Into the Depths

Chapter 21

Mal was so deep in thought she didn't notice the purple smoke enveloping her once more and when it faded, she was back to her human self.

"What'd you think about?" Macaria asked as Lenora walked off, presumably to give them some privacy. That was another thing Mal liked about her—unlike Natalie who always seemed to be in the background over her shoulder, Lenora knew when to back off.

"Ben got some books at our joint birthday party, he was telling me about one of them the other day," Mal told her.

"Ah. Sorry we weren't there by the way. Dad...dad didn't know if you'd want him there," Macaria said. "Um, we did get you something. Just you though, though the family does wish King Ben a happy birthday."

Mal shook her head in amusement. "Macaria, I'm not going to get offended on Ben's behalf. You're my cousin, it's understandable you'd get me a gift."

"Funny you should mention relations," Macaria said with a small chuckle as she pulled out a card out of her pocket. "Dad worked with Grandfather all week to get this done by your birthday. Unfortunately, it seems with any council, even the most expedited thing still moves at a snail's pace."

Mal chuckled and took the card from Macaria. Quickly opening it, she stared in confusion as it turned out to not be a card but a piece of parchment that'd been folded multiple times. Unfolding it, Mal would be the first to admit that she was shocked to see the Gods' family tree—with her name next to her brother's.

"You should have been on there since birth," Macaria stated, "but since Grandfather didn't know you were born, it...it wasn't possible. Now, however, if you or King Ben need to call on Olympus for anything it'll be provided. Be it aid, shelter, or anything else."

"Macaria...". Mal said faintly. Jerkules...he'd done this for her? Even when all she'd been was snarky to him at best and maybe downright cruel to him at worst, thinking back to their singular interaction in the first viewing.

Huh, maybe I should start referring to him as 'Hercules' instead of Jerkules or Wonderboy, Mal thought with a wry smile.

"He didn't have to do that," she told Macaria, folding the parchment back up.

"Yes he did," Macaria told her. "We're family, it's time you were acknowledged by Olympus as such."

"So...not to sound ungrateful but why now? Why not after the first viewing?"

Macaria shrugged. "I...I think it's because dad thought it might have been too soon. We'd just found out and he didn't want to rush you into accepting Olympus if you didn't want to. Plus you were still getting used to dating King Ben and the royal life that came with that."

Mal couldn't help but smile slightly as she pocketed the folded parchment, grabbing the water bottle that was nearby to take a drink. Transforming into her dragon form still took a lot out to her so the water helped. Plus Steph would probably come after her if she found out Mal wasn't hydrating properly.

Gods, Steph's more of a mom than Maleficent ever was. Well, if you compare Maleficent to like Belle or Cinderella. You compare Maleficent to Cruella and Maleficent wins Mother of the Year.

"Um...so...not to change the subject or anything but have...have you heard from Gil?" Macaria asked and Mal coughed, spluttering out the sip of water she'd taken and drenching the front of her shirt. It was safe to say she had not been expecting that question.

"Gil?"

"Yeah. Have you heard from him? Is...is he back on the Isle?"

Mal couldn't help but shake her head, brushing back some of her hair that had gotten wet from the spluttering. "Macaria, I haven't talked to Gil since I was about nine. Never mind keeping in contact with him since I moved to Auradon. He's in Uma's crew anyway. Even if I wanted to get in contact with him, I doubt I could."