Ben sat at his desk, staring in shock at the piles of reports that he'd have to go through. His attendants had been slowly bringing in the boxes over the past few days as to not overwhelm him. Ben honestly didn't see how it was possible to not be overwhelmed here. Sure it made sense that twenty years of reports would produce a lot of papers but he didn't think there were that many. Were there any trees left in Auradon?
"Sire?" Dean's voice came from the buried intercom and brought Ben out of his shock.
"Yes Dean?"
"The Queen Mother has arrived. Shall I send her in?"
"Yes please," Ben said and smiled as the door opened and his mom stepped inside his office. "Hey mom."
"Hello Ben," Belle smiled as she saw her son but then shook her head as she saw the state of his desk. "Please tell me you haven't started on the research without me?"
Ben chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it mom. The last of it just arrived today anyway so it wouldn't have been a good idea to get started without all the information anyway."
"Well I have some good news," Belle told him. "I roped in some assistance for the research. Assistance that hasn't seen his family in a year!"
"Gods Belle, I said I was sorry. You know work kept me busy," Chip's voice came through the doorway and Ben chuckled upon seeing his surrogate brother as he walked into the office. "Ben, your mom loves a good guilt trip."
"Don't I know it," Ben said with a smile.
"This all the research?" Chip asked, looking at the piles of paperwork on Ben's desk. Ben sighed, shook his head and stood up. He leaned down and picked up box after box, setting them on the lone free space on his desk.
"What?" Ben asked after picking up the third box and seeing the shocked look on Chip's face. "This is twenty years of reports Chip. You didn't honestly think it'd be one pile of paperwork?"
Chip need never know that the same look of shock had been on Ben's face not fifteen minutes ago.
"Well then, let's get started," Belle said, grabbing a box. "Ben, dear, do you have a highlighter or—?"
"In the pencil can mom," Ben said. "I also have pens and pencils if you'd prefer, and Dean can easily bring us more if we need them. Though Chip, you're using pens. Remember, mom banned you from using highlighters after the incident at your twenty first birthday party."
"I wasn't that drunk!"
"You tried to color my face with highlighter because you said I was important!"
"You are important though, Benji!" Chip exclaimed as he took a box from Ben's desk and handed it to Belle. "And I call the sofa!"
"No way Chip. Mom gets the sofa," Ben said with a small chuckle. "You can have the desk though. I'm good with sitting on the ground."
"Ben, you're the king—"
"And as the king, I'm fine sitting on the ground," Ben reiterated as he took a box and did just that, leaning back so that his back rested against the sofa. "I've got an alarm set for dinner if we go that long, though considering this is twenty years of paperwork we're talking about we just might. Now, let's get started."
Chip chuckled as he sat down behind Ben's desk and opened the third box. The three of them worked for hours, pouring over the reports; the only sound the occasional scribbling of a pen or the sound of a highlighter gliding over a page. Ben felt his heart sink as he continued to pour through the research—for at least his section of the reports, there was no denying an obvious delay in the food deliveries.
It's deliberate, there's no other way these deliveries could be delayed constantly without it purposefully being deliberate, Ben thought.
"Mom, Chip...are you guys finding delays in your reports too?" Ben asked, his voice soft.
"Yep," Chip nodded, his voice hard.
"Unfortunately," Belle sighed. "Granted I can't say it's *all* of the reports since I haven't gone through the whole box yet but there's enough there that a pattern is obvious."
"Gods this is sick," Chip muttered as he continued to pour through his own section of the research. "These are people. I know they're villains but they're still people. No matter how long the delays have been, it's inexcusable. Now all I can think is how many people, how many kids have died because of this?"
"Any number higher than zero is way too high," Ben sighed, trying not think of a young Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos battling hunger while he had been sitting in his castle. "How did Auradon not notice this? It's not like it's just started—Mal said in the first viewing that the deliveries had been like this since she was born and Uma said in the last viewing that they were twenty years into a garbage strike."
"Yeah well, considering what Uma did to you in that viewing from what I heard—"
"Chip, she hasn't done it and that's not relevant," Ben said. "This has been going on for the life of the Isle."
"Maybe not the whole life," Belle said. "I think my box has the early years of the Isle deliveries—the first six months that the Isle existed, the deliveries were going on time."
"So whoever was causing the delays wanted to wait because they thought they might get caught?" Ben asked.
"Quite possibly."
"The question still stands though, how did Auradon miss this, mom?" Ben asked with a small sigh. "The same issue has been logged in the same area of the engine every month. It should have been investigated or at the very least we should have traded ships after the third month of delays!"
Gods did dad know? Ben thought with a growing sense of dread. Did he know about the delays and just decided to ignore them?
"I don't think your dad was involved Ben," Chip said softly, unknowingly answering Ben's internal ramblings. "I have the records where we're about four years into the Isle deliveries. Look. The time period of the delays starts off small but they really pick up speed when your mom was pregnant with you—and your dad never left her side."
"So whoever it is used the fact that mom was pregnant and dad was totally distracted to be more careless about it?" Ben asked and Chip nodded. "But then this could be anyone! Mom's pregnancy with me was announced throughout the kingdom!"
"I don't think it's just anyone," Belle said, speaking up. "Whoever this is has to be pretty highly ranked to be able to continually delay the ship. I'm speculating that they're potentially bribing the crew of the ship so they'd have to be able to do that and keep doing it for nineteen years."
"Well we know there's a group of about thirteen high ranking Auradonians who have the ability to keep people from seeing the full manifests," Chip pointed out. "They would also know exactly when Adam was distracted by your pregnancy Belle."
"Chip, are you saying you suspect someone on the council?" Ben asked. But then Ben remembered the letters Conner, Akiho and Emir had told him about; letters Auradon citizens with less than shiny pasts received threatening to send them to the Isle that were just signed 'the council'.
Clearly there was someone out there capable of that...and possibly worse.
"Ben, there's only three people on the council who dislike the idea of the Isle enough to do something like this."
"Chi-Fu, Duke Westleton...and Queen Leah," Ben listed off. "But wait, I removed Queen Leah from the council at my coronation."
"Okay so there's two people but you really think Chi-Fu and Westleton have enough of a spine to do something without Leah's say so?" Chip asked. "Anyway, out of those three, which one would have enough wealth to keep paying off the guards and the crew of the ship for nineteen years?"
"Leah," Ben sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's got to be her. But how do we prove it? Just narrowing it down like that isn't actual proof. Unless we could somehow get Leah to confess, which as we all know, Leah would never let that happen."
"Without proof, Leah would probably claim we were trying to frame her because of how she acted at Family Day and the first viewing," Belle sighed.
"Gods, if only there was video," Ben groaned.
"Isn't there?" Chip asked. "Don't the docks have security cameras? Or what about tapping her phone?"
"We'd need probable cause for tapping Leah's phone," Ben sighed. "Don't forget Chip, she is still the Queen of Auroria and is the head of one of the oldest royal families in the land. Even if I do outrank her as king of Auradon, I don't have the right to tap her phone just because I think she's doing something nefarious."
"Wait Ben," Belle said. "The docks do have video. Arendelle uses those docks when they make their ice deliveries. They won't have all nineteen years since we only just allowed the cameras to be installed a few years ago but it'll be enough. I'll contact King Kristoff right now—considering the cameras were donated by Arendelle, he should be able to access the recordings."
"How fast do you think he'd be able to access those recordings?" Chip asked.
"I'll give him a call and find out," Belle said.
"Wait," Ben said, as if coming to a realization. "King Kristoff's got newborns. He shouldn't be bothered by this. Let me call Akiho—as heir he should have the same access."
Belle nodded and Ben fished out his phone, quickly punching the speed dial button for Akiho's number.
"Hey Ben," Akiho said, picking up at the first ring.
"Hey," Ben said. "Listen, I need a favor. It's going to sound strange but I'll explain later."
"My best friend and king is asking for a favor? Consider it done, what do you need Ben?"
"How quickly can you access the recordings for the cameras at the docks?"
"Four hours? A day at most."
"Can you call and get them?" Ben asked, hoping that it would be on the faster side of the time frame. The longer they waited, the more kids wasted away or died.
"I can do that in five minutes, once I'm off the phone with you."
"Great. Text me when you've got them."
"I will, Ben," Akiho said and Ben disconnected the call. Looking at the others, Ben couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"He's on it."
"Good," Chip nodded. "That'll give us something other than the shipping records. Leah won't be able to talk her way out of video evidence."
"Unless she tries to claim the tapes are altered somehow," Ben pointed out.
"She risks alienating Arendelle then. No one wants to lose Arendelle as an ally—just ask Westleton."
Belle though couldn't help but shake her head. "Ben, dear. Did you happen to forget a piece of information that would be helpful for Akiho?"
"What do you...oh. Oh!"
Ben quickly whipped out his phone and called Akiho once more.
"Hey, yeah, I know sorry. Let's narrow that search a bit. We're looking for any current or former council members interacting with the crew of the ship that goes to the Isle and the dock guards in anyway that potentially looks shady or illicit. You know, handing them money or the like."
"Rodger that Ben. It's a good thing I hadn't contacted the head of dock security yet. Otherwise he'd be shifting through years of footage."
"Sorry," Ben said sheepishly.
"It's fine Ben," Akiho said with a chuckle. "I'd tease you about it but I know time's of the essence. I'll contact my guy right now. Narrowing it down like that, it might not take as long as I said."
"Thank you."
"I'm on it Ben," Akiho said before hanging up once more. Ben couldn't help but smile as he pocketed his phone. He knew Akiho would have done it regardless but he couldn't help but feel glad that he had friends he could depend on.
It probably didn't hurt that they knew he'd do the same for them in a heartbeat.
"Well?" Chip asked.
"He's contacting the head of dock security now," Ben said.
"Good," Belle said. "We'll have to consider what Queen Leah's punishment would be if it's found that she is the one responsible for this."
"I don't see how it can't be her, mom," Ben said. "Like Chip said, she's the only one with the means to do it. After all, she was on the council through dad's reign so she'd know exactly when he'd be too distracted to notice the delays."
"Ben's right Belle," Chip nodded, turning the records in his hands toward her so Belle could see. "Look, the delays ramp up a little bit more around Ben's second birthday. That was when you guys discovered he had some dormant abilities from the Beast enchantment."
"All I really remember from that time was trying to keep your body cool," Belle said with a small smile. "We hadn't considered your temperature was related to your father's enchantment but looking back it makes sense. You had no other signs of illness."
Ben's phone rang before he could respond and he quickly fished it out of his pocket.
"Akiho? That was quick. Oh really? Your dad upgraded the system last year? Neat but anyway, you have something?" Ben asked and his eyes grew wide at his friend's response. "You're kidding! No, no you're right. Your head of security wouldn't have any reason to lie. It's just a shock."
"What is it?" Chip mouthed.
"Akiho's got something," Ben mouthed back, putting his hand over the speaker in case any noise slipped out as Akiho continued to speak on the other end. Chip nodded.
"Oh I can't believe this," Ben muttered softly, his eyes narrowing a little before shaking his head. "Thanks Akiho. Send me those recordings please, as quickly as possible. You are awesome dude. Thanks."
"So what did Akiho find?" Chip asked as Ben ended the call.
"There's footage of a certain someone paying off the ship guards today if you can believe it."
"Today?!"
Ben nodded. "Our suspicions apparently were correct. I'll have to call the council in once Akiho gets me that footage."
A ping of Ben's phone, indicating that an email had arrived, broke the brief silence.
"Your friend works fast," Chip chuckled.
"I'm limiting his caffeine intake," Ben shook his head as he looked at the email that had arrived. He knew Akiho was probably dancing in his seat at the thought of taking Leah down a peg or twenty.
"How bad is it?" Belle asked gently.
"I'll just say this," Ben said, "Mal can never find out about this footage or Leah's more likely to become dragon chow than anything else."
"Can I sell tickets to that?" Chip asked.
"Chip!"
"What? You two were thinking it as well! I was just the only one who was going to say it!"
Ben shook his head in amusement. While as king he couldn't publicly encourage this, in private he wholeheartedly agreed with Chip. And he had a feeling Mal would agree with him too—publicly or privately.
"Mom, I think it's time I called the council to convene," Ben said. "This...this isn't the kind of thing I should decide on my own. Besides, council members like Aladdin and Eugene have gone without food before; they can offer insight no one else can."
Belle nodded. "I'll let your father know. Considering this happened during his reign, he should be there to answer any questions the council may have."
"I'll also invite Lady Anastasia for an Isle resident's point of view," Ben said. "I'd invite Mal but Leah might twist it considering we're dating. She might say Mal's manipulating me or something."
"If anyone on the council actually believes that, get rid of 'em," Chip said. "Honestly, with the exception of Eugene, Aladdin and Elsa, a good sweep wouldn't be a bad thing anyway. Get some fresh blood in there."
"Phoebus isn't bad," Ben said. "Neither is Eric. Really the main issues are Leah's two stooges now that she's off the council."
"So I'll reiterate, get rid of 'em," Chip said. "You know they're the reason your council's moving slower than molasses in February when it comes to the Isle issues or at least that's what Belle told me. You get rid of them and you speed that up—you could even get someone more like minded on your council."
"The whole point of a council though is to have a diverse set of opinions, not to surround myself with 'yes' men," Ben said, shaking his head. "I don't even know who'd I replace them with."
"Well who all's on your council?" Chip asked.
"Captain Phoebus, King Eric, King Eugene, Sultan Aladdin, Queen Elsa, Chi-Fu, Westleton, Zeus, Queen Ella, Queen Snow White, Captain Li Shang, Queen Tiana, and Lady Anastasia," Ben said. "Lady Anastasia filled the vacancy opened by Leah's removal but she hasn't been an official member. I want to give her some time to get used to being in Auradon."
"What about Aurora?" Chip suggested. "At least that way Auroria is still represented."
"And Anita would provide an unique perspective on issues," Belle added.
Ben nodded. "If they accept, they would be a good fit for the council."
"I see no reason why they wouldn't," Belle said. "But now we should definitely convene the council."
"Leah needs to answer for this," Chip agreed.
Ben sighed and pulled out his phone once more. It was time to make the necessary calls. Chip was right—Leah needed to answer for this.