king ben

independent & selective

[auraskiing]

archive notice

as of september 1, 2021, auraskiing has officially become an archive. look for ben florian on fortmiinable

[auraskiing]

mal

MAL was hardly paying attention to fairy godmother, far more focused on ben. she knew their cues were coming from the woman behind them, but it was difficult to focus when the man she loved was right there before her, about to become her partner for life. this was the first step into their brand new chapter, and mal couldn’t wait for it to begin. of course, her coronation would follow shortly after, but this moment meant more to her than anything else and consumed her every thought. she chuckled to herself when ben’s trance-like state was interrupted by fairy godmother, and he quickly shook himself into attention. 

EMERALD hues softened again as ben cleared his throat, and she prepared herself for what she knew would be an emotional reaction. the first two words were all she needed to hear, and she squeezed his hands gently, but listened intently as he continued. he’d always been good with expressing his emotions and communicating them…but somehow, the words now spilling from his lips meant even more than usual. tears welled up in her eyes again and threatened to spill over as he finished, and she let go of his hand long enough to reach up and wipe a few tears from her cheek. before she had time to react, fairy godmother indicated that it was her turn, and the femme nodded softly. 

SHE took a deep breath, released it, then gripped his hands again. “ ben…when i first met you, i honestly thought that you were just another entitled auradonian. i also knew that my life would change, but i didn’t know then just how much. being with you opened my eyes to a brand new world that i never thought i’d be apart of, and it opened me up to new feelings and emotions. love didn’t come easy to me because i never knew what it was really like, but you showed me exactly what it is. you showed me that it doesn’t matter which side of the barrier we come from, and never expected me to be anything more than i already am. ” she paused to take a breath, then smiled at her soon-to-be husband and continued. “ you rocked my world in a way in a way that i never thought possible, and i’m seriously the luckiest woman in the world to have someone like you by my side. i love you with my whole heart, and there’s nobody else in the world that i’d want by my side for the rest of this crazy life. for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health…i love you and i take you, benjamin florian, as my husband ‘til death do us part. ” 

   of course the tears returned. how could they not? mal knew just how to tug at all of his heartstrings. the quietest, happiest sob of a noise escaped his throat. if only he had the time to feel embarrassed, but this was it. this was the moment. the moment they had both waited for, planned for, for so long. not only did this union mean the world to ben, but it symbolized a new chapter for auradon and the isle. it symbolized the hope of lasting peace, of a better tomorrow. for all of them to love one another as friends, not enemies. no, it didn’t matter what side of the barrier any of them came from-- not anymore. they were entering a new world, together, him and mal, the entire audience... of course the king got emotional over all of it.

   before he knew it, he heard those words. the words that would seal the deal: now pronounce you husband wife. this time, ben was ready. maybe a little too ready. before fairy godmother even got halfway through ‘you may now kiss the bride,’ the king had already closed the already small difference between himself and his new wife to press their lips together. all of his love, adoration, and joy in the moment was put behind this one embrace. to seal their lives together forever. mal moors-- no, now mal florian, was his wife, his queen, his life. nothing could ruin the happiness he felt in this moment.

[auraskiing]

mal

THE vows were coming up, and mal only hoped that she didn’t get so overcome with emotion that her carefully crafted words would be completely forgotten. she’d struggled with those words because she’d never been the best at expressing herself, but she’d eventually managed. she’d even read over her written words before the ceremony began and considered it one of the best things she’d ever written. she was sure that no matter what, ben’s vows would blow hers completely out of the water but she was still proud of what she’d come up with. it perfectly encompassed what she felt about him, and how much she loved the life they were building together. 

SHE smiled as he laughed softly, then focused on fairy godmother’s words. they barely registered beneath the feeling of ben’s thumbs gently rubbing circles into her knuckles. it was an affectionate and soothing action, and she felt herself physically and mentality relax. it was difficult to keep distance between them as fairy godmother spoke, but it was part of the tradition and the half-fae didn’t want to ruin it. “ i love you too, ” she mouthed back, smile ever present as fairy godmother recited ben’s part of the traditional vow for him to repeat. 

   most of what fairy godmother said went through one ear and out the other. ben knew he should pay attention, that’s where his cues were coming from, but all he could think about was keeping himself and his bride upright. this was the start of their life together, it couldn’t be a complete disaster. what a terrible way to start a marriage, if everything went awry. no-- he would be sure that they would be wed without any issues. well, except maybe a quiet ‘huh?’ when he realized that fairy godmother had wanted him to speak.

   the king cleared his throat and recited “i will,” he nodded. this was his turn to recite the vows. he took in a deep breath, blinked away his tears. “mal… you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. from the moment i met you, i knew my life was going to change forever. i have never been so happy to be right in my life. you challenge me every day to be the best version of myself possible. before you came into my life, i felt like i was stuck in a bubble and then there was you. you burst that bubble," he shook his head with a soft laugh. "you burst that bubble and made me the happiest man alive. i am overcome with pride to be so lucky to be your husband. i love you, mal, did i mention that? i love you with my entire being. i will always love you with my entire being. it's you and me, forever. ‘til death do we part, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, it’ll always be you and me.” through all of it, the king forgot to breathe. he had to get it out. and now they did, he felt a sense of relief.

[auraskiing]

mal

THERE was no distance between them now; she’d made it to the end of the aisle and her soulmate’s hand wrapped around hers. emerald hues met honey-brown ones, and mal felt herself get overcome with emotion, which she tried to keep in check. her heart skipped a few beats as soon as his hand touched hers and she felt her nerves melt away. now, those feelings were replaced with feelings of pure love and adoration for the man in front of her — the man that would be her husband in just a few short moments. she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to keep her emotions in check once the vows begun, but she was managing for now.  SHE smiled playfully at his choked out words, a single hand reaching up to caress his cheek affectionately.  “ thanks, love. so do you, ” she complimented back into his ear, finally able to take in his outfit completely. she reached back to hand her bouquet to evie, then gripped ben’s hand and let him guide her up the stairs. “ as ready as i’ll ever be. ” she didn’t register any other eyes on them as they took their places in front of fairy godmother, gazes trained on each other. nothing and nobody else mattered in that moment, and mal’s smile stayed plastered on her face as fairy godmother began her greeting to the audience. 

   the king hoped he would be able to remember his thoughtfully crafted vows when they got to that part. he had spent so much time making sure they would be perfect and encompass his emotions for her. when he asked her to be his queen, he had spent hours coming up with the perfect speech. the vows were even more important than the proposal. at the time, the king thought he said all there was to say, but there was always more. mal never ceased to amaze him and every day, he became prouder of her. she would make an amazing queen by his side, now they just had to make it happen.

   how did ben know she would say that? he let out a soft laugh and kept his eyes on hers. the sound of fairy godmother’s voice barely registered in his brain. all he could think about was the woman in front of him. he gently held both of her hands in his while his thumbs rubbed circles along her knuckles. all he wanted to do was close the gap between them and press their foreheads together, kiss her like he always did. but that would break tradition. “i love you,” he mouthed to her. whatever was happening around them, he didn’t know. all he cared about was the emerald gaze before him.

[auraskiing]

mal

SO many months of planning lead up to this moment and mal could hardly believe that it was finally here. the wait was the most excruciating part, but she knew it would all be worth it in the end. she’d already seen jane and talia’s extensive work in action, and the half-fae was awestruck even as she walked down the aisle. just seeing their vision come together like this was enough to make her emotional, but she did her best not to let it get to her just yet; evie would definitely have her head if she ruined her makeup this early on in the game. she could hear her own heart beating loudly, and mal was almost tempted to pinch herself. that, of course, would mean having to wake up from a dream and this was one dream that she didn’t want to wake up from. 

HER golden heels echoed on the marble floor beneath the plus carpet leading her towards her soon-to-be husband, and mal felt her breath hitch in her throat as more details of ben’s tuxedo became clearer. he truly was her soulmate and partner in life, and the light streaming through the stained glass window above the altar surrounded ben in a beautiful golden light. she was no longer worried about falling flat on her face, but was aware of her father’s grip on her hand. now, however, she was focused fully on ben, and how happy he made her every day. she saw his hand move to wipe a tear away and she smiled softly, feeling her own tears start to well up in her emerald-coloured hues. once she reached the altar, she leaned up to kiss hades’ cheek, then smiled and turned to meet ben as he walked down the steps to take her hand from her father. “ hi, love, ” she whispered softly, grinning widely as she took his hand. 

   suddenly, there she was-- right in front of him. his feet moved on their own accord and despite having the fear of tripping in front of the entire kingdom, ben remained steady. the way the king’s entire body felt alive at just touching mal’s hand made his heart skip a few beats. the rhythm in his head died down and was instead replaced by the feeling of pure adoration for his soon-to-be wife. in a matter of minutes, she would be his wife. and he her husband. of course, he would have to be able to get his vows out through the lump that had formed in his throat at the sight of his bride walking down the aisle. ben knew he would be emotional today and yet the happy tears that rolled down his cheeks still surprised him. he truly was the luckiest man alive. 

   “h-hi--” ben choked out with a soft laugh. the king’s vision blurred with his tears, but he blinked them away just enough to lead his fiancée up the stairs to the altar so that they could be wed, finally. “you look... amazing,” he whispered into her ear while he helped her into her place. he hardly noticed evie moving to take the bouquet from her best friend. for all intents and purposes, it was only him, mal, and fairy godmother at that moment. sure, there were hundreds of other people in the room and thousands more watching it live, but the thought of anyone else was replaced with the joy of having mal there in front of him. there was another little sniffle as ben quickly wiped at his eyes again. “you ready?” he asked quietly.

[auraskiing]

mal

“ PROMISE not to let me fall, dad. ” the future queen’s voice was barely above as whisper as her father took her hand, kissed it affectionately, then rested it on his arm. his words were reassuring, then he flashed her a wink as an extra reassurance and mal felt herself relax instantly. her heart was racing rapidly against her chest and her emotions were all over the place; a mix of happiness, excitement, anxiety and fear all mixed into one as she watched her friends and puppy get ready to make their way down the aisle ahead of her. the wedding march began, and the doors closed in front of mal, concealing her from ben and the rest of the church until it was her time to walk. 

HER father guided her to their designated spot, and the violet-haired bride took a deep breath as the bridal march began to sound. the doors opened, then all at once, her surroundings fell into place. there was evie and the rest of the bridal party, smiles gracing their faces as they clutched their smaller versions of mal’s bouquet; ben’s groomsmen, standing on the other side looking regal and distinguished as carlos held onto luna’s leash. fairy godmother stood in the center of the altar, clutching her wand and everyone in the room turned to glance back at the blushing bride. she barely registered ben at first, then emerald eyes met his and an affectionate smile graced her features. she was overcome with emotion as she took in her husband-to-be’s tuxedo, white and gold and even more distinguished and fancy than his usual attire. he looked even more handsome ( as if that was even possible ), and she couldn’t believe how lucky she was. now, there was no more hesitation as she nodded as her father, then took the first step towards the newest chapter of her life.

    the wait was the most nerve-wracking part. those few moments felt like years, as he stared out amongst the crowd. then, all at once, everything was set in motion once more. the bridal march sounded but the music was drowned out by the sound of his own heartbeat. after all these years, it was finally happening. for a moment, he thought he must be asleep. this must have all been a dream. a beautiful, wonderful dream that he would never want to wake from. it was all so surreal, to be in the middle of history, of his own wedding.

  the king was brought back to reality by the side of his bride. all of his breath disappeared from his lungs while he took in mal. she had always been beautiful, but evie had really outdone herself this time. a well of tears formed in his eyes as his lips broke into a wide grin. look at her. she was the light of his life and she radiated it with every step she took towards him. focus on her, his mother’s words rang in his head. how could he focus on anything else? not even hades scared him now. thankfully, no one but mal was looking at him. the groom sniffled and wiped away a few tears. nothing could stop him now. this was their next chapter, time to turn the page.

[auraskiing]

@aurasqueen​ | the ceremony

   feet don’t fail me now, the king thought to himself as he stood at the end of the aisle with his eyes on the altar. there were his friends, smiling at him. evie with her bouquet in hand, jay with his hand in a subtle thumbs up, carlos with his and mal’s puppy, luna, who had just walked down the aisle and dude next to her. chad stood at the end of the boys, putting on his best smile despite ben knowing that he wasn’t too fond of the situation. it was a motley crew, of course, but they were the best friends he had ever had. fairy godmother stood in the center of them all, with a smile that beckoned him forward. everything, everyone else disappeared, just as his mother said it would, as he focused on his future.

   ben took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, before he took the first step down the aisle. it felt both impossibly long but entirely too short and before he knew it, he was at the altar with his friends. the king offered a small smile to fairy godmother as he took his place beside her, next to his best man. even though he could feel all eyes on him, his own eyes remained fixed on the end of the corridor as he awaited the arrival of his bride. the dress was a mystery to him and he was sure whatever he had imagined wasn’t nearly as beautiful as how his fiancée would look as she walked to him.

[auraskiing]

   when the king stepped out of the groom’s suite to prepare himself for the ceremony, he was greeted by the image of his smiling parents. oh, they looked so proud of their only son. how far they had all come since his coronation… his father, for one, seemed much happier with life. where there used to be concerned frowns was now a bright grin. his mother-- oh, his mother, she didn’t seem to be any different than she always was, but ben saw it. ben noticed that the furrow in her brow had all but disappeared, her lips rested in a smile more often than not. the burden, seemingly somehow less than it was, now rested upon his shoulders and his parents no longer wore their crowns, but they would always be the king and queen to him. 

   “maman, papa…” ben breathed out as he pulled his parents into a hug. “what are you doing back here? you should be seated by now.”

   “we had to see you first,” belle informed him as she pulled out of the embrace to take a look at her son. how grown he had become… her baby was getting married when only yesterday it seemed that he was taking his first steps. tears formed in the former queen’s eyes while she rested a hand on ben’s cheek. “look at you. you look so handsome.”

   ben leaned against his mother’s hand with a laugh. “maman…” he could feel his face heat up at the compliment. “don’t get too emotional, you’ll make me cry before i even get out there.”

   “i’m sorry…” belle wiped at his eyes with a laugh of her own. “it’s not everyday your only son gets married.”

   “i know, my love,” adam finally spoke as he placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “how are you, son?”

   “i’m… very nervous,” ben admitted as he readjusted the crown on his head. it never sat quite straight, did it? “i don’t think i’ll get left at the altar, but i am terrified of falling on my face.”

   the king’s parents couldn’t help but chuckle at their son’s worry. of course he would be nervous about such a thing. ben might have been impressively athletic, but he was also surprisingly clumsy-- especially when nervous. “you’ll be fine, ben,” his father reassured him with a clap to his shoulder. “if i could make it down the aisle, so can you.”

   “and even if you do trip, as long as you get back up, you’ll be fine,” belle added as she squeezed her son’s hand affectionately.

   “thank you,” ben breathed out. “there’s gonna be a lot of eyes on us, huh?” his parents nodded with knowing smiles. even though ben and mal had been sure to limit the number of guests physically present, he knew that there was an entire camera crew prepared to stream the ceremony to the entire kingdom. “no pressure.”

   “this is your day, ben. don’t let anyone take that away from you,” his mother chided. “focus on mal and your love for her and everything else will fade away.”

   “is that what happened you got married?”

   “it is,” she agreed with a nod.

   “i barely remember it,” adam admitted with a nervous laugh. “i was so nervous, i think i blacked out.”

   “i… hope i don’t black out,” ben confessed, suddenly more nervous than he was before.

   “don’t listen to your father, sweetheart. he wasn’t used to the fanfare. you are.”

   “okay…” ben nervously chewed on his bottom lip as his mother straightened his crown, his lapel pin, and his entire outfit. “i guess you guys should get out there.”

   “you’re going to be fine,” belle reassured as she pressed a kiss to her son’s cheek. “enjoy it.”

   with that last bit of advice, the former king and queen left their son to prepare for his walk down the aisle on his own.

[auraskiing]

jay

JAY was glad that he’d made the decision to come to auradon in the end; he’d more or less been forced by his father, but the decision to remain and not go through with the original plan was his own. he was also glad that mal, evie and carlos had stayed too, and he couldn’t be happier for mal now. she’d been his closest friend on the isle, and he was grateful that she’d brought ben into his life too. the former thief never thought that he’d be friends with the king, let alone the best man at his wedding, but here they were. THAT was why he was comfortable continuing ben’s joke, a smirk still evident across his features. he took on a more serious tone afterwards, however, and chocolate hues travelled to ben’s waiting crown. “ it will be, ” jay assured, smoothing out the jacket of ben’s tuxedo once more before stepping away. “ i think there’s enough security here to make sure that doesn’t happen, ben. ” he smiled, trying to further reassure his friend. “ all that’s missing now is the crown. are you ready ? ” he inquired, going to stand by the dressing table, ready to place it on the king’s head whenever he was.

   it seemed like with every event, the amount of security had to be doubled in case of emergency. the king had given the express order to be sure that such possible threats as mal’s mother, lizard or not, were incapable of wreaking havoc on their wedding. an entire new set of guards had been trained in order to keep the entire kingdom safe, should anything happen during the ceremony, even though he believed that nothing of the sort would happen, it made mal feel safer and so, ben had done so without hesitation.

   “yeah, yeah... i know.”  the crown, it always seemed so out of place on his head, even though he knew otherwise. he took in a deep breath and nodded as he looked at the golden circle that once sat upon his father’s head. “yeah...” the king nodded again as his hand, once again, ran through his hair. at least the crown would keep him from messing with it too much. “let’s do this,” he declared with a nervous laugh. “now or never, right?”

[auraskiing]

jay

ORIGINALLY, jay assumed that chad would have been ben’s chosen best man. he had, after all, known the king for their entire lives and jay had only entered it in the last few years. the two had really bonded, however, and the former thief was glad to stand at his friend’s side as he married the love of his life. the dark-haired male hadn’t really believed in the idea of true love until he saw mal and ben together, and now the male found himself more willing to accept that feeling into his life. that, however, could wait, as there were more important things to focus on today. HE smirked at ben’s words, then cocked an eyebrow playfully. “ you’re right, there is. i’ll cause a distraction and you can sneak out the back, ” he teased, releasing a laugh that equaled ben’s. “ yes, you are, and i’m so happy for you guys ! ” he moved to help the king straighten his dragon lapel pin and pretended to dust off his shoulders. then, he steadied the male’s other hand as ben obsessively combed his fingers through his hair. “ relax, dude. you look amazing, and everything’s going to be fine. ”

   quite a lot had changed in ben's life since the core four first arrived in auradon. while some may believe that they ruined the king's future, ben did not want to imagine his life as anything other than what it was now. there was no telling how different he would be without these people in his life. they had all taught him so much and offered him the most meaningful companionship he had ever experienced.

   ben shook his head at jay's continuation of the joke. this was what he needed to slow his heartbeat. the king took another deep breath as his best man straightened his outfit. the only thing missing was his crown, which rested on a small pillow on the dressing table. "yeah, i hope so..." no, ben did not think he would be left at the altar. but part of him expected mal's fear to come true: something bad always happened at auradon events. "i don't know that i can handle a fight right now."

[auraskiing]

jay

JAY didn’t hesitate to agree to be the best man when ben had asked, simply because he loved both ben and mal and wanted to be part of their special day in every way possible. he could tell that the king was nervous, but the former thief knew he would’ve been too if the roles were reversed. this was, after all, a life-changing event and one of the biggest ones in both ben and mal’s lives. it had meant a little extra effort on his part, but the male had happily done in in order to support his friends and make sure their special day went off without a hitch. HE couldn’t help but marvel at ben’s tux, and at how amazing of a job evie had done with it. there was never nay doubt that she would, but the princess/seamstress had kept mal and ben’s outfits under wraps until that day. “ dude, please. you honestly look amazing. very regal, ” he complimented with an approving nod. “ i’d totally marry you if you weren’t already taken, ” he joked, nudging ben’s arm to lighten up the atmosphere.

   to some, ben's choice of best man was a shock. most had believed he would ask his childhood best friend, chad charming, to stand beside him but the two had become less friendly with each other as time passed-- especially as their ideals seemed to oppose each other. jay, on the other hand, was not only one of mal's best friends but had turned into ben's closest confidant, as well. no, there was no other choice (except for maybe carlos but he had another job to do). jay's energy contrasted ben's in many ways, but it was always surprisingly soothing. and right now, he needed that.

   a breathy laugh escaped the king's lips at the nudge. "there's still time to run away together," he returned easily. it was easier to joke than to be serious right now. a hand ran through his hair, still just as unkempt as always. evie, surprisingly, told him he didn't have to do anything to it. she must have known that he would obsessively comb his hands through it. "dude, i'm getting married."

[auraskiing]

@isledon​ | the groom & his best man

   today is the day. it was a fitful night for ben. the nerves coupled with the fact that evie had forced the betrothed to separate for the night due to tradition meant that the groom only got a few hours of sleep before the big day. though it wasn't much different than most days, ben had wanted to be well-rested for his own wedding. it was to be an all-day afair, after all-- with thousands of eyes on the newlyweds. the last thing he needed was a picture of him yawning plastered on every front page in the kingdom with the headline "married less than an hour and he's already tired!" maybe the maid of honor had gotten into his head, but he couldn't help but imagine every worse case scenario for the day. as long as he wasn't left at the altar, though, he would be happy.

  nevertheless, ben forced himself to take a few deep breaths as he looked at himself in the mirror of the groom's suite. the tuxedo somehow looked even better than it did at his final fitting. evie must have done some tweaks in the days leading up to the wedding. the king looked at the dragon pin on his lapel with a smile as hand reached up to straighten it. the clock ticked forward and with every passing second, his heart pounded louder in his ears. ben turned to look at his best man, a somewhat fearful look in his eyes. "how do i look? not like a buffoon, i hope." while ben had faith in evie's design, he couldn't help but feel like a child playing dress up. and while he was comfortable in suits and tuxedos, this one was much different than all the rest. it was his wedding tuxedo. it would end up in a museum of auradon history. he hoped he didn't drop any food on the pristine white fabric during the reception.

[auraskiing]

friends, auradonians, countrypeople ! today’s the big day, so buckle up and get ready for the event of your lifetime: the royal wedding featuring yours truly and the lovely @aurasqueen. we’ve got quite a bit up our sleeves, so if you’re ready to read, make some tea, get comfy, and prepare yourself for the day’s events. feel free to follow along, share your thoughts, but remember not to interact with threads that aren’t yours ! 

[auraskiing]

mal

THE couple couldn’t have been more different when they’d first met, but time had helped them adapt to each other and see different sides of things. they’d changed each other in a good way, and the future queen was forever grateful that she’d met him. she also hadn’t fully understood what it was like to be royal and have so many responsibilities on her shoulders but she’d seen it reflected in ben, and also in belle and the other queens she’d spent time with lately. now, however, the half-fae understood and felt more prepared for what was coming once she said her vows and she had her own coronation.

THERE was still a playful mischief between the two despite their status, however, and she truly appreciated those times when her fiancé could take off his crown and just be ‘ben’. even small moments like this one meant the world to her and she vowed to cherish every single one for the rest of their lives. she loved the way her heart still beat so rapidly against her chest and the way butterflies took flight in her stomach when his hand found her waist, and she sighed contently. black-painted fingers still gripped the food she’d brought for him, but she still managed to wrap the hand holding the coffee around his neck and smiled up at him. “ i’m glad you can manage, otherwise this coffee and scone would be mine, ” she teased, returning his kiss happily. 

   a new chapter of their lives was upon them. sometimes, it seemed terrifying. but for the most part, it was exhilarating. every day brought a new challenge, sure, but it also brought them closer together. in spite of all the chaos, scheduled or not, their relationship could not be weakened. sooner than he even realized, they would stand in front of the entire kingdom and declare their undying love for each other. it would be a beautiful day to cherish for the rest of their lives. even if it wasn’t perfect as planned, it would be perfect to him.

   that, of course, didn’t stop him from worrying about what could go wrong on the day. however, all of those worries disappeared when his fiancée stood in front of him. every time he looked at her, whatever anxieties he had disappeared. there was something about mal that instantly calmed him in a way that he couldn’t exactly explain, but he hoped it never changed. the king gently pulled away from the kiss just enough to breathe. “hmm... glad i could deliver,” he teased. “how much time do you have,” he asked as he pressed their foreheads together. the more time they could spend together, the better, especially when ben had the downtime to do so.

[auraskiing]

mal

FOR someone who’d built her entire life up until her arrival in auradon on chaos, mal should’ve been used to it by now. she’d also thought she knew what real chaos was, but then she’d seen the kind of schedule that ben had every day and saw it differently after that. this particular type of chaos, was something completely different. it was bigger than random mischief, bigger than dealing with daily complaints, and bigger than ben’s initial coronation. soon, mal would have thousands of eyes on her, watching as she strode up the aisle to marry their king and become the new queen. perfection and good impressions were important, and mal would strive to provide that as much as she could. 

HER amusement at ben’s dancing wasn’t meant in a teasing manner, however, and she knew he’d understand that. it was adorable more than anything, and a clear indication that he was striving for perfection just as much as she was. “ are you sure about that ? ” the violet-haired femme teased, chuckling again as she stepped further into the room and closed the distance between them. “ i guess i can let you have your snack regardless, but it’ll cost you a kiss. ” she held up the scone and the coffee with a smirk. “ are you willing to pay that price ? ”

   most of ben’s life had been perfectly planned and scheduled to the minute. ever since he could remember, his days were filled with activities meant to prepare him to be the king. having his time so planned out was typical, expected. he hadn’t known any other way. that is, until he made one fateful proclamation. when mal came to auradon, ben was met with what he thought was chaos for the first time. suddenly, things happened spontaneously and there were times when he completely ignored his scheduled duties due to mal’s presence. and the king liked it that way. it felt good to do something “rebellious” from time to time. of course, as the dust settled, they both found themselves situated in the middle of their two extremes. most days were filled with responsibilities, but there was still time for a little bit of mischief on the side.

   although, now the mischief typically remained between them and not the entirety of the kingdom. ben was happy to have the distance between them shortened. a hand easily settled on her waist as he looked at the treats his fiancée so kindly brought for him. “a high price, my lady,” he teased with a laugh though he gently tugged her that much closer. “but i think i can manage it,” he stated before he leaned into press a sweet kiss to his future queen’s lips.

[auraskiing]

mal

MAL had honestly lost count of how many times ben had apologized for stepping on her toes. it was adorable, really, how uncoordinated he could be when he was nervous, but she was glad to have her wedding shoes to protect her feet. of course, she’d done her share of toe-stepping as well and the couple tended to laugh about it later. it made it much more light-hearted and fun, and the future queen was glad for that. rehearsals may have slowed down slightly as the two dove into their responsibilities while still finishing off their wedding planning, but mal could confidently say that she felt they’d both improved in their dancing ability; lumiere may not have agreed, but the half-fae could live with that. she knew how busy her soon-to-be husband was, as she’d seen the growing pile of work on his desk, and she figured they more or less had it down anyway. 

ONE thing ben had gotten better at, however, was taking breaks throughout the day. it wasn’t perfect by any means, but mal was glad he’d started making an effort to stop over-working and exhausting himself. those breaks, apparently, also included practicing their choregraphed wedding dance and she smiled softly as she watched him move around the room with the broom. she giggled lightly as he started and dropped the broom, then turned a very bright shade of ruby. “ looks like it,” she teased, stepping further into the office. “ i brought you a snack, but if you’d like to be left alone with your broom, i can come back later…”

   ben should have been used to the pomp and circumstance, the fanfare, and the chaos. it was what he was born into. it was what he had been taught to expect as king. however, this was something much bigger than himself-- than his coronation, even. the entire kingdom’s eyes were going to be on him and mal. she would be joining him on the throne. they were committing themselves to one another in the most public way possible. everything was expected to be perfect. if it wasn’t perfect for the royal couple, how could anyone hope to be even a fraction of that perfection, after all? except he was human, therefore nothing he did could ever be absolutely perfect-- no matter how hard he tried. ben could only hope to be good enough to not become a laughing stock. 

   though, it seemed like he might be with the way his fiancée reacted to his impromptu rehearsal. of course, ben took it in stride because there was no malintent to her words. he deserved it, to an extent. it wasn’t like the king had wanted anyone to bear witness to what he chose to do in the privacy of his own office. “the broom and i are just acquaintances,” ben teased before he picked up the broom and returned it to the closet. “i am all yours for the time being,” he offered with a sweet smile. “and i would love that snack you just mentioned.” it was no secret that the young king was always hungry.

[auraskiing]

angelica, gladiolus, lily, poppy, sunflower

where does your muse draw inspiration in life? what motivates them?

   for the most part, ben draws most of his inspiration from the people around him and from books. stories are powerful and they often come from truth. there is always a lesson to be learned from a good story. the people around him often have great ideas, whether they realize it or not, and ben is always thinking of ways to involve others in the process of bettering the kingdom. 

describe a moment from your muse’s life that they will never forget.

   all aboard the corny train because it’s the moment he met mal. he was immediately drawn to her and very quickly smitten (even before the love spell). that was literally the moment that his life changed forever and in the best way possible. even though mal didn’t have the best intentions in the beginning, ben couldn’t help but see something more beyond that angry exterior. 

how does your muse view their mother?

   ben loves his mother. she is like a beacon of hope in the darkest of times. for the longest time, ben thought that only his mother understood him. even though he was extremely athletic and seemingly outgoing, his happy place was always the library-- just like his mother. being king has always terrified him, but his maman has always been there to help him through it all. so, yeah, ben is a momma’s boy.

what comforts your muse?

   books. are we shocked? no. ben finds comfort in imaginary worlds. also, cross-stitch. and cuddles. books, cross-stitch, and cuddles are very comforting for ben.

what brings your muse the most joy in life?

   mal moors~