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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄:
𝐽 𝑈 𝑆 𝑇 𝐼 𝐶 𝐸
Betrayal was an interesting word. Over five hundred years old, and the word still packed a punch. It originally meant to hand over, as in to hand over something or someone who probably didn't want to be there so you gain their trust to make matters easier until you eventually hand them over. Betray them in this case.
The funny thing about betrayal is that it's the most truthful moment about a person. Who they really are, what they really wanted, it's all revealed the minute they stab you in the back. Metaphorically, of course. And in this moment, Ben finally got to know someone better than he thought.
Ben was heaving, his thoughts ran a mile as the knife against his neck pressed deeper. The cold air made his face flush, his heartbeat was thudding repeatedly. He could feel the cold blade press harder, but the revelation made him ignore the pain even as a sharp prick came and he felt something trickle down his throat. He was bleeding and the more anybody tried to approach them, the harder the knife sliced him.
"Guess again."
He recognized that voice.
He'd known it for years.
He thought they were friends, that they had gotten along. Ben's breathing increased, he was panting, his head was shaking despite his situation. This can't be. "What are you doing?" His voice was raspy and angry.
"What I need to do," Nathaniel Knight sneered at him.
"Let go of my son, you little-"
"Careful, your majesty," The knight said mockingly, "throats can get sliced pretty easily. All you have to do is apply a little pressure." he squeezed Ben's neck and they could see him practically turn purple. "And then in one swift motion, he's on the floor losing pint after pint." For emphasis, Nate moved backwards a little, making sure to keep everyone on his eye level in case anyone tried to save the young ruler.
Jay had been staring for a while, his friends were anxious and looking for ways to stop this but Jay was calmer. He didn't want Ben in harms way, but his brain just kept coming back to the same question. "I don't get it, you told me-" Jay paused, not knowing if he should bring up their private conversation but then relented. "You said you hated all this, being forced to follow your father's footsteps. He died for Wonderland, that's what you told me drove you to your decision."
Nate smiled and coughed out a laugh, "Oh yes, that was true. The White Knight was killed by the Knave of Hearts. But what I left out in that story was that my father was also the knave." The look of confusion and wide eyes on Jay matched the following stares his fellow VK's sent Nate. "The knight went in, infiltrated the enemy, and he became the knave to keep it all secret. Sound familiar?" He pouted as his free hand moved a few inches from Ben's shoulder to point at himself.
Jay suddenly remember what his father often said, the best liars always tell the truth. He drawled out slowly as he repeated those words in his head. "You did the same thing," Jay whispered his realization of Nate repeating his fathers actions.
"Ruby decided to take a page from her mom's handbook, gotta say, one of her best plans yet." Nate grinned.
"This can't be possible, we're friends!" Ben exclaimed. "You're on the tourney team, the fencing squad, you celebrated with us, we've shared laughs and-"
Ben was cut off by Nate both talking and squeezing him silent, and moving even more backwards to join Ruby and Wyc behind him. Binx was at his left, still silent as death. And Jax and his boyfriend were in the far middle of the WK's and the VK's. "It's called faking it. Trust me, half the time all I wanted to do was wrap you douches in chains and drag you across the road from here to China."
"Despite all you've learned, Nate's been one of our most loyal subjects." Ruby had this look about her, her mouth was twitching at the sides like she wanted to smile but was holding it back. She wanted to remain as stoic as she could, though the surprise on their faces certainly made it difficult. "He truly lives up to his father's image. The first White Knight swore loyalty to both my mothers when they came into power. Nate did the same later on for them and for me."
Wyc had been behind Ruby, he was usually as serious as she was with the occasional smart-ass comment at somebody. But here he had no words, he was as shocked as the others. The only one who wasn't was Ruby.
"Milady, let me know when we're going." They all heard Nate speak.
"You're not going anywhere until my son is safe." Beast commanded in a deep voice, but he wasn't as authoritative. He knew that if he said the wrong thing he'd have a corpse instead of a son.
Ruby took that cue to walk in front of the Knight, the heels of her boots making loud clacking sounds that only emphasized her presence. "Oh he's safe," she nodded, "as long as none of you do anything unfortunate that could jeopardize that safety, he'll be fine with us." The space was silent and dark, you could barely make out people's reactions to her words, but when they saw Mal's eyes shine green they knew this would take delicate hands.
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Jax looked at the whole situation and was dumbfounded.
His head had been running through wild ideas as to how this would all end. Many of them involved death and imprisonment. Some of those ideas involved his people behind the bars, and some were the other way around. But he never expected this. When Ruby tells him something, he believes it. He trusts in the queen, he always had. A part of him felt betrayed or just disappointed at the fact that she didn't trust him to keep it secret.
Nate wasn't a traitor, he was by far the opposite.
Ruby was in on it, but it looked like everyone else wasn't.
Damn Ajedrezians and their stupid secret strategies.
He never liked the way their minds could move a mile a minute, and it was even faster for Ruby thanks to her mother's teachings. The White Queen had so many tricks up her sleeve.
He couldn't help but feel as much a fool as the Auradoners felt. She couldn't have trusted him with this? No wonder she wouldn't leave, it wasn't just him that was left behind, it was Nate too. Harry squeezed his hand in an effort to comfort him, at that point Jax was just happy to have someone to anchor him to reality. If he didn't have Harry he knew he would've done something brash or impulsive.
The young queen herself had moved in front of the knave to face the Auradoners but her gaze was to the Beast. "Your son will be safe as long as you don't do anything unfortunate. I have no wish to harm Benjamin, but he will be if you do not follow my orders."
"Ruby," All heads turned to the blue haired girl with a crown accessorizing her head. "Please, you let Ben go and we'll help you. Come on, we've both suffered at Auradon's hands. We don't want to see you go down this road." Evie pleaded, her eyes wide and switching back between Ruby and Wyc, hoping the inventor could change the queens mind.
Ruby simply tilted her head at the girl, "Your lack of faith indicates that you still believe Auradon to be superior." Her voice changed slightly, like she were reading off a book, only this time she was reading Evie with her eyes darting back and forth. "It's interesting how different people react when it comes to establishing an alliance against a hostile authority. The majority favor in fighting against them, even if it means death. That's how it was in my home at least."
Ruby joined her fingers as she began to slowly paced back and forth meeting the eyes of everyone opposite of her. "Years before I was born, no one actually ruled over anyone, it was quite peaceful and understanding in the beginning. Then the Queen of Hearts slowly built her army and took over small countries in Wonderland. She made so many suffer, so many orphans, so many dead. My mothers, the Red and White Queens were the first to fight against her. They obviously won or I wouldn't have my head." She told them in the strangest of ways, like she was teaching them a history lesson while trying to convince them of something. "It wasn't easy, I'll admit," Ruby halted her pacing as she centered them and held her head high. Her voice was commanding, elegant and provoked fear, "But I was born in the middle of war," she emphasized. "It's where I thrive. Living amongst my enemies for the last decade has given me a lot to think through. But, I have to say I am disappointed in where you placed your bets." She aimed for the ex-villain children. "I understand your hatred of this land, but despite it you still fear it above all else. Most of you do." Her gaze fell on them all. But then Ruby's eyes focused on one of them. "Except for her." They followed her look towards the short dark haired girl in a light blue dress.
Jane.
They all noticed how Ruby kept her eyes steady on her. "Jane," She called. "I know what you want." Some raised eyebrows at the fairy girl. "I can help you get it. You know I can." She offered vaguely.
"What's she talking about?" Carlos asked, his head moving towards his girlfriend. "Jane?"
But she couldn't meet his eyes, she could only look forward.
Jane felt the unsteadiness rise inside her. It was like a storm going off in her mind and body. Her hands were slowly starting to shake and it wasn't going unnoticed. Her eyes were hard and focused before she closed them and closed her hands into fists. It felt like a wave went over her as she released her breath with her decision. Smoke came out of her right hand and she was suddenly gripping the Fairy Godmother's wand. A few backed away from her as she walked calmly to stand in between the warring groups. "You know when my mother first appeared to humans, she used this." Her voice was soft and her hands were on either end of the white wand as she faced the Auradoners and the Isle inhabitants. Some of them took glances at Beast who didn't bother to hide his bad reaction. "It was the faeries idea," she said, "My mom used it to make a mistreated abused girl's dream come true for just one night. They wanted to do this whole guardian angel thing when in reality," Jane scoffed, still looking at the wand, "It was all a lie. My mom owed a debt to the girls father, it wasn't such a big thing. Faeries end up owing people sometimes for whatever reason, but in the Fey Lands time goes so fast." Her gaze was still on the wand, almost mesmerized. "When my mother finally got to the girl, she was grown and she had suffered. She did what she could, within limits of what was allowed in the human world and by luck the girl made her own happiness." Her eyes finally shot toward the blonde prince that wasn't currently being held captive. "That was your mom, Chad."
Chad Charming, for the first time in his life probably, didn't want to be the center of attention. Everyone went from Jane to him in a millisecond and he hated it. He was so used to talking about his father because that's what he was taught. Mom didn't like talking about her past much but when he was little she always had such scary bedtime stories. It was to make him think and to make him behave, but after a while she just never brought it up again. Dad used to talk about it like it was a classic hero saves the girl kind of deal, but he just remembered the way his mom would zone out and stare at the water or wine in her glass as he told the story countless times. His shoulders twitched slightly with the eyes on him and he crossed his arms to form some type of shield. He didn't respond back.
"Wands became all the rage. The wizards even stole the idea from us. But that was so long ago," Jane let out a deep breath she was holding. The way she was talking, the way she was walking- it was like she was finally comfortable in her own skin. "Eventually wands and magic became synonyms with each other," she took a pause, "and then Auradon was founded." her head tilted towards the Old King, her eyes once mesmerized and easy became hardened and hateful. "Magic was outlawed, wands and spellbooks stripped from their rightful owners. Genie lamps were stolen, voodoo practices were shut down, and the majority of the Fey were no longer allowed in the human world. The few magic users left were put together for one final coup de grace. To break apart a small Auradon edge to float away as an island, to form a large enough barrier that covered that entire island, and to bring in every single villain. Even the dead the ones." Jane's angered amplified as she stared at the Beast, "You forced Merlin, Yen Sid, and my mother to go against our laws just so a couple more villains could suffer when they had already paid the ultimate price? It was an atrocity. My mother is no longer allowed inside the Fey Lands because of it. Merlin is a recluse, and Yen Sid actually decided to live here just to get away from you." Beast still hadn't talked, but his chest was heaving. He was getting angrier by the second. Most of the villain kids looked at each other and back to Jane, hearing how their home was created and how some of their parents were brought back was surreal to them. "Why don't you tell them all why you really outlawed magic? Why you went through every single villain, even the dead ones. Why you went in search of different lands? All that pain and suffering, childhoods lost and on the brink of war just because you couldn't find the sorceress who turned you into a beast in the first place."
There was a beat of silence amongst them. The air was heavy and though it was a cold night, their hearts were racing and their foreheads shined with sweat and nervousness. Beast was angry. The rest of the kids were worried about his reaction.
Until Uma finally decided to speak, "That's what this is about?" Uma's jaw was slightly lowered, "You wanted revenge all this time?"
"Why am I not surprised?" Jax added.
"I will not be talked to this way." Beast seethed, he was practically foaming at the mouth. "I am the King of Auradon. All of you, no matter how lowborn or abnormal, are my subjects." He pointed a stubby finger at the young fairy, "I was willing to let your mother have you, you were powerless as far as I've seen but this spectacle will not just be your downfall but your mothers. I will make it so every single wand in this land is in piece, lamps will be melted down-"
The Beast was cut off by someone from behind suddenly grabbing him from his collar only to have his head meet with some of the broken ruins around them. Binx's red hair shined in the moonlight as he stood with a tilted head when he saw Beast was still awake. He grabbed him again, forced him on his knees and with a flick of his wrist his claws descended from his fingertips. "I've wanted to do this for so long," He loudly muttered, his left hand on the Beast's shoulder, pushing him to his knees and his other stayed on his neck, his claws digging into skin. Father and son were in the same boat now. Binx nodded toward Jane, "Continue, please. It was just getting good." He added with a hiss at his captive.
"All these years, wasted on revenge. You're more like the villains you imprisoned on this island than a king. I always knew you were a beast at your core, but I never figured you for naive." That word caused him to look upon her questionably, "Did you really think that you have any control over us? Over the fey, the wizards, the genies, over any of them? The only reason they didn't put up a fight was because they didn't want their humans hurt. A lot of them formed friendships and families with the royals you crowned. They cared about them so they went willingly. But now there's a new generation in charge. The only reason you kept this thing so close by," she motioned to the wand still in her hand, "was incase you needed to use it against us." In one swift motion, Jane snapped her mother's wand in half. Smoke and sparks sputtered out of the broken tool and fell to the ground. "But wands are not the source of our power. Genie lamps, spellbooks, sea witch necklaces, scepters, they're all just tools. They wanted you to think you could measure up to us, to create this false sense of equality. To us, you're no king, you're not even an ant, you're irrelevant."
"It's time." They heard coming from behind the young fairy. Ruby's healed boots grabbed everyones attention by their clacking sound on the ground in the middle of the eerily silent edge of town. She nodded at Binx.
The werecat nodded back and with a quick motion, his right hand clew across the Old King's cheek through his nose and up the left of his forehead. They heard the older man cry out and grab his face in pain as Binx crossed back to where his people were, Beast being held by his shirt collar and dropped to the ground in pain amongst them. He gained looks from them as well as he shrugged his shoulders, "What? It's a parting gift." He smirked.
"Carry on, Jane." Ruby nodded at the girl.
The fairy was quick at this, in a millisecond she unclenched her fists and made a pulling move, suddenly they heard yelping coming from Mal and Uma.
"What the hell? Hey!" Uma yelled out as she was pushed towards the Wonderlanders by an invisible force.
Mal wasn't far behind, Jane's magic pushing her towards them just as fast. "Jane, what is this?!" Some of her friends tried grabbing her but to no avail.
It all happened so fast.
Once Jane's hands opened again, with a quick leap she raised her arms once more. Her movements caused the earth to shake, some of the ex-villain kids grabbed each other to steady, the Old King kept kneeling to not lose balance. Still on the ground, Mal and Uma only watched the girl who was causing it all. And then came the vines. Dozens made their way through the cracks in the earth, growing at an unnatural rate and wrapping through each other to form a make-shift wall.
Jane saw Carlos's face before all the vines and leaves were pulled together, she whispered, "I'm sorry." with heavy red-set eyes as she held back tears.
Mal and Uma wasted no time standing up, "Jane, what did you just do?" Mal demanded, her eyes wide.
"I don't like being yanked away," Uma practically growled.
But Jane was calm, their anger not bothering her. "I need your help."
"You got a funny way of asking for it." Uma said.
♝♗
It didn't take long to explain their plan to the two girls.
"You want to put Beast on the Isle of the Doomed?" Mal was slightly shocked, her mouth left hanging.
"I like it," Uma shrugged.
Mal pinched the bridge of her nose trying to think before she threw a glare at Nate. "Could you put my boyfriend down, please?" Mal asked the boy, still with a knife to Ben's throat. "Now!" Mal demanded after being ignored.
Nate had been keeping Ben close, his knife still dangerously away from slicing the young boys neck while Beast was still clutching his face on the ground by his feet. He'd been a bit farther from Ruby and the girls as they talked privately. Nate glanced at Ruby for confirmation, she gave him a less than interested nod to which he released the young king who threw a loud gasp. The Knight sat back against one of the broken pillars in ruins, his eyes now on the Old King rather than the young one. He spun his knife in boredom as he made sure Beast wouldn't go anywhere.
Ben didn't waste time going to hug his girlfriend. "You good?" He checked on her.
She gave him a short nod before giving her attention back to Ruby Queen. "I want to help you but," She paused, looking to Ben for consultation in putting his father away for a long time. "Your dad would be locked up -possibly- forever. What do you think?"
"He doesn't get a vote!" Outraged, Binx walked into the discussion being formed. "That's his father, you really think he'll just lock him away?"
"He's seen what he's capable of now," Mal defended him, "And yeah, it's his dad I say he gets a vote."
That was when Wyc stepped into the conversation and for the time ever probably, he agreed with Binx. "He's literally been groomed to take over this whole machine, he's got the most influence in all of Auradon, and has been living in the highest level of luxury in the damn country since he was born. He shouldn't even be here while we discus this."
"He's got the right idea. Hey Nate, tie him to one of those electrical poles a few feet over there." Binx kept pointing forward.
Before Mal could come to his defense again, Ben spoke, "They should do it." he said.
That had quieted down things, they all stared at him surprised in their own way.
Binx retracted his hand to his chest, "On second thought, the kid deserves to say a piece, I mean it is his dad." the werecat shrugged as he crossed his arms ignoring Wyc's glare.
"My father has committed- I don't even know how many atrocities by now." Ben gulped, knowing this would be hard to say. "The Isle of the Lost never sat well with me, it was always- I don't know it just didn't seem like something a king would do, it wasn't justice." His face was filled with regret when he looked to Harry, "I found out about Wonderland a year ago," He met their eyes, particularly Jax's as he relived their friendship and his broken promises. "And I've thought a lot about my father and how he isn't anything different from the villains he put on this island."
"And Jane," he met her eyes, eyes that he's known almost his whole life. They've been friends since they were little. "I know I could never fix it, and I know words will never give you or your mom back what he took and what he made her do. But I am sorry for what he's done." He took one final look to the Wonderlanders around him. "I tried finding your friends, I did. I don't know what happened to them. I'll help in anyway I can, but until then if this is what you want to do, I agree with you. You could've killed him. I know that. I know some of you -if not all- probably really wanted to -and still do. I won't hold that against you. This actually is justice."
"You put him away and I won't fight you. I'll make sure no one will try to stop you to get back home. That's a promise I'm not going to break this time." Ben's face told them everything they needed to hear. He wasn't lying and Ruby knew that. She gave him a small nod of respect.
Mal and Uma looked toward one another until they directed it at Ruby. "So, how do we do this?" The sea witch asked the queen.
Jane was the one to speak on her behalf, "I already have everything we need. I've been working on this for a while and with the two of you contributing your magic, it'll be just as powerful and just as difficult to break. And when we're done it won't be the Isle of the Doomed anymore." she paused momentarily, "It'll be the Isle of Beasts."
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so this took a while, don't kill me?
Ajedrezians are the species/nationality of Ruby and Nate, as well as their parents.
So, Wonderland is ruled by Ruby's moms right, the continent they live in -which is also the biggest in Wonderland- is called Crimsivory. (think as though it were the Americas, both North and South combined) and inside Crimsivory you have the capitol (or the Washington DC if you will) the capital being Ajedrez.
pronounced: Ah-heh-drez
Ajedrez is Spanish for Chess and Ajedrezian actually sounds like a group of people, so it became their name. They are known in Wonderland to be secretive and strategic, they plan a lot and they have backups no matter what. Basically if Athena demigods started a colony.
i mentioned Cinderella and Chad's thoughts on his mom being discussed, what did you think?
what do you think about Jane's history lesson in this chapter? the Beast's true intentions, her mother being exiled
and Nate was the one holding the knife, thoughts on that?
he's been a spy this entire time, and yes, it was planned from the beginning. i've had a lot of stuff planned from the beginning, Nate being a spy, and Ruby's parents actually being the White and Red Queen
basically, when all the chess pieces (the Ajedrezians) first arrived in Wonderland they played this epic game against each other, it was like months long. the Red King and Queen were expecting a child but their marriage was more political than romantic, y'know arranged marriages and all that. during the game, the Red Queen and the White Queen fell in love, and when the Red side won after the White King died (who the White Queen wasn't that iffed about, another political marriage) the ladies decided to marry and rule the Ajedrezians (just them, not all of Wonderland) but then came in the Red King being all jealous that they stole his throne and tried to assassinate them, instead defeated him and locked him in Time's prison.
i also have a headcanon (which is canon since it's my book) that the reason Ruby wears more red than white or a combo of them is because of a bet WQ lost to RQ when Ruby was born, but Ruby still in corporates whites into her look anyway.
no mundanes allowed
- polaroized