Chapter 6

When they arrived at 'Family Day' the sons and daughters of the kingdoms royal families were doing a modern day edition of 'Be Our Guest'. It had a good beat but even that Drac couldn't appreciate with the turning knot in his gut. In twenty four hours they'd be stealing the wand and all these people who were smiling and enjoying the nice day would be suffering at the hands of their parents. But wasn't that just how life went? Drac asked himself, after all their parents had been suffering for twenty years while these people all lived out their happily ever afters. Wasn't it time to flip the coin and have the villains get their endings? Drac cleared his throat trying to shake off those thoughts and just get through today. He tugged on his black button up shirt which was under a dark plum vest Evie had made that had his signature purple dragon scaled look, she'd been able to emboss the pattern into the leather making it look and feel like it was actually made of dragon hide. He had black dress pants on that Evie had insisted on, saying they pulled the outfit together and he knew better then to argue with her. Even if he wished he was in something more comfortable. He was just grateful she'd let him wear his fingerless purple leather gloves.

They all went down the stone steps to the lawn where the events and food had been set up. Drac, Carlos and Jay quickly discovered the chocolate fountain and started sticking their faces into it. Carlos had passed Dude off to Evie and she gently pet him while she talked to Lonnie. Diaval had flown off Drac's shoulder when he stuck his face in the chocolate fountain and the raven landed on another table nearby and started pecking at the food. No doubt the bird was also enjoying the upgrade in his meals instead of scavenging for the best scraps on the Isle.

"Mal!" he heard and turned to see Ben standing by his parents waving his sister over.

"I gotta go." Mal said bidding them goodbye as she approached her spelled boyfriend. Evie kept smiling and made conversation with different people like Doug, Jane and Lonnie. Drac was busy with the other guys digging into the chocolate fountain when some of his friends from band showed up. Drac grabbed a plate full of the melted chocolate and some marshmallows before following Pin to where there was an archery post set up – with suction cup arrows not real ones – that Bobby Hood and the sons of the Merry Men were challenging each other at. Aziz was cheering him on along with Arabella. Drac didn't cheer but he did watch the competition with a smile as he ate and he noticed that unlike on the Isle all the competitors wished each other well and congratulated the winner – Bobby of course – when it was over.

Mal returned shortly after with Ben's arm around her. They weren't far from where Drac was with the others so he stayed by his friends while keeping an ear out for his gang.

"Hey guys." The prince greeted them and Carlos and Jay mumbled hellos through their chocolate filled mouths and Drac tried to quickly swallow all the marshmallows he had in his mouth but failed so he just gave the prince a wave and a chocolate covered smile.

"My parents and I were wondering if you'd all like to join us for a game of croquet before lunch?" They all accepted seeing the nervous look on Mal's face, having lunch alone with her spelled boyfriend and his parents would definitely be something she needed her crew with her for support especially in the sea of prissy pick princesses. Ben turned to the others, Pin, Aziz, Arabella and Bobby and invited them too. All of them accepted the invitation except Arabella, who had already made plans to go swimming with her cousins down at the Enchanted Lake.

When they reached the garden where the croquet was set up Evie set Dude down in the grass and Carlos began to run around with him. Drac smiled at the display, enjoying how much having a pet around seemed to relax his friend, it reminded him of how much having Diaval around helped him with his own nerves. A pet rarely judged you like people did, well, as long as you kept them fed.

Not far from them Ben showed Mal how the game was played while Evie had already been taught by her mother since croquet was apparently royal tradition and Jay flirted more with the girls at the party.

It was pretty fun, enjoying yourself and not having to watch your back for someone looking to steal from you or attack you for revenge and it was nice to just relax. Drac thought a lot of people underestimated how much time being evil took, but a lot of effort was put into those wicked plans, like tagging Uma's turf without getting caught, fighting with pirates and of course all the evil homework they were assigned from their teachers at Dragon Hall.

"Nice shot!" Aziz complemented him as he made the score that won him the match. Accepting Aziz' good sportsman-like handshake brought out Drac's awkward side – and the son of Aladdin seemed to sense that. He chuckled and ran his fingers through his dark hair that was sticking out from under a purple beanie.

"We come on a little strong, don't we?" he asked guiltily.

Drac shrugged giving a tiny smile, "It's just different."

"I bet." Aziz said as the next game started and the next player made his shot. Drac waited for Pin to go next before he took his own turn. He made a less skilled shot but didn't mind since he knew there were no bystanders who were waiting to boo. Aziz adjusted his ivory jacket before he lined up his shot and made a much better one then Drac.

"A good different or a bad different?" Aziz asked him, carrying on the conversation.

Drac smiled at him, "A bad different." Aziz looked deflated, but then Drac nudged his arm, "But for us bad is the new good."

The Agrabah boy laughed, "I really like having you guys here."

Drac looked at him confused.

"It's a breath of fresh air." Aziz clarified, "All the rules here, makes it stuffy and stern sometimes. That's why I joined band and not tourney. It's easier to get lost in the music."

Drac nodded, understanding that. It was a big reason his gang sang their way through the alleys of the Isle. It was a de-stresser. It lightened the mood.

"That DJ stuff you showed me has definitely been my favorite thing about Auradon so far." he admitted as he looked down and lined up his next shot when his turn came. It was nice to have something to distract him in the conversation. Less eye contact meant socializing would come easier.

Aziz grinned brightly at him, "I'm glad to hear that."

He looked at Drac for a moment longer than normal, leaning on his mallet and looking dead into the dragon boy's green eyes. Drac's hands were clasped together in front of him spinning the handle of his mallet as he got trapped in the gaze. Something flashed in the darker brown irises but Drac was so unused to real conversation that he didn't know what flash he'd seen. And he didn't have time to speculate because -

"You!" they turned and saw Mal with Audrey and an older woman who was looking at Mal with fear, "How – how are you here? And how have you stayed so young?" she asked as Ben approached, along with several others who'd heard the old woman shout. Drac made it quickly across the lawn dropping his croquet mallet while leaving Aziz, Carlos and Dude behind as he went to watch his sister's back like he always had. He knew he wouldn't be able to do much and not ruin the illusion that they were turning to good but he had to be there in case anyone threatened Mal.

"Queen Leah, it's okay. Maleficent is still on the island. These are her children, Mal and Drac." Ben explained, resting one arm across Mal's shoulders while resting his other hand on Drac's arm. "Remember my proclamation to give the new generation a chance?"

"A chance to what Ben? Destroy us? Finish what their parents started?" she accused loudly now drawing a crowd of onlookers. She glared at him and his sister while Diaval landed on his shoulder and he knew the bird completed the wicked look making his silhouette match his mother's to a tee, except for the horns. Queen Leah then turned to the others gathering around them. "Come on. You remember, don't you? The poison apples! And the spells!"

Many looked to the ground at the painful reminder.

"Spells. . . my daughter was raised by fairies because of your mother's curse. So her first words, her first steps. . . I. Missed. It. ALL!" she turned to Fairy Godmother while Drac felt a sinking in his gut. He and Mal hadn't been born then and Queen Leah still looked at them with so much hate as if they had cursed Aurora themselves. "You mustn't trust them."

When Mal stepped forward trying to apologize Chad pushed her away. "Get away! Stay away from her."

"Don't do this Chad." Ben said defensively.

"What? They were raised by their parents, Ben. What do you think villains teach their kids? Kindness? Fair play? No way okay! You stole another girl's boyfriend." He said glaring at Mal, then looked to Jay, "You enjoy hurting people, and you –" he turned to Evie, "You're nothing but a gold digger and a cheater." Drac couldn't help it as his eyes glowed green as he glared at Chad, he heard a few shocked gasps as people saw him and was sure they were already comparing him to his mother. He knew when his eyes glowed he looked like her, though his glare he got from his father.

"Mirror mirror in my hand, who's the biggest jerk in the land?" Evie called into the mirror which then showed Chad's reflection in his face as she held it up for all to see.

"What? Come on!" Chad said offended and knocked the mirror from Evie's hand causing her to stumble. Then Jay went into protective big brother mode and grabbed Chad by the jacket.

"Back off Chad!"

Evie reached into her bag and grabbed the bottle Mal had given her and sprayed Chad in the face. He instantly fell asleep as Doug and Audrey caught him and set him down on the ground.

"Chad! Chad?" Audrey called trying to get him to wake up.

"Evie did something to Chad." He heard Lonnie tell someone. "Check if he's okay." She told Doug.

"Come on guys." Evie said pulling Mal away. Drac put his arm over her shoulders which made Diaval fly off him as Drac kept his sister from looking back knowing the looks she'd be getting would only make her feel worse. Jay followed still ready to take on anyone who tried to mess with them. "Jay!" Evie called as Carlos picked up Dude and ran after them.

"Guys!" they heard Ben calling but they all kept walking. The single squirt Evie gave Chad wasn't enough for the spell to last long and his head shook as he woke up in the next second and realized he was on the ground. Diaval cawed in the sky and then Chad's blue jacket was hit with the bird's droppings.

5 comments to next update