A few days after the Chad debacle as Mal had begun to call it in her head, the Godling stood in front of her bed. Her bed, which had been taken over by the interior of her wardrobe. She was going to clean it out and start anew...she just didn't know where to begin.
"Did your closet explode or something?"
"Please tell me you don't come bearing food again. It's like you do that every time I see you lately," Mal said, shaking her head as she turned to look at the Arendelle heir in her doorway. "What are you even doing here? Your girlfriend is on the other end of the school."
"It's a beautiful day and Emir and I wanted to see if you and Estelle wanted to go running around with Emma, Elle, Sven and Rajah?"
"...Ben's cool with a tiger being on campus?"
"Well we wouldn't be on property. We'd go to the Enchanted Lake. Rajah's up there in years but he still likes to swim. What about Estelle?"
"Honestly I don't know," Mal told him, ignoring the slight bit of panic at the idea of swimming. Besides, unlike Ben, his shadows seemed to be well aware of when she was lying. She just...she'd already been weak around them once. Letting them know about her fear of water almost seemed like overkill.
And yes she was aware that she went into the water during her date with Ben. That was different. She wasn't going to let Ben drown while on a date with her!
"Well doesn't Harry swim all the time? At least that's what it seemed like from what Jay told us."
"His dad taught him to swim by the time he could walk. It's a pirate thing really, you can't really have the kid of a pirate drowning now can you?"
"What about Uma?"
Mal raised her eyebrow, giving Akiho a look and causing the blond to shake his head.
"I realized the stupidity of the question the moment it left my lips," he said with a sigh. "But Estelle never joined them for a swim?"
"Look Akiho, we don't really swim on the Isle," Mal told him. "Sure some of the crew will if it gets hot enough but otherwise, we tend to not want to risk our clothing, what little we had. Speaking of which, I need to get back to this."
"Need some help?"
"You're offering to be around girly clothing for who knows how long when your best friend and girlfriend are probably waiting for you?"
Akiho chuckled. "If I can be around Ben when he reorganizes his books, I can be around a few dresses. Fair warning, the book reorganization can go on for hours. Sometimes it's days if Belle gets involved. Nine times out of ten you'll walk in on him reading the books instead of you know actually organizing them."
"Ben didn't put you up to this did he?"
"He knows I'm asking you about the Enchanted Lake trip before I go down to his office to drag him along but other than that, he does not know that I'm helping you with your closet reorg. Speaking of which...why are you reorganizing your closet?"
Mal sighed. "I know Evie worked hard on all the clothes but...they're not me. The issue is I like some of them. But if I'm going to go back to being 'me' instead of what I wanted to be to keep Natalie off my back and The Gazelle off my back, I need to have clothes that reflect that I'm me."
"Gotcha," Akiho nodded and picked up a white dress. "Well, first off, this? Not you. It looks more like something my aunt would wear than you."
"Put it in the pile then," Mal said, pointing to her pillows where a fair bit of her clothes already were. "Clothes I'm getting rid of go there and clothes I'm keeping will go on the foot of the bed for ease of transport."
"Great...just one question."
"Yes?"
"Where are the clothes you're getting rid of going to go?"
"Well I was thinking the Isle but none of those clothes are anything like what anyone on the Isle would wear."
"So we're making it up as we go along," Akiho nodded and Mal couldn't help but chuckle.
"...Sven swims?" Mal asked after a few minutes of sorting in silence.
"No. He's our lifeguard," Akiho told her. "I'm pretty sure mom would have insisted I take Olaf since he can actually talk but he's more prone to panicking than anything else. As well he's easily distracted."
"Can't you distract Sven by just bribing him with carrots?"
"I'm pretty sure Olaf gets distracted by shiny things so he's definitely more likely to get distracted than Sven."
Mal couldn't help but shake her head in amusement as Akiho held up a pale green dress with sleeves that almost looked like butterfly wings.
"Yay or nay?"
"Ooh I don't know," Mal bit her lip. "It's not remotely my style and yet...I don't know, it almost looks like something my mom might wear when she goes to visit Olympus."
"So keep it. I'm sure Evie can make you some new stuff anyway," Akiho told her. "You know...you pair this with your black leather jacket and it'd be almost the best of both worlds."
"How is it you know so much about clothes?"
"Melody," Akiho chuckled. "Elle's not much one for fashion but Mel can chat my ear off if need be. She's been hanging out with Hadie more though so I haven't had a chance to talk with her."
"It's been good for Hadie though, being around his cousins," Mal nodded. "Well, that and having mom here."
Akiho nodded as they continued to comb through the mountain of clothing on Mal's bed. It honestly was a challenge just because Evie had made such nice clothing. It'd be a shame to just throw it out or burn them but they really wouldn't work for anyone on the Isle.
The only one they might have worked for was Evie. And she was in Auradon.
"Hey Mal?"
"Hmm?"
Akiho sighed. "My dad, he wanted to reach out. I um...I hope you don't mind but I told him about Natalie."
"It's fine," Mal sighed. She knew it wouldn't be long before the other royals of Auradon found out about that.
"Well after spending about thirty minutes trying to keep my aunt from turning Natalie into an ice sculpture—."
"Doesn't she live in the Enchanted Forest?"
"She was there for Family Game Night. Mom insists on it, she'll even have me bring Emir and Ben along. Fair warning she'll probably rope you into it as well."
"Ah. Proceed."
Akiho shook his head in amusement. "Anyway, after that and then after thirty more minutes trying to get my mom to not haul off and punch her in the face a la Hans, my dad wanted to invite you to a club meeting of his. It consists of all the other Auradon royals who married into the royal life. You know, like Ben's mom, my dad, King Eugene, Emir's dad..."
"I got it," Mal nodded as Akiho trailed off. "But why does he want me to join?"
"He says it's a lot less stressful, being around people who are in the same boat. There are still days that dad says he doesn't understand most of what's been said in terms of the royal life."
"And...and he's okay with the fact that I'm the daughter of Hades?"
"Why wouldn't he be?"
"Considering you all prefer Odin...?"
"Oh. Oh! Yeah no, dad's cool with that. After all, my mom and aunt are part Nothaldra who have spirits who can wake up and destroy everything in their path. He's not going to anger anyone. I mean, my grandparents are rock trolls for Gods' sake."
Mal couldn't help but smile at that. It was weird but after years of dealing with Freddy, hearing someone say that they were cool with the idea of there being different Gods than the ones they had legitimately touched her.
"So...who else is in this club?"
"Queen Tiana, Queen Aurora, Queen Snow..."
"Wait, those last two were born royal. Why are they in a club dedicated to learning to being royal?"
Akiho shook his head. "Snow White was treated like a servant most of her life and Aurora didn't know she was a princess until she was sixteen. They may have been born royal but they're still learning the way the others are."
Mal nodded and they grew silent once more, every so often sorting clothes or chuckling over a particular piece of clothing.
"Hey Akiho?"
"Yeah?"
"This is going to sound mean and trust me, I don't mean for it to be but...why do you care?"
"About you?"
"Yeah," Mal nodded. It was honestly something that'd been rattling around in her brain since she met the blond prince. "I mean, I appreciate it but between this and the picnic..."
Akiho sighed and set down whatever article of clothing he'd picked up to evaluate. "Mal, you remember what Ben was like when he was in the betrothal contract with Audrey?"
"Completely miserable and insisting on living in his office? Yeah I'm pretty sure I remember," Mal nodded.
"Yeah well he'd been that way for a year. The worst part was he wasn't willing to fight for his own happiness or health. He was a shadow of my best friend. And then you came around and it was like he woke up or something. He wasn't bound to anything with you, he could just be friendly. Seeing that change in Ben, seeing my best friend come back instead of the robot that had been in his place for a year...I'll always appreciate it Mal."
Mal couldn't help but smile a little at that. On the Isle, the only people who would have cared would have been her allies and there was no guarantee that a fling's allies would have been her allies.
This...this was different. And she loved it.
"You seriously kept this?" Akiho asked, holding up the curry stained dress from the weekend visit to Agrabah. Mal shook her head. That had been an awkward dinner between Aladdin, Jasmine, Emir and his siblings. Thankfully Emir had somehow managed to spill his bowl of curry onto his and Ben's lap causing everyone to laugh and taking the attention off of Mal.
"Evie swears she can get the stain out but it's been a month since the dinner," Mal chuckled.
"Yeah well if you're serious about keeping it, talk to Queen Ella. She's good at getting stains out of clothing."
"Ella...?"
"Cinderella," Akiho elaborated and Mal nodded. Of course, that made sense. Kitty had even said that her mother's name hadn't truly started with a 'c'.
Tossing a piece of clothing back on her bed, Mal sighed and looked over at Akiho. "This has grown boring and tiresome and it's a beautiful day. Let's go get my dog and then see about making our way to the Enchanted Lake."
"That sounds like a plan," Akiho grinned and wrapped an arm over Mal's shoulders, the two of them abandoning the mountain of clothing. Meanwhile, on another mountain, a conversation was about to take place that was many many years in the making. Why hadn't it happened after Persephone left Mal you may ask?
Well, after thinking it over, she figured it wouldn't be a good idea for her to yell at the other Gods while still furious about Natalie and the way she had treated Mal.
"Zeus!"
"Persephone? What in the world?" Zeus asked as Persephone stormed into the meeting chambers. "We thought you were on the Isle. It is still your six months after all."
"Yes, I am aware. And it's because of that idiotic agreement that my daughter suffered through who knows how many months of abuse and slander on her own because she didn't want me to worry. Because I couldn't leave. Tell me, Zeus, do you care about your niece at all? Because this is the second time your actions have led to her suffering!"
"My actions? I don't—."
"Oh he doesn't remember! Maybe this will ring a bell! 'Zeus, we need your help! Maleficent, she just stole a child from Hades! Please!'" Persephone stated, glaring at the King of the Gods. "You could have said yes. You could have helped then. But you didn't. You decided that an innocent five month old should suffer at the talons of Maleficent rather than swallow your pride and help your brother!"
"Now to be fair, he didn't know the child was actually Hades'," Apollo spoke up. "Father thought you were referring to a child of one of Uncle Hades' minions."
"Apollo, until you're a parent, you don't get to partake in this," Persephone stated with a glare.
"But she's not really yours—."
"I. Adopted. Her," Persephone growled out the three words. "She is mine in all but genetics. She will have use of my magic just as she would have use of Hades and some of her Fae powers as well. More than likely she will have our immortality. But even if she didn't, even if she was only my step-daughter, she would still be my daughter."
"I had a granddaughter?" Demeter gasped.
"That's right mother," Persephone nodded. "For six years, you had a grandchild that you wanted, that you longed for. However, for five of those years, Mal was basically held hostage by Maleficent since there was nothing either one of us could do. The Isle has no sun, barely any plants can grow there. What good are my powers over vegetation when nothing grows? And yes Hades can flame up to a minimal amount but there would have been the risk to Mal. There is nothing Hades would do that would have put his daughter...that would have put our daughter in harms way!"
"Wait, wait, back up," Hermes said, flying over to Persephone. "What do you mean Mal's been suffering now? Everyone knows she's your daughter."
"Well except for my idiot brother apparently," Artemis muttered.
"Apparently, there've been some...articles written about her in The Gazelle that have cast aspersions about that," Persephone stated. Uma had filled her in about those even if Persephone never had a chance to see the articles. "That would have been enough to earn my ire if it wasn't for the fact that I then learned Mal had a handler that was appointed by King Ben's council. And who do we know who's on that council?"
One by one, all the Gods' heads turned to look at Zeus.
"Well now, can you really blame me? It was just to make the transition easier for Mal, after living on the Isle for so many years. I'm sure Maleficent didn't teach her how to interact with royalty—."
"Of course Maleficent didn't teach her anything, you arrogant peacock!" Persephone exclaimed. "When I finally got Mal back, she was timid yet suspicious of everything Hades and I did! If we dared to reward her for something or spoil her for her birthday, it was treated like a trap and that we were really going to punish her for being weak! And that was on top of everything Mal had to see as part of a day to day life on the Isle! A life you all deemed perfectly fine!"
"Persephone, what are you—?"
"Mother, tell me. What is one of Hades' responsibilities?"
"Why to manage the Underworld and judge the souls of those who enter there of course."
"Exactly," Persephone nodded. "Do you know how many children have entered the Underworld in the past twenty years? How many babies? How many mothers? The correct answer is too many. But because they were all villains, you felt free to turn a blind eye."
"We didn't set up the Isle Persephone."
"You reinforced the barrier," Persephone told Zeus. "And yes, I'm aware that I could have said something but who could I have told? I tried to come to you when Mal was taken and you brushed me aside. Former King Beast and Former Queen Belle were dealing with their own issues at the time."
Persephone took a small breath and then looked back at Zeus. "Know this Zeus. I will not be returning to that Isle for the rest of the six months. My daughter needs me, especially after the months of verbal and emotional abuse laid down at the hands of the handler you saw fit to bestow your niece. My son needs me. And yes, my husband will need me but I'll have the portal and the mind link to keep in contact with him."
"Persephone...we made an agreement..."
"Mother, the agreement was made back before I was a mother and with a king who is no longer in power. That would be like honoring a treaty with a king who'd been deposed. King Ben not only saw fit to invite me off the Isle so I could help with the issue but also informed me that I could stay as long as I wanted."
"Persephone—."
"No. Zeus. She's right," Demeter nodded, much to Persephone and Zeus' shock, and looked at the God. "You remember what all I did to get my daughter back the first time. Now imagine what Persephone might do if you forced her back to the Isle and her daughter was still in need of her? The agreement needs to be renegotiated to one that allows Persephone to move back and forth with ease."
"Or crazy idea, we allow Hades off the Isle," Persephone stated.
"No! Absolutely not!"
"First off, Zeusy, it's not up to you! King Ben's the one who decides who comes off the Isle," Persephone snapped. "And second of all, don't you think you're even by now? You weren't eaten by your father when Hades was, Hades yes kidnapped Hercules and turned him mortal but if he hadn't done that, your grandchildren would have never been born as he would have never met Megara! Further more, Hades has spent twenty years on the Isle for his coup of Olympus!"
"He released the Titans, he waged war against the Gods and potentially caused the deaths of hundreds of mortals by putting the Cyclops on them." Zeus stated. "To let him off now would be allowing him a lighter punishment than any we would have given a mortal who committed the same acts."
"He is a God," Persephone shot back. "I know he stole from you but considering he's not chained to a rock and having eagles eat his liver every day and having it grow back, I'd think you already went light on his punishment."
Zeus didn't answer. Of course he didn't go as harsh on Hades' punishment as he had Promethus'. Hades was his older brother. No matter what, there would always be that blood connection. But a coup could not go unpunished. Hell he had turned Poseidon and Apollo mortal for a while when they had attempted to overthrow him, back before the creation of Auradon.
"I will...think about it," he said, finally breaking his silence and looking at Persephone. "But I would need to talk to King Ben before any final agreement could be made. Releasing Hades from the Isle...that could require a council vote."
"Should be easy enough, no mortal would risk angering the Gods by voting against them," Aphrodite stated and then smiled over at Persephone. "On a happier note though, I understand Mal's had some advancement in her love life?"
"Of course you'd know about that," Persephone said, shaking her head. "I'll fill you in on that later. But let's just say Hermes owes you some money."
"Ha! I knew it!"
"Oh come on!" Hermes exclaimed.
"You really bet against me when it comes to who would say the 'L' word first? I'm the Goddess of Love!"
"Speaking of titles, Hermes, you're considered by the mortals a God of Communication. Do you think you could...?"
"Oh I'm on it," Hermes said with a small smirk as he looked over at Persephone. "The mortals also consider me a God of Mischief after all. I think I can make it clear to those at The Gazelle that Mal's not one to mess with."
"Excellent," Persephone grinned, and if one looked closely, they might have been inclined to call it an almost feral grin. But then, Persephone would be well within her rights to have a smile like that.
No one messed with her daughter after all.
"Tell me, what punishment did her handler get?" Demeter asked.
"I had originally wanted to turn her into a mint plant. It may be a bit cliche but it's a classic at this point. But Mal didn't want that. She said turning her into anything would just make it seem like anyone from the Isle was too dangerous to be around resulting in the barrier being closed for good. So instead I made it so she could never plant a garden again. Any attempt will just result in dead plants."
"It's less than what she deserves," Demeter muttered. Oh sure she wasn't happy that Hades was the father of her grandchildren but she at least had grandchildren.
"Mother, I know that look," Persephone said. "What are you thinking?"
"Well dear, you may be from the Isle, at least temporarily...but I am from Olympus. There'd be no aspersions cast toward those from the Isle if a Goddess of Olympus were to intervene on Mal's behalf. Especially if that Goddess was her grandmother."
"Mother, keep this up and you might just get to meet Mal. What do you have in mind?"
"And nothing like what you did to get Persephone back," Zeus stated. "The other mortals don't deserve to suffer."
"Oh yes, now he cares about the suffering of others," Persephone muttered as she and Demeter walked out of the room, content to start planning their own revenge. After all, one never went up against a God or Goddess of Olympus and expected to come out unscathed now did they?
Besides, Persephone had told Natalie that she wouldn't be transformed into anything. To the best of her knowledge, her mother had never transformed a mortal into anything.
But if they happened to transform the world around her...hey, her husband thrived on making deals. Persephone was well equipped at finding a loophole.