Chapter Text
Evie woke up suddenly, her hand slid to the side of her bed, finding it completely empty. Out of habit, she sat and searched the darkness for Uma's presence. But little by little her memory reminded her of where she was and who she was now. The castle was no longer her mother's. And she was no longer in her room. Now she was a queen. The queen of free people. A people who lived in a paradise. And under the protection of a powerful sea goddess. Evie noticed that it was still night. A hand encircled her waist and she saw Ben on her bed. He was lying on the side of the bed that she hadn't checked.
Visits from the King of Auradon were always pleasant. Evie never believed that her heart had so much room to miss so many people and still feel so loved. Ben's presence soothed her loneliness. Especially when she could talk to him for hours until they fell asleep. Her fingers caressed the soft brown hair and she entertained herself by tracing the features of his face. Ben was too beautiful. Her heart ached with longing looking at him. Evie was aware of the way people looked at them when they were together. Evie and Ben were a perfect picture, the unique fairy tale portrait anyone would seek to admire. Evie had heard the children of her kingdom whisper about her and Ben, how they longed for their marriage to begin. Evie wondered if that could be possible so soon. Building a kingdom took time and Evie wanted everything to be perfect before thinking about the intricate complications that marriage to Ben would entail.
Evie loved him. But they were leaders.
For now, she could enjoy this. The purity of Ben bathing her in all that that meant.
Ben's hand tightened on her waist for a second. And Evie felt the smile on the king's lips. She silently moved her head. Ben was the only person happier than Evie with the result that her body became softer. She promised herself that no other girl or woman in her kingdom would suffer from others wanting to control the way their bodies look.
Evie heard voices in the distance and her heart raced. Very gently she was letting go of the hug that Ben applied on her waist, and he pressed more against her side, melting her heart a little more.
“Don't make me choose...” She begged in a whisper.
“I know I wouldn't win,” Ben opened his eyes and looked at her sleepily.
“Don’t say that” Evie leaned down and kissed his lips, feeling the sweet, cream-and-chocolate taste that seemed perpetual on him. “It isn’t a competition.”
The laughter that reached them seemed close to waking up the entire castle.
“It isn’t,” Ben sat up, leaning his weight on his elbow, and using his free hand to stroke her hair “But it’s inevitable that whenever the two of you are close, you will find each other.”
More so now that Evie and Uma had started going their lives in different directions. With different purposes. So, it was inevitable that Evie would be excited at the possibility of being reunited. She felt Ben's lips on her neck, gently caressing her pulse.
“You deserve to be happy. Now, go,” Ben whispered against her skin and pulled away, “If not, Uma will appear here, and Harry will follow her, and eventually the four of us will fall asleep here. Some servants will find us, and the rumors will return.”
Evie chuckled at the expression so logical on Ben. That was true. Rumors between Uma and Evie had always existed. Even now, some believed that they were using Ben and Harry as distractions from the public eye. But others liked to believe that something else was happening between the four of them. Evie just found it funny. Ben funnily saw the whole thing like it was: Their reality. Harry only encouraged rumors. And Uma found the subject hilarious.
“Go,” Ben encouraged. “Just go.”
Evie got up from the bed and covered herself with a blue robe as she felt the cold environment that surrounded her. It was already autumn, and the cold winds were reaching their archipelago. She left her room and hurried through the corridors, greeting the night watch with an enthusiastic smile.
“Someone has to take over the charge,” Uma's voice reached her ears. “Harry, make sure the prisoners are transferred correctly.”
“As you order, captain.”
Evie walked faster. It wasn't like a queen to run through the corridors, was it?
“And we're fine with bedrooms in the Guest Wing,” Uma was assuring. “We know that we weren’t expected until within...”
“Three days!” Evie appeared at the top of the stairs and saw that Uma had gone ahead of the group “Sugar, you arrived!”
Uma was dressed like a pirate and the style looked amazing on her. Even with her imposing posture and elevated face, Uma's gaze softened upon meeting her.
“I wasn't planning on waking you up.”
“But the laughs from Carlos and Jay must have done it,” Harry replied, lifting his chin in Evie's direction “Princess.”
“Pirate,” Evie saluted.
She closed the distance with Uma. And every step she took, her best friend did the same. Until they were facing each other. Evie didn't know who moved first, but her arms found themselves around Uma's neck as the goddess hugged her around the waist. The scent of the sea and freedom surrounded her, and Uma's laugh was all sound she could hear.
“Welcome,” Evie whispered. “Is it official?”
“Yes, we are going to stay until spring,” Uma confirmed and hugged her tighter. “Blue... You look happy.”
Evie just hugged her tighter. Sometimes it was hard to think that she missed her life before she was free. But there were simple things back then. Much more comforting on an emotional level. Like knowing that Uma was always by her side. Always. Not just to get through the winter. But everyday Uma’s hand would be within reach of hers. Evie was glad about the changes. And she would never reproach the life of adventure that Uma had chosen. But still…
“I missed you too, Sugar,” Evie pulled away enough to lean her forehead against Uma's “How are you?”
“I had to travel with Carlos, Jay, and Gil. I'm exhausted,” Uma rolled her eyes, but her smile was still there. “Officially the Isle of the Lost is a ghost island.”
Although the idea should have cheered her up, Evie tasted bitter. They had grown up there. And while Uma was right and her people were nomads, people capable of adapting and creating new lives wherever they went, the idea that there was no one there was strange. The place had been a prison. But also, their home. The archipelago in which they now lived was a good start and people were adjusting well there. But still…
“Blue...” Uma cupped her chin to get her attention “All of the most important on the island is here.”
Evie smiled and nodded.
“I heard the servants say that Ben was here,” Uma commented aloud.
On instinct, Evie reached for Harry over Uma's shoulder. But in a gesture of consideration, which the pirate would never admit, he had taken everyone to another place. Surely following his captain's orders.
“I take care of your seahorses,” Evie broke away and took Uma's arm, guiding her to the small aquarium she had created in the castle that connected directly to the sea.
“You know? I'm afraid that answer is literal. That the queen herself took time out of her busy schedule to take care of my seahorses.” Uma said.
“Well, I like to take care of others,” Evie replied, entering the small aquarium.
The lights came on automatically and the marine life greeted them. The echo of their footsteps echoed through the crystals and like magic, all the sea animals swam straight in Uma's direction. Evie gave her enough space to reconnect with all the creatures that in one way or another had attached themselves to the sea goddess. Evie, for her part, looked for the blanket that she used to keep there for when she visited the place. Sometimes Evie needed to surround herself with others who understood her longing for a certain person that no one could keep in one place.
Uma rested her hand on the glass of one of the tanks, the greenish light illuminating her mysteriously. The seahorses swam to meet her, resting their heads against the glass. Evie smiled at the gesture. Looking at that, it was impossible to believe that there was someone who crossed their path with Uma and didn’t love her in one way or another.
“That ring,” Evie commented aloud and a smirk formed on her lips. “That ring is identical to the one Harry has.”
A golden skull. The pirate wore a silver one. They were wearing matching rings. On their ring fingers.
“You noticed it.”
“Sugar, I’m very observant,” Evie covered her shoulders with the blanket “Well?”
Uma exaggerated a sigh and turned in her direction. In three simple steps, she reached Evie and stole part of her blanket. They both sat on the ground, surrounded by that little world full of life.
“Harry gave it to me.”
“Means something?”
“Does something mean anything when it comes to Harry Hook?” Uma returned the question with a tone of amusement.
“Good point,” Evie took her best friend's hand and admired the fine detail, the ring was beautiful in an intimidating and elegant way. “I assume you agreed.”
“He didn’t ask me to marry him.”
Uma's voice almost sounded disappointed at that answer. But when Evie searched her eyes, she noticed that the goddess had her head propped against the wall and her eyes fixed on the marine life that danced for her.
“It’s his gesture of belonging. His declaration that he is mine. His devotion and loyalty to me.” Uma almost seemed to be reciting, and possibly was quoting Harry's words.
“And would you have wanted something different?” Evie ventured.
“You’re a terrible influence,” Uma pointed, dropping her head on the queen's shoulder.
“That is a yes,” she laughed happily. “You would have wanted it to be a declaration of eternal love and not one of eternal devotion. Even though you know well that you are loved.”
“...I already tell you that you are a terrible influence on me,” Uma repeated.
“I bet you expected him to ask you to marry him during some battle against a sea monster or other pirate ship,” Evie couldn't hide her excitement and the laughter that almost seeped between her words “Right?” She turned her face and rested her cheek on Uma's head.
The goddess was radiating heat.
Uma never radiated heat.
“Are you blushing?” Evie almost screeched with excitement. “Did you really want something like that, Sugar?”
Uma's hands covered Evie’s mouth and, in a blink, the only thing she could see was her best friend's face on hers.
“You are a terrible influence on me! I do not like feeling like this. I don't recognize myself,” Uma ordered. “Just... Blue...” The goddess's face relaxed “...Harry Hook has a terrible effect on me.”
Evie hugged her, snuggling better into the blanket, and brushed her cheek against Uma's, feeling the warmth that was still in her.
“You love him. I think it's normal for you to want certain things that we didn't know we could have.” Evie explained, “And you don't stop being a force of pure destruction and protection, a powerful goddess and an invincible warrior just for wanting to get married and even have children.”
“I always thought those things were for you,” Uma leaned resignedly against her. “Absolute devotion and passion seem something more suitable for me.”
“I think we can share what it’s and what it isn’t for us. You take a little romance and I'll take a little intense passion. What do you say?” Evie cheered, closing her eyes.
“I'd like to see how you plan for the last part to happen between you and Ben,” Uma responded more relaxed and also settled better in the makeshift nest they had created on the ground.
Where a goddess and queen could take a break and just be Evie and Uma.
“Oh, you give me ideas and I'll give you some,” Evie proposed, yawning. “I'm glad you're here.”
“And me, Blue. It's good to be home.”