doing the job fast enough and sends Shayla and Locklyn to do it anyway? How does Claudine talk her way out of that? Or worse, Freddy sends them and Strat for a sneak attack on you two at Dragon Hall? Just…don't dismiss coming clean to the crew out of hand okay?"
Henry nodded but sighed. "And what if the crew doesn't want to help? You, Harry, Jay, and Uma all know Claudine's on our side but there are some on the crew who won't trust Claudine because of Freddy. I won't dismiss it out of hand but…there's more of a risk in coming clean…"
"Henry, mate, like we said, there's no rule in being involved with someone," Harry said. "The worst the crew'll do is rib you for taking so long. If Claudine matters to you, she'll matter to the crew."
"You know Dustin was jumped by the Angels, Henry. He should feel comfortable in the crew…I'll be okay…"
The Rotten Four looked at each other and shook their heads. "This discussion is not over," Jay said. "But we're holding up the reading."
"Fine, if only because I know this isn't a request," Claudine sighed.
"Good," Freddy smirked. "You'd best get going."
"What, now?"
"Why not?"
"Hey, look on the bright side," Henry said. "It gives you an excuse to see me regularly. I mean, Freddy practically told you to go to me just then."
"It's almost dark out, I'm not exactly in the mood to become hyena chow Fred!" Claudine exclaimed. "You know they have no qualms in eating a human whether they be dead or alive—and they're the pirates' allies meaning I wouldn't get a free pass being second in command of the Angels."
Henry sighed. "I should give you a token or something, in case you ever run into them. Something that proves you at least are an ally of the Rats."
"What was the point in teaching you how to throw a dagger if you only ever use it against the pirates?" Freddy scoffed. "If those mangy beasts give you a hard time, just make an example of one of them."
"Oh and that's a great way to lose your second in command Freddy," Harriet rolled her eyes. "She does that and she'll have the rest of the cackle on her in a second!"
Before Claudine could answer, the lone male underling came bursting in.
"And enter another idiot," Harry muttered.
"You'd better have a good reason for bursting in here like the end of the world was upon us," Freddy growled, glaring slightly at the underling.
"Oh how about news he thought you should know?" Melody said, rolling her eyes.
"My deepest apologies, your holiness but news from Boreadon came that I thought you might find interesting."
"Does he really expect you to call him 'his holiness'?" Emma asked.
"Yep," Claudine nodded. "I'm the only one who doesn't have to and that's just because I made myself exempt."
"What, did they kick out that witch and her traitor husband or Mal and Uma?"
"Well no—"
"Then I don't want to hear it," Freddy growled.
"How is he still the leader? He's not even leading," Macaria said, shaking her head.
Claudine shook her head and looked at the former pirate. "What news from Boreadon, Strat?"
Strat looked over at Claudine and smirked. "Apparently King Beastie's exiled someone to the Isle."
"You see that? That's how you lead," Macaria said. "Even if you don't think it's important, you still hear the news."
"Oh boy," Freddy rolled his eyes. "Guess he's just like his father after all."
"Who is it?" Claudine asked.
"One of the worst people you'll ever meet," Ashaki muttered.
"My source didn't say," Strat said and Claudine softly rolled her eyes. There was no need for secrecy, Strat more than likely got the report from the television.
"Wait…what 'source' would he have that would know that someone Wass coming to the Isle but wouldn't know who it was?" Emma asked.
Claudine scoffed. "Knowing him, he's just trying to make himself seem bigger than he is for Fred so that Fred'll make him second in command."
"However, they did say that it's a Boreadon royal."
"Well that narrows it down," Evan shook his head.
Freddy paused and Claudine stilled before slipping out of their haven unseen. She had a source of her own that she needed to meet up with after hearing something like that. He might not have heard the news report.
"I think we can all guess who that 'source' is," Malinda said with a small smile.
Quickly, she made her way to the bell tower of Dragon Hall—her old stomping grounds and the only neutral area she felt comfortable in. She could only hope he'd be there too…
Henry shook his head. "If the news has already gone around the Isle for Strat to hear it, I'm pretty sure I'll be there to make sure you know."
"Thought you weren't showing up?" Henry's voice whispered in the shadows and Claudine smiled before the two embraced in a tender kiss.
"Well…that's a quieter reveal than the one you got here," Harriet said.
It had taken everything Claudine had not to show the worry she had when Fred proposed the idea. But her brother need never know that there was no need for her to seduce Henry.
Claudine flushed slightly as she looked at the next line. "Um…this wasn't exactly how I planned to tell you this…"
She was already in love with him.
It was Henry's turn to flush before giving Claudine a small smile. "Glad to know you feel the same."
"What's wrong?" Henry whispered as he broke the kiss. "You seem…distracted."
"And I don't blame you at all for that," Henry said softly.
"Strat gave Fred and me a news report before I left the Haven," Claudine said, her voice soft, and Henry tensed at the mention of his former crew mate.
"Well now the crew'll know for sure if Henry knows," Hadie said. "Won't matter if we haven't told them yet."
"He said…he said that Ben had exiled an Auradon royal to the Isle?"
"She's no royal," Akiho muttered.
Henry stilled. "An Auradon royal got sent here? They must have majorly screwed up then. We haven't had anyone new since the Isle was founded if we're not counting births."
"Oh she did scroll-me," Henry muttered, his voice growing dark.
"Well considering Fred's plotting an escape, I figured you should know…" Claudine told him. "If Fred gets this royal on his side, and they use any resources they still have in Auradon…"
'I hate to say it…but it might be a good idea for your scroll selves to keep an eye on Audrey," Jasmine said, looking at Aurora and Phillip. "She's probably the only one who would read a letter from Leah."
"I'm sure we're keeping an eye on both Audrey and Phil," Aurora said, her voice soft. "But with how Leah's acted, I doubt she'd try to send a letter to Phil…"
"And it's a crime for a grandmother to write to her granddaughter? Especially after she's been falsely imprisoned?" Leah asked.
"I'm fairly certain you've lost the right to comment Leah sos no we're not even going to dignify your quip with a response," Chip told her.
"It won't be good for Mal. Or Uma, Harry or Jay for that matter," Henry finished as he gently brushed a bit of Claudine's brown hair out from her eyes.
"I don't think it'd be good for anyone," Kitty said.
"I'll let the crew know. Hopefully we'll get word from Mal, Uma, Jay or Harry about who it is who'll be coming to our shores."
"You will," Malinda nodded.
"Oh! That reminds me," Claudine chuckled. "Fred wants me to seduce you. Use my feminine charms to lure you to sin since you're always guarding the docks."
"Well considering the situation…will he let you seduce him? Do we need to say good luck with that?" Emir asked.
"Dear Gods, it's like if Harry, Jay, and Dustin became one person," Henry shook his head. "And that's terrifying."
"Thank you!"
Henry chuckled. "I take it you didn't tell him that we meet here in secret?"
"Do I look dead to you? You know that if it wasn't Fred's idea or orders, it doesn't get done."
"Before anyone says anything, I'm well aware of how stupid that question was," Henry said as everyone turned to look at him.
"Okay, okay. I guess…we can meet back here in a few days. You can I dunno flirt with me in the next face off between our two groups. Freddy usually attends those."
"And wouldn't that be a red flag for Freddy if you've never done that before?" Uma asked.
"True captain but then again, that's what he wants isn't it? To him, it'll just look like I'm 'weak willed' enough to fall for Claudine's 'feminine charms' as she put it."
Uma and Mal looked at each other before Mal sighed. "Alright, but be careful Henry. Shayla or Locklyn might see that as an opportunity to…well to lower our numbers so to speak."
"Don't worry Captains, I've got his back," Claudine said.
Henry smiled slightly. "I know you do Claudine."
Claudine nodded. "God, as if our being together wasn't stressful enough."
"The best things in life don't come easy," Claudine said. "I wouldn't trade Henry for anything."
"Hey, it'll be okay," Henry said softly, rubbing her back as he pulled her close to him. "Freddy's so obsessed with Mal and Uma that he probably won't realize anything's up. You feed him or even feed the other Angels a few bogus reports, he should buy that. Plus I can start staying here later."
"Sad but true about the Freddy part," Henry shook his head.
"What if your crew finds out? You're the captain."
"I'm acting captain and Harriet's there if something happens where a captain's needed," Henry said softly.
"With everything, I think I can give you a pass Henry," Harriet said even as she glanced over at Sammy. Extra duties meant she couldn't relax with her best mate…but it was for the crew.
"…okay," Claudine sighed. This wasn't going to be easy and she wasn't exactly happy about it but with Henry's help, they might just pull it off.
"I'd help you through anything," Henry told her.
"I know you would," Claudine said. "That's the end of the scroll by the way. Who wants to read next?"
"I haven't read yet," Phil Jr. said. "I'll be happy to go if no one else wants to."
"It's all yours, Phil," Melody said with a small smile.