Work Text:
She’s running barefoot on a long stretch of white sand, the ocean breeze burning her sinuses and blowing through her long hair. Every time her feet touched the wet sand, she felt more compelled to run with as much force she could muster, her pale legs carrying her along the shore. Every time she tasted the damp salt in the air, she felt close to the water, she felt comforted, like it was a friend, or a lover. Every time she felt the water spray on her face, and every time she took a step, she felt revitalised, like she was being born anew, like life was being blown into her with every breath she took. She was in her wedding dress, the gorgeous mauve and purple jewels and patterns swirling and twinkling in the white sun, reflecting against the perfect Auradon sand, each grain resembling a pearl. She was running for something, she realised now, both hands hoisting up her skirts. Ben. She was calling to him, but no sound came, and he couldn’t hear her. He was far in the distance, but with every step she took, he turned further away from her, his shape becoming smaller and less defined. The feeling of absolute euphoria was wavering now; the salt once on her tongue was now overwhelmingly bitter, coating her throat, suffocating her. The wind through her hair was whipping like cold daggers across her skin, leaving tiny white scars, like scratches on a perfect shell. Feelings of panic and hysteria bubbled beneath the surface, rising up through her, trying desperately to push out as mangled screams, but still nothing came. Her throat was raw from trying to scream to him.
But he turned his head, her sweet Ben, like he heard her. She took a huge breath, her feet raw and blistered, and started to slow down. He was getting closer now, but he was still turned away from her. When she gets to him, her chest is tight, and she reaches to take him in her arms, and he comes. There’s something different about him, and it makes her chest plummet, and her vision swim. He’s covered, drenched in blood, it coats his hair, his lashes, and stains his teeth when he smiles. She looks down, and her vibrant purple dress has dark pools and patches all over, she presses her hands to the spots, and they come away red. She looks up at Ben, tears streaming down her face, the taste of copper threatening to drown her, but he’s preoccupied now. She follows the line of sight of her future husband, and finds Hades kneeling on the floor in front of them both, badly beaten, blood caked around his face, his body black and blue. It’s his blood that’s on her hands, it’s his blood she can feel suffocating her. She throws herself at his feet, trying to find his name on her lips, but only a strangled cry comes out.
“Mal,” he croaks, his face swollen. “How could you let them do this to me?”
“D-Dad, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m-” she cries, distraught sobs racking her small body. Ben pushes her out of the way, a sword suddenly in his hand, and then it’s in the air, and Mal heaves, the sound and smell of silver and blood making her dizzy. Then the sword comes down.
Mal wakes up, a silent scream caught in her throat, drenched in cold sweat. Her chest constricts with heavy breaths stuck in her throat, and the sound of her dry heaves sound like thunder in the otherwise silent room. It’s dark outside, her balcony window is open, and she can hear the faint hark of seagulls in the distance, and the sound of breathing that isn’t her own. Mal’s heart is still hammering as she looks to the body sleeping next to her, Ben’s body, but her heart rate quietens as she takes it in; it’s not covered in blood. She looks down at her hands, and they’re clean, there’s no blood on them. (Not yet. The trial is not set to happen until after the wedding.) She runs a hand through her purple hair, ripping through tangles. She hasn’t been looking after her hair lately, or herself much either.
“Fuck,” she seethes, hissing through her teeth. Her heart rate is elevating again, and the sound of the seagulls mixed with Ben’s breathing is making her nauseous, claustrophobic. Guilty. The nightmare is still heavy in her heart, and she’s scared to close her eyes, the sight of her bloodied father singed into the back of her eyelids. Without thinking, she slips silently out of their royal bed, her feet touching the icy floor, sending a welcome shiver through her, battling the nightmare fever. Their bedroom door shuts behind her with a quiet click, and before she knows where she’s going, her feet are taking her through the royal corridors, careful to avoid any run-ins. Ben had insisted on doubling the guards patrols around the castle in the run up to the wedding, and Mal knew he’d taken extra precaution to protect the royal quarters from anyone breaking in. Or from me breaking out, she thought bitterly, gliding down the winding stone staircase, the only light coming from the moonlight through the extravagant mosaic glass windows. She hadn’t been allowed to see her Father since they’d arrested him on the night of the festivities. A chill from the cool summer night settled down her spine as she ran down corridor after corridor, past door after door, until she realised where her feet were taking her. She was knocking on the door in front of her before her mind really had time to process exactly what she was doing, and it only caught once up those exact thoughts were spoken into the world.
“Mal? What are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night.”
Uma, queen of the isle, stood before her, her brown eyes wide with sleep, staring at Mal with both tentativeness and deep concern. Mal became sheepish all too soon, guilt racking through her.
“I had a nightmare,” was all she could offer, her hands entwined, scratching at each other, her heart hammering. But it was all she needed to offer, for the other girl stepped aside and let her pass silently into her room, and into her bed. Mal fell asleep as soon as she hit the pillow, the feel of Uma’s strong arms wrapped around her keeping her grounded.
~
“Mal?”
Mal looks up from her plate of eggs and smoked salmon, dreaming of the sounds of distant laughter and the close sound of waves crashing, and the heady smell of jasmine and fennel. She’d started spraying her bedclothes with the concoction. Ben had laughed at her silly womanly wiles, but it was her secret, her comfort. Ben’s looking at her, his smile bright, but his eyes are guarded.
“Everything okay? You’ve been up before me every day this week, I feel like I’ve barely seen you. Nervous for the weekend?”
She sets her fork down, and looks up at him, the weight of the makeup hiding her dark circles under her eyes heavy on her skin. The royal wedding is this weekend, and with every passing day brings the same garish night-time routine; it’s the same dream, night after night, but with growing vividness. When she woke up last night, she swore she could feel blood caked under her nails. When she woke up again, she was in Uma’s arms, enveloped in the sweet scent of Jasmine and sea salt. Every night starts the same, she kisses Ben good night, and she hopes with everything she has that she won’t dream that night, but every night ends with her running in a panicked haze to a bed that isn’t hers, in arms that shouldn’t be hers. It’s been three nights, and she quickly mastered the art of sneaking back into their bedroom and burying her pain in pressed powder and mascara.
“Just wedding nerves. There’s so much to do, the last thing I can do is sleep!”
He chuckles at her through a mouthful of eggs, and she smiles back at him, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Something changed in her after the night Uma found her on the shore, after they shared their secrets, and something much more. They’d stayed on the beach for a long time, until they couldn’t anymore, and they’d walked back to the lively streets hand-in-hand. Mal had pressed one last kiss onto Uma’s lips before she joined her family and the other VK’s, and she hadn’t seen Uma since, or rather had actively avoided Uma until she found herself at her door three nights ago. She knew it wasn’t fair to the other girl, but even now, she finds herself tracing her lips, before she realises, and snatches her hand back down to her lap with a start.
“Ben, have your parents said anything more, about my Father? About me visiting him before, before his-” her voice trails off, unable to finish. Before his sentence. Ben looks up at her, sympathy rife in his eyes. Despite her dreams, he is kind, he is so good. But he is his Father’s son, and blood is thicker than water. (Or other blood.) He shakes his head sadly.
“I’m so sorry, Mal. I wish something could be done, but they’re not budging. His crimes are too heinous.”
“I don’t even know what his crimes are, Ben, and neither do-”
“Mal. They’re still reigning king and queen. They’re still my parents. We can’t go against them.” He sets down his fork with slightly more force than either of them expects, and the clatter rings throughout their dining room. Mal’s jaw is tight, and it matches the feeling in her chest. She removes the napkin from her lap, delicately wiping the corners of her mouth, and sets it down on her plate, pushing her chair away deftly from the table.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.” She gives a strained smile, and saunters out of the room, managing to hold it together until the grand doors shut behind her, and she collapses against them, sliding to the floor, tears gliding down her face.
~
Mal is a creature of habit, and so when she finds herself in Uma’s arms again that night, neither of the two girls are surprised, even if they would never tell the other so. Uma brushes the hair out of Mal’s eyes, resting her hand gently on her cheek, her thumb rubbing small circles into Mal’s temple. Her eyes flutter closed, and she breathes easier, deeper, a small content sigh escaping from her.
“Can I ask you something?” Uma whispers into the quiet room, tightening her other arm that’s encircled around Mal’s waist. Mal nods in return, only half paying attention.
“Why are you going through with this wedding?”
Mal’s eyes snap open, a cold feeling washing over her. She knew this was coming.
“I don’t think I have any other options. I… I love him.”
Uma sits up, extracting her arms from under Mal, leaving the purple haired girl cold without the feel of the other girl pressed up against her.
“That’s bullshit, and we both know it. You don’t have to do this to yourself, there’s always another option.”
Mal sits up to join her, frustrated. Her fists are clenched in the silk sheets, feelings of fury and helplessness swirling around her like an internal storm.
“What do you propose I do? Call off the wedding that’s been in the works for three years? Abandon my fiancée, who has stuck by me through everything, accepted me, evil parents and all?”
“But he hasn’t accepted everything, Mal! His parents have put yours to death. He’s in the cells now, probably counting down the days until his murder.”
Mal flinches at that, silent tears streaming down through tired eyes down puffy cheeks. Uma knows she’s taken it too far, and self-hatred manifests in an instant. She’s meant to be the one Mal can rely on, who she can come to, not another one who expects her to be something she’s not. Not someone she has to hide from. She takes Mal in her arms, the smaller girl buried in the curve of her neck and shoulders, as Uma coos and presses kisses into her hair, absorbing the sobs that wrack Mal’s body, and the muffled wails that escape her. Uma feels helpless, it’s a hopeless situation, and both girls are all too aware of the complicated mess they’ve found themselves in. Mal knows she’s asking the impossible of Uma, and Uma knows she’s giving too much, but all they can do in that moment, in the dead of night, is cling to each other.
~
“Purple or blue?”
Evie’s holding up two pieces of fine fabric in front of Mal, her eyes sparkling. She always loved organising pretty things, which didn’t surprise Mal, since Evie was the prettiest of them all. She looks at both, trying her hardest to feign enthusiasm, she knows how important this is to Evie. It feels like everything I’m doing lately is because of how important it is to someone else, her internal voice laments. She pushes it down. They’re sat in Evie’s studio, amongst dresses and bouquets, hashing out fine details for the wedding, and using it as an excuse to eat strawberries dipped in chocolate and drink sparkling wine.
“Purple, obviously.”
Evie rolls her eyes, but she can’t keep a straight face for long, she was never good at that, even when they were young. Evie’s smiles were infectious, they lit up her whole face, and they were a comfort to Mal. Mal sets down her glass and reaches out her hands, prompting Evie to come and sit in front of her, and Mal runs her hands through the other girl’s long, deep blue hair, it feels like fine strands of silk between her fingers. Mal was always jealous of Evie’s hair, her own hair was brittle in comparison, but Evie’s beauty simply mirrored her soul. Mal started to braid Evie’s deep blue hair, it was the colour of a million sapphires and playing it was something that had given her comfort since she was a child.
“So, are you nervous?”
Mal didn’t smile, she just continued braiding. That question was starting to become one she despised. It was four days until the wedding, what did people think?
“Yeah, I guess. I’m just glad I’ve got you to help me through it.”
“What are best friends for?”
Before she can answer, Carlos and Jay barge into the room, play fighting and shouting, completely disrupting the feng shui atmosphere the two girls have going on. Carlos, with his small frame and his skin that held an entire freckle constellation, threw himself on the pouffe next to Mal, proceeding to steal her glass and drink from it. She laughed, batting him lightly, and scuffing up his hair. He was roughly the same height as her, but his presence was larger than life. Jay drapes himself across one of Evie’s day lounges, letting his long hair loose from the bun so it splayed out against his face, creating a perfect painting. The girls laugh at both boys’ dramatics, they always did know how to light up any room with a spectacle.
“We just came to check on our outfits for the wedding,” Carlos hums through a mouthful of chocolate and strawberry. Mal laughs at the way his cheeks bulge like a chipmunk, the boy could eat for Auradon. Evie bounces up from Mal’s feet, her hair trailing down her back in a loose braid, her excitement and passion for her craft clear.
“Wait here.” She winks and flounces from the room, and upon her return, she wheels in two of the most gorgeous suits Mal swears she has ever set eyes upon. The silence from the other two boys, and their speechless faces, was only more of an attest to Evie’ s talent. It was as if Evie had stared into the soul of both boys, and translated it directly through a sort of alchemy, woven into the cloths. One suit was a gorgeous, stark white, adorned with black pearls, swirling hues of grey and black, red silks, stark contrasts of monochrome and blooms of rouge. Carlos gets up and reaches his hand out, running it down the smooth lapels, made of black leather against a white cloth, and expertly stitched to fit seamlessly. Jay’s suit is just as beautiful, a burnt caramel colour swirled in with a light toffee, simpler than Carlos’ but no less beautiful to the eye, at least not at first glance. When Evie turns the mannequin around gently, Jay audibly gasps. On the back of the blazer, made from fabrics and precious stones of the middle east, is the shape of a python embroidered and stretched across, in a fighting stance. The design is breath-taking, both are, and they are an homage to both boy’s heritage. Mal had specifically requested that Evie make the core four’s wedding attire, for she had requested that they were to all walk down the aisle with her, for no-one else had the right to give her away, or share that moment with her than the three heartbeats she was sharing this moment with now. Evie had a way with beauty and grace that Mal couldn’t even comprehend, they would look like one walking down that aisle and Mal can’t help but shiver in anticipation. She knows that if this is what Evie creates for the best men, the bridal dress is going to be nothing short of ethereal.
“You have outdone yourself, Evie Grimhilde.”
It’s Mal’s turn now to admire the suits, and it becomes harder to feign bliss, to keep up the façade, and all three of them notice. Nothing has to be said, for they know what is weighing the purple dragon down.
“He would’ve loved a suit like this. I would’ve had it made to match his ember.”
She feels three pairs of arms around her, grounding her, and it’s not long before the tears fall. She’s living in a palace, about to become queen of Auradon in its entirety, but there are only two places she feels like she is truly home, the first is in the arms of the VK’s, and the other is in the middle of the night, in strong arms, darker than her own.
~
“We can’t keep doing this.”
Uma’s voice is deafening in her ear, and her breath tickles the back of her neck, through her hair. She can’t remember the last time she slept without Uma’s arms around her, and she dreads the time when she will have to sleep without them. The wedding is in two days, and her pirate will be going back to the Isle of the Lost, and Mal knows she will have to return to her night-time routine of terrors. She huddles in closer to the body behind her, letting the scent of Jasmine wash over her, like a comforting tidal wave.
“I’m serious, Mal, you’re getting married in two days. I’ll be going back to the Isle. It’s not fair to either of us, or to Ben.”
Mal turns over in her arms to face Uma now, her eyes wide.
“I know. I just… Every time I close my eyes, I see blood.”
Uma looks into Mal’s purple eyes now, and they’re faintly glowing green. The first time they did that, she almost had a heart attack, but now she knows that Mal isn’t about to cast a spell on her in her sleep, that they just glow in times of deep distress, Uma tightens her hold on the smaller girl.
“I know you don’t think you do, but you have another choice, baby girl. Hades is still alive in the dungeons; they won’t sentence him officially until after the wedding. It’s not too late.”
Mal pulls away from Uma, sitting upright, eyes gleaming.
“Where would he go? They’d hunt him down, and they’d know that I had something to do with it. Neither of us would be safe here, nor would Evie, Carlos, Jay, or any of the VK’s living in Auradon.”
Uma sits up to meet Mal, turning round to sit on her knees.
“Not if he came back with me to the Isle, and I kept him safe, hidden. It’s not Auradon turf anymore, once he’s with me, he’s my citizen. I could pardon him.”
“No.” Mal shakes her head, vehemently. “It wouldn’t work.”
Uma grabs Mal’s shoulders now, her resolve hardening.
“But it would. You guys wouldn’t have to be involved in any way; they’d never link it to you.”
Mal looks at the other girl helplessly now, her face a battle of hundreds of different emotions, vying for permanent settlement.
“But what if they did? Let’s say it did work, and my dad was safe, I’d never be able to see him, or you again. What if they started watching me? Watching my friends? We’d never be safe, not unless we came to the Isle too. Evie loves it here, and I couldn’t do that to her. I couldn’t take away their dreams.”
“Come with me.”
Those three words were like the calm in the middle of a storm, and they were deafening in the close quarters of Uma’s room.
“I-I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I have a duty here, I-”
“No, you don’t. You have a duty to yourself, and to your family.” And to me. Mal heard it, even if it was unspoken. Uma never demanded of her, but the plea was clear.
“You don’t love Ben, we both know it-” Mal goes to interrupt, but Uma holds a hand up, asking. “Sure, you love him, but not in the way you’re supposed to. You’re engaged, but you’re not married yet. It’s not too late. They’d never punish you for it, not when Ben is set to be coronated the day after the wedding anyway. When he becomes king, he’ll pardon both of you, and continue to let the VK’s and people of Auradon live together, in peace. He’s good, Mal, he’ll do it. Hades will be safe, and so will you.”
Mal knows she’s right, but she knows it’ll break him. The real Ben isn’t the one she sees in her dreams, she knows that too, he’s pure and good. He’s just under the reign of his parents. And he loves her. (She loves him too, in her own way, but she knows Uma is right there, too. And she hates her for it. Except she doesn’t, not really.)
They make a promise to each other that night, and they christen that promise, and Mal swears she will do anything in her power to keep Uma in her life.
~
When she slips quietly back into her room in the early hours, she finds Ben sitting there waiting for her on their bed, his eyes wide, no trace of sleep left in them. Her entire life flashes before her eyes, and her body stills, but she’s spent enough time surviving on the streets of the Isle that her flight or fight kicks in full gear, and a lazy smile takes hold of her expression.
“You’re up early. I just thought I’d go for a morning stroll, the wedding is tomorrow after all, and-”
“You must think I’m stupid.”
Her breath hitches mid-sentence, and her face drops.
“Mal, I know.”
Her jaw tightens, every muscle in her face clenching into overtime.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ben.”
He gets up from the bed to move towards her, and when his face hits the light, his eyes are unreadable.
“I’ve spent three years with you, Mal, I know. I know where you went the night of the wall, and I know where you’ve been going every night this week.”
“What, are you having me followed? Did someone say something to you, because whatever anyone has told you, it’s a lie. There’s an explanation.” Mal’s breath is short now, her palms sweating, and her chest is hammering, blood loud in her ears. Her voice is high now, traces of hysteria ringing clear. Ben grabs her hands, squeezing, and it makes Mal dizzy.
“No, no, no-one’s said anything, but no-one had to. I know you, Mal, I’ve spent three years with you. I’ve always known, but I guess I haven’t wanted to admit it to myself. I’ve heard you in the night, sobbing and leaving. I’ve seen your dark circles. I’ve… I’ve seen the way you look at-”
Mal snatches her hands back and breaks eye contact with Ben. It’s too much, she thinks. This isn’t happening. Gingerly, Ben takes her hands back and pulls her gently to sit down next to him on their bed.
“Do you remember last year, when you ran back to the Isle?”
Mal nods, mutely, her eyes drooping. Ben puts one hand under her chin, and slowly lifts it so their eyes are level, staring into the other’s.
“We all had to bring you back because it wasn’t safe at the time. But I’d never seen you so happy, like you were when you were back in your street clothes. And I’d never seen you so happy as when the wall was destroyed, until you heard my parents.” There’s a long pause, neither of them saying anything.
“I know what you and Uma are planning to do.
“You what? So, you are having me followed!” Mal jumps up from the bed, distress clear in her eyes, radiating off her skin in waves. She looks like a frightened, caged animal and it makes Ben’s heart hurt.
“I promise you Mal, neither of you are in any danger. I want to help.”
“You- what?” Mal repeats again, her head is dizzy from the rollercoaster of intense feeling coursing through her.
“I love you, Mal, so much. And I know you love me too. I know it’s fucking cliché, but sometimes when you love someone, you have to set them free. I love you, and I don’t wanna be the reason that you live in misery for the rest of your life.”
Ben takes her hands again, squeezing tight, like she’s his lifeline. In a way, she is, she made him see a different way when no one else did, made him see the kindness and bravery that can be found in doing the right thing, even if it feels scary and uncertain at the time. And he had to do the same for her.
“I want to help you; I’m going to help you, with your Dad. And when I’m King, I’ll continue to help. Every day, every way that I can.”
Mal’s heart is in her throat.
“Why are you doing this for me?”
“Auradon can live without you as it’s queen, I can live without you as my queen, but your Dad needs you. The Isle needs you.” Uma needs you. Mal was beginning to understand that the most important things aren’t said, but felt, and she’d never quite learnt how to speak that language. She was learning every day.
“I want you in my life, I want you happy and healthy, the rest I could give a fuck about. I’ll beg my parents to coronate me tomorrow and postpone the wedding for a day. While I’m being crowned, Uma can go and free your Dad, take him back to the Isle. You’ll have to go with her because you’ll be the one they accuse first. As soon as my sovereign is established, I’ll pardon you both of any and all crimes. I’m not saying that Auradon will welcome you back with wide arms the moment that happens, but I will, your friends will, and you’ll be able to come back with time. Of that, I have no doubt.”
Mal throws her arms around Ben, tears running down her face. She’s been doing a lot of crying lately, but never did she think she’d be crying out of such euphoric joy and hope as she is in this moment.
“I don’t know how to thank you; this is more than I ever could’ve asked for. I do love you, Ben, and I’m so-”
“It’s okay. I know.” He breathes into her neck, burying his face in her hair and their embrace. They both pull back, and he takes her head in his hands, and they look at each other, a silent goodbye. The royal prince and the dragon princess, an unlikely duo, who against all odds, changed Auradon, were about to complete their last mission. Mal saw the last three years of her life in Ben’s blue eyes, but she also saw her future, and it looked hopeful. They shared a gentle kiss, saying all the things they couldn’t say through words, every apology and every thanks, and every feeling they’d never expressed. They loved each other, but they respected each other more, and Mal was eternally grateful. When she left, Ben went out onto the balcony, looking over the kingdom he would now be ruling alone. But he didn’t mind. What he hadn’t told Mal was that a certain aqua-coloured girl had come to him in the night while Mal was sleeping, and had pleaded for her life in exchange for Hades, as if her life was worth nothing more than a bargaining chip in exchange for Mal’s happiness. Sure, he was a privileged prince, but he had seen the love and turmoil in Uma’s eyes, and he had pieced it together, and they’d come up with the plan together, while Mal was dreaming. The purple haired girl didn’t need to know the sacrifice Uma was willing to make for her, they both agreed, her pride was too great, she never would’ve forgiven the sea-witch’s daughter, so it was just better that she never found out at all. He took in the early morning sunlight, glaring into his bedroom, and sighed. This had better work.
That night, as Uma and Mal lay next to each other, they were alive with uncertainty, tentative excitement, adrenaline, and something else that neither of them had the courage to talk about. There would be plenty of time after. Ben’s parents had taken some time, but Ben had managed to convince them that the marriage would be a stronger union with a crown upon his head before a ring was on his finger. Uma had organised it with her crew and replaced the guards with the likes of Harry and Gil, and every detail was hashed out. All Mal had to do was wear her pretty dress, smile at the coronation, and look like the doting fiancée, the epic final number in the longest role of her life. Everything was set, and now all they had to do was wait. It was safe to say, not a lot of sleeping was done that night.
~
Ben looked gorgeous in his robes and crown, the jewels matching his eyes perfectly, bringing out the deep Auradon blue in them, the yellow of his robes gleaming against his skin. As Mal stood there in her finery, she felt a surge of pride at the man Ben had grown to be, and she pushed down the guilt that threatened to overcome her. She wasn’t doing this for herself, even though a part of her couldn’t help but feel selfish for abandoning Ben and the core four, and she had to keep reminding herself of that. More than anything, she had to keep reminding herself that in a few hours, she would get to hold Hades again, and that this time, nothing would make her ever let go.
~
Credit to Uma, the whole thing went off without a hitch.
As soon as the ceremony had started to take place, the Lost Revenge crew took their places, knocked out a few guards on their way, marking the start of the plan that was now in motion. Last night, her pirate crew had sailed here from the isle, around the backwaters so as not to be seen and Gonzo and Jonas had infiltrated the king’s guards, posing as new hired men brought in for extra security for the weekend’s events. Harry and Gil’s faces were known around Auradon, they were too conspicuous for such a task, and so they were handled with the actual task of breaking Hades out. Ben had given her the exact floor and cell number of Mal’s dad and had told her exactly where to get the keys, which would be the hard part. Desiree, one of the smaller members of the crew, had sleuthed into the Guard’s quarters, where Gonzo and Jonas had snaked out the key, and they’d exchanged it just before the guard’s had left to patrol the chapel’s grounds. So far, there were no complications. Bonny, the craziest one of them all, was waiting in the wings of the chapel to transport Mal to the ship, which would be the hard part, considering the train on her dress was near enough the length of the whole island.
Uma presses her back against the stone wall, peering around the corner, her eyes locking on Hades’ cell. Bonny gives her a nod of the head, the signal for a clear coast, and she beckons to Harry and Gil to follow her. Gil hands her the key and they get into the cell with no problems, greeted with the sight of a hunched over Hades in the corner of his cell. It reeks of piss.
“Psst, old man, get up. We’re busting you out of here.”
Hades looks up, and Uma fights to stay composed. He looks awful, with a cut lip and swollen face. Bastards. She never thought she’d say it, considering she did try and feed him to sharks last year, but she can’t wait for Ben to be king. She’s convinced that his father is the real villain here, more of a beast than Hades could ever be. Hades’ fiery hair is dull, but his spirit is still bright in the shell, and he grins up at her.
“Shrimpy, long time no see. Care to help this old god up?”
She offers out a strong hand, and he takes it, his grip weak. She hauls Hades to his feet, and Harry drapes a cloak around his body, to keep his identity hidden, so they can smuggle him through the dark corridors and out of the servant’s quarters without being detected.
“You could have brought me a cloak that matches my eyes,” Hades whispers. They’re so close to the exit, Uma can taste it.
“Shut yer face, before I shut it for you. We saved your ass, bodach.” Harry seethes back. Bogeyman is what Harry has just called him, in his ancestors Scottish. He was never a fan of Hades, and Uma knows he’s only doing this mission as a personal favour to her.
When they arrive at the backwater bay, Mal is waiting for them, with Bonny and Desiree at her side. She breathes a visible relief and all but runs up to her father, launching herself at him, tears flowing, before checking over his physical state.
“Oh, my God's Dad. What have they done to you?”
“Don’t talk about my brother, I’m already in a bad mood after this week.” Hades' tone is light, but his eyes are heavy. He’s been through an ordeal, and it’s as clear as the day to any of them.
“I don’t want to break this up, but you can talk on the ship, we don’t have much time. The coronation ball would’ve started by now, and people will start to realise that you haven’t just gone to the little girl’s room, Mal.”
Mal nods, her eyes a brilliant emerald green, but also hard as nails. So, they glow in times of extreme feeling, not just distress. Good to know. They all climb aboard the ship, it isn’t the Lost Revenge, that would’ve been a dead giveaway, so Harry and Gil commandeered a simple cargo ship on the way, so as not to arouse suspicion. When they get aboard, they go into the captain’s quarters and wait out the journey, apprehension rife in the air. Mal goes into dragon-mode, barking out orders for food, clothes, and medicine for her father. It makes Uma laugh, Mal truly is a force to be reckoned with, for no one talks back or questions her, just carries out her orders. She truly would’ve made an amazing queen. Mal doesn’t leave Hades' side for hours, not until Uma manages to convince her that he will be fine without her there, because she needs to eat and rest herself. They sit in Uma’s private quarters, with nothing and everything being said at once. Mal turns to Uma, and takes her in her arms, her smile saying more than any words ever could. They’re going home.
~
It was three years before Mal got to return to Auradon.
Ben was coronated, and once Hades was found to be missing, and Mal’s disappearance was linked to it, it was too late. They were back on the Isle of the Lost, and Ben was reigning king. He instantly pardoned all villain parents like Hades, he was careful to specify parents, on the condition that they stayed on the Isle. Their children were still free to come and go as hey pleased, as always was the agreement, and life had taken a while to get back to normal. Mal had left without saying goodbye to anyone, even the core four, and so Ben had told them what had happened. Evie wept for days, and the boys withdrew themselves from their day-to-day duties, but with time, the three grew stronger, and never did a day go by where they didn’t think of their sister.
The people of Auradon were in outrage at first, with protests of safety and penance running amok through the streets, demands to find and sentence Mal for treachery and conspiracy against the crown. It had taken Ben awhile to get them to come around to say the least, but he’d done it, he’d changed the narrative, and after a few years, the people weren’t as angry anymore.
Mal was a shell of her former self at first, she was a lost sea puppy, filling her days with tending to her Dad and spending time in her old home. Uma didn’t push her, or pry, but Mal had come around after a while. They weren’t allowed contact with anyone in Auradon, for it was too dangerous if anyone intercepted their messages, in fear of their location being brought to light. Mal also didn’t want to endanger the other VK’s, the less they knew the better as far as she was concerned. Uma admired her bravery and selflessness; this wasn’t the same girl who used to torment her on the streets of the isle. It wasn’t even the same girl she’d found walking along the beach on the night of the VK liberation. This was a new girl she had by her side every day, a strong leader, whether she bore a crown on her head or not. It took her a while, but slowly, Mal crafted herself again, and built herself back up, with the ferociousness that came with growing up on the isle, and with the graciousness that came from the responsibilities of being a leader. The first time she had taken Uma in her arms, had told her she loved her, was the happiest memory Uma had ever come to have. They ruled the isle, side by side, as was always meant to be. Mal had become a queen in her own right, and Uma loved her so, so much. It was just over a year when Uma received that message in the bottle, that Mal could come back and receive a fair trial, no laws or old prejudices being held over her head like a guillotine. She could see her friends again, hold them in her arms, and when Uma had told her, she had wept like a child, clinging on to Uma to keep her up. Mal was already physically home, but there were two parts of her, two places in which she felt safe and complete, and she was returning to the other.
~
Evie was angry.
No, Evie was furious, she was utterly broken. Evie liked to pride herself on her sunny disposition, on her inner strength, but in the months that followed Mal’s leaving, she was filled with so much anger; helplessness had taken over her being and darkness had found its way into her heart. It had faded once Ben had sat down the three of them and had sworn them to secrecy about what had happened. She understood, but it gave way to another type of anger, one that was directed at the world for allowing Mal to think that this was her pain to bear alone. Evie would’ve helped her; she would’ve shouldered that pain alongside her best friend. She would’ve done it in a heartbeat. That knowledge gives her peace, and she still had Jay and Carlos with her every step of the way, but their family never quite felt complete again. She understood what Mal had always said when she had claimed that home wasn’t a place, but a feeling.
When she sees Mal again, all of the anger and the rage and the hurt just washes away. She knows it’ll come back, too much has happened and not enough has been said for it to vanish, but the sight of her best friend back on royal shores, in front of her, is the only thing that matters to her. When Mal steps off the boat, all three of them audibly gasp, for they don’t see the lost princess that left three years ago, they see a vibrant, purple head of hair, an even more vibrant smile, and the queen of the isle. Well, two queens of the isle. They see the young girl they grew up with, the fearless rebel who knew herself and who she was, but they see so much love and growth in her too, and they see the way she grips Uma’s hand, and suddenly it all clicks for Evie. They all run to each other, and they don’t let go for hours, not while they cry for each other and time lost, and not while they cry for what Mal went through under their noses, and certainly not during her trial where she is cleared on all fronts, and allowed free movement between the Isle and Auradon. They only let go when it’s Uma’s turn, when upon Mal’s liberation she slips a ring on Mal’s finger, and Mal tells them that they were married on the Isle, only free to tell the world once Mal had no crimes to face. They hold each other now as they see the love in both women’s eyes, and they see that Mal is where she truly belongs, next to Uma.
Evie isn’t angry anymore, at least not at Mal.