"...Mother?" (A Descendants × Hadeficent story)

Ch. 16 - The two sided talk

"So, uhm...how did it go?"

It wasn't particularly obvious, but Ben could see that the rims of her eyes were slightly reddened. "Did, uh, everything go well with Lord Hades?" Ben didn't wish to intrude, but Mal only shook her head, "There aren't many people who are still using magic like Lord Hades. Besides, it couldn't have been easy for him when he first came to Auradon, being a reformed villain, and all. It just feels like he's my role model." Mal spoke wistfully as she continued, "You have to remember, Ben, that in Auradon, everyone would have at least had a small taster of magic. But us? The only magic we have ever known is the one keeping all of ours away."

Her words reminded him of the three fairies that had granted him a rather disastrous castle on his twelfth birthday, and guilt washed his heart at once.

It was a casual use of magic, a slip of their wands...and it was also a childhood the VKs on the Isle would never have.

"And this room itself?" Mal gestured at the room that had been cleared and packed up all just for her, "Just this room would be the dream of many VKs."

And when he thought she would continue guilt-tripping him, she came to an abrupt end.

"I'm not Evie. I shouldn't be like this." Mal blinked, staring at the ceiling of her four poster bed, "I'm not the one taking environmental economics. I have no qualifications to help the Isle." "No, Mal. You've forgotten. You are my girlfriend. My future Lady." Ben lifted her hand to his lips, "And every day, Mal, you make me feel more like I didn't choose the wrong person."

He didn't see the shock and the remorse that flashed through her eyes even as he rose to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mal. Sweet dreams."

And she stared at him, before she swallowed her doubts and nodded at him, "Evil dreams. Sleep tight."

Look at you, look at me, I don't know who to be, Mother...

Is it wrong, is it right, to want to just lead a normal life, Mother?

Tell me what to do...

...

"Good morning, dearie! Did you have a nice sleep?"

Of all things she could have imagined about starting the day...

...waking up to a motherly Mrs Potts right in front of her was not one of them.

Unable to curse at the bumbling, cheerful...former teapot, Mal resigned to a sigh and a smile as she attempted pulling herself together, "Mrs Potts, isn't it a little...early, to be awake on a Sunday morning?" "But why would you waste this brilliant Sunday morning sleeping?" The stout little lady harrumphed in disagreement, "Absolutely marvelous Sunday mornings, spent on sleeping! A tragedy!" "A tragedy!" Mrs Potts still muttered as she took up a feather duster, already dusting the foot of Mal's bed, as though expecting the girl to get up, and Mal sprang to her feet, leaving the bed quickly.

"The breakfast is downstairs, dear." Mrs Potts gestured at the door the moment Mal left the bathroom, and Mal cleared her throat softly, pulling the ends of her night gown, "Mrs Potts? Where are my clothes?" "That tattered leather? I took it for mending, of course." Mrs Potts seemed rather pleased, "And I should think I've put a new set in your wardrobe!" "Oh, thank you..." Mal hesitated, not quite trusting the fashion to be her taste, but yet Mrs Potts's excited gaze egged her on, and Mal obliged, walking to the closet, "I love it."

"Then wear it on, sweetheart. Belle is still downstairs waiting to have breakfast with you." Mrs Potts resumed the fight with the duster, leaving Mal alone with the wardrobe, and with a sigh, Mal began to file through the various hanging outfits.