It didn't take long for their families to arrive, though it did take Hades, Persephone, Hadie, and Rea significantly less time to arrive than Beast, Belle, and Genevieve.
Sometimes teleporting was a real gift.
"Hey Mali!" Hadie grinned as he went over to give his sister a hug. "Oh sorry, I mean Queen Mali."
Mal chuckled. "Hads, you know perfectly well that titles are not necessary around family."
"But we call Uma 'captain' though and she's family."
"Fine, titles are not necessary around siblings. Is that better Mr. Pedantic?" Mal teased.
Hadie nodded. "Just wanted to make sure we're consistent."
"Mawi! (Mali!)"
"Hello Rea!" Mal grinned as her three year old little sister came toddling up to her. "How are you doing today, sweet girl?"
"I ood! Mama aid oo ad a uwpiwse! O I et o ee Eve? (I good! Mama said you had a surprise! Do I get to see Eve?)"
Mal chuckled. Rea had given the nickname of 'Eve' to Ben's little sister Genevieve and it had just stuck. Despite the three year age difference, the two girls were the best of friends.
It's almost looking at a younger version of me and Uma, Mal though with an inward chuckle.
"If her parents bring her," Mal said to her little sister before turning to her husband. "Speaking of parents, Ben, where're yours?"
"I'm sure they'll be here soon. Friendly reminder Mal, my parents can't teleport so they do have to obey traffic laws," Ben said, shaking his head.
Hades snorted slightly. "Shame really, it'd make life so much easier for them if they could teleport."
"Dear, be nice," Persephone sighed.
"Yeah papa! E Ice! (Yeah papa! Be nice!)" Rea said, nodding her head. Before Hades could say anything about being admonished by his three year old, Dean poked his head in.
"Your highnesses? The King's parents, sister, and brother are here."
"Send them in Dean," Mal smiled. She knew that by 'brother', Dean was referring to Chip but also knew that it took a lot less effort to simply say 'brother' than it was to say 'surrogate brother and son of his parents' former head housekeeper who now works for you'.
Genevieve was the first one in the room. "Hi Ben! Hi Mal!"
"Hey Geene," Ben smiled, bending down to hug his little sister. "Oh man, you've gotten so big! You reading anything good?"
Genevieve nodded. "Uh huh! Last time we were all here, Hadie told me about this book series he used to read when he was my age. Magic Tree House? So far I'm on Tonight on the Titanic but my favorite one has to be Midnight on the Moon."
"Well I'll have to be sure to look for any new ones for when your birthday comes around," Ben promised.
Chip chuckled as he walked in. "And here I thought you asked us here because you had something you wanted to talk about Benji? Or was it just an excuse to talk about books with Geene?"
"You know I never need an excuse to talk about books with my sister, Chip," Ben said as he shook his head. "But we do have something we want to talk to you about?"
"Oh?" Belle asked. "What is it?"
"Is everything okay son?" Beast asked, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. Probably to hide his worry or to try to look cool in front of Hades.
Mal honestly had stopped trying to figure out the motives of her father-in-law when it came to the removing of his glasses.
Ben looked over at Mal and smiled. "You want to tell them or should I?"
"They're both our families. How about together?"
"Will one of you tell us before we get ancient?" Hadie asked and Mal chuckled.
"Alright Storm Cloud. Because you asked so nicely, I'll tell you...but dad has to promise he won't freak first."
"Freak? Why would I freak? I mean, it's not like you're pregnant...you're not are you?"
"Would that be a bad thing if I was?" Mal asked as Estelle came walking in, gently snuffling at both Genevieve and Rea. "Dad, Ben and I talked about starting a family. We know we don't need an heir but...remember when I said I want what you and mom have? That kinda includes a kid too."
Hades nodded slightly, though he couldn't help but remember a time when his daughter was under so much stress and pain that she shut everyone out who might have been able to help her. She tried so hard to do it alone, and the last thing Hades wanted was for her to feel like she'd have to do it again.
Mal smiled knowingly as she saw the look on her father's face. Gently taking Hades' hand, she said, "this isn't like it was with Natalie, dad. I know this is going to be a lot of stress but this is something both Ben and I want. We're going to be a team. Besides, you honestly think Uma, Harry, or Jay would let any one like Natalie get within one inch of the pup?"
"Ahem?" Ben coughed and raised an eyebrow as Mal looked at him.
"Oh right! Add Ben to that mix," Mal said as she realized who she'd left out of the people who'd protect her kid. "And Henry for that matter. And—."
"Mal it might actually take less time if we said who wouldn't want to protect my niece or nephew," Hadie said with a small chuckle. "I think dad's just doing the whole 'not wanting his kids to grow up' schtick even though you know we're all Gods and Godlings in the family."
He walked over to Mal and gave her a big hug. "I'm happy for you Mali."
"Are you just happy that now you have a little niece or nephew you'll get to spoil?" Mal asked as she hugged him back.
"Am I a bad uncle if I say it's both?"
Persephone chuckled as she walked over to her daughter just as Ben was embraced by his mom and dad.
"I'm so happy for you dear," Persephone said as she brought Mal into a hug. "Do you know when your due date is?"
"Doctors can't give an exact date but they said around the end of May," Mal said.
"So soon?" Belle asked as she looked over at her daughter-in-law. "I...I thought..."
"Because Mal is biologically Fae and a Godling, her gestational window is shorter than that of a mortal's," Hades said, speaking up and finally going over to hug his eldest daughter.
"Y dey ugging Mawi, Eve? (Why they hugging Mali, Evie?)" Rea asked Genevieve.
"Because she's going to have a baby," Genevieve said, giving the smaller Godling a small smile.
"Ite ow? (Right now?)"
"No, no," Persephone chuckled as she heard her daughter's question. "It won't be right now sweetheart. Mali's baby needs time to grow so that they can grow up and be big and strong like you and Hadie and Mali."
"Den I an pay wid dem? (Then I can play with them?)"
"Well no honey but we can set up a playdate with Ari and Paige? Or how about Clara and Hali? Maybe go to Henry and Claudine's house?"
Rea nodded, clapping her hands together. "I ike Unca Enwy's! (I like Uncle Henry's!)"
Mal chuckled. "Sorry mom. I might have accidentally referred to Henry as 'Uncle Henry' to Rea when I was picking her up from playing with Clara and Hali and it just stuck."
"Well at least she doesn't have an obsession with swords," Hadie pointed out.
"Yet," Mal said. "Oh speaking of which—."
"Our child is not having a sword before they're old enough to walk Mal," Ben said, sounding more amused than anything else.
"But Ben! This is the child of one of the captains of the best gang on the Isle of the Lost we're talking about!"
"Even so, if our child can't walk, sparring won't do them much good," Ben chuckled.
Persephone shook her head and chuckled. "I know you two only just found out but any thoughts on a name?"
"Oh," Ben said and bit his lip. "I've been so happy over the news that I didn't think—."
"Actually," Mal said, her soft voice breaking into whatever Ben was going to say. "I did have one idea. I...I know how much you love your grandfather, Ben, and well, what do you think of having our child's name be Maurice if they're a boy?"
"Mal..."
"I mean you don't have to," Mal said quickly but all Ben did was walk over and bring Mal into his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw his mom dab the corner of her eye with a handkerchief but he was sure they were happy tears.
"I love that idea," Ben said as he looked at Mal.
"Okay...Maurice Benjamin if pup's a boy," Mal said and Ben paused.
"I'm sorry?"
"What? You thought we were going to have Florian as our child's middle name?"
"It's a lot better than Bertha!"
"First off, the person who gave me my middle name was incredibly evil which is why second of all our child will not be getting either of our middle names. Not unless you want to pay for their years of therapy."
Beast chuckled. "Bit of fatherly advice, Ben? Always agree with the pregnant woman."
"As much as I hate to agree with Beastie, he's right," Hades nodded. "Especially if that pregnant woman has the ability to turn into a dragon...you two might want to prepare for the eventuality of the pup having Mal's abilities."
"Right," Mal nodded. "Mom, dad, how'd you deal with having a magical toddler?"
"Have a magical barrier."
"We're still dealing with having a magical toddler," Persephone said, giving Hades a look before gesturing to Rea, who'd sat down with Genevieve as she pulled out her book. Estelle curled up around the two girls to give them some support and to make sure they were okay.
He knew he was the babysitter and he was going to make sure the pups were okay! No pups got harmed on his watch!
"Well at least you know you have a trustworthy babysitter," Chip chuckled as he saw that.
"Oh and here I thought Uncle Chip would want to watch his niece or nephew at some point?" Ben teased.
"Of course I would!" Chip said. "Who else would teach them how to handle things the human way?"
"Um their Uncle Hadie of course!" Hadie said as he shook his head.
"I said the human way, not the Godling way," Chip snorted in amusement.
Mal shook her head. "You know I have to say, kinda thought dad would be freaking out a lot more."
"Mal, you've been married for three years and you're an adult. I am perfectly capable—."
"He's ranting over the mental link," Persephone said, amusement evident in her voice as she looked over at her husband. "Though I will have to say you're showing remarkable restraint in keeping it just between you and me, dear."
"...I'd rather not have Rea hear what I'm saying," Hades grumbled.
"Dear, she's three. I doubt she'll have manifested her mental link by now."
"She's in Auradon though Steph. You never know how the barrier might have affected the kids' development with their powers."
Persephone sighed as she knew her husband was right but looked over at Mal. "Anyway, to bring us back on topic, he's ranting over the mental link."
"Ah, thought so," Mal nodded. "Let me guess something along the lines of 'not my little girl, what are you crazy, you're just an infant' and of course the old chestnut 'Hadie's not dating until he's thirty!' Am I wrong?"
"What? When did it move up to thirty?" Hadie exclaimed, looking at his dad.
"When your sister got pregnant," Hades said, his voice flat.
"I'm over fifteen dad, by Lost Revenge rules, I'm old enough to date," Hadie said firmly before turning to Mal. "Isn't that right Mal?"
Mal chuckled. "That's right Storm Cloud. If you're over the age of fifteen, flirtationships and...other methods of relationships are fair game."
"You didn't want to say the word fling in front of our little sister did you?" Hadie asked knowingly.
"She's under fifteen," Mal said with a shrug.
Ben chuckled as he continued to hold her close. "Still following ship rules?"
"I am one of the captains, Benny. How would it look if I didn't follow the rules I helped design?"
Belle shook her head. "I don't mean to change the subject but...any ideas for names if your child's a girl?"
"Oh..." Mal said softly. In all honesty, she didn't have any. Maurice just jumped out as a name because Mal knew how much Ben loved his grandfather.
Plus Auradon still had the ridiculous naming concept of having children share the first letter of one of their parents' names so Mal figured it might as well be a name that meant something to Ben.
"We've got time," Ben said, still holding Mal close to him.
"I think Belle just wanted to know so she can design the sign that'll go over their private library," Chip said, gently teasing the woman who was practically a second mother to him.
"Yeah no," Mal shook her head. "Our kid doesn't need a private library."
"Yes they do!" Ben and Hadie said at the same time.
Mal paused for a moment. "Okay Ben I expected, but Hads?"
"If I give them a book as a gift for their birthday or something, where are they going to put it?" Hadie asked, shrugging slightly.
"How about on their bookshelf?"
"And if they run out of room?"
"Then they can donate the books they don't want anymore."
Hades chuckled. "Okay I'm pretty sure just saying that is a mistake in this family. Between Belle and Sunspot, I'm surprised this castle's not covered in books."
"Belle and Adam don't live with us remember?" Mal said. "And you haven't seen our room, dad. Ben's got a 'to read later' pile on his bedside table that threatens to topple onto him every time he turns over in his sleep."
"Like mother, like son then," Beast chuckled. "Only Belle's pile threatened to topple onto Mrs. Potts whenever she made the bed."
"Oh yeah, mom always did rant about that," Chip nodded. "...where is mom, speaking of her? I thought she was going to be working with Benji?"
Ben nodded. "She's in the kitchen right now, Chip. I can call her up if you want to see her but we haven't given the staff the news yet."
"We wanted to tell you all first before we let them know," Mal added. "You're our families, you should know."
"I hope that means that Uma's going to be informed at some point," Hades said.
"Of course!" Mal said firmly. "What, did you think I wasn't going to tell her until the day the pup's born?"
"I just thought, since she wasn't here..."
"She's on a date with Harry, no way I'm breaking that up. And Jay's at an away game with the Auradon Lions while Emir and Akiho are busy actually spending time with their own wives."
"You are aware that you probably just summoned them aren't you?" Ben asked with a small sigh.
"Emma and Elle can more than likely get them to stay put. Emma especially, don't forget they're trying for a child as well."
"Oh how wonderful," Belle smiled. "Snow'll be thrilled at being a grandmother."
Mal nodded. "Emma doesn't know why but she said Emir wants to have their child in August, she said the last time I talked with her. Hence why we've seen so much less of Emir."
"You know, I'm starting to think that he took Chad's comment as a challenge," Ben sighed.
"...what comment?"
"Chad may have made a comment back when we were trying to convince Akiho and Emir to propose to Emma and Elle that because of how connected we are, one or all of our kids could end up dating each other."
Hadie chuckled. "Emir probably thought he'd make it easier if his kid was the same age as yours, Ben."
"You know I wouldn't put it past him," Mal sighed. "Though now I almost feel like we should check on Elle. If Emma's trying to get pregnant..."
"Mal, you know that if Elle was pregnant, Akiho would be prancing around here like he'd developed the perfect sandwich," Ben said with a small chuckle.
"You raise a good point there."
Beast shook his head. "Shall we go and inform the staff of the new Prince or Princess who'll be arriving?"
"You're just looking forward to seeing mom react the same way she did when you told the staff that Belle was pregnant with Ben," Chip chuckled.
"Ooh, tell tell!" Hadie grinned.
"She practically lifted him off the ground with her hug," Chip told the younger boy. "And with Ben, I've no doubt she'll actually be able to do it."
"Now this, I've got to see," Hadie smirked.
"Friendly reminder any and all teasing now gets reciprocated when you have kids of your own, Storm Cloud," Mal said.
Maybe with Alex? She teased over the mental link, trying her best to keep a knowing smirk off of her face.
Wha—Mal! We're just friends okay? I swear, ever since Harry and Uma got together after you took down Freddy the first time, you've been seeing couples where there aren't any.
Uh huh. You just keep telling yourself that Hads. All I know is that you seemed rather passionate about dad mandating that you be thirty before you could start dating.
Wouldn't you be just as passionate? I mean come on Mal, if dad told you you couldn't date Ben before you were thirty, you'd probably dragon up on him.
I can neither confirm nor deny that statement.
Meaning it's true.
Mal shook her head as the group began to leave the room, Persephone scooping up her daughter and Beast doing the same with his.
"Be prepared for happy squeals boy," Mal whispered to Estelle as he made his way to her side. He nodded.
One thing I'll know for sure, pup, Mal thought as her fingers trailed over her stomach. You'll definitely be loved.