Rotten To The Core (Sander Sides Descendants AU)

Chapter 9

Roman threw his pencil down in frustration and leaned back from his desk. Magical Maths was really annihilating him tonight. Not that it usually didn't, but today he hadn't been able to complete a single problem. Every time he attempted one, his mind would inevitably drift elsewhere.

He'd tried distracting himself earlier by going out with his friend, Aaron. They'd gotten coffee at Tiana's Beignet and Coffeehouse, and he'd listened to Aaron go on and on about new makeup techniques and celebrity gossip. Usually Roman would be all over Ariel's new line of pearl jewelry, but not today. He was too busy thinking about the Isle.

Ever since he was little, he'd been warned about the Isle of the Lost. "Don't be bad or we'll send you to the Isle." was a common parenting device. He'd never worried about that though, because he was good. And all the Isle people were right where they belonged.

Or were they?

He groaned and rubbed his eyes. It was late. Much too late to be hung up on some stupid rumors. He picked up his pencil at stared at the first problem, focusing intently.

...

Damn it.

He dropped the pencil and picked up his phone, speed dialing a familiar number and standing up. As it rang, he surveyed his room, empty save for him. Aaron said he had a party to attend. What Roman would give to be able to think about parties again.

The ringing stopped, and a soft, tired voice answered the phone. "*yawn*...hello?"

"Hi Mom." Roman replied, cut off from his train of thought.

"Oh, hello sweetie. What are you doing up so late? You should be in bed."

"Says Ms. Midnight." Roman retorted with a giggle.

"That was years ago!" Cinderella protested. "You can't use that excuse every time you want to stay up!"

"Hasn't failed me yet." Roman paused, thinking a moment, "Mom?"

"Yes?"

He worked up the courage and finally asked. "Does everyone on the Isle of the Lost deserve to be there?"

He waited, and after a moment his mom replied. "What makes you ask that, Roman?"

"Well..." he started, wondering himself why he was asking, "A lot of kids here are talking about the Isle and saying that it's really bad there. And not in the way that the people are bad but in how bad it's run. That it's not fair to the kids of the villains to be brought up in a bad place because that's what makes them like their parents."

His mom didn't respond, so he kept going. "But, why would we punish people if it wasn't fair? Right? There has to be a reason the villain kids are there? Right?" The slightest bit of hesitation creeped into his voice towards the end. He hoped his mom could clear this up.

"Roman, dear." She finally said, "Do you remember what I told you? About what happened to my stepsisters and my stepmother?"

"Yeah. They lived bitter and alone until you and the Council of Crowns decided to create the Isle of the Lost." Roman answered. "Then, they were moved there with the other evil villains."

"Well, your father and I voted against the Isle."

Roman stood stock still, mouth hanging open. "Wha-what?!" He exclaimed after a moment.

"Maybe we ought to talk about this tomorrow-"

"No! Tell me now!" Roman yelled, quieting down when his neighbor rapped angrily on his wall and shouted to keep it down. "You were against the Isle??" He demanded, quieter this time.
"Why?"