A day had passed since the shocking meeting of the High Council, and the royal couple couldn't have been more at odds with one another. They had continued their engagements with smiles on their faces, the public none the wiser to the trouble brewing behind closed doors. But anyone in the royal household could tell you that the public's current view of the couple was further from the truth.
Adam and Belle were trying their hardest to keep their marriage from falling apart. But when they were in the same room (without an engagement), all the two did was argue. Adam believed that Belle should've come to his defense during the High Council meeting, to have spoken up and said something, anything, rather than just sitting there.
But Belle knew that if she said anything, then Adam wouldn't have liked her response and it would've made things far worse between them. She couldn't have defended him like he wanted, not after all that he's done and refused to do. The High Council meeting only seemed to be the last straw, setting off the time bomb that was ticking away in the background.
The two were going around in circles, having the same argument over and over. And Ben wanted to be anywhere else but home. The tension in the room whenever the two were together was thick and beyond suffocating. He noticed that they were trying to keep up appearances for his sake, but it disappeared within minutes.
The prince watched as his mother left the room. They were supposed to be having breakfast together, as a family like they usually did. But Belle quickly grew annoyed at her husband's behavior and decided to leave before they would have an argument in front of their son.
The young boy shifted in his chair nervously before deciding that it was time for him to leave as well. He began to rise from his chair, only to stop when his father called out to him, "Ben."
The prince turned to look at Adam. "Yes, Dad?" Ben quickly became alarmed, knowing that his father was never really the type to have one-on-one conversations with someone unless they were in trouble. "Sit down, son. Let's talk."
Seeing as he had no other choice, Ben sat back down in chair and tried to remain as calm as he could. "What do you want to talk about?"
Adam cleared his throat, "It's no secret that your mother and I have hit a... rough patch recently. But regardless of how rough they are, these patches are natural in any relationship. And, of course, since we're royal, these patches are going to look a little different than the ordinary person. The crown, its weight and all of its responsibilities, will take a strain on any and all of your relationships, whether it be romantic, platonic, or familial. And one day, dear boy, it shall be your turn to wear the crown and you shall be king. Your duty now is the choice of a woman the people will love as a princess and, in due course, as queen."
Ben chuckled, "Dad, the people love Audrey."
Adam was well aware of the fact that his son was dating the Aurorian heir. The relationship seemed to be a good one on every level, especially political. It stood to reason that if Audrey became queen, the kingdom of Auroria would gain even more power than they already possessed. Audrey was a natural princess, charming and captivating to all she came across. And while it was clear that she would make a great queen, both Adam and Belle wondered if she was the right person to be Ben's queen.
"It is important you find someone that understands in full the high office that will be thrust upon them the moment they enter a relationship with you. Someone that will take their time to learn the ropes and also hold the ropes on their own, and help you steer this kingdom in the right direction ... But you must also find someone that understands you. Someone that knows what you're thinking, what you need, without ever needing to say it. Someone that brings real joy and happiness to your life. Someone that will love you for who you are, and not for the crown or the title. While it's important that you find someone that will make a good queen, it's also important that you find someone that you love and loves you in return. Do you understand?"
Ben nodded, "Yes, Dad."
Adam cleared his throat, knowing that was the deepest conversation he had with his son. "Now, you can go. I know you have school work to finish."
Ben got up and left the room, a knot twisting in his stomach. He was aware his father's words were true. Audrey was a good princess and a good person, he had no reason to worry. But this lecture from Adam combined with the previous dream about the purple-haired girl made him feel uneasy. But Ben decided to shake off the feeling, continuing on about his day and deciding to come back to this matter another time.
Adam watched his son leave the room before letting out a sigh. He knew that Ben was well aware of the fact that the future of Auradon rested on his shoulders. And the choice of queen was one of the most important decisions that played into that future. There would be a day when the great kingdom that Adam built would fall into Ben's hands. But now the High Council no longer wanted him to be king, that future was in question and there was no way that Adam could let that happen.
"Cogsworth?" Adam called out, an idea suddenly forming in his head.
The majordomo immediately rose to attention, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Call a meeting of the High Council. Tell them I have made a decision and I would like to discuss it with them as soon as possible."
"Of course, Sir."
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The High Council was gathered in their conference once again. Luckily, the royals and nobles were staying in the palace on a state visit, so it didn't take long before they were all together once again. And quite frankly, they were all far too interested in what decision Adam had come to. If they knew anything about the former beast was that he wouldn't go down without a fight.
"We were told that you came to a decision," Jasmine began after Cinderella called the meeting into order.
"I have accepted the decision of the High Council and will step down as king if-"
"There it is," muttered Elsa, earning a hard elbow to her side from her sister.
"If Ben becomes king."
"What?" Belle exclaimed, just as shocked as everyone else.
Florian shook his head, "Absolutely not. Ben is a child. He is not fit or even old enough to rule."
"As Ben is a minor, he merely be king in title. He will not reign fully with all the powers of a king, and will be assisted by several councils. Belle and I will still sit on the High Council as we've always been, and I will retain my authority in regards to the villains. Only when Ben becomes an adult will he reign in full as a real monarch."
"It is a nice compromise," Pocahontas said after a moment's silence.
Adam nodded, "I will no longer be king, just as the council wants."
"And your line of succession will still be the line of succession," Charming said somewhat bitterly since his family was next in line to the throne of Auradon after Adam's.
"But I don't think we can grant our approval for something like this," said Mulan, stunning the High King. "The public will never stand for it."
"I am inclined to agree," concurred Kida. "You were elected king and now you intend to pass the crown to someone that the people didn't choose."
"He's my son. I appointed him my heir and the crown was always supposed to pass to him," Adam replied, confused as to why they were against him.
"But the people were supposed to confirm that decision and choose Ben as king through the popular vote, and we would officially validate the majority rulings of our kingdoms," clarified Aladdin. "If we put Ben on the throne, we're taking away the people's right to vote for High King of Auradon. And how do you think they would respond to something like that?"
"I'm sure they would be absolutely thrilled," Flynn Rider said sarcastically.
"And not to mention the fact that he's also a child," added Rapunzel.
"He's been training to be king his entire life just as your children."
"But they're not rulers yet. They still have time before the throne passes to them." Anna then sighed, "There will be severe backlash from the public if we choose to go through with something like this."
Adam held back the urge to roll his eyes. "There is always backlash for whatever decision we make. This won't be anything that we can't overcome."
"And what do we say to the public when they want to know why a child is becoming king?" asked Merida.
Adam shrugged, "Just tell them that it's a tradition for the heir to the throne when the parents want to step down. A lot of Auradon's history has been lost due to the curse, so it might work."
"My sister has a point," stated Elsa, not missing the annoyance on Adam's face when Anna spoke. "We cannot risk the intense backlash that will inevitably come if we support this. If we do, the people might very well propose that we secede Auradon."
"That is a good point," sighed Tiana.
"So what do we do?" questioned Snow White.
"We keep the vote," stated Aurora, her eyes widening as if a lightbulb went off in her head.
"How?"
"Let Ben become king just as Adam suggests. The vote will merely be postponed until he is of age, which is also when he would be granted the full powers of king. But the vote will officially take place and will go through its normal process. And by that point, Ben hopefully would've won the people's hearts and will be able to keep his position."
"This way, the people don't form a mob at the loss of their right to vote for Auradon's High King," said Naveen enthusiastically.
"Of course, backlash is to be expected but it will be substantially minimized this way," stated Milo.
Eric nodded, "It's almost as if Ben would be continuing his royal training but with the title."
"Fine. All in favor supporting Adam's abdication and making Ben king, say I," said Ariel.
"I," said Aurora and Phillip first, which came as no surprise to anyone. Next was Ariel and Eric, who were followed by Snow White and Florian. One by one, the members of the High Council voted in favor of making Ben king. Elsa, Anna, Kida, Mulan, Li Shang, Kida, Merida and Belle had voted down the proposal. But with a majority rule, the proposal had enough votes to pass.
"Well, it looks like this council has made a decision and they support Adam's proposal to make Ben King," said Cinderella. "Of course, we will have to return to our kingdoms and speak to our counselors on how to go forward with this matter. And we will have to meet again on how to handle the transition and make sure that all appropriate measures are put in place."
"Of course," stated Adam, a grin on his face.
"This meeting is over. Have a nice day, everyone," announced Aurora.
Adam and Belle rose from their seats, watching as the visiting royals and nobles left the room. The pair were the last to exit the conference room, the High Queen making sure to step in front of her husband and send a harsh side eye on her way out.
The majordomo immediately came to the king's side once exited the room. "Cogsworth, where is Ben?" asked Adam.
"He should be on his way back from Doug's home."
"Once he gets here, tell him that his mother and I would like to see him right away. It's urgent."
"Of course, Sir."
"Adam," Belle called out from a nearby drawing room, the king stopping in his tracks right in front of the doorway before he could walk past the room. The former beast turned his head to find Belle standing in the middle of the room, her gaze telling him that she wanted to talk to him. Now.
Seeing as he had no other choice, Adam stepped inside. Belle then looked past her husband and to the majordomo, the two sharing a look that the former enchanted clock immediately understood. Cogsworth bowed his head and left the room, the servants closing the door behind him to give the royal couple a moment of privacy.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Belle snapped the moment the doors were closed.
Adam rolled his eyes, not wanting to have another argument with his wife. "What now, Belle?"
"Do not what me, Adam. You didn't consult me about this, about wanting to make Ben king. Why would you do such a thing?"
"I'm the king-"
"And I am his mother! I deserved to know about this plan of yours the moment you thought of it since it concerns my son."
"You're right," Adam sighed. "Well, now that you do know, what do you think of it?"
"It's absolutely ridiculous."
The king was stunned, not at all expecting his wife to give him that answer. "What makes you say that? I thought it was a perfect compromise that met everyone's demands."
"You're making a boy king," Belle stated, emphasizing her words so that her husband might see how absolutely absurd this was.
"I became king when I was around his age."
"Because your parents had died, Adam. This is a very different situation, a terrible situation."
"And what is so bad about it?"
"You are using our son to cling to power. Would be that bad to let another-"
"I will not let anyone else rule over the kingdom that we worked so hard to build!" shouted Adam, Belle not all flinching in the slightest. The king then shook his head and lowered his voice "No, absolutely not. Do you remember how long we spent arranging meetings with the other royals? The endless rounds of negotiations? The constant debates? The numerous drafts we wrote of Auradon's constitution so that everyone would be satisfied?"
"I remember," Belle muttered, the memories of creating Auradon with Adam flooding her mind.
"We created this kingdom together. No family other than ours will wear the crown of Auradon, not after everything we did. And if Ben stepping up and becoming king is what's needed for us to hold onto this kingdom, then that is exactly what is going to happen."
Belle shook her head, already fearing that the weight of the crown would break their son. "But he's just a kid, Adam. He's not ready for this at all."
"Then he'll just have to get ready."
"Mom," Ben called out gently, the couple turning their heads to see their son standing in the doorway. "Dad? Is everything okay?"
Belle nodded and attempted to smile for his sake. "Ben, come in, sweetie. Have a seat."
Already sensing the tension, the young prince walked in the room and took a seat on one of the couches. "Is everything okay? Cogsworth said that there was something that you guys wanted to talk to me about."
Adam and Belle shared a look with each other, both wondering how to break the news to Ben. The room went silent as the couple waited on the other to speak. The prince instantly noticed this and it only made him more nervous. But the queen gave a look, silently telling her husband he had to be the one to tell Ben.
Adam turned his head away from his wife, glancing down at the ground before looking over at his son. "I am no longer going to be king of Auradon. I've decided to step down."
"So does that mean Cinderella and Charming are to be rulers now?"
Adam held back a growl that threatened to escape his throat. It wasn't a stupid question. It was true, Cinderella and Charming stood to rule Auradon if Adam and Belle ever became unable to do so. But Adam and Belle also had a son, and he would be first in line for the throne. And now, thanks to Adam, Ben would actually be sitting on the throne.
"Well, that happens if this family has no suitable heirs. But we do, and that person is going to be the next ruler."
Ben's face paled immediately. "B-But that would be me."
"Yes, son, it would."
"What?!"
"Now, since you're a minor, you won't reign in full like a normal monarch. Your mother and I will continue going to the High Council meetings and I will retain my authority on matters concerning the Isle of the Lost. You will be under strict watch and advised heavily by many councils. Your powers will be limited until you become of age and that is when the vote will take place to officially confirm your status as king. Think of it as you still continuing your royal education but with the official title this time around."
But Adam's explanation had fallen on deaf ears. Ben didn't hear a word of what he just said as he was too busy trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was going to be king. But he couldn't, Ben couldn't even begin to comprehend it. Like any royal heir, Ben was trained practically since birth on how to be king. But he had always assumed that he had years until that happened, when his parents were much older and their health had declined. But now he was to be king in a short time and he absolutely was not ready for that.
Ben shook his head madly as if he could reject his father's offer. "No, I can't.... I'm just a kid, Dad. I- I can't be king." Utter disbelief and horror were as he looked at Adam and began pleading with him to change his mind, "Please, Dad. I can't-"
"You can and you will!" The former beast yelled, Ben immediately snapping his attention to the ground. Adam then cleared his throat, "Your mother and I will work with Cogsworth to make all the arrangements for your coronation. Excuse me."
Belle watched as Adam left the room before sitting down next to her son, his gaze still fixated on the ground beneath his feet. God, she wanted things to be different. She wished that she could turn back time to prevent this from happening, but that was impossible. The only thing she could do, and what she would do, is comfort her son and help him through this.
The queen then reached out to comfortingly rub her son's back. His mother's touch seemed to snap his back to reality and he tried to get his muddled mind to focus. Slowly, the current situation seemed to sink in and all the emotions that Ben was keeping in were beginning to come out.
A choked sob escaped Ben's mouth as he shook his head, fully rejecting his future. "I-I can't do this, Mom. I can't... God, I can't."
"Oh, Ben," Belle pulled her son against her chest, his head resting in the crook of her shoulder. Her dress began to get wet with his tears and the sound of his sobs filled the room as Ben cried his heart out. The woman then placed a gentle kiss on Ben's forehead, holding the boy tightly in her arms. "It'll be okay, honey. It'll all be okay."