Chapter 45
Queen Leah had been summoned by Belle and Beast as Fairy Godmother used her magic to transport Audrey back to her bed. She also moved Drac to the dorm he had shared with Jay and Carlos. Nothing could be done to wake either of them, but Fairy Godmother's magic was able to tell her one thing.
"I'm sorry." She apologized as she left Audrey's room with her head hung low. Sad nods replied to her as eyes turned back to Audrey.
"She's slipping away." Evie said from where she sat at Audrey's bedside, Mal sitting across from her. She had spent the whole morning at her brother's side, but needed a change of scenery to keep her sanity.
The others were scattered about the room, Celia was sitting on the window seat, Carlos was in a chair near her, Jay stood by the fireplace and Harry rested his feet on a glass coffee table. Uma and Ben were standing at the foot of Audrey's bed watching to see if she'd wake up on her own.
"There's only one person in the world who might be able to do something about this and that's. . . Hades." Mal sighed.
"Hades?" Ben asked, "He wouldn't do it. I wouldn't risk it."
"Actually he might do it for me." Mal said, bracing for what she was about to admit, "He's my father."
Ben looked shocked, she could also feel the eyes of several others in the room turn to her. Uma's eyes widened, several of the boy's jaws dropped. Ben cleared his throat, "Well I'll have to send guards to get him."
"Maybe I could hitch a ride." Uma said and now Harry also sat up watching the conversation. "The Isle is my home. Someone needs to be there to protect it."
Harry stood up and walked over to his captain. "Well then, you'll need your first mate." he told her resting his hand on her shoulder.
"The Isle will be in very good hands." Mal said, managing a smile.
"Or sometimes tentacles." CJ said as she appeared in the doorway. Her comment got a small chuckle out of the others.
"Any change?" Mal asked.
The blonde shook her head, "Fairy Godmother is with him again. She's. . . still trying. But nothing's working."
There was a beat of silence as they all processed that.
Then Celia cleared her throat.
"Can I go too?" she asked, "I wish I could be in both places, but if it's a choice between here by myself and on the Isle with my dad and sister. . . " she left the end of the sentence hanging, all of them knowing the obvious choice.
"I really think that Evie was right." Mal said standing up and turning to Uma, "And, I do think that we could have been friends." She looked around the room at everyone else. "And I'm really sorry that I lied to all you guys. You deserve so much better then that."
"You were just trying to do the right thing." Jay said.
"Yeah." Uma agreed.
Evie stood up, "I get it."
They were all quiet as Ben left the room and took out his phone making the arrangements to get Hades off the Isle and get the pirates back where they belonged.
- - LONG LIVE EVIL - -
Mal watched Drac's chest as it moved slowly up and down as he breathed. His breaths were shallow but evenly paced and she tried to convince herself that his breathing wasn't slowing down. She looked up from him over to Carlos' bed where CJ had passed out. She had been spending the most time at Drac's side as Mal moved from Drac's dorm to Audrey's between meetings with Beast, Belle and Fairy Godmother. She tried to look on the bright side, Auradon was safe, no one was stone or asleep, there was laughter outside and celebrations all across the kingdoms. But was any of that worth losing her brother?
She sighed and stood from her chair approaching CJ's sleeping figure and unfolding the red blanket Carlos had at the end of his bed. She draped it over the pirate avoiding Dude who was curled up next to her with Diaval. Drac's raven had never liked the mutt, but since Drac had fallen into this state the two pets were inseparable. Mal thought it was Dude's way of trying to comfort the bird. She gave a small smile at them before pulling closed the curtains of the four poster bed, blocking out the light so CJ could sleep easy. She remembered when she first got to Auradon and the light pouring in through the windows was amazingly off-putting. Amazingly gross, Evie had said. She sighed again looking down at her brother. Even as stressed as she had been about getting the magic wand, things had been so much simpler back then.
Mal sat on the bed beside Drac, letting her feet cross at the ankle as she dangled them off the side and ran her fingers through his green hair.
"Maybe dad can fix you too." she whispered as she stroked his cheek, his skin paler then ever. Then there was a knock on the door. She sniffled, wiped the tears that were taking over her eyes and called softly, "Come in."
The dark wood door opened and Aziz' head poked inside. She tried to muster up a smile as he stepped into the room and approached her, a sad smile plastered on his lips too.
"Anything?" he asked. She shook her head. Lots of Drac's friends in band had been checking in on him, Opal even offered to call her Grandmama Odie to Auradon to try and help, but Mal turned it down. If Fairy Godmother couldn't help. . . nothing short of Hades' ember could.
Though, Aziz had been the most frequent friend to check in. Mal watched him carefully as he walked forward, his eyes glued to Drac, the worry in them deeper then she expected.
"He's lucky to have someone like you." she said breaking the silence, "Someone who cares so much."
He gave a half hearted chuckle, "Thank you. But I think its guilt. . . I wish I had spent more time with him."
"How?"
"When he went back to the Isle after Cotillion. I was hoping. . . he'd stay here instead. But I know he wanted to go somewhere he felt needed."
Mal smiled and looked back down at her brother. Drac was a very unique VK, he didn't want power for himself, he wanted it so he could protect others. And he had always wanted to help the kids on the Isle.
"I just. . .wonder if I should have made him feel more needed here." he paused still looking at Drac's sleeping form, "I think it was a bit out of the blue when I tried to ask him out at your engagement."
Mal couldn't hide the shock on her face.
"You? . . . And Drac?" she asked and Aziz tore his gaze from Drac to look at her with a small grin.
"You never noticed that I -"
"No, not really. Sorry."
He shrugged, "Well you have been through it." his gaze turned back to Drac, "Both of you. You've accomplished more then anyone else in Auradon at sixteen."
She looked back to her brother playing with his hair again.
"I never even thought that maybe. . . " she trailed off stroking Drac's cheek again, "He was under so much more pressure then I ever knew about." Why did he never tell her?
Like he read her mind Aziz shrugged and said, "He knew he was your rock. He wanted to be strong for you, be there for you."
"I should have been there for him." her voice cracked as a sob broke free, "And when it mattered most I wasn't." and now it might be too late to do a thing about it.
"He'll be alright." Aziz said moving to the end of the bed and resting his hands on the footboard. Mal looked up to him, "How do you know? How do people in Auradon keep believing that good will triumph? How do you all stay so strong?"
"It's not about strength. It's about sacrifice. And in all our stories, whenever someone is brave enough to sacrifice themselves. . . the good ends up winning. My dad could have used his last wish to make himself a prince and get the girl of his dreams. But instead, he wished to free Genie. And in the end, my mom and dad still got their happy ending." his eyes turned sad as they looked back to Drac, "I have to believe that this, feeling like we might lose him now, will turn into something good. Something that wouldn't have happened unless he was like this." he looked back to Mal, "I wish I knew what that something was."
"Me too." she muttered.
- - LONG LIVE EVIL - -
It was tense as they waited in Audrey's room. And the feeling only grew once Ben received word that the car was at the gates. Mal felt like she was sweating bullets, though in reality not a hair was out of place.
Former King Beast paced the room while Queen Leah sat at her granddaughter's bedside holding her hand. Opposite her Belle and Fairy Godmother waited just as Ben and Mal did at the foot of Audrey's bed. Evie, Carlos and Jay had gone to Drac's room to wait with CJ, hoping that this would all be over soon.
A knock on the door jolted them all from their inner thoughts as Beast moved to open it. The air grew thick with tension as he stepped back and Hades walked inside, each step jangling from the chains around his feet and hands. Mal left Ben's side and faced her father. "Thank you for coming."
"Didn't have much choice." Hades replied as he held up his shackled hands.
"Can you wake her?" Ben asked gaining Hades' attention.
"Since when do heroes care about villains?"
"She's-"
"One of your own?" he cut the king off, before he chuckled."Ri-ight. When you guys try to destroy the world - it's an error in judgement. But when it's one of us - lock 'em up and throw away the key. Right Beast?"
Then he raised both hands like fists and Mal stepped back as the guards restrained him.
He rolled his eyes, "I'm going to need to use my hands." he said as if it was obvious.
Mal turned to Ben who gave the guards a nod of approval. They unlocked the cuffs and removed the chains. Hades shook out his arms and flexed his fingers before holding out a hand to Mal waiting for her to hand over the ember. The irony wasn't lost on her that just the other day their roles had been reversed. When she surrendered the gem he inhaled deeply and his hair ignited. He sighed like you would when sinking into a hot tub.
"I haven't lost my touch." he bragged with a smile before he took a moment to rub it in Beast's face.
"Dad." Mal called and the two men broke apart from their face off as Hades approached Audrey's bed. Everyone held their breath, if he wanted to Hades could destroy Auradon within minutes with the ember. This would either be the moment of Audrey's salvation or Auradon's doom.
Hades crouched and the room turned blue with an Underworld like glow. Mal watched her father as he concentrated and moved his arm in circles, moving the ember over Audrey's form. The light then faded as Audrey sat up and opened her eyes. Belle and Fairy Godmother gasped as Audrey blinked a few times and her grandmother stood and held her arm, whispering her name in awe as her voice cracked.
Audrey's face looked broken like she was dealing with some deep heartache. She paid no mind to Hades and turned directly to Ben and Mal. "Tell me it was all a bad dream." she begged just above a whisper.
"I wish I could." Ben replied sadly. "But, it's over now."
Audrey moved to kneel on the bed closer to Mal. "I'm sorry." her voice still quivered as she spoke low like speaking too loudly would make the nightmare more real for her. "I wanted to hurt you both. I wanted to hurt all of you."
Mal stepped forward and took her hand, "I have owed you an apology, for. . . a very long time now."
Ben stepped forward, "And so have I."
Audrey smiled at her like hearing that was all she ever wanted.
Queen Leah stepped forward, "And perhaps, I have owed you one as well."
Mal smiled but it didn't last long.
"I want to see your brother." Hades interrupted them and Mal turned to him.
She nodded, "This way." and led him down the hall. Belle, Beast and Fairy Godmother stayed with Audrey while Ben accompanied Mal with Hades as the guards brought up the back.
As they walked Hades thought back to his unsuccessful endeavor on the Isle.
"You have some nerve." Maleficent sneered at him from where she sat in her stone carved throne. The grand hall where she once held court was now in shambles, the green stones cracked and falling apart. And only one lone goblin standing guard with his black armor and staff – Grimgar. Hades smirked remembering hearing the tales of how Drac had banished the traitorous little urchin.
He laughed, "You used to love that about me."
Maleficent rolled her eyes.
"But this isn't about us." He said as she leaned back in her throne, "This is about the kids."
"Ahk!" She exclaimed, "You're thinking small. I have much greater plans, and none of them involve –"
"You're mad at Mal. I get it. She's. . . strong willed. Must get that from her mother."
Maleficent looked away from him, toying with a dead blackened branch she held as a replacement for her scepter. "Flattery will get you nowhere."
He quirked a brow and smirked. He knew she had fallen for his charms, not once but twice. And that must kill her on the inside. But he shoved that aside, this wasn't the time to one up Maleficent with words. This was life or death.
"But you have no ill will toward our son."
Maleficent paused her fingers on the staff. Then she started rolling it between her fingers again. For whatever his reasons were Drac had listened to her the day of the coronation. He'd obeyed. And she liked that. Additionally she was aware her son had claimed her half of the Isle in her absence, and held it with finesse she was quite proud of.
"And now he needs you." Hades continued.
She rolled her eyes again and opened her mouth, sticking a finger in as if she wanted to gag. "He shouldn't need anyone. Needing help is for the weak."
"He's proven he's anything but weak."
She leaned forward in her seat, "If that were true. . . he would be helping Sleeping Beauty's dear daughter destroy Auradon."
Hades' eyes snapped to her, something new entering his gaze. Maleficent cackled.
"Did you think that girl simply happened upon my scepter? That it's connection to me was no more?"
Hades tilted his head.
"I felt the magic of the first Dragon's Egg die and the surge of energy when Drac replenished it with the new talisman." She smirked wickedly. "But in the. . . disgraceful state I was in there was little I could do. Once back on the Isle however when I returned to my glorious self, I could feel exactly where it was. It's power like a beacon, calling to me. And with the tear in the barrier -"
"Only an expert magic practitioner could harness that small leak of magic to their advantage." He'd said something similar to Drac once, when he had been teaching his son magic. He shook his head at the negligence. Maleficent had been playing people right into her hands this whole time. As much as he hated to be impressed by her, he was, not that he'd ever tell her that.
"And when that sweet girl came crawling so very, very close. All it took was a small nudge and she succumbed to its seductive powers."
"You've been using Audrey like your own pawn." He realized.
"Of course using Sleeping Beauty's own daughter to exact my revenge was so sweet. The one person Aurora and her Prince Philip could never fight against." Maleficent smiled, "The girl's actions are her own, her choice of spells and curses and victims. But it is my pain that is fueling her, pushing her own sadness into anger and hate. Making her depression pure evil. Audrey was always mean but it's the dets that separate mean from truly evil."
"Then you must be pleased with your puppet." he snarked, "Or oblivious."
Maleficent lifted a brow unamused at the insult.
"She's done something to our son. And if it is your evil she is wielding -"
"Ha! The girl might be the perfect pawn and a conduit for my magic but even she could never harness -"
"What if she has?" he cut her off, "What if Audrey has been able to unlock your darkest powers and turn them on our children? On the son even you cannot deny you still love."
She gave no reply, only stared at him.
"If she's done something of that caliber to Drac, then we may already be too late."
She scoffed, "We? There hasn't been a we -"
"Oh will you stop playing this superiority game and for once put our kids first!"
"I HAVE! Everything I ever did was to pave the way for a better future for those two. And what did I get? My daughter humiliated me in front of Auradon and the entire Isle! Kept me in a tank on the shelf like some pet. What she did -"
"What she did." he spoke calmly, "Is inconsequential. If you can't get over it, suck it up and swallow your pride, then our boy could die."
Mal opened the dark wood door to reveal the dorm where Drac was. She didn't get a word out before her father stormed past her in a worried frenzy and made it to Drac's bed. Her crew all stepped back as Mal moved over and whispered to them about Audrey being awake and okay. It renewed hope in all of them that Hades could do the same for Drac. However, when they looked over at the lord of the Underworld, knelt by Drac's side, the look on his face told them it was not going to be that easy.
"What was it that did this to him?" Hades asked not taking his eyes off his son.
"The spindle." Mal said swallowing thickly. Hades' head snapped to her and rage filled his eyes; then he looked down at the bed comforter.
"Your mother has some seriously dark magic."
"But it can't be darker then the scepter." Evie said stepping closer, "And you helped Audrey."
"It's different." Hades said with a sigh, bringing a hand to Drac's hair. "The scepter is a beacon of magic. The spindle was created as part of the curse Maleficent cast. It has a specific purpose, unlike the scepter that can channel whatever its master desires it to do."
"But isn't your ember stronger then Maleficent's magic?" Jay questioned.
Hades smirked for a brief moment, "In some cases. Probably why me and Effie worked well together, for a time." he sighed, "But this was her curse. No one knows the ins and outs of it like her."
"So you're saying we need. . ." Carlos trailed off, fear in his eyes.
Hades looked to Mal, "I tried. I tried to talk to her. But like I said. Your mother's not the easiest person to get along with."
Realization overshadowed Mal's face. All this time she had been thinking her mother was still a lizard. But if when she went back to the Isle the old hag spell washed away, then when Mal had brought her mother to the Isle -
There was a loud crash and the guards outside the door were thrown off their feet and down the hall. A dark green and black cloud shot into the room before it grew into a bubble. Everyone backed away and when the smoke dissipated there she was: the Mistress of all Evil.
With her arms spread wide and a grin on her face she cackled. "I'm back!"
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