HOOKED ↝ DESCENDANTS

[18]

Rosalie approached the edge of Auradon with caution, tentatively studying the edge of the barrier as she walked with Carlos, Jane, Evie, and Doug, a small glass of punch clutched in each of their hands. Instantly she spotted Ansel, Lonnie, and Chad standing near Audrey, and she led the others over to them, enveloping each of them in a hug.

"It's so good to see you guys all okay." Rosalie said, and Ansel smiled, though something behind the young Princess of Corona caught his attention, causing Rosalie to turn and follow his line of sight.

Jay and Krissy had just passed under the bridge, joining the rest of them in the small assembly at the edge of the city, however it was their hands linked together that pulled Ansel and Rosalie's attention, Krissy's twin brother watching them with a raised eyebrow as they approached the rest of the group.

"If I recall correctly," Ansel said. "I'm pretty sure I only left you guys alone for a couple hours. What changed?"

Krissy shrugged. "Maybe it's the shared experience of both of us being turned to stone for a short period of time." she smirked. "We talked things over, and after everything we've been through as of late, I decided to finally give him a chance."

Ansel smiled, straightening up his shoulders as he glanced back at Lonnie, the two of them exchanging a small, unspoken conversation before turning back to Krissy.

"Kris, there's something I have to tell you." Ansel said apprehensively. "I, uh-"

"We're dating." Lonnie blurted, quickly cutting him off.

"I know." Krissy replied simply.

"We're sorry we kept it from you, we just didn't know how you'd reac-" Ansel explained before stopping short. "Wait, what do you mean you know?"

"You guys really think I'm that stupid?" she asked, amused. "I know a True Love's Kiss when I see one. Besides, you forget that I know you both better than you know yourselves. I've seen how happy you both make each other. I don't care that you're dating, just no more keeping it a secret, deal?"

"Deal," they both said in unison, as Ansel wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"There they are," Evie spoke up, causing everyone to turn to see where Mal and Ben were passing under the bridge, followed by  a group of palace guards.

The people of Auradon burst into applause at the sight of their king and future queen, all of them dipping down in a bow or curtsy as they passed, climbing the stairs to stand atop the bridge, where Fairy Godmother waited along with Queen Belle and King Beast.

Ben stepped forward, gripping the railing of the bridge as he greeted his people. "Lady Mal and I want to thank you for celebrating our engagement with us today." he smiled down at his fiancee. "I couldn't be prouder or happier to call you my queen.

"So..." Ben continued, raising his punch glass. "Raise your glasses. To our future Queen of Auradon."

"To our Queen of Auradon!" the crowd chorused, Rosalie raising her glass high as she watched her friends with a bright smile, before lowering it to her lips to take a sip of the sweet, tart beverage.

"Speech, Your Special-ness!" Carlos called out, his glass still raised in Mal's direction.

"Speech, Your Fancy One," Jay added, causing the others to laugh in response, Mal and Ben included.

Rosalie watched as slowly, Mal's smile faded, tears seeming to prick at the purple haired girl's vision. A hushed silence fell over the crowd as everyone waited for Mal to speak, but she simply watched them, all traces of her smile long gone as she watched them with a devastated expression.

"I can't," she spoke up after a moment, confused whispers beginning to spread through the crowd, and Rosalie and Krissy exchanged a look, having a sinking feeling of where Mal's words were heading. "I can't be Queen of Auradon." she said firmly, Ben turning to her with a worried look.

"Mal," he spoke, and she turned to face him.

The two spoke in hushed voices for a moment, every eye in the surrounding area trained on them as Mal slowly turned back to the crowd.

"We made a decision to close the barrier forever." she spoke apprehensively. "And it was my idea, but it's wrong. I've learned that you can't live in fear, because it doesn't actually protect you from anything." she chuckled humorlessly. "You never know where the bad is gonna come from. And you never know where the heroes are gonna come from either. Without Uma and her Pirates, Auradon would be gone. And without Hades..." she trailed off, bracing herself for what was about to come next. "My father..."

The crowd gasped, everyone except for those that had been witness to what had happened with Audrey looking around in shock and alarm. But Rosalie simply held her gaze on Mal, nodding slowly in encouragement for the girl to keep going.

"Come on, Mal," Rosalie whispered. "You can do this."

"...Audrey would be gone." Mal continued, the princess of Auroria staring at the ground, tears pricking at the edge of her eyes. "We are all capable of good and bad, no matter which side of the barrier we come from." Mal turned back to Ben. "And that's why I can't be queen of just Auradon. I have to be Queen of the Isle, too. And it's time that we take the barrier down forever."

"We can't do that." Beast spoke up from behind Ben, the King of Auradon turning to face his father.

"It's up to us, Dad." Ben reminded him, before looking back at Mal with a proud smile and turning to the rest of the crowd. "I choose to be a king who moves forward. It's time for forgiveness. It's time for new beginnings." Ben took a deep breath. "The barrier will come down!" he proclaimed.

"Yes!" Carlos exclaimed, clapping his hands in excitement.

"Bring it down, Mal." Ben said, turning to his fiancee as the crowd burst into applause, Rosalie's heart beginning to flutter nervously in her chest as she turned back to look at where the Isle of the Lost sat in the distance, Harry and the rest of their friends just on the other side of the barrier.

Evie, Jay, and Carlos ran up the stairs to join Mal and Ben as Fairy Godmother presented Mal with her wand, which Mal gratefully accepted. Her friends surrounded her, their gazes all falling on the Isle, tears of excitement filling Evie's eyes. After the year since their original transfer to Auradon, and all of the time Evie had spent working with Ben to ensure a brighter future for the children of the Isle, all of their work was finally coming to fruition.

They had succeeded.

"To make the world a better place," Mal began to chant the incantation, her friends joining in. "We have to do it face to face."

With a flourish of Fairy Godmother's wand, a beam of light burst forth, striking the Isle of the Lost. The barrier dissolved into a flash of golden light, and the thick storm clouds that always hung over the dreary Isle dissipated, fading away into the otherwise clear sky. Slowly, a bridge began to form, connecting Auradon and the Isle until they were one.

No longer just Auradon and the Isle.

The United States of Auradon were finally united, and the rest of the VKs were coming home.