[4] Phoenix | Descendants 3

THIRTY-TWO: A New Day

"And look at that jewel," adds Celia, her eyes on the pendant. She reaches for it instinctively but then stops. "It still doesn't do anything anymore, does it?"

Hades had the necklace enchanted by Hecate to keep her powers under control. But now that she was a god, it really didn't have any magical effect on her anymore. But precious stones like diamonds and sapphires tend to have their own effect.

Helena shakes her head, "It only looks really good."

CJ shrugs, "That's always a plus."

"You don't think we can get some bling too?" asks Celia.

"Don't push it," interjects Evie.

"So, I see you guys finally made it," greets Jay as he comes over with Carlos, Doug, and the twins.

"Heigh-ho," breathed Doug the moment he caught sight of his beautiful girlfriend. It was amazing how she still managed to take his breath away.

Evie smiles at him lovingly as she walks over to him, placing a sweet kiss on his cheek. "You clean up nicely."

"Thanks," replied Doug with a grin. "I know a really great designer."

It was insane to think how the coupe ended up here. The Evil Queen raised her daughter to think that her sole purpose in life was finding a prince, and provided her with skills and qualities to reach that goal. It wasn't until Evie came to the land of the princes that is Auradon that she discovered that her prince charming wasn't a prince at all, but a dwarf. Yes, the same small, insignificant men that always stood in her mother's way. That was who Evie fell in love with and she couldn't be happier.

Carlos' eyes found Helena and he couldn't look away. He didn't care that he looked like a love struck fool. When he was staring at the beautiful girl in the world, how could he look anywhere else but her?

Helena smiled once she noticed Carlos staring at her as she walked over to him. Her head tilts as she says, "You're staring again."

"Like I've told you before, I'm gazing," He corrected.

"It's still creepy."

"It's romantic."

Helena laughed at her boyfriend's silliness. "Whatever you say, de Vil."

"So," began Doug, gaining the attention of the couple. "How's your business going, Carlos?"

"It's good," informs Carlos with a smile. "I mean, it's good but not so good."

"Good but not so good?" repeats CJ, confused.

But Jay understood what the de Vil boy was trying to say. "Business has skyrocketed, thanks to the curse. A lot of animals were lost or separated from their owners, but we're working hard to get them reunited with their owners."

"When are you going back to Charmington?" Carlos asks the son of Dopey.

"In a few weeks," answers the dwarf. "It's been a while since I've been home and even longer with the curse and everything that happened with that. But I am looking forward to seeing my family again and," He takes his girlfriend's hand with a smile, "to have my wonderful girlfriend going with me."

The Seven Dwarves had raised their children to hate evil and villainy, especially anything associated with the Evil Queen. So when Doug told them that he was dating the daughter of the very woman that tormented them all those years ago, they could hardly believe it. They struggled accepting her and their relationship to the point that Doug cut the dwarves out of his life entirely. Thanks to Evie's encouragement, Doug was rekindling the relationship with his family. But the dwarves were still wary of Evie and didn't completely accept her.