Chapter Text
‘Love is weak, Mal. You aren’t weak, are you?’
Obviously, Mal responded with a swift ‘no’ to her mother’s question. Mal knew better than to test her luck with Maleficent. Even though she was Mal’s mother, you don’t argue with a dark fairy as powerful as Maleficent, no matter who you are.
Plus, it was true. Mal wasn’t weak. She couldn’t be. Mal didn’t love. Love was for those Auradon freaks, not for the daughter of the Maleficent, ruler of the Isle.
Than why was Mal sneaking out of her mother’s castle, into the shadowy streets of the Isle in the middle of the night just to meet with that stupid thief, Jay?
Like many nights before, Mal had snuck out of her window, climbing down the Bargain Castle’s worn walls, creeping her way to Mal and Jay’s secret hiding spot. She couldn’t risk being caught. Who knows what hell that could bring.
She finally arrived at the alleyway between Hell Hall and another run-down, empty building like so many others on the Isle. Some claimed it was a shop, although Mal didn’t buy it. No one would buy shit from a store next to where that psycho Cruella de Vil and her equally as crazy spawn lived.
Although Mal swore she could feel someone watching her whenever she was there, it was her only option. This was the only area of the Isle Maleficent didn’t keep a close eye on.
“This is just part of that stupid agreement. He has no use to me beyond that.” Mal whispered to herself, reminding herself of her place. This was temporary.
“Is that really what you think of me?” Mal’s eyes darted around the alleyway she was in for the source of the voice. Finally, her eyes landed on Jay, leaning against a wall, cigarette in hand and smug grin lingering on his face.
“Did you expect anything else?” Mal asked nonchalantly, snatching the cigarette from Jay’s hand before crushing it on the pavement beneath her.
“Of course not, your majesty.” Jay sneered. He knew the exact way to make Mal furious, but Mal couldn’t afford to get mad. Making enemies with the son of Jafar would be a mistake. While Jafar was far from his prime, his status on the Isle was enough to keep Mal’s mouth shut.
“So, did you call me all the way to mock me?” Mal challenged, glaring at Jay with her jade eyes, dimly lighting up the alleyway with their green hue.
“Nope, just a fun bonus.” Jay laughed, walking over to Mal. “You know exactly why I called you here.”
And just like that, Jay shoved Mal to the wall, forcing his lips on hers.
You see, Mal had struck up a deal with the thief. Jay would be an ally to Mal, helping her with whatever evil plan she had in store. In return, Mal and Jay had a secret relationship, hidden from the Isle in the darkness of night.
Mal wasn’t a fan of this arrangement, but she also wasn’t stupid. Mal and Jay made a dangerous team, one that could easily run the Isle on their own.
It was powerful.
Mal liked power.
So, in the dead of night, Mal would let Jay indulge in this arrangement, before they both snuck back to their homes. It wasn’t ideal, but it worked, and Mal couldn’t complain about that.
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Mal woke up to a pounding on her door, along with her mother’s screeching. Mal slowly dragged herself to her door, opening it to see her mother. Usually, Maleficent was busy ordering the peasants below at this time, so Mal was worried about what this could lead to.
“I have good news!” Her mother said in an unusually happy tone. “That idiot Prince Ben is allowing you to go to Auradon.”
“What? Why?” Mal said, now awake as ever.
“Because he’s an idiot, Mal. He’s bringing you there to make the people of Auradon feel less bad for their crimes. Locking us up on this god-forsaken Isle, reviving those of us who are dead to eternally suffer! It’s hell! No, it’s worse. I’ve seen hell. But now, you have the ability to free us, so you will be going to Auradon!”
Maleficent usured Mal to follow her to the main hall of the castle, where she opened a secret vault hidden behind the crumbling bricks of the castle to reveal an old, withering book.
“This is for you. It’s my old spellbook. It has no use here, so you might as well have it. As my child, you should have at least some of my magic power, and it may come in handy.”
“How am I even supposed to free you?” Mal inquired.
“The wand, damnit!” Maleficent screeched. “That fucker Fairy Godmother was the one who put us here and created the border. Her wand will be able to break it, too!”
“And if I don’t?” Mal asked, testing the waters.
“Well, you better hope I don’t get free some other way than. Just because I gave birth to you doesn’t mean I won’t take you out of this world. You will get the wand.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it any other way.” Mal said, snatching the spellbook from her mother’s hands, causing a cloud of dust to burst into the air.
As Mal turned to leave, a thought appeared in her mind, one that could make this mission much harder than it should be.
“Mother?”
“Yes?”
“Did Prince Ben invite any other villain kids to Auradon.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“The other kids are that Evie, daughter of Evil Queen, who disrespected you all of those years ago. She may seem stupid at first glance, but she’s far from it. Keep an eye on her.”
“Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil. Not much is known about him, so be wary.”
“Anyone else?” Mal asked, hoping she would get off lucky.
“Oh, and Jay, son of Jafar.”