***Author's note: Hi guys. So my beta and I have finished the preliminary outline for semester 1 and it'll put us at just over 100 chapters. AKA it's LONG. We wanted to see if you guys would prefer the series/"books" to be broken up more by semester/breaks or by school years/breaks. Please let us know in the comments. The original plan was just to write it by school years/summer breaks, but they would be LONG "books".:) ****

Ben stared at the suit laid out on his bed. It was the dark pink one Audrey commissioned for him two years ago for their official betrothal announcement. If he'd had his way, it would've been burned the moment the announcement was over. Clearly, the suit made it out intact. Audrey rescued it and then made it well known that she adored him in it. So his father preserved it.

The first two weeks of classes had given him a slight reprieve from maintaining his relationship with Audrey. Now, he was out of time. Gods, he didn't want to do this. Two weeks of eating with Doug and Lonnie or them, the VKs, the Corona heir, and her fiancé had spoiled him. Eating with them was relaxing. They didn't expect anything from him. They didn't care what he said and he didn't have to worry about all of the "manners" he would be forced to use with Audrey and her friends. If he actually tried to follow formality the VKs would tear him apart. And it'd be fun since he hated it too. Maybe it'd be a bit painful, but it would definitely be entertaining.

With a groan, he forced himself into the suit and, in minor rebellion, Ben grabbed a blue pocket square and tie. She could survive him wearing one of his own colors. He also refused to style his hair. It was a Friday night, almost the weekend, and he didn't feel the need, or desire, to put in extra effort.

Dinner was at his home, fortunately without his parents, and he came down the stairs to find Lumiere escorting Audrey to the smaller dining room.

"Benny-boo!" she beamed, abandoning Lumiere to wrap herself around Ben's arm. When she spotted his tie, her eyes narrowed, but all she said was, "I've missed you."

"Good evening, Audrey," Ben nodded as he kissed the back of her hand. "It's been a busy few weeks."

"Too busy for your betrothed?"

"I believe you were just as busy."

Her laugh was a little sharp behind the lightness. "Such is the life of royalty. We must be responsible and ensure we are best prepared to handle the rigors of ruling Auradon."

Bristling, Ben kept his expression neutral. Betrothed or not, Auradon was his home and he knew her heart didn't belong to the citizens here, and she certainly wasn't in theirs. It wasn't a home to her. No amount of schooling could teach someone how to love a country. "There's more to ruling than just what we learn in class. It's a good start, but it can't teach us everything."

"Oh, Benny-boo," she smiled. "You worry too much. Ruling is natural to us."

There it was again. Where did that belief come from? From the Council meetings he'd been in, King Philip and Queen Aurora were entitled, but they didn't come across as extreme. Unlike Audrey. Was he missing something? At his side, his fingers twitched and he resisted the urge to bite his finger. Maybe he should try approaching Chad about it, just not directly. And he should talk to Doug. He and his cousins grew up with Snow White's son and knew him pretty well. He'd have to ask Lonnie and Doug to keep an eye on the younger heirs of other countries as they started attending the University. If the other heirs were growing up with this mentality, he needed to know sooner rather than later…That belief was dangerous and he couldn't, wouldn't, want to maintain the Ascendancy if that was the kind of thinking the other countries encouraged.

Entering the dining room, nodding gratefully to Lumiere, Ben escorted Audrey to her seat before taking his across from her. "Mrs. Potts made roast pork and stewed turnips tonight; I know it's your favorite."

"Oh, how nice," she smiled. "That'll be delicious. She makes it almost as well as Merriweather."

Almost as…Fucking gods…It was okay. It was fine. He was just tired. That was all. She didn't mean anything by it. It could easily be a compliment because Merriweather made incredible food.

"Ben? Is everything alright?"

When he met her gaze, Ben offered her a tired smile. "Yeah, I'm alright. Sorry, Audrey. I'm more tired than I thought."

"I hate to say this, Benny-boo," Audrey frowned, a slight pout on her lips, "but you might not be so tired if you didn't spend so much time with the villains and worrying about them. They're taking up so much of your time that you need to rest."

"Audr-"

"You have to worry about what they're doing and how much trouble they're causing," she continued, gesturing vaguely as Mrs. Potts brought in the food with Chip. "Chad says that Jafar's son is definitely looking to cause trouble. Challenges the rest of the class all the time and shows off."

"Listen, Audre-" Ben tried again even as he nodded his thanks to Mrs. Potts as she placed the meal before him.

"Those two 'women' are thugs trying to whore their way into nobility. Have you seen the clothes they wea-"

"Audrey." He wasn't yelling. He wasn't yelling. He wasn't going to yell. Hazel eyes widening, the princess stared at him. Then her brow furrowed. "None of them are causing trouble. Not a single one of them is trying to challenge anyone and suggesting that any of them, man or woman, are whoring themselves," Gods he wished he could tell her to act like the princess she was supposed to be, "is insulting."

"Benjamin, if I didn't know better, I'd say they spelled you," Audrey said and Ben shivered a little.

"But you know better," he replied after a moment to collect himself. "Now, we shouldn't let Mrs. Potts's food get cold."

When she opened her mouth, Ben shot her a look. Promptly snapping her mouth shut, Audrey glowered at him. He couldn't bring himself to care. Not when his blood was boiling and he had to focus to make sure he didn't growl. After several moments, and his temper leveled out, he finally extended an olive branch, asking about her classes and attempting to engage with the conversation.

By the time they were finished, all Ben wanted was to sleep for the next week. There was so much he had to worry about now that he hadn't had to worry about before she arrived. How this continued to happen in his life he didn't know. Perhaps the gods liked to amuse themselves with his life. But his luck wasn't as bad as others…Like the VKs…

As he offered Audrey his arm to escort her to the main doors, she chatted about her plans to spend the weekend shopping with Ariel's daughter and Snow White's son. Only registering half the words, Ben nodded along and when they reached the doors, he moved to step back from her, only for Audrey to follow.

"Goodnight, Benny-boo," she cooed and before he could respond her lips were on his. Without thinking, he stepped back, everything in him snarling in protest, hating the touch.

"Goodnight, Audrey," he managed, smile forced, body coiled in disgust.

Pressing a final kiss to his cheek, oblivious to his discomfort, Audrey pranced out the door. The moment it closed behind her, Ben shuddered and yanked off his tie. He didn't have a problem with physical touch or displays of emotion, but something about the feel of Audrey's lips…He wanted to erase it, replace it. For a split second his mind went to lips he'd have much rather had. And he shoved it away.

"Lumiere, I'm going to head to bed," he said as he slid out of his jacket. "Tell my parents that I won't be able to join them tonight."

"Of course, Your Highness," Lumiere nodded, watching him with concern as he headed for his room.

He needed to bathe. Now.