Perfection~ MAL* BOOK 3

happily ever after

Leah focused on Cori and stood up.

"Cori, please —"

"Queen Leah, may you please wait outside for a moment?" Cori asks with all the respect she could muster due to Leah queenly status.

"But—" Leah starts, but Cori turns her head away, not wanting to hear her any longer. Leah nods hesitantly and leaves the room. Once there was only them three, Audrey sits up from her bed.

"Cori, I'm so sorry—"

"Audrey." Cori says, as a way to silence the distressed girl. Audrey bows her head in shame.

"You need to understand that what you have done was cruel. I understood that Maleficent's scepter had a hand at your actions, but before you even touched the scepter, you had gone to the museum. You shut off the cameras, you destroyed property, stole the crown of the Queen of Auradon, stole the scepter. You turned innocents into stone or put them to sleep. You turned Ben into a beast where he could have severely hurt someone. You attacked and kidnapped the Queen Regnant of Auradon. You can't truly believe that I can forgive you for this, right?"

Audrey by that point was crying again silently. Cori nods at Mal to continue for her.

"We decided that from this moment forward, you will be stripped of your royal title as Princess. You will also be banished from Auradon for a year. After the year is up, you may return and right your wrongs towards the people you've hurt." Mal says with solemn. Audrey gasps, but doesn't say a word.

Nothing, but the shallow breathing of Audrey, was heard in the room.

Cori finally walks over to Audrey and sits beside her. She doesn't lay a hand of comfort on her, not wanting to give her the wrong idea of anything. "If I feel that you have really done your part to help those who have been hurt by you, then we can talk about reinstating your title. Until then, I wish you the best Audrey."

Cori paused for a moment before speaking up again.

"And I'm sorry, this happened to you. I'm sorry you were jilted by Ben and thought that you were jilted by me."

Cori stood up and straightened herself out, before turning to walk to the door.

"Cori!" Audrey calls. Cori had her back to the former princess. Cori only turned her head to look at her.

"Would I—" Pause. "...would I have ever stood a chance?" There was no pause. No hesitation when Cori response.

"No, Audrey." Cori says bluntly. She wasn't going to sugar coat anything or say something to make Audrey feel better. Audrey, at least, deserves the truth. Cori grabs Mal's hand and guides her out of the room.

Audrey doesn't stop them.

•~•~•~•

Cori and Mal dance the night away at their engagement party. It was a beautiful, perfect day.

The barrier has been tore down for good. Everyone on the Isle was welcomed in Auradon with open arms. Many reformed villains had even made amends with the people they have wronged.

Anthony had even introduced Cori to her step-grandmother, who had was now much of a softy granny that frets over Dizzy Tremaine. Cinderella had invited her step-mother and sisters over for tea to reconcile and start a new chapter.

Mal and Hades reconciled as well and when Mal wasn't looking, he would menacingly threaten Cori with his eyes that read 'You hurt my little girl, they will never find you body'. Cori only smiles brightly and hugs Mal close.

He also tried to reconcile with Etta, who wasn't at all interested in speaking to him. She had skipped away to spend time with Celia and Dr. Facilier, who she viewed at a father. Mending a relationship that was never there was going to take work.

Jay and Gil have decided to travel together for a year and see the world.

Carlos is going to veterinarian school.

Evie and Doug are working on a new fashion line.

Chad is going to college to find himself.

Anthony and Ben are going to work of finding housing and education for all the villains and VK with the help of Uma.

Harry goes where Uma goes.

No other word can describe the life Cori and Mal will be living from now on. They have each other and there loved ones.

No other word... Well... Other than,

Perfection

The End.