Spring was upon them and while most of Auradon was preparing to celebrate the coming warm weather, the Isle teens had more of a somber countenance.
There were many things that made the Isle different from the Mainland. None so stark as the culture surrounding spring.
To Auradon, spring was a time of renewal and the end of winter. They would celebrate with picnics and speak excitedly about what they wanted to do outdoors. They cooed over the blossoming of flowers and the little baby animals that could be seen at the Lake or in the woods that surrounded the school.
For those from the Isle, spring meant death.
Spring meant that their hoarded supplies to get through winter would have run out, that is if they were able to store enough in the first place. Spring was too early for trees to bear fruit or the scant crops they planted to have grown enough to produce food.
Spring meant that the rotted food the Mainland sent over was extra deadly as it was just warm enough that mold and bacteria would flourish, and their weakened immune systems from fighting winter chills could not fight food poisoning.
Those who barely survived winter usually perished in the spring.
The first day of spring was also Mal's birthday.
They weren't for sure the exact date as Maleficent didn't bother to write it down or remember. They simply knew it was the first day of spring, and with everything that went on, they never celebrated it.
They certainly didn't celebrate anything once Maleficent started to try to force Mal's magic to come forth by digging a dagger across her back.
As the days grew longer and the temperature started to creep upwards, Mal started to lose sleep. Her already pale skin took on a green pallor and deep purple bruises appeared under her eyes.
The ghost of Maleficent haunted them, even on the Mainland. Logically they knew Maleficent was stuck on the Isle and they were relatively safe in Auradon Prep.
That didn't stop years of survival instincts to keep quiet and hoping Mal survived any infection.
From Evie's grave looks some mornings, Carlos knew Mal was having nightmares. At least back on the Isle, they could escape to the Warehouse, and he could comfort her as best he could. They were so close to graduating that they did not want to risk expulsion for sleeping over in each other's dorms.
He was at least glad that Evie was there with her.
On top of not sleeping, Mal took advantage of the plentiful food. They all were.
When they first got to Auradon, they were put on special bland diets until they acclimated to the richer food. Once they had, they each had their favorites.
Carlos liked any type of roasted red meat on the rare side.
Mal liked strawberries and most desserts with some sort of cream in them.
Jay and Evie liked pastas in all forms.
They all took their nutritionist's advice seriously when it came to filling their plate. They needed lots of protein and variety in order to get as many vitamins and nutrients as possible.
They could feel the difference that a varied diet made. Many of the fried and heavily greasy foods had made them sick, so they naturally steered away from those.
The weeks leading up to Mal's birthday, she had started to noticeably fill her plate more than usual. She still ate healthily; it was just much more. Her breakfasts consisted of several yogurts and even an entire pitcher of milk. Her lunches and dinners were salmon, dark leafy greens, and nuts in several servings.
One night, Mal had wiped out the entire buffet of kale, spinach, and collard greens and cheeses. The mess hall couldn't keep strawberries in stock fast enough for her, nor any berries recently. She started to carry berries and nuts with her throughout the day. When any teacher tried to tell her she couldn't bring food to class, she merely stared them down with her cold fae eyes and they backed off, mumbling something about hypoglycemia and a doctor's note.
Another stark difference between the Isle and the Mainland was the concept of "stress eating."
To say they were constantly stressed on the Isle would be saying the least, but they didn't have much choice in terms of dealing with it. No one ate more than their fair share on the Isle, there just wasn't enough for anyone to truly indulge. People either starved or they ate enough to survive.
None of them really worried about her new diet, they didn't blame Mal for being stressed and while Carlos was advised by his therapist to not mention weight to women in Auradon, he rather liked the plump look on Mal.
Her cheeks had filled out and he liked to nuzzle kisses on them. He liked how soft and warm she felt when they cuddled. He loved the idea that they were getting enough food to see a physical difference. He knew that he'd probably look plumper if he was not doing sports.
He didn't see a problem with her weight gain and rather liked it.
Idiots from Auradon, however, seemed obsessed with weight.
There was one time when some of the girls on the cheer team had commented they wished they could go to the Isle as a weight loss program. All four teens had lost their temper and yelled at them for taking food for granted the way that they did. They each had extra therapy sessions with how angry they were that someone would purposefully think starving themselves on the Isle was a good idea.
The school eventually clued in that speaking of the Isle and food in front of them was not advisable.
There were still some idiots who hadn't received the clue or thought weight related subjects were still fair game.
It was the week leading up to Mal's birthday as the R.O.A.R. team was getting changed in the locker room.
Normally the Auradon boys made small talk by speaking of the sport or talking about their latest sexual conquests or who they were dating at the moment. They didn't involve Ben, Jay, nor Carlos in most of these conversations. Ben was the Crown Prince and would never disrespect a girlfriend by boasting about what they did together, and Jay and Carlos were in committed relationships and the Auradon boys too afraid most of the time of Mal to ever ask.
"Congratulations de Vil, when's the wedding?" Zachary de Aquitaine, son of a minor lord in Camelot Heights, clapped his hand on Carlos' shoulder as he was putting on his oxford uniform shirt.
Carlos frowned, wondering where he could have gotten that idea.
Of course, he and Mal had spoken about getting married, but the Isle didn't put any real emphasis on marriage, and they still had University to attend. Marriage was far in their future if they did it at all.
Jay had a similar look, as he knew if Mal was planning on getting married then he'd be the first to know, probably even before Carlos.
Carlos ignored how he heard Ben's heart uptick or that he had tensed. The Crown Prince acted as if he hadn't heard and continued to get dressed.
"Come on, I know there has to be a wedding. Hopefully soon else she'll be too far along."
Carlos still had no idea what he was talking about, but apparently Ben did as he stopped breathing for a second.
Zach didn't seem to notice Carlos' confusion or Ben's discomfort and went on as if they were good friends,
"I hope I'm invited, it'll be the first wedding of the senior class. There are a ton of girls who are expecting engagements this week. 'Ring Before Spring' and all that, but there's no way they can plan a wedding in a few months before they start Uni so most aren't going to get married until next summer. Not unless they manage to get a little one on the way, like you did, you ol' dog."
Once again, Zach gave a congratulatory pat on Carlos' back.
"I don't blame you, probably the only way to get a girl like Mal to settle down. Super scary, but really hot. No way would I be ok with her going to a different Uni, got to get that locked down," Zach then high fived several other boys in the locker room who agreed with him.
It still took the teens a minute to process what was being implied, the Mainland vernacular and slang was so different than the Isle's that sometimes it felt like they were speaking separate languages.
Carlos finally realized Zach was an idiot and what he thought was happening, Carlos rolled his eyes, Jay had done the same thing.
"We're not getting married," the last thing they needed was that rumour to get around, he hoped it was contained to these hairbrained morons.
"Carlos," Zach said with a touch of affectionate condescension. "This isn't the Isle, you have to get married before the baby comes. My cousin tried to get out of marrying the girl he got up the duff, but obviously our grandmother was going to rescind his inheritance. You just got the de Vil money, you don't want your grandma to kick you out so soon."
Carlos was new to money, but Zach had his back and would guide him through the unwritten rules. Ben obviously couldn't do it as a royal, the unspoken rule for him was that the royal family was above such behaviour.
"Please tell me you all aren't gossiping about her being pregnant," Carlos started to pray to any god that would listen.
"What are we, girls? No, we don't gossip. But we all have eyes and see how much she's eating and…filling out," he made an obscene gesture towards his chest to let him know exactly where she was filling out, "Nicely!" he corrected himself, "I swear," he was worried Carlos would think he was calling Mal fat and she kind of was, but it was pregnancy fat and that didn't count.
"She is not pregnant, you idiots," he tried to reign in his temper because he did not need to wolf out over them being morons.
"Sure, right," Zach winked and "played dumb" when he realized that Crown Prince Ben was in the locker room. He thought maybe Carlos didn't want a royal to know and possibly narc. The school did have a rule about kicking out anyone who ended up with or siring a child, and they only had a few months left.
"Stop," Ben growled out as he slammed his locker shut. It made most of the boys in the locker room jump in surprise, as the Crown Prince rarely ever lost his temper.
His eyes remained brown and everything else was totally normal, but he was clearly upset and annoyed with Zach.
"If Carlos says she's not pregnant, then she's not pregnant…and it's none of our business anyway."
Carlos had to breathe in deep and keep his temper in check, he didn't like how upset at the thought of Mal being pregnant Ben was and why. He wanted to be glad for the help, but he hadn't quite accepted that Ben was in love with his girlfriend, no matter how romantically indifferent she was to the prince.
"She's not pregnant, we're not getting married," Carlos reiterated and hoped it would be the end of it.
It wasn't the end of it, now that he knew of the rumours, Carlos saw that people were eyeing Mal and him differently. They seemed to take note every time Mal filled her plate, he could hear the murmurs of them observing what she chose to eat, specifically that she was filling up on calcium rich foods.
He was glad that the fae didn't have as keen of hearing as he did, and if Mal did then she wasn't letting it bother her.
Given that her birthday was in a week, he wasn't surprised.
He didn't want to speak with Ben, but sometimes he had to put their differences aside and he would if it meant he could prevent a potential emotional breakdown for his girlfriend.
He in no uncertain terms told Ben that they could not make any reference to or celebration for Mal's birthday.
Ben's initial reaction was to argue that birthdays were meant to be fun and festive, and that they had done something for Carlos. He also bristled at the fleeting idea that Carlos didn't want him specifically to celebrate Mal's birthday as he didn't want any competition for her favour.
If Ben had been her boyfriend, he would have gone above and beyond to celebrate. It'd be a formal party with all her favourite foods and desserts, to gift her anything her heart desired and to make up for all the birthdays she didn't have on the Isle.
But the fact she was from the Isle and had Maleficent for a mother had stopped him from arguing. He was quick enough to put together that perhaps Mal had a very good reason to not want to celebrate her birthday, and one of the reasons had to do with why Mal always wore long sleeves.
As with a pregnancy, Mal's true reasons for not wanting to celebrate her birthday were her own business. He wasn't her boyfriend and she had never confided in him the reasons for her scars.
As much as he wanted more, the reality was that they weren't that close. At best they were friends, but nothing compared to what the Isle teens shared. Carlos and the others knew Mal in such a way that it would be foolish of him to presume he knew better. He learned his lesson from the Winter Showcase, when they told him how things were then he needed to believe them.
"Right," he agreed right away, and he would not press to be told more. "Her personal files are still confidential. I doubt the few faculty members who do have access would say anything, but I'll warn them, nonetheless. If…if you all need a few days off then please let me know and I'll arrange something."
It wasn't for a celebration, but it was Ben's way of saying that he was aware that Mal might be in need of a mental health holiday, and the other Isle teens would be needed to see her through it. They were all on track to graduate with honors, so a few days could be afforded to them, and he knew they'd be able to catch up on any missed schoolwork.
Carlos had conflicted feelings about Ben sometimes. He wanted it to be simple and hate the prince for loving Mal, but part of him understood why he would love the dark fae.
It also irritated him that Ben was so mature and understanding. If he was a dumb ass douche canoe like Chad, then Carlos would be justified in his dislike of Ben.
But Ben hadn't even meant to reveal his crush on Mal, it was done by a spell and Carlos was sympathetic enough that he felt sorry that Ben was humiliated in such a way. The Crown Prince also kept standing up for them and went on as if he didn't have feelings for Mal. Carlos could begrudgingly admit that Ben had gone above and beyond what anyone else in Auradon had done for them, even his own family.
Now that he was aware there were rumours, he couldn't help but overhear others commenting on what Mal ate and all but stare at her in the mess hall.
She's def preggo. She's scarfing down a ton of calcium, protein, and omega threes.
Think she'll be kicked out?
With only three months left? I doubt it, plus they're here by express invitation of the Crown Prince. She's gotten a bit big, but it's not a real bump yet. Evie will probably let out her clothes to make it seem she's just gotten fat and they'll probably say it's all the real food instead of the garbage they donate to the Isle.
Think she got pregnant on purpose, or they just don't know any better on the Isle?
I think Carlos got her pregnant on purpose.
The group gasped and giggled at the accusation; Carlos was much less amused.
He's cute and all, but a girl that hot at Uni? And Ben has a crush on her? There's no way he didn't help things along to lock her down.
That was the second time someone's said something like that, he couldn't believe anyone would believe such garbage.
The gossip devolved into bets on when Evie and Jay would break up. Apparently, it was common consensus that high school relationships did not last once they got to university because there were so many more options, especially if they did not go to the same school. Many were hoping the couples would break up and explore their options, and that they'd be the ones chosen to give them those options.
He knew human women gave off a different scent when they were pregnant. He had never been around a pregnant fae, so he didn't know for sure if they were the same way. He also wasn't totally confident what each scent a person gave off meant anything specific.
Mal did smell different, but his instincts told him their birth control tattoo runes were still intact and that she wasn't pregnant.
Given they were in Auradon for less than a year, he had always known that at some point he and Mal would have given in to their urges while on the Isle and it was a possibility she would get pregnant. They had spoken of what to do in that situation. Thankfully Auradon had options to rid themselves of unwanted pregnancies that didn't include a dangerous poison. They hadn't spoken of it since, but he was under the impression that their plan would still be the same. If she changed her mind and would keep a pregnancy, then he now had access to de Vil money and would do whatever Mal wanted to do.
He was more worried about breakdowns and panic attacks, which were more likely to his mind.
He would just have to trust Ben would keep his word and no hint of Mal's birthday would be said by anyone.
Mal knew they were snickering behind her back. She didn't become one of the most powerful players on the Isle by caring what idiots thought, or by being ignorant of them. She knew she was gaining weight, and while they may see it as something shameful, she actually wore it as a badge of pride.
Every pound gained was proof she had plenty, the added softness to her curves was the ability to survive if they ever ran into hard times again.
Their mocking and laughter were proof they were foolish children of summer who have never known a true winter, to go without. Their bloodline was weak, and it was only by the chaos of Fortune that they live a life where they could be so frivolous and foolish and still live.
Although it went against every instinct and her intuition, she listened to her therapist when she warned against stress eating to the point of making her sick or gaining so much weight as to be unhealthy.
With months of building trust, Mal admitted to her therapist that her birthday was a hard time for her. Not only because it was the start of spring and when their winter stores would be gone, but because of her mother's attempts at bringing her magic out.
Even her therapist gasped at the revelation that Maleficent would take a knife to her back in hopes of her magic coming forth to defend her. The Moorish fae underestimated the star fae's power, she did so year after year.
Or perhaps because it wasn't her back she was cutting up, Maleficent didn't mind testing her theory year after year.
Her nutritionist worked with her therapist, and both agreed that while she was gaining weight, it wasn't a worrying amount just yet. They would simply keep an eye on her.
As far as Mal was concerned, she was eating plenty healthily, and she didn't care. She was more famished lately and she'd keep eating to her heart's content. She figured if her birthday was causing her stress and to eat more, then she'd simply stop after her birthday.
Besides, with the way Carlos kept nuzzling at her more pronounced bosom and caressing her softer curves, he rather liked the more weight she put on.
Since they only had a few months left of school, they continued to stop sneaking into each other's dorms. They found other places on campus to mess around, and they looked forward to the private housing they'd get with the resort they'd be working at over the summer to make some money.
All in all, they had high hopes for their future.
Of course, the ghosts of their past and the burden of the legacy of evil they bore would not so easily be ignored.
It was the eve of her 18th Birthday. Thankfully, no one in school, and certainly not her friends, made any mention of it. The Isle Four knew not to bring it up, her therapist was aware, but made no mention of it besides determining how she was feeling and if she needed extra session. She had a feeling someone spoke with Ben, who was the type to throw surprise parties and make a parade of it, as he was calm and spoke of nothing regarding her "special day."
With luck, it would pass as any other day, and like everything else of the Isle she could just leave it behind her.
Nothing was ever that simple, nor was Mal ever that lucky.
She walked down the hallway of Auradon Prep. She only noticed the blue lockers and paid no heed that the floor had a familiar grime that covered everything on the Isle. Every other detail was fuzzy and soft, it made no matter because she knew in her heart she was in school.
It was perfectly normal in her mind that instead of uniforms, the students were in rags and had dirt on their face.
The generally well put together Chad had a bandana over his golden locks and a scar on his chin.
Even Audrey wore a tattered skirt, her cheekbones hollow with hunger.
They all milled about the hallway until class started. As with anywhere she went, they gave her wide berth, some moving out of respect, others out of fear.
She had to get to her locker, she needed her books. She looked up and down the hallway that went on forever, every locker looked the same and she couldn't read the numbers. Despite not even finding her locker, she tried her best to remember the combination, but couldn't.
Panic started to bubble in her chest, and she thought of the administrative office. They would have her locker combination. But it was too late, the bell range and it twisted something inside of her, it was a horrid sound that made her want to dig her ears out.
She was in her classroom, which one and how she got there, she didn't know, but she was there. Everyone was diligently taking notes, she could hear the scratching of pen on paper. Some were clicking away on computers; she didn't know how anyone could stand the blinding light from the screen or the maddening sound of fingers hitting keys.
Her heart raced when she couldn't see their faces, the computer light washing out their features. There was something grotesque about them being faceless, even if they had no weapons to threaten her with.
She should be taking notes, but she had nothing to write with, to write on, nor did she have a computer. She looked up at the board, and all that was written was gibberish.
She knew it was important gibberish, however, and if she wanted to graduate, she needed to figure it out.
"Oh, Mal. Slacking again? How disappointing," Belle tisked from the front of the classroom. She wore a smart suit of blue and white, her chestnut hair coiffed up in victory rolls on either side of her head.
"No, I…" she desperately wanted to explain herself, the thought of disappointing Belle had made her sick to her stomach. She could take notes, she was good at school, she knew she was. She didn't know why nothing was going her way, but school was something she knew she could do. All it entailed was reading and reiterating what they wanted to hear. It wasn't hard, it was nothing like on the Isle which required grit and wit in order to survive.
As she started to panic, everyone kept taking more notes, not bothering with her or Belle.
"I ask so little of you Mal," Belle said in a sing-song voice, getting closer to Mal's desk. She held a ruler in her hand, swinging it to and fro. "But you can't do something as simple as following orders."
Mal blinked a few times, partly to focus on Belle who seemed to shift before her eyes, and partly to stop any tears from falling.
She couldn't show weakness, not in front of Belle.
Parts of Auradon Prep were falling away. The students were disappearing, the gibberish on the board came and went in a blink, soon all that was left was herself, sitting at her lone desk and Belle, whose cheerful blue suit had turned black.
Where did her hair go? Why did hairstyle look so pointed?
"Mal," normally an endearing nickname her friends called her, from Belle's ruby red lips that stretched too far, it sounded mocking. It wasn't a nickname, but a shortened name, given to her because she was not worthy of her full name. "I asked you to do one thing, and one thing only…why are you such a failure?"
The ruler was no longer a ruler, but a staff. Belle grew horns that made her impossibly tall.
The smooth floor of the classroom was replaced by worn wood, the smell of dust and stale air invaded Mal's nose.
She was no longer in Auradon Prep, she was in the kitchen in the apartment above Bargain Castle.
She was still at her desk, but she found she could not move.
"If you just did what you were told, if you weren't such a disappointment, I wouldn't have to do this," Belle explained how everything that was happening was Mal's fault.
Tears silently fell from her eyes, she knew if she outright sobbed, it would only cause Belle to dig the knife she knew was somewhere, deeper.
She knew what she had to do, she had done it for the past ten years. She didn't know why she thought it wouldn't happen this year, so she did what was expected of her.
Shaking, she stood and then laid facedown across her desk. Her arms were fanned out, and just as every year, coarse rope appeared on her wrists, and she was tied down at the corner legs of the desk. Although the desk was cool and smooth, she still smelled nothing but old wood and the salt from her tears. She couldn't recall the top she was wearing, but it was gone. Nothing but her bare back and the scars from the previous years were shown to Belle.
Soon, she knew she would be overwhelmed with the coppery scent of her own blood.
At least I learned how to be silent.
Her back had been cut into so often that a lot of the nerves were either dead and scarred over, or she simply was used to it. She learned if she kept quiet, the cuts would come faster, and it'd be over sooner.
In the early years, she screamed until her voice became horse or she passed out.
Belle stood next to her, her staff turned into a knife, razor sharp and clean, the only mercies she was granted.
Belle's normally warm chestnut brown eyes were alight with green hellfire, and slowly and methodically brought down upon Mal's back.
Mal awoke screaming, the pain radiating from her back and on the crown of her head had her convulsing on her bed.
She didn't know if she was on the Isle, in her bedroom at Auradon Prep, or some new hell, but all she could do was try to claw at whatever was trying to bore through her skin.
Evie had known Mal since they were six and had been her roommate for going on seven months. She had witnessed how an iron bell ringing had caused the dark fae agony, but she had never heard Mal scream in such a way. It awoke her from a dead sleep, she frantically pulled away the eye mask she wore to give her complete darkness.
She saw her friend tossing and bending in unnatural ways, as if being tortured by some invisible force.
"Mal!" she called out as she rushed out of bed. The fae was preternaturally strong and had roughly struck her as she tried to help. Evie ungracefully staggered back, and she was at a loss of what to do.
Mal's screams had alerted the Dorm Mother, who rushed in and turned on the light.
She was aghast to see the fae girl flailing about, in the light Evie was able to see blood starting to seep from Mal's hair, matting her normally lilac hair into a deep burgundy.
Carlos and Jay soon made an appearance, not caring about the rules against being in the girl's dorm floor and they were all too familiar of what Mal sounded like when she was in pain.
"What is happening?!" Carlos growled, ready to tear anyone and everyone limb from limb who would dare hurt Mal again.
"I don't know," Evie cried, just as confused as everyone else. "She just woke up screaming and she's bleeding."
Her eyes glanced at the digital clock on their nightstand and noticed that it was just past midnight on Mal's birthday.
Carlos went to hold Mal, hoping to keep her from harming herself, unsure of what or where her injuries were. He was strong enough to take any hit, and she desperately grabbed onto him as if he were her safe anchor to the real world and not the hellish pain she was in.
Unsure of what else to do, he held her and told her to breathe, that whatever was happening had to end at some point.
"Please love, keep breathing, in and out," he struggled to tell her as he held her.
In the next few moments, in horror he noticed that her back and two spots on the crown of her head started to bulge and, more blood spilling out as whatever was escaping her body tore through her skin.
Although it was only a few minutes, it felt like an eternity to Mal and those who loved her.
Slowly, from her scalp two horns had emerged with blood and bits of viscera clinging onto them. They grew and grew, then curled upon themselves like rams' horns.
From her back emerged great feathered wings, black with a razor-sharp talon at the tip of the alula.
Carlos held her as Mal stopped screaming and he was covered in her blood, the crimson liquid soaking her bed. She was no longer screaming but panting as if she had gone on a strenuous run and she felt feverish.
He noticed that the delightful plumpness she had gained over the last few weeks was gone, and her cheeks were as hollow as they were during a lean winter on the Isle. Her arms were as stick thin when she first arrived in Auradon, and he could easily pick her up as if she weighed nothing.
Thankfully, someone had the sense to call an ambulance and a team of paramedics were there. He would not allow any arguments on whether he would be the one to accompany her to the hospital, and no one was foolish enough to try to stop him.
They were all as gentle as they could, unsure of how to position her because of her wings and horns.
After they had left for the hospital, Evie couldn't stop shaking as she tried to clean up the mess. She had never seen so much blood everywhere, and every time she got a new rag trying to clean, it was quickly soaked through. She fell into Jay's arms and cried when the unassuming goblins had taken over.
Soon, there would be no evidence that Mal had nearly bled out in their room, but it was something that was burned into Evie's memory.
Either the Dorm Mother and the Dorm Master of the girl's and boy's floors respectfully forgot Jay was there or didn't care, but he stayed with her until they heard from Carlos several hours later that Mal was stable in the hospital.
Ben felt like two major hospital visits in under a year, and barely a few months apart, was a failure on his part as the Isle Four's guardian.
He had tried to get the doctor to speak with him, but there was an issue with privacy laws. It was Mal's 18th birthday, and she was no longer considered a child. She did not have an emergency contact, and since she and Carlos were not married, the other teen was not allowed to be spoken to either.
Eventually, Ben had to call in his solicitor and they proffered to the hospital that the Isle Four were still technically prisoners of the Isle and therefore fell under his purview.
"I promise I will write up formal pardons…or something to say you aren't actual prisoners since you haven't committed any crime," he winced at his ungraceful explanation, they were still going through some growing pains in defining their status. "In the meantime, as her technical warden, I'm granting you power of attorney status so the doctor may speak with you on Mal's condition and possible treatment."
Carlos could appreciate that Ben gave him power of attorney and not himself.
"Can you…can you come in with me? It's just that I have no idea what to do," he admitted and wasn't prideful enough to risk Mal's health.
"I doubt I'll be much better," the Crown Prince admitted. "Do…do you think my mom could come?"
The Queen was better than nobody, and Belle rushed over as soon as she was called. The three of them sat with the doctor while Mal got rest.
"As best as we can tell, she has come into her full fae heritage, including wings and horns. Her levels of calcium, potassium, and all B vitamins are dangerously low, as well as her body fat percentage is almost nothing. We have her on a vitamin IV drip as well as saline to replenish her fluids. We will keep her a few days for observation, to make sure the vitamins are working and no other 'features' pop up. Please understand this is a novel treatment as most dark fae are born with their wings and horns," the doctor explained.
It wasn't a full explanation, but it was better than nothing and Carlos was fair enough that dark fae were rare, Moor fae rarer than most.
"She is half human," Carlos told him quietly, giving the only explanation he had for why Mal's fae form wasn't present at birth. "And who knows what the magical suppression of the Isle has done to her magical development."
He said this nonplussed, he wasn't angry at anyone or anything, just merely stating his observation.
Both Belle and Ben looked at each other quickly, slightly guilty that it very well may be the fault of their imprisonment that could have adversely affected magically born children.
At least I can use this as an argument for prison reform and Isle-to-Auradon.
No one really knew the effect of magical suppression on magical races and their development. From looking at Mal's emaciated prone form, it certainly was not good.
Ben prayed that the rumours of Mal's pregnancy would be put to rest, he would bet money that Carlos' nerves were frayed, and the next insensitive or idiotic remark might set him on a rampage.
Ben may very well join him.
The IV of vitamins and fluids, as well as several hearty protein rich meals had Mal feeling better and out of the hospital in no time.
Unfortunately, with her new body came new challenges. Her center of balance felt off and she was constantly bumping into things. The horns gave her a height she wasn't accustomed to, and her entire wardrobe had to be altered. Many overhead shirts were torn by her horns, and none of them fit over her wings.
Evie was clever with her sewing machine and made garments to accommodate both.
If only it was her clothes that were her biggest issues. She always had to deal with comparisons to her mother, often people thought Mal was Maleficent writ purple and small. With her wings and horns, she looked more akin to her height. Although her horns curled rather than stood slightly curved and mostly straight up, they gave her an unmistakable fae look.
Whatever transformation she had, it had smoothed out all her scars and made her skin almost luminous. She was more ethereally beautiful than ever.
That beauty became muted when Mal's misery over her new body became apparent. Her wings were constantly in the way, and she didn't know how her mother or any fae dealt with them. If she wasn't bumping into things, then people would close doors or step on the primary feathers that dragged on the ground. The bottoms of her wings seemed to be constantly dirty from dragging, she was dripping oil from somewhere on her wings, she had no idea, and all it seemed to do was collect in one spot and catch every speck of dust in the air.
Her horns constantly itched and no amount of scratching with her sharpened nails seemed to alleviate her misery at all. She didn't know what she could do with her hair since her normal French braids were no longer an option. She was tempted at times to simply saw off her horns and shave her head.
She had no idea how to take care of her wings or horns, she had finals and projects due that she'd rather put her energy to, but with her new body came maintenance that no one in Auradon knew how to deal with. There weren't even books in the library for her to get an idea.
All in all, she was utterly miserable, and no one could help her.
After a few weeks, her feathers started to fall out and all the doctors could conclude was that it was stress related.
Carlos wasn't surprised when one day she couldn't take it anymore and escaped to the forest for some privacy. With only Carlos as witness, she broke down crying and then cried even harder when it became apparent that he had a difficult time trying to hold her as her wings and horns were in the way, again.
"All she taught me was bitterness and hate," she growled through the tears, on her knees and laying on his lap. He tried to sooth her as best as he could, and it did seem at least some of the contact was helping.
"I don't know how to be a fae," she admitted out loud, which was something her mother always admonished her for. It always made her feel like being fae was something in her blood that she should know by instinct, but nothing was intuitive about how to care for herself.
With her emotions, the foliage around them had grown, blossomed, and then wilted. All out of her control.
She felt like even the little bit of magic she did know was failing her.
Carlos couldn't stand to see Mal suffering anymore, so he swallowed his pride and went to Ben's dorm after Mal felt up to going back to Auradon Prep.
The Crown Prince was surprised to see him but was courteous as it was how he was raised and offered for Carlos to come into his suite. It was the second time Carlos had been in the royal wing of suites, the first time when P.H. had come to the school to see him and they had figured out that Cecil was behind the confusion between his family.
Then, he had only seen the office Ben used in his official capacity as the Crown Prince of Auradon City.
Carlos had thought his dorm was spacious, but clearly it was only compared to what he was used to on the Isle. Ben's rooms were an entire apartment which included a bedroom that was twice as big as his dorm and a full sitting area, with his office attached through a door. He was certain one of the other doors would lead to a full bathroom.
He idly wondered if all royal dorms were the same or if Ben had this monstrosity of a room because he was the Crown Prince.
"We need to go to the Moor," Carlos didn't waste time as he sat on a silk brocade couch.
He tried not to fidget under the confused gaze of the Crown Prince and how uncomfortable the seat was.
He didn't understand what it was with rich people who bought gaudy uncomfortable furniture, Hell Hall was also filled with like items.
"Pardon me," Ben realized he was staring dumbly. "Where do you want to go?"
"The Moor, it's south of Auradon City and east of Auroria."
Ben was not impressed with Carlos' sarcasm.
"Yes, I'm aware of where it is, but it's closed off if you recall. By very aggressive and deadly magical thorned vines, it's forbidden to even go a mile to the border. Why do you want to go there?"
"Mal needs a Moorish fae… she…she's miserable and none of us know how to help her. There are no Moorish fae in Auradon, and there are no books on the subject. She can't go to her mother, obviously. She has no idea how to care for her wings or horns. She's losing feathers…The last of the dark fae are in the Moor."
Ben understood where Carlos was getting at and to a point agreed with him.
"How do you plan to get past the thorned vines?"
"Maleficent used the last of her power to protect the Moor and all the dark fae refugees from the Fae Wars, I'm hoping she only bespelled them to keep out humans. I'm only half human, I hope that's enough to get me in, if not at least close enough to beg for help. Mal is Maleficent's daughter; I'm hoping they would be willing to help her."
It wasn't the worst plan, but the last thing he wanted was to just go waltzing in and have Carlos be hurt or die. That would destroy Mal and he couldn't do that to her.
"What does Mal have to say about this?"
"She doesn't think they would help her as she is free while her mother is imprisoned. She doesn't trust the dark fae as they sided with Maleficent and haven't had any outside influence in twenty years. She doesn't want to be associated with them as she thinks it'll compromise our status in Auradon."
Which was more politically astute that he would have given Mal credit for. Normally the girl was so aloof and disinterested that he thought she was completely indifferent to the politics of Auradon.
There might be some that were sympathetic to Mal and the Isle teens, but most were not. Doubly so because Mal was the daughter of a dark fae who was tried as a war criminal as well as for attempted regicide.
Maleficent had closed off the borders to the Moor, other magical realms had followed suit.
The dark fae realm had many resources that men coveted, it was one of the reasons why King Henry, Audrey's great grandfather, had tried to invade in the first place.
Even during the height of the Fae Wars, King Stefan had formally annexed the Moor on paper even if they never occupied the land.
Because Maleficent had closed it off and no one had managed to breach the defenses, it was currently illegal to be within a mile of the Moorian border as anyone who tried were killed.
Formally, king Phillip and queen Aurora called themselves king and queen of Auroria, the Summerlands, and the Moor.
The fae who didn't seek asylum in the Moor and settled in the magic friendly Westerly or Camelot Heights protested those titles.
Ben was in AP History, and he was learning that Auradon Prep had a bit of a skewed version of history. He wasn't naïve enough to think that there would be no bias in how history was viewed by humans verses the fae and magical folk of Auradon, but doing outside research of his curriculum, he was tempted to do an overhaul, so it was a bit more balanced.
His more political side told him to tread lightly. Regardless, the fae had devastated the land. Maleficent herself was responsible for wiping out entire generations of humans and dwarves. He didn't want to give anyone reason to believe he was downplaying the atrocities of war, but he wanted to emphasize that humans were not clean in what started the wars.
What right did King Henry have in trying to invade the Moor in the first place? Would Maleficent have targeted the baby Princess Aurora if she and the fae been left alone? These were questions generally left out of their lessons.
If he didn't think it would be suicidal, both politically and literally, he sometimes had the mad idea of sending a historian to the Isle to get Maleficent's side of the story.
"Alright," Ben conceded, he knew he was always going to, anything to help Mal. "How do you want to do this?"
"We have Spring Break coming up and I told her I was going to Hell Hall in East Riding to spend the weekend and maybe a few days with my family. I figure we can leave Friday after classes, and I'll try to breach the barrier or at least get in contact with someone. If at least one fae is willing, we can bring them back to Auradon Prep to give Mal guidance until school is back in session."
It was as good of a plan as any.
"We should try through the Auradon City side. I don't want to cause a diplomatic incident trying to break UKA laws in another's kingdom.
It went without saying Ben certainly did not want to be in Aurorian lands, trying to breech the Moor. He hoped that king Phillip and queen Aurora were not petty enough to lodge a formal complaint simply because he broke up with their daughter, but he didn't want to risk it.
Mal was more than willing to leave Carlos to his own devices during break. She was miserable and knew she would only make those around her miserable. He did make sure she had plenty to eat and several of her favorite candies tucked away everywhere and desserts on the menu with the kitchens.
Ben chose one of the more discreet limos, and they all looked alike to Mal. So, she was none the wiser when one picked Carlos up from Auradon Prep, as it looked like it could very well belong to the de Vils or any wealthy family in Auradon. She did not see that Ben was already inside.
The drive was a couple of hours, and Carlos was too preoccupied with his concern for Mal and Ben simply had no idea what he would even speak about to the Isle teen for several hours. Instead, he used his time wisely to get some homework done and ahead of his reading.
They made it to the border between Auradon City and Auroria, Moorish lands crossed into both and a bit of East Riding.
As Crown Prince, he really only had authority within the limits of Auradon City. Even if he were King, it would be bad optics and generally poor treatment of his subjects if he were to attempt to breech the Moor while in another's kingdom.
If he were a commoner, then he'd be breaking the law. The rules were a bit mirky for royals, as they weren't above the law per se, but they were the ones who made them, so at most all he had to do was say the law was what he wanted it to be, and technically others had to follow.
The law against approaching the thorned wall was for Auradonian's protection. Even in the twenty years since Maleficent was captured and she wielded no magic, the thorned vines still stood several stories high, with car sized thorns that would immediately kill any human that dared approach.
It was a testament to her power, as Dr. FéeMarraine had to redo the magic of the Isle barrier yearly.
Ben didn't agree and would never condone the atrocities Maleficent, and other magic wielders, had done during the wars, but he could admire her last stand to protect her people.
What started the war and who actually had rights to the Moor was hotly debated. A hundred years ago, borders and land disputes were a common occurrence. There were constant fights amongst humans on whose land was whose and which King ruled. Even in the modern age with satellite maps and treaties, some lower royals still argued over where their borders were.
King Phillip and king Eric were one example. The Westerly king often disputed the exact lands between them and Charmington. Thankfully, those disputes were in the Chamber and not on the battlefield any longer.
Many land disputes were largely scholarly and depended upon one's opinion.
The fae had always contended that the Moor was theirs, and King Henry was an invader who coveted the many resources of the fae occupied land.
King Henry and later king Stefan contended that the lands were always part of Auroria, the fae merely commoners with no rights, and never paid taxes. Where it got mirkier was why Maleficent had cursed baby Aurora.
Ben always wondered why she would care as according to historians, Auroria had claimed the Moor but had yet to try to enforce their claim after King Henry passed. Most fae at the time bowed to no king and lived where they lived. What did the fae care what humans thought they had rights to? They could claim the Moor until they were blue in the face, it didn't necessarily stop them from living on the land anyway.
Of course, everything they generally knew about the issues was according to human historians.
He had tried to delicately ask Mal if she knew of any alternate point of view, but she merely said,
"History is written by the winners. What does it matter why or what caused my mother to curse Aurora? Her reasons led to the Fae Wars, and she lost."
She knew that whole "wasn't invited" story was rubbish. The fae did not hold themselves to human etiquette, why would she care about a human celebration to a king she didn't recognize? Some fae participated in christening and granted gifts to children, but that was for light fae and pixies such as Flittle, Knotgrass, and Thistlewit. In any recorded history, the dark fae have never been ones to participate in a christening.
Given the fact that Maleficent did indeed lose, he dropped the topic and had yet to feel comfortable bringing it up again.
Ben had prepared for a vehicle switch, they wanted to keep the mission under tight secrecy. The limo dropped them off at an out of the way petrol station, where a mid-sized sedan awaited them with their luggage.
Carlos wore a baseball cap to cover his recognizable hair, and Ben heavily gelled his so that it would appear darker than it normally was. They both changed from their uniform to simple polos and jeans, looking like ordinary teens on a road trip for their Spring Break.
They drove to a charming Inn a few miles away from the Moorian and Aurorian borders. The owners boasted on a plaque that the Inn was open when Maleficent had cursed baby Aurora and stood the test of time, even as the Aurorian court had fallen under the 100-Year Sleeping Spell.
Border towns were always a mixing of the two kingdoms, the architecture of the Inn with its timber framing was Aurorian, but had Auradonian motifs such as the fleur de lis and the ancient flag in bars of blue, white, and red.
They ate dinner in a corner booth, no one seemed to recognize either of them and the staff was friendly. The food choices were heavy on sausages and potato-based sides, Carlos preferred something lighter and opted for the pot-au-feu and Ben chose the jägerschnitzel with fries as it was his favourite dish when he was dating Audrey and hadn't had it in a while.
They ate in a nervous silence, neither knowing what to say to one another besides their mission, but neither would speak of such things while in public. Ben wanted to ask things such as Carlos' plans after Auradon Prep, but he knew that his plan revolved or heavily involved Mal and probably couldn't speak of anything unless he spoke of her as well.
Carlos also seemed preoccupied while he ate, probably worried about Mal and their mission succeeding, so Ben dealt with the silence. After they ate, they went to their room. It was a small cottage room with two narrow twin beds. The plan was just to stay the night, so they didn't need much.
Night fell and most of the town's nightlife was at the lone pub across the way. They went out on foot and walked through the woods.
Although it was dark, the moon was full, and Ben guessed that Carlos had keen vision at night just as he had. He could easily see the forest floor and avoid making noise. Carlos walked as if he were on air, a seasoned predator that prey would never hear coming.
There was only one dirt road that led to the thorned wall, with only one guard stationed to turn away anyone who would attempt to approach the Moorian border.
Over the past twenty years, there were a handful or so of fatalities. Treasure hunters who coveted the rumoured mountains of gold, silver, and gems to be mined. Some thought themselves Aurorian patriots that had a right to the land and formed small militias to conquer.
All were ripped apart by the vines and left as little more than bones and viscera.
Most valued their lives and stayed away. Each border kingdom had a skeleton crew to guard the main road to the Moor, if one was determined to try to breech into the Moor then they would have to go around.
He had only been in the Isle forest for a few moments, but all deep woods seemed to share the same shadowy foreboding that settled into his bones. That while he might be part Beast, an instinctual part of him had a healthy respect and fear of what else might prowl behind the trees and in the thickets.
Carlos walked with more confidence, that of an apex predator, but he still kept an ear and eye out for something that might come running towards them.
They got to the thorned barrier, and both stopped to marvel at such a feat.
The thorns and vines were intertwined and weaved together, as thick as a curtain wall and as high as a tower. This went on for miles, and the Moor was as big as a small country if Ben recalled the dimensions of previous maps.
The Moor was a place no human had set foot in over a hundred years. Even with the advent of technology, the magic prevented drones and airplanes from flying overhead.
He didn't know if it was his Beastly hearing, but he was certain he could hear the buzzing of magic that radiated off the vines.
He wasn't surprised that Maleficent had been shortly defeated after erecting such a wonder, it probably took every last ounce of magic she had in her body to create it, and for it to be as lasting as it was.
Ben was some undefinable amount of magic, and it would probably take scholars debating for years if he were to be considered a magical creature or not. He knew none would do so as King Adam had already declared that they weren't and therefore were still eligible for the High Throne.
So far, no other kingdom had tried to challenge that. The next in line where the Charmings, and he knew Chad wouldn't challenge his claim to the High Throne. Audrey might, depending on who she married and could help her back the challenge. The Bourbons were maybe safe for one more generation, but Ben worried that his grandchildren may be embroiled in a future civil war to knock them off the Throne.
Ben was almost afraid to approach the barrier and have it let him in.
Death or proof he legally had no right to inherit, neither were good prospects.
Carlos, on the other hand, while his father wasn't known, he knew and others assumed he was a magical creature. He just hoped the vines couldn't tell his half-human heritage or didn't hold it against them.
They also had to hope that the wall wasn't spelled to only allow the fae in.
Ben hung back, bracing himself to help Carlos if the vines started to attack. The Isle teen slowly made his way to the wall.
He got further than most, and perhaps the vines did sense his magical creature blood, and they shook and slithered like snakes. Carlos stopped and took it for the warning that it was. He took a deep breath and shifted ever so slightly so that his teeth came to points, his nails turned to claws, and his hair grew out while his eyes turned blood red. Perhaps if his magical features were more pronounced, the wall would make way for him.
The wall again took note of his magical blood but was not going to go as far as to grant him access. A vine snapped at his feet, kicking up dirt and digging a gash on the ground.
The message was loud and clear, this was the line he could not cross.
"Please!" he called out, hoping someone could hear. "Mal, daughter of Maleficent needs your help!"
He shouted loud enough for his voice to echo through the forest, but still no evidence that anyone had heard him.
Minutes passed with no answer, all they could hear were the soft chirps of nightlife such as crickets and the wind through the trees.
"She's half human and just came into her wings and horns!" he wasn't ready to give up. He inched closer and when the vines looked threatening, he unleashed frost from his breath and froze the snakelike vines in their tracks.
The magical frost did not hold it long, for it broke free and again snapped at his feet and caused him to stumble backwards.
"We only want someone to guide her! Nothing else! We do not seek the riches of the Moor!"
Still, no matter how much he pled and pledged that they were not there for greed, the woods remained silent except for the symphony of nightlife.
"Carlos, stop!" Ben pled, afraid the magic protecting the Moor would lose its patience and end the teen.
Carlos let out a frustrated growl, itching to tear the vines from root to stem as the thicket got thicker and thicker, weaving more tightly to emphasize that they were not welcome.
"Please do not make me tell Mal you died trying to get into the Moor," Ben begged, he loved Mal enough to not ever want to see her in pain and grieving for a lost love.
The fight immediately left Carlos, he could not stand to be one more person in her life that left or let her down.
"Please," he said softly, one last ditch effort. "She's in pain and I don't know how to help her."
He sighed in defeat at the deafening silence, he turned, and they headed back to the Inn.
Through the shadows of the thicket, three sets of moss green eyes watched them leave.