Everyone rose from their seats as Cinderella escorted Chad and his sisters into a lavishly decorated room for a private conversation. The walls were adorned with tapestries depicting scenes from fairy tales, and the air was thick with the scent of jasmine and roses. The tension was palpable, and whispers filled the grand hall behind them.
"Do you think Chad's in trouble?" Doug asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Given his sister's revelation, I'd say so," Evie replied, her eyes darting between Mal and Hades, who were now following Ben into another secluded chamber. "Mal's about to confront her father," she added, nodding toward the direction they had gone. Nearby, Adam and Belle stood together, their faces etched with worry.
"Ex-King Adam looks worried," Doug noted. "He seems distrustful of Hades."
"Lord Hades isn't completely terrible, despite Mal's resentment towards him," Evie mused, her tone reflective.
Doug glanced around the opulent hall, filled with guests in their finest attire. "Let's grab some food," he suggested.
Evie turned, surveying the area with a keen eye. Spotting a young girl, she called out, "Dizzy, come over here." Dizzy approached, the Smee Twins trailing behind her like shadows.
"Where's Celia?" Evie asked.
"She's with Queen Tiana," Dizzy replied, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Let's get something to eat for you guys," Evie said, leading them toward a buffet laden with delectable treats.
In a dimly lit room adorned with ancient artifacts and mystical symbols, Mal glared at Hades, clutching her lizard mother tightly.
"Mali, I had no idea your mother would follow my plan," Hades pleaded, his voice a mixture of desperation and regret.
"You inspired her!" Mal accused, her eyes blazing with anger. "And you abandoned her, knowing her heart was shattered."
"Mal," Ben interjected softly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine," Mal insisted, though her grip on the lizard tightened.
"I was preoccupied; your cousin was a threat I needed to eliminate. I hoped he'd grow up anonymous in that couple's care while I pursued my conquest of Olympus," Hades explained, his tone defensive.
"Hercules thwarted you in the end," Mal pointed out, her voice cold. "Why did you abandon me with her?"
"It's complex, Mali, a long tale you'd find unbelievable," Hades said, his eyes filled with a sorrowful depth.
"Go on," Mal challenged, crossing her arms defiantly.
"I did take you. You were with me until you turned three. Then your mother reclaimed you and threatened dire consequences if I attempted to take you back," Hades explained, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't believe you," Mal retorted, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Why did you try to escape earlier today?" Ben asked, noticing Mal's silence and the conflicting emotions on her face.
"I wanted freedom. I'm a god trapped on an island surrounded by idiots, and I wanted to see Mal," Hades explained, eliciting gasps from both Mal and Ben.
"I don't believe you!" Ben exclaimed. "You zapped her with your powers, trying to drain her powers."
"Ben, wait," Mal interjected, her voice urgent.
"No, Mal, he hurt you," Ben insisted, unconvinced by Mal's attempt to stop him from speaking the truth.
"I wasn't draining her
; I was giving her a taste of her real powers," Hades clarified, his eyes locked onto Mal's. "I can only do that with the ember. Anyone else not family would be dead from the zap."
Ben turned to Mal to verify Hades' claim. Mal looked down before responding, "At first, I thought he was draining my powers, but when we reached the castle, I felt stronger than before. That's why I went for my walk tonight before Queen Leah confronted me."
"Wait, what did she want?" Ben inquired, setting aside the revelation that Hades was not attacking Mal but enhancing her power.
"She was trying to steer you back to Audrey," Mal revealed, her voice tinged with bitterness.
"Well, considering what we've seen so far, I think she has more pressing issues, given her lies about who King Stefan was," Ben remarked, embracing Mal, which caused the lizard to hiss.
"Sorry," Ben apologized, glancing down at the lizard.
"Let's grab a bite," Hades suggested as they swung the door open, only to stumble upon a royal skirmish.
The grand hall was now a scene of chaos. The once orderly gathering had devolved into a heated argument. Queen Leah's voice rang out, sharp and cutting, as she exchanged barbs with Adam. The crowd had formed a loose circle around them, murmuring and gasping with each escalation.
"What have we walked into?" Mal inquired, looking to Ben for answers while Hades watched the fray with a smirk. Evie hurried to Mal's side, her face flushed with concern.
"Evie, what happened?" Ben questioned, his voice rising over the noise.
"Your father and Queen Leah were at odds, and then Eugene and Aladdin got involved," she explained quickly.
"Over what?" Ben asked, frustration creeping into his tone.
"Queen Leah criticized Mal for her villainous lineage, praising Stefan's actions as just. Your father took offense and demanded Leah to retract her words, and that's when the altercation erupted," Evie explained.
"Why has no one stopped the fight?" Hades inquired, his voice calm but commanding.
"The Fairy Godmother tried, but Queen Leah slapped her to keep her out of it," Evie explained, which upset Mal.
"She did what?" Mal exclaimed in anger.
"Mal, wait. Let me handle this," Hades interjected, noticing his daughter's fury. He approached the altercation while Ben, Mal, and Evie looked on.
"Enough," Hades commanded, seizing Queen Leah by the arm, eliciting a scream from her.
"Leave me alone; you're hurting me," she protested as Hades pulled her aside, forcing her into a chair.
"Stay quiet, or I'll ensure you join your husband," Hades threatened, then turned to Adam. "Let's not fight in front of the children."
Adam surveyed the scene, noting the younger children watching in fear and his wife and the other queens struggling to hold back tears. He conceded that Hades was right.
"She made some remarks about Ben, and I just lost it," Adam confessed, his voice heavy with regret.
"I understand, Adam, and she will face her punishment when this is all settled," Hades assured him.
"I'll ensure she is stripped of her title as Queen once this is over," Adam declared as the Fairy Godmother approached them, her presence a calming influence.
"If everyone is finished, we can proceed with the event," the Fairy Godmother announced, looking at Hades.
Hades nodded, releasing Queen Leah from his grip but keeping a watchful eye on her. The crowd began to disperse, the tension slowly dissipating as order was restored.
As the guests returned to their seats and the murmur of conversation resumed, Mal, Ben, and Evie regrouped.
"What do we do now?" Mal asked, her voice soft and uncertain.
"We continue," Ben said firmly, his arm around her. "Together."
"Let's get some food," Hades suggested, his tone lighter now, as if the confrontation had lifted a burden from his shoulders. The group moved towards the buffet, the promise of peace and reconciliation lingering in the air like a fragile hope.