Chapter 9
Coronation outfit: red halter top dress with a Dalmatian print sash around middle, front hem shorter in front longer in back, black shoes, long elbow length silk gloves one black one white, hair up in a bun with strands framing her face.
The next morning Camilla woke up early to make sure she had enough time to get ready. She put on her dress that Evie had given her the night before, slid on her shoes and did her hair and makeup. She kept tugging nervously at the elegant gloves Evie had paired the outfit with before taking a deep breath, finding her courage and heading to Evie's room where they were all going to meet before heading to the castle.
Mal had already left, needing to be there earlier so she could prepare for her grand entrance with Ben, which left just Evie, Jay and the two De Vil's. Carlos kept petting Dude trying to calm his nerves while Evie kept readjusting her tiara and Jay paced the floor. Camilla wondered if their parents ever felt like this before pulling off their master plans? Had they been nervous, worried about getting caught? Or did they had all the confidence in the world? Carlos had his laptop resting on his knees and was typing away with the hand that wasn't petting the mutt.
"Got it!" he cried and turned the screen to the rest of them showing them a map with a red line that led from the palace to where the limo was –their ticket home.
"Well done baby brother." Camilla said smiling at him and he looked up at her with a glow in his eyes, she'd never complimented him before but now when it really counted he'd come through. She was proud of him and that pride made his eyes light up with joy.
"Thanks, sis."
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
They made their way to the upper balcony and waited for Ben's entrance. There was classical music playing as all the royals gathered and showed off their gowns and suits. Fairy Godmother then took the stage and approached the sheet that was covering her wand. She pulled the periwinkle fabric off with flourish and Camilla couldn't help but lean over the edge as far as she dared. Then they saw Mal enter with her dark purple hair in her lavender dress standing so close to the wand Camilla bet she could practically taste it.
Then the music changed and the choir started singing as the doors opened and Ben stepped inside, as he walked down the center aisle everyone bowed to him, including the villain kids. He approached the alter where Fairy Godmother waited. She bowed to the king before removing his crown and approaching Ben who now knelt before her. She bestowed the crown on his head, grabbed her wand and began the vows.
"Do you solemnly swear to govern the peoples of Auradon with justice and mercy as long as you shall reign?"
"I do solemnly swear."
"Then it is my honor, and my joy to bless our new king –" Then the wand was snatched out of her hands –but not by Mal. Jane had grabbed it and was now spinning – literally – out of control from the power that she now held. A bright bolt shot into the sky and through one of the stained glass windows making the people below take cover and shielding their heads as shards of rainbow colored glass fell on them.
"Child what are you doing?" Fairy Godmother cried.
"If you won't make me beautiful I'll do it myself!" Jane yelled back as the wand tugged her arm around, "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!" she shouted but nothing happened except flying sparks.
"Take cover!" The King –well former king –shouted. Then Mal ran forward and started wrestling the wand from Jane's hands.
"Careful Mal!" Belle shouted. Finally after a hectic tug-o-war Mal got the wand. It took Camilla a second to fully realize what had happened. Mal got the wand! They all made their way down from the balcony as Jane fled the hall.
"Mal," Ben approached her carefully, "Give me the wand."
"Stand back."
"It's okay."
"Ben I said stand back!" she shouted as they ran through the doors and down the aisle.
"I told you so." Audrey bragged before Mal turned the wand on her and she jumped back. Then Mal turned the wand back to Ben.
"Let's go!" Carlos said.
"Revenge time." Jay added next to him.
"You really want to do this?" Ben asked.
"We have no choice Ben, our parents –"
"Your parents made their choice, now you make yours."
Mal paused looking around at everyone who was watching waiting to see if she'd make the choice that would either save them or end them. Of course she'd choose –
"I think I want to be good." What?!
"You are good." Ben told her.
"How do you know that!?" she demanded.
"Because, because I'm listening to my heart."
Mal paused again, "I want to listen to my heart too." This could not be happening! The daughter of the most evil woman in the world turning traitor before her eyes? Then Mal turned to them lowering the wand.
"And my heart is telling me that we are not our parents." She said smiling, "I mean stealing things doesn't make you happy." She told Jay, "Tourney and victory pizza with the team makes you happy. And you," she addressed Carlos, "scratching Dude's belly makes you happy, who would've thought?" then she looked at Camilla, "Camilla, come on, turning pets into clothing never made you happy, and Evie, you do not have to play dumb to get a guy, you are so smart. And I don't want to take over the world with evil. It doesn't make me happy. I wanna go to school. And be with Ben. Because Ben makes me really happy. Us being friends makes me really happy, not destroying things. I choose good you guys." She said putting her fist out, after a moment Jay's fist joined hers.
"I choose good too."
"I choose good." Evie smiled and added her hand.
"So just to be clear, we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be?" Carlos asked, "Because, they're going to be really, really mad."
"Your parents can't reach you here." Ben said.
"Okay then, good." He added his fist. Then the four of them turned to Camilla, she took a long pause looking at their faces, the faces of her friends. These were the people she'd grown up with on the Isle, the people who always had her back. Jay, who had become her big brother and protector if she ever found herself in over her head. Evie who had been like her sister while she'd been struggling to adjust in Auradon, Mal, who had been their leader but always made sure her team got what they wanted and deserved. And finally Carlos, her own flesh and blood, he'd become so confident while in Auradon, become a completely different person then who he'd been on the Isle. She looked at him the longest, she could practically see every thought he had pass through his puppy dog eyes.
"Camilla, come on, think about everything we have here. The opportunities the Isle can't provide. We don't always see eye to eye but we're family. We've always stuck together." Carlos said holding out his free hand for her to take. "You're my sister and I want you to be happy. I know you have your doubts, but this can be the start of our happy ever after. Isn't that what you've always wanted?" She looked from his open hand to his eyes, then turned to the others and saw all of them had the same look in their eyes, the same pleading, begging her to join them on the side of good.