Mal glared at the chalkboard as she copied down the stupid formula. Something about the magic resistance of the material multiplied by the weight of the item then divided by the amount of force needed to move it multiplied by the amount of magic required to overcome the resistance and gods she thought her math class was frustrating. Math only confused her. Magic Basics made her head spin until she felt like she was going to vomit.
As the professor added another symbol to the equation, Mal resisted the urge to throw her pencil. None of this made sense. How the hell was she supposed to know what a rock's magical resistance was? Especially since there was apparently more than one type of rock and each type of rock had a different resistance so she had to, what, memorize all of them just to make a rock float? Who had time for that? How were people able to make magic so dangerous if they had to think so much to do it?
And Maleficent had not taught her any of that when she was still given lessons. None of her mother's lessons included math or calculations… Not that she'd tell anyone from the Ascendancy that. Bad enough Maleficent was her mother. If they knew Maleficent taught her very, very basic magic she'd be sent back to the Isle. It wouldn't matter that she couldn't learn any dangerous spells with the barrier in the way; the daughter of the most powerful fae in centuries having been taught by her mother would be too dangerous to keep on the mainland. Even worse, they might send her pack too.
"Does everyone understand how this will work?" the professor asked and Mal blinked back to attention. Mal had no idea how it worked, but she didn't bother disagreeing as the rest of the class nodded. Every time she'd spoken up before it hadn't helped and she was sick of it. "Excellent. I'm going to provide each of you with a rock to practice with. Right now the only goal is to get it to levitate for a few seconds."
A few minutes later, everyone had a rock. Rolling her eyes, Mal picked hers up. It was plain, just a boring grey with nothing special about it. No extra colors. No crystal-like features. A boring grey rock. She might as well have been holding the physical representation of Auradon in her hand. If she was going to have to stare at the thing for the next few hours, the least the professor could do was give her something pretty.
As the rest of the class set to work, chatting and comparing rocks, Mal poked hers with a strand of magic. And just like every other time, she couldn't feel anything different about its "resistance". Everything had a different resistance, but everything felt the same when she tested it. Sparks flickered around her and she forced herself to breathe. In for seven. Hold for four. Out for seven. She wasn't going to get anything to happen if she couldn't focus. Pulling her notebook closer, Mal looked over the formula one more time before closing her eyes to focus on the damn rock.
She had no idea how long she sat like that. All she knew was that by the time she heard someone squeal "I got it!" her leg was bouncing in place faster than a fly's wings and her whole head ached.
Jaw tightening, Mal resisted the urge to throw the rock at her classmate. Of fucking course someone already figured it out. And soon someone else would. And then someone else and then another person and then another until Mal was the only person who couldn't make a stupid little rock float.
In for seven. Hold for four. Out for seven. In for seven. Hold for four. Out for seven.
No way in hell was she going to fail something so simple.
"Is she really Maleficent's daughter?" a voice whispered behind her.
Gods fucking damnit.
"I don't know. They say she is," another whispered back.
"But then shouldn't she, you know… be able to do this?"
"Shut up! What if she hears you?"
Malka fell to her knees, panting, arms shaking as she tried to hold herself up. Sweat stung her eyes even though the dungeon was cool. All ten candles were still unlit no matter how hard she tried.
"You disappoint me, Malka."
Swallowing, she kept her gaze on the floor. "I'm sorry, Mother."
"This is a simple task, one any fae your age should be able to accomplish, let alone one with your heritage."
"Yes, Mother."
Long fingers caught her chin and lifted her gaze to meet the cold, yellow eyes of Maleficent. "My expectations were so high for you," Maleficent mused, turning Malka's face one way and then the other. "How unfortunate." Something in her eyes sent chills down Malka's spine and she flinched. The curl of her mother's lip twisted with disapproval. "It seems you will never live up to them."
"I just need a little more time," Malka said. Don't beg. Never beg. It would only make things worse.
"It is not time that you need, oh spawn of mine," Maleficent disagreed as she released Malka's face and turned away. "It's power. Power you do not, and never will, have on this Isle. Thus you will always be a disappointment. Such a weak and powerless fae does not deserve a name."
No. No, her mother couldn't be serious. She wouldn't. Desperate, Malka struggled to her feet. "Give me another chance! I won't disappoint you!"
Without turning to look at her daughter, Maleficent said, "I revoke your name."
Tears bleared her vision as she reached after her mother. "No. No, Mother, please. Not my name."
"Until you are able to prove your worth, your name is forfeit. Consider this… motivation."
And then her mother was gone, disappearing up the stairs with a swish of her cloak.
And Mal was left gasping and sobbing on the floor.
Smirking, making sure to bare her teeth just a little too much to be friendly, Mal turned to face the girls sitting behind her. A single flame, green as her eyes, curled around her wrist. "Oh I heard you."
Both of them squeaked and bolted for a different table.
Mal cackled because she refused to cry.