AN:

Thank you all for your kind words!

kleinevelyn299 - Fairy Godmother's name will eventually be revealed.

The air in Auradon was thick with anticipation the next morning, as preparations were being made far and wide. The whole kingdom was gearing up to celebrate their new king. Schools were out of session for the day, families were together, and thousands upon thousands of people crowded Auradon City's streets, hoping they'd be able to catch a glimpse of their new High King on his way in or out of the Cathedral.

At Auradon Prep, the excitement was supercharged. The students who hadn't left early were racing between forms, helping each other with their outfits, makeup, and hair. This coronation was for one of their own, the first of their generation. Even those who weren't friends with Ben had been on the receiving end of his kindness. Photos and posters lined the walls, showing off his accomplishments and wishing him luck.

Ben himself had been up for hours. It had been a fight to get his parents to agree for him to stay at Auradon Prep the night before, but he had wanted to be near his friends and with his peers, and to ride to the city with Mal, instead of being alone at his family's castle.

Of course, even if he had gone back to Auradon City for the night, he was certain Aksel and Reiner would have found their way there as well. His friends had waited for him the night before, knowing that Ben would retreat into his head after everything that they had learned during Family Day, and they didn't want to leave him alone.

There was so much to do in the upcoming days, so much he hadn't even considered. He doubted that what they had discovered about the Isle during the Viewing even scratched the surface of the Isle issues.

"Hey, no overthinking on your Coronation Day!" Aksel called as he walked into Ben's room. He and Reiner had left a while ago so they could get ready, and Aksel was the first to return. He narrowed his eyes at Ben, "If you do, I will be obligated to sing my mother's song."

Ben shook his head, "I'm not overthinking." He said.

"Sure you're not." Aksel responded flatly. "How many salad plates do you think are in Auradon Prep?"

"Aksel."

"Ben."

The boys stared at each other for a minute before Ben turned his head with a sigh. "I'm trying not to." He amended. "But I can't stop thinking about it. There's so much work that's going to need to be done. They weren't getting fresh food, Aksel, and if the food was rotten, what conditions were the clothes in? How about the medicine? They were getting our trash! I just…" Ben trailed off, looking out his window. Aksel stayed quiet, having heard plenty of Ben's rattled thoughts through the night and having contributed to the conversations with plenty of his own.

Neither knew it, but plenty of Ak's hadn't slept the night before, with similar thoughts running through their heads.

The dark clouds of the Isle were easy to spot against Auradon's clear skies, and the barrier shimmered in the light, stronger than it had been the day before as Fairy Godmother gathered the Isle Creators over the night to reinforce it and patch up the crack. Ben looked down at his hands, spinning his Beast ring. "I knew that there was bound to be issues with the Isle," He told his friend, "I just wasn't expecting these issues."

"None of us were." Aksel replied. "Not even our parents knew how bad it was. But today isn't the day to tackle all those issues, Ben. Today, you're becoming the High King of Auradon and the Isle. We're going to go to Auradon City, and you're going to get crowned. After that, you'll go to the balcony and wave to your subjects, you'll be paraded through the streets, spend time with your family, party with your friends, and tomorrow you can start planning meetings and bringing out all the paperwork you want. I'll even stay to help."

"No." Ben told him firmly. "You need to go back to Arendalle for the week. I know you've been missing your family, and your kingdom. Take pictures of any baby reindeer. But, I wouldn't mind the help once we're back from break."

Aksel grinned. "Pizza and paperwork. We can see if the VKs want to join in, and I'm sure Reiner and Elsie would help too."

"I heard my name." The boys turned to the open door as Elsie walked in. Half of her brown hair was pulled into a braid lined with flowers, which matched the ones on her green dress. "What's going on?"

"Paperwork party." Aksel said, then cleared his throat and elaborated. "Once we're back from spring break, I mean. We're planning it. Did you sleep last night?"

Ben frowned and looked closer at Elsie. She seemed put together to him, so he wasn't sure what Aksel was seeing.

"Oooh, a paperwork party. I'll bring snacks."

"Elsie." Aksel's tone took on a slight warning, and Ben watched the exchange in amusement, especially as Elsie sighed.

"Isn't it usually my job to nag people about sleep?" She asked, before waving her hand and saying "Yes, I slept. I was just up late helping my parents make calls to Corona, and then had to get up early to get Ruby's hair in a braid. It ended up taking all the girls in the hall pitching in, but we got it done. Speaking of sleep, though," She frowned at Ben and walked over to his dresser, putting her purse down and waving him to her. "Come here, you have circles under your eyes."

Ben obliged, and stood still as she first threw an old t-shirt over his suit, and then covered up the circles. A few minutes later, she stepped back, nodding at her work. "Your press team will probably touch it up before the coronation starts, but for now it'll do. Are you feeling alright? I have vitamin c, ibuprofen, a granola bar, and can grab some coffee before you need to go."

"I'm fine, Els. But thank you."

A ding came from Elsie's purse, and she pulled out her phone, scanning the message. "Reiner realized that Mal probably doesn't know where the carriage is going to be, so he's heading over to pick her up and escort her there."

"Guess that's your cue." Aksel said, walking over to take Elsie's arm in his. "You don't want Mal to be there waiting on you."

Elsie held out her free hand to Ben, and he paused, looking out the window one last time. Once he left this room, everything would change.

"A great king," Mal's voice whispered in his head. "I know it."

He turned back to his friends, allowing Elsie to take his arm so she would be escorted by both boys until it was time for them to separate.

Together, with his closest friends by his side, he walked out the door.

On the Isle of the Lost, the Evil Queen, Jafar, Cruella de Vil, and Maleficent sat watching Snow White's coverage of the coronation.

"I'm Snow White," The Evil Queen mocked, throwing popcorn at the screen and seething about how her stepdaughter had definitely had work done.

Jafar and Cruella were telling her not to waste the popcorn, while Maleficent stayed focused on the screen. So far, she couldn't spot Mal in the cathedral. Of course, her daughter could just be doing her best to stay away from the cameras.

Or she was already caught.

Fairy Godmother's wand was shown on the screen, and Maleficent lunged towards the TV. "I want that wand!" She shouted.

"Do you? Hadn't heard." Cruella told her, earning the woman a glare. Maleficent backed up, and went back to watching. She tuned out the comments the other three were making as they made a game of guessing what prissy prince or princess belong to which stuck up royal, while she daydreamed about what she'd do once she was off the Isle and began to strike fear in the hearts of Aurdonians.

There were so many possibilities, beginning with bringing magic and chaos back to the world.

A flash of purple pulled her attention back, and her mouth dropped open when Prince Ben helped none other than Mal out of his carriage.

"Why if it isn't-"

"My daughter." Maleficent said, finishing Evil Queen's sentence. Never in her life had she seen Mal dressed up like that, with makeup and sparkles and in light purple. "Looking like some kind of-"

"Princess!" Snow White said cheerfully. "Now let's see who this beauty is wearing." The woman pulled out a card, and read out the name, "Evie Queen!"

The Evil Queen was out of her seat in a flash, "Evie, that's my dau- Evie!"

Maleficent got up as well and stood across from her, both of them blocking their view of the TV, meaning Jafar and Cruella got up as well. "Oh wow, she sewed a dress." She said, her eyes rolling. "Meanwhile, my girl duped a prince and is this close to grabbing the magic wand!"

"Bitter party of one, bitter party of one." Evil Queen called out, gesturing to Maleficent.

Maleficent ignored her, clapping her hands as she shouted. "It's happening, people! It's happening!" She raced around them, running up the stairs. "I say, gird your loins! Gird your loins!" She grabbed onto the railing so she could grin at them. "Villains! Our revenge begins today!"

They all cackled and Maleficent gleefully took her seat. Maybe Mal could pull this off. All she had to do was grab the wand, and they'd be free from this island.

The minutes passed by painfully, and each second left Maleficent more and more anxious. When the wand was out, Mal stayed still, a pleasant smile on her lips.

A pit formed in Maleficent's stomach. "No." She whispered, as Fairy Godmother blessed Beast's brat.

"No!" She yelled as the wand was being handed back to Belle.

"No, no, no!" Her screams were the loudest as the wand went back into its container. She didn't even look at the others as she raced out of her castle, grabbing her staff on her way. This was the day she was supposed to get off this rock! This was the day Auradon was supposed to fall!

She should have never left it in the hands of her useless, wingless, weak offspring.

Hades was having a good day, lounging in the parlor of his house. Actually, every day with his kids off the Isle was a good day.

The fact that Beast was no longer High King almost put the category into a great day, but that was going a little far. A great day would have him with his family in Auradon, instead of catching glimpses of his daughter on the screen, but he'd take what he could get.

But a good day. He didn't get many of those. So of course something had to ruin it.

He could hear her long before she reached the cave, the squeaky bike sending sounds down the passage. He was surprised she even used it, remembering her disdain for it all those years ago. Sometimes, he wondered how she'd react to knowing that there was a, much faster, back door for people he actually liked.

"HADES!" She screamed as she entered his Isle cave. "WHAT DID YOU DO!"

"Maleficent!" Hades exclaimed, still lounging on the couch. He lifted his glasses as he glared over at his ex-wife. "What are you doing here and what can I do to get you to leave?"

Maleficent moved in closer, her knuckles white from how tightly she was holding her staff. "I know that you had a hand in getting Mal to turn away from me."

He almost snorted as he put his glasses back on. He hadn't talked to Mal in months, definitely not since she was in Auradon. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He told her.

That wasn't the answer she wanted, and he jumped up as she stalked deeper into his cave. "Hand on, where do you think you're going?!"

"How does Persephone come and go every six months?" Maleficent asked, ignoring him. "Or your bratty son-"

"Hadie is not-"

"It's a portal, isn't it? They don't come and go on the boats, I'd know."

Hades didn't answer, grabbing her shoulder to spin her around. She gave him an uneven grin. "It is. Where is it?"

With the way she asked and how her eyes lit up, Hades could see parts of the person she was when she'd first come to the Isle, raging and destroying everything in her path. He considered the consequences of showing her. It wasn't like she'd tell anyone else.

Without a word, he turned away to a lone hall, separate from the hall to his private rooms. He could hear Maleficent scurrying after him. Despite the fact that Persephone's portal was this way, he'd never liked this hall, and would have preferred the portal in the room next to his and Persephone's, but this was where Beast had chosen.

They ended up in a lone cavern, a chill in the air. In the center of the room was a stone portal. Maleficent stepped forward, but Hades pushed his way in front of her, a smirk on his lips. "Uh-uh-uh." He told her, grabbing her arm with one hand and waving a finger with the other. "There's just this one teeny, tiny, little thing."

"What is it?" Maleficent spat as she yanked her arm back.

Hades backed away, his smirk growing as he circled the portal. "Only someone with the blood of a god can go through." He told her. He then gestured towards the portal, enjoying the way her already pale skin lost even more color. "But please, be my guest."

Maleficent eyed him carefully. She walked forward carefully, rather than the race she started off with. Once she got close, she only brought her hand up to the glittering surface. As soon as the tip of her finger touched it, she drew back with a hiss, smoke rising from her skin.

She screamed in frustration, swinging her staff towards Hades and missing as he ducked. Her annoyance only grew when Hades laughed.

"I will get off this island!" She shouted at him.

"Keep telling yourself that, Maleficent." Hades told her, crossing his arms and leaning up against the portal's solid edge. "This island was designed to keep the likes of you on it."

Her face darkened. "And how about you? Don't you want off this prison?"

Hades lifted a brow and looked at the portal. "I'm a god." He said flatly. "I can go to the Underworld to see my wife, and my kids are safe from you. I'm fine here, and now you have nothing to hold against me."

Maleficent screamed again, racing out of the room with Hades following her.

"I will get off this hellhole!" She shouted at him once they were back in the main room. Her eyes were glowing furiously, the only bit of magic she could do on the Isle. "And when I do, it's Mal I'll go after. She'll either follow me, or you'll finally have her soul."

She grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be a lamp, and threw it at him. As it shattered against the wall next to his head, she stalked out. Hades swore under his breath. He stayed there just long enough to make sure she was gone, then turned and went back to the portal.

He raced through the Underworld, down the path to his palace. He wouldn't be able to be there too long without Zeus knowing and reminding him that he wasn't supposed to be there today. Really, it would be more of an exasperation then really getting reprimanded, but Hades didn't feel like dealing with either.

Once he was in his office, he pushed one of the buttons on his wall, and paced as he waited.

It didn't take long. It never did. There was a light from under the door, and an annoyed sigh. A moment later, a pouting god walked through the door, dressed in his best mortal clothes. "You know, you're not supposed to be here right now, and I'm supposed to be in Auradon for some after party's.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Oh no, you're missing the after party for a mortal's coronation. What a shame."

"For this one it is! There are rumors that the Fates got physically involved in this kid's life, Hades. The Fate's." Hermes' eyes twinkled. "I don't know what they've got planned for him, but I want to be there to witness it."

The Fates. What did that prince do to get the Fates to visit him?

What if it had something to do with Mal?

No, he couldn't think about that now. "Whatever," he told Hermes, waving him off. "I need you to take a message to Persephone."

The messenger groaned, collapsing dramatically onto a nearby chair. "Come on, can't you do this properly?"

"No." Hades told him, crossing his arms.

"It's my day off!"

"Hermes-"

"I really don't-"

"HERMES!" Hades shouted, his hair lighting on fire. Hermes looked at him in shock and straightened up, while Hades worked on calming down.

His nephew eyes him carefully, his entire persona changing, growing more serious. "What is going on?" He asked carefully.

Hades pinched his nose, thinking about what words to use. He couldn't mention Mal or Maleficent to Hermes, but he could hint at them in the message. "Tell her that December's mother is on a rampage, and to keep her eyes open. I don't trust the magic will contain her."

"That make… absolutely no sense." Hermes said. At Hades glare, he held up his hands and spouted out, "But I will of course deliver it to Aunt Persephone right now and not question a thing or look into your odd message!" He then saluted, tapped his heels together to bring out their wings, and disappeared in a flash of gold.

Hades fell back onto his desk, allowing himself a moment of silence, which was broken by a ringing bell. Because of course it was.

It would be a while before he got back to the Isle.

Maleficent had circled the Isle twice since the coronation ended. By this point, it was dark. Fireworks from Auradon had been lighting up the sky for over an hour, but Maleficent payed it no attention.

She was back at Doom Cove, stalking near the edges. Something felt off about this place. There was a magical charge, making the hair on her arms stand up.

Her eyes sharpened on a figure a few feet away. Her minions were supposed to be keeping people away. How the old had managed to slip by them was beyond her.

Maleficent stalked forward, pulling out a dagger. She ignored the heat she could feel from the blade, getting closer to the ancient woman.

"What are you doing here, Mim?" Maleficent asked once the blade was against Madam Mim's neck.

"Maleficent! How good to hear you this evening!" Mim exclaimed. Maleficent pressed the dagger in, almost enough to make the witch bleed. "Easy now!"

"I asked a question."

"And I'm going to answer!" Mim told her. She was stalling, both women knew it, but Maleficent didn't have the patience to play with her prey today.

A second and a squeak later had Mim realizing that as well.

"There's a tunnel!" Mim confessed. "Full of magic, wild magic, maybe to Auradon, maybe not. It's hard to tell, it's all dead ends and games."

Maleficent paused. "A way to Auradon?" She asked. "Where?"

The witch began to carefully walk forward, with Maleficent right behind them. Due to the knife, it was slow going, but eventually the women came to a small hole, barely big enough to fit in.

Maleficent let out a high pitched laugh. "It's right there! How long has it been there!"

"I don't know." Mim admitted. "Can you move the knife now?"

Maleficent paused. "Not until you promise to close the hole up, with me safe and alive in the hole, and you on this side."

"Now why would I promise you- Okay! Okay, okay, okay, I promise! Now drop the pokey thing!"

Maleficent grinned, dropping her arm. She found her way to Auradon. After twenty years on this death trap, she was finally going to get her revenge. Revenge on Auradon, revenge on Beast, revenge on Aurora, and revenge on her disgraceful daughter.

AN: I went back and forth for a while on who's pov to include for this chapter, but I thought it's be fun to focus on Mal's parents. I hope you all enjoyed it!