Chapter Text
Carlos raised his eyebrows at Mal in a silent question as she approached Ben’s office from the opposite direction as Evie, Jay, and himself. He held up his phone, displaying the group text Ben had sent to the four of them. “Do you know what this is about?”
Mal shook her head. “I left him a little while ago with a woman who looked like she was from Little London.”
Little London, a place that was half frozen in time by way of its fashion and architecture in a strange mixture of the first forty-five years of the twentieth century. It was a place Carlos had never cared to travel to, even if it wasn’t far away; he was too attached to his tech, he’d realized a long time ago. Besides that, Little London was the home of the Darling family – Wendy, John, and Michael Darling, and their families – and the Radcliffe family.
So, Carlos felt it was pretty reasonable to say he wouldn’t soon be going to Little London, even though he had no problem meeting an average Joe or Jane from the area.
Except, when the four of them entered Ben’s office, it was no average Jane sitting across from the king. Carlos had seen a picture of this woman in the exhibit the museum had on his mother.
It was Anita Radcliffe.
Carlos’ eyes widened, and he was proud of himself for not gasping or squawking as he ducked out of sight behind Jay.
“Guys,” Carlos heard Ben stand. “This is Mrs. Anita Radcliffe. Mrs. Radcliffe, this is Lady Mal, Jay, Evie Grimhilde, and…” Ben faltered before he asked, “Carlos?”
“Uh,” he took a couple steps out from behind Jay, offering her an awkward little wave. “Hi.”
Ben smiled fondly for a second, the gesture momentarily breaking past his professional, kingly bearing as he said, “And this is Carlos De Vil.”
Then worry flashed through Ben’s eyes, then he realized who they were to one another and what was happening. Mrs. Radcliffe gave Ben an understanding, calming smile before she turned that same expression to the VKs, and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And to meet you, too,” Evie said, the first of the four to break away from their instinctual concern. Mal’s jaw was tight – she was ready for a fight – Jay’s hand was a hairsbreadth away from Carlos’ arm – ready to drag him to safety – and Carlos was pretty sure he wasn’t breathing exactly right. But Evie continued as if she didn’t notice any of the uncertainty in the air surrounding her friends, “Your designs are so classic and elegant.”
“Oh,” Mrs. Radcliffe smiled in happy surprise. “Thank you very much. Though I’m afraid you quite clearly have the eye of the vast majority of your own generation. You’re very talented, Miss Grimhilde.”
“Thank you so much!” Evie replied, grinning broadly.
“Of course. But,” Mrs. Radcliffe glanced at Ben. “I’m not here to discuss my design work today, actually. Later, certainly, I would love to—” she gave Evie a sincere look, making sure it was understood that she meant it. “But today I’ve come with an idea of something that I might be able to do for you, if you would like – or, for Miss Grimhilde, Jay, and Mr. DeVil, according to his majesty.”
“What’s that?” Jay asked cautiously.
Suddenly Ben asked with a furrow in his brow, “Do you feel like you’re missing out on having families – parents – in Auradon? Is it… awkward for you to come to the castle on breaks instead of going to… a home, a family?”
All four VKs turned to him with varying expressions of confusion.
“No,” Mal said after a beat of silence. “I don’t think so. I feel like your parents… have taken me in as a sort of daughter of their own, and that’s more than what I’d ever expected. Your family is more than enough of a ‘traditional’ family for me.”
Ben smiled softly at her. “That’s what I said. I’m really glad you feel that way.” His gaze clouded with worry once again as he looked at the other three, asking, “And you?”
There was another, longer beat of silence before Jay asked hesitantly, “Honestly?”
“Of course.” Ben nodded, surprise at the question flashing across his face.
Jay shoved his hands deep into his pockets, shuffling forward a step with a frown. “Honestly… I’m glad you’re happy staying here, Mal, but I’m not welcome here. Half of your staff, Ben, makes it very clear that they don’t want me here, at the palace, around the royals’ valuable things that I could steal.”
“I’m sure that’s misplaced loyalty talking,” Ben said quickly. “If you’ll give me a list of the people causing trouble for you, I can talk—”
Jay was already shaking his head. “I have thicker skin than that; I can deal with it. You asked how we felt about having… homes to go to in Auradon, and, personally, if I could go to a… home where everyone there could trust me to be the decent person I’m trying to be, yeah, I would like that.”
Ben swallowed, faltering as he said, “But surely you understand that no house, no household – let alone one this big – is tailored to—to accept a reformed thief. That must be a learning curve for them, right?”
“Ben.” Mal moved to take her boyfriend’s hand now, saying soothingly, “I think you’re taking that more personally than Jay meant it.”
Jay nodded his agreement. “It’s nothing against you, Ben, it just… is what it is. You asked how I feel, and I told you, nothing more.”
“Please,” Mrs. Radcliffe said. “The last thing I want is to cause problems; I came to help.”
“Of course.” Ben visibly calmed, giving Mrs. Radcliffe, Jay, and Mal an apologetic smile as he promised, “There won’t be problems – at least not from me. Evie, Carlos, what do you think about having a family in Auradon?”
“Can I take Dude?” Carlos asked.
“Who’s… Dude?” Mrs. Radcliffe asked.
“Our school mascot – a dog – but he and Carlos have become especially close,” Ben answered with a fond smile.
“To the family I have in mind for you, I’m sure they’d be willing to give Dude a home, too,” Mrs. Radcliffe answered Carlos with a smile.
“You already have homes in mind for each of us?” Evie asked.
Mrs. Radcliffe nodded. “I haven’t talked to most of them yet, but, yes, I do.”
“’Most’ of them,” Mal repeated, asking, “Who have you talked to, then?”
One of Mrs. Radcliffe’s eyebrows twitched. “How observant of you,” she said approvingly. “Smart girl. Technically, I haven’t talked to anyone yet – I thought it prudent to get your approval first – but there are a couple of people who… know the conversation is coming.”
One of Mrs. Radcliffe’s dalmatians looked at her intently, then, and the other stood and moved to nudge Carlos’ hand with a hopeful whine. “Hi there, girl,” he murmured, petting her head. “Good girl… Perdita?”
Mrs. Radcliffe nodded. “The one and only.” Then she changed the subject, asking with a glance at Evie, Jay, and Carlos, “Do I have your permission to… perhaps invite you each to dinner, or to meet up for coffee or tea, when I have families for you?”
One by one, Jay, Evie, and Carlos nodded.
“Wonderful! I’ll be in touch, then.”
“That’s not all, though,” Ben said before the VKs could leave. “Mrs. Radcliffe would also be willing to help us choose what VKs are brought over to Auradon from the Isle.”
“Would she?” Evie asked curiously, her sudden skepticism well-concealed.
“In a manner of speaking, if it’s needed, yes,” Mrs. Radcliffe replied.
“That’s… nice,” Mal said. “But, honestly, I think we’re all ninety percent agreed on who the next four are going to be already.”
Carlos, for his part, had been letting his friends battle that out with one another. But Mal was right; by now they were almost in agreement on who each of the next four should be.
“Well,” uncertainty flashed through Mrs. Radcliffe’s eyes before it was replaced by her characteristic poise. “That’s very good. Maybe we could revisit the topic for the group after that one, but for now… families for the three of you will be my focus.”
Ben stood, the signal that the meeting really was over, and shook Mrs. Radcliffe’s hand. “Thank you.”
“It’ll be my pleasure, your majesty. Thank you for seeing me today.”
“Of course.”
Perdita licked Carlos’ hand once more and followed Mrs. Radcliffe as the woman left with a parting smile for the VKs.