The door opened and in stepped Audrey with my brother hot on her heels. I sighed the last thing I wanted was to deal with him right now. I moved to sit at my desk
"What can I do for you brother?" I question running a hand through my hair and looking down at documents needing my signature "Have you been bothering Audrey again?"
"Well you're dodging me at every turn, Bree." he retorted and glance up at him, he looked between Audrey and Harry "We need to talk...alone." Harry snorted and Audrey rolled her eyes
"Anything you want to say, can be said in front of them. They are my most trusted." i leaned back in my chair and crossed my legs. Ben scowled at me.
"Why do you continue to refuse that Mal and I can set a date for our wedding." he inquired. It was my turn to roll my eyes "It is one excuse after another, it's been over a year since I proposed. I love her, your Queen now...." he started to rant as he had done many times before. Much to most of my family's annoyance he was still insistent that he was going to marry Mal.
"Just because your jealous!" I stood up my chair hitting the wall behind me with a loud thud
"That is enough Benjamin, I am your Queen!" I shouted which silenced him "To speak to me in such a manner is disrespectful." I opened my draw and pulled out three piles of papers.
"This is why I constantly refuse you. If your so instant on knowing." I dropped them on the deck and slammed the draw shut. I moved from my desk as he picked one of the piles up.
"And what is this supposed to be?" he huffed
"That, Benjamin is just a small fraction of petitions from all over the United States of Auradon." I nodded to Audrey and Harry who moved to other parts of my office they piled up more stacks
"What is all this for?" he asks still not getting it, which only irritated me more.
"A petition of execution from Lady Mal, the people quite literally want her head." I answered and he spun around to face me in shock
"What?" he voice dropped
"There is a society of second borns from prominent families all over, for generations they've rarely made headway on anything important. Half the time they're just mad they they're not the oldest and inline to inherit whatever they're elder sibling will." I began to explain
"Quite pathetic most of the time. Entitled brats." Audrey commented sitting down.
"However, since Breanne came to the throne, they've been quite convincing. Up and down the country there have been rallies, protests, gatherings on what they're calling the averted future." Harry continued "They're Pro Queen Breanne and Anti King Ben and Queen Mal."
"For nearly a year they have been taking the nightmare I had and using it to gather support. Their argument is, that should something awful happen to me, which is what they don't want. Mal would bring back the doomsday future, should she eventually marry you." I summarised, they had become quite popular and more insistent with their views, people were defiantly taking notice and listening, much to my dismay.
"But how do they remember, most don't?" he sat down as well.
"They've always remembered, the reason I didn't know till a year ago is because their reasons at they time for believing weren't pure. The three of us were connected because we wanted to change it for others, not for ourselves. It was a selfless act. Them not so much." I answered, morals were and still are a big thing to me.
"They have everyone convinced the the only way to make a full proof, non doomsday future is to kill Mal and the more they speak, they more people listen." I moved my chair back to it's normal position.
"This is not the Dark ages Breanne, you can't take them seriously." Ben growled
"Unlike you I take threats and people seriously. I have been trying to hold them off, my refusal to you is just one of the ways I'm trying to keep them away, but this movement is growing quickly." I rubbed my temples a headache forming. I felt hands on my shoulder, familiar hands of Harry comforting me.
"Despite what a rubbish brother you are, she's still trying to protect you, however its a losing battle. The ambassadors are calling for a trial to determine how much of a danger Mal could be to the people." Harry continued. I folded my arms as Audrey came to stand in front of me, the two too a protective stand either side as we all stared at Ben.
"You can't."
"I already agreed." I admitted "I've been avoiding it for months. The statement of arrest is being drafted as we speak, once I sign it she will taken in to custody on the charge of endangerment of life to the people." Ben stared at me broken, as the piles of petitions were stacked upon my desk.