Chapter Text
Some nights of sleep are restful and coupled with serenity and bliss. Others were far less welcome, wrought with nightmarish images and fits of painful emotion. I would like to tell you I had quite a bit of the former, but in this case, I was very much stuck in the latter.
Let me set the scene. In my nightmarish vision, I found myself walking through Auradon, only it was quite different. Adam and Belle's castle was in ruins and the previously beautiful and lush forests surrounding it were up in flames. Screaming came from every direction, human and animal alike.
Many individuals were sound asleep, under a dark curse, completely helpless to the approaching inferno. Among them were my mother, Princess Aurora, and my father Prince Phillip, who was frozen as a stone statue, forced to watch helplessly as mom lay there, unable to do a single thing.
I looked towards the source of the screaming and saw Ben, or what was left of him. He had transformed into a huge, terrifying beast. With every swipe of his claws, people fell. No one could stand up against him. He wasn't the mild-mannered boy I had once loved, he was brute strength and nothing more. As he roared, I noticed a curious purple fabric stuck in his bloody teeth. The color reminded me of something Mal would have worn.
The scene was bedlam and was utterly beyond saving. I looked down at myself and saw Maleficent's scepter in my hand, glowing green, some strange black substance had come out of the scepter and had begun to spider up my arm, filling my veins with poison. I heard someone laughing. Who could be laughing at such a scene? Who could be so much of a monster to get any enjoyment out of such unnecessary suffering?
I passed by a broken castle window and was horrified to see the worst part of the whole vision. It was me, Princess Audrey Rose of the Kingdom of Auroria, only my eyes were glowing a sickly green, my beautiful, naturally brunette hair was gone, replaced only by two massive, curling horns, and my face… I was the one laughing. I was enjoying this. I knew in my heart that I had caused it all and that I honestly wanted to keep it going for as long as possible.
Suddenly though, I heard a sharp explosion above me in the air. I looked up and saw a large cloud of blue energy. Something about it was so beautiful. Looking into it, I was filled with a bittersweet longing, like the feeling you have when you think of loved ones who have died.
The cloud grew and grew. As it did so, the chaos that surrounded me started to fade away. The screams were silenced, the fires were doused, the people and the very castle vanished. There was nothing but me and the growing blue cloud. If I was in my right mind, I would have taken off running, but I didn't. In fact, I actually walked towards the cloud, my eyes never leaving it.
Pretty soon, I was surrounded by the blue cloud. It was all around me. I could see nothing but the blue, reminding me of all my regrets. I would never be queen of Auradon, I had hurt my friends and family, I was a bully, and I had not lived up to the expectations that were set for me.
I breathed deeply, the smoke entering my lungs. It made me feel lightheaded, but I kept breathing it in. Tears began to roll down my face as I dwelled upon these things. I had hurt so many people, and now it was the end. I just knew that I would spend eternity regretting the way I had wasted my life. I lay on the ground and just waited for my shame and death to take me…
When I awoke, immediately, I made eye contact with a pair of deep, blue eyes, the same color as the cloud that I had seen in my dreams. The eyes were part of a face that was somehow familiar, upon the man's head was a burning blue flame. This was Hades, God of the Dead.
I heard many voices in the room gasp, realizing that I was safe in my room in my bed, with a lot of people inside with me. My grammy was at my side and she pulled me into an embrace as quickly as she could. Despite myself, I sighed into the hug.
When she finally pulled away, I looked to see King Ben, my Ben. Well, not anymore, but still. He was the same sweet-faced, strait-laced Ben dressed smartly and simply, and his future queen and my rival Mal, daughter of Maleficent, was beside him dressed in a pale pink dress that honestly did her no favors.
"Tell me it was all a bad dream," I said to either of them.
Behind Mal, Ben replied, "I wish I could, but it's all over now."
I knew that it happened. I had stolen Maleficent's scepter and had cursed the kingdom of Auradon. Sure, all I had done was put half the kingdom under a sleeping spell, turn Fairy Godmother and others into stone statues, and cursed Mal to look like a hag and Ben to look like the beast that his dad once was. No one died or anything, but they could have, and it would have been my fault.
"I'm sorry," I said lamely to break the silence. I started to cry before continuing to the royal couple. "I wanted to hurt you both. I wanted to hurt all of you."
I realized that in the room with us were my grammy of course, King Adam, Fairy Godmother, Hades, and a bunch of guards who must have gone with the god from the Isle of the Lost. They were all looking at me with an expression I wasn't used to, pity.
This wasn't right! I was Princess Audrey Rose of Auroria, heiress to the kingdoms of my parents! I wasn't one to be pitied! I was supposed to do the pitying!
Mal suddenly spoke up. My traitorous tears felt hot against my cheeks.
"I have owed you an apology for a very long time now."
I was floored. This villain who had stolen my boyfriend, and my friends and ruined my life was apologizing, and with the tears that began to form in her eyes, I knew she was sincere. I had to stop and think. What had she done? She was invited to Auradon by Ben, and she had the chance to open the barrier and let the villains free, but she ended up defending Auradon. She defeated her wickedly powerful mother, Uma (Ursula's brat), and me. Then, she stumbled through the ins and outs of sudden royalty. She didn't belong in that world, our world, but she kept trying because she cared for Ben. This villain kid cared about someone outside of their clique. How about that for a foreign concept?
"And so have I," Ben said, following up Mal's apology.
So, there I was, conflicted. They were sincerely apologizing for the way they treated me, as they should. It was WAY overdue. Even though I had held onto my anger for so long, I no longer had a leg to stand on. What I had done was so much worse than what either of them had done to me. I was suddenly angry again, but not at them, at the shame that I was feeling.
"And perhaps… I… have owed you one, too." Grammy said, holding my hand in hers.
Grammy had piled so many expectations on me. She expected me to marry Ben, to rule Auradon, to become a powerful and respected queen, just like her. I remembered how hurt I was when she told me that my mom could hold onto a man in her sleep and how I had disappointed the family by letting Ben slip through my fingers. She made me feel small, insignificant, and inadequate. She never apologized, until today. All the anger I had felt for the three of them began to fade, replaced with embarrassment for all that I had done. How could any of them stand to look at me? How could I ever look at myself in the mirror again?
The guards took Hades away and Mal went into the hallway. Ben took this opportunity to get closer to my bedside. I couldn't even look at him.
"Audrey… how are you feeling?" the young king asked.
"I don't know. How is someone guilty of treason supposed to feel?" I replied with a small voice.
"Now, now, Audrey. I won't have such talk." Grammy interjected.
"Your majesty," Ben followed, "Let her speak."
"With your permission, Ben. I'd like to be alone."
Even though I didn't look up, I knew that he was slightly put out at my request. Ben, ever the gentleman, stood up, said something to King Adam, and the men left. It was just me and Grammy, who I asked to also leave, but to call my dad. What? When a girl fails world domination, she wants her daddy. So what? Mock me, I dare you.
Grammy finally left, promising to call my parents to let them know that I was okay. I was left alone in my room. I let my tears start to fall quickly and unrestrained. I felt my skin get hot as I did so, a wet sob coming from my throat as the embarrassment of everything started consuming me.
I started praying, as I sat there in my room. Who to? I didn't exactly know at first, but I decided on Artemis, goddess of the hunt and champion goddess of women. Perhaps she would hear me and then either burn me to a crisp or make the ground open up and swallow me whole.
How did my life end up going so wrong? I blamed Mal for so long, but it wasn't her, not really. It was me. I was the problem. She didn't steal Ben from me, he chose her over me. Then, I had a big tantrum where I hurt Fairy Godmother, who was always kind to me and my supposed best friend Jane, on her birthday of all days. Oh gods, Jane!
She would never forgive me. Why would she? She was supposed to have a magical birthday with her perfectly adorable delinquent of a boyfriend, Carlos. It was magical, for sure, as magical as a sleeping curse goes. I couldn't face her. To see the hurt in her face and the disappointment, would kill me.
When my parents walked into my room, I had my mind made up. I needed to leave Auradon. Maybe for forever. Maybe not. I just needed some air. I knew my fairy godmothers, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather would never judge me or mistreat me. I needed to go off to their cottage to spend some time with them.
I grabbed a tissue and dabbed at my eyes, my eyeliner was probably a mess and I likely looked like a pink raccoon. I blew my nose when my dad came in and smiled kindly at me. I didn't deserve his smile.
"Hey 'Drey," Dad said as they sauntered into my room. He was dressed in a sharp suit and my mother was wearing a beautiful, long dress that may have been blue, or pink. I wasn't sure.
"Hey dad, hey mom." I managed, "I… I'm sorry…"
They separated and both sat on opposite sides of my bed. They hugged me tightly between them and as they did so, I started to cry again. I could cry with them. I knew that. I was safe.
"My darling," Mom broke the silence. "You have no reason to apologize to us."
"Yes, I do. I disgraced the family and the kingdom. When will you declare my birthright dissolved?"
Obviously, they would revoke my birthright as a princess and future queen of Auroria, my mom's kingdom, and Ulstead, my dad's. I mean, why wouldn't they? My actions weren't that of a benevolent queen, they were that of a vicious dictator like Grimhilde, Aunt Snow's wicked stepmother.
"Audrey," Dad replied, "that isn't going to happen. Sure, there will be punishment, but you are and will always be Princess Audrey Rose."
Needless to say, my dad made me ugly cry. I was so glad that no one else was there but them to see it. When I say ugly cry, I mean it. Imagine the worst possible face covered in snot and tears and multiply it by however many you'd like.
Dad lifted me in his arms while Mom packed a few things for me. I just kept my face hidden in Dad's chest, breathing him in, allowing myself to feel my feelings, but to ground myself in the moment with him.
I never looked away from Dad's chest until he set me down into a large SUV, getting in after me. They were going to take me back to Auroria, if only for a while. I was beyond grateful, even though I knew the only place someone like me belonged was either in the dungeon of some castle or over on the Isle of the Lost with the other bad people. *shudder*
The ride was quiet. Mom and Dad whispered, occasionally touching each other affectionately or sharing a brief kiss. They were married for like a hundred years, but they were still so in love. I know that I'll never get that with Ben, but would I get that with anyone? Am I worth loving, after all I had done? I looked out the window as Auradon began to shrink in the distance.
Some things never change, including the state of the cozy cottage in the forest owned by my three fairy godmothers. When mom was young and hiding from Maleficent, she went by "Briar Rose" and hid away with the fairies. She was undetectable for years. I spent some time with them there and it was my favorite place.
As soon as we entered, all three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, dressed in clothing of green, pink, and green respectively, gathered around me, making sure that I was okay and checking to see if there were any remaining curses on me from my ordeal. There was not. There was a little bit of ambient magic surrounding me, according to Fauna, but nothing to worry about as it should be gone in a few days.
"Princesses and my dear Prince," the ancient, kindly Merryweather said with a smile, "you must be exhausted from the day. Come, sit by the fire, and let us get a spot of supper."
Even though I had slept for maybe 24 hours before Hades had awakened me, I was feeling exhausted and starving. The fairies' cooking sounded heaven-sent. Mom replied for us.
"Yes, Merryweather. Of course."
Mom then shuffled us towards the fire where a tea service for three was waiting for us. I took a cup and drank deeply. Yes, it was hot, but I didn't care. It smelled spicy and tasted a little sweet. Tears came to my eyes as I gulped the scalding beverage, but it felt and tasted amazing.
"Mom. If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay here… at least for a few weeks."
"Of course, Audrey." Mom replied, her beautiful face showing some pain. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. I had always wished I looked more like her.
"Thanks mom. It's just… it's quieter out here." I half-whispered.
"I understand that." She said, a sad smile stretching her perfect cheeks.
"Take all the time you need." Dad replied, "but we will have your schoolwork sent for first thing tomorrow morning. We can't have you falling behind."
For the first time that day, I let out a little laugh at my dad. He was always on me about my grades. Yeah, I did well because one of the gifts my fairy godmothers gave me as a baby was the gift of diligence. I never did anything halfway, if I could help it. Plus, how could I walk around the undisputed queen of Auradon Prep if I wasn't a top student? Despite this, dad just kept reminding me the importance of doing my work. I always thought it was because he missed me when I was at school and he didn't have any other conversation topics at the time. Maybe it was part of it.
"There's my 'Drey's smile." Dad teased.
"Only you can think of homework at a time like this." I said.
"I think you mean, only he could talk about homework at a time like this. It's on everyone's mind." Mom replied, her pained expression changed briefly to amused.
Gods, I loved these people so much. The good feeling from their banter remained all through dinner as we enjoyed fresh baked bread and the fairies' ancient stew recipe. I stayed quiet and let the adults talk. What else could I say? What else could I do?