After a few sleepless nights, Cora realized she had to meet with the Regency Council. After all, it was Wonderland above all- and whoever they were, she didn’t necessarily have to agree with them. Just meet them. And in this way, she’d learn who they were. And hopefully avoid any more run ins with Raphael.
Accordingly, Cora had left a message with Wonderland’s lone church. The queendom itself had no official religion, nor were its denizens religious; however, that hadn’t stopped Judge Frollo’s superiors attempting to try to convert the citizens. The building was small and old, just before the Tulgey Wood. Cora had asked Henry to deliver a missive to the deacon there. There was only a time and date, but no indication of who had sent it. Cora had no guarantee it would arrive, but she doubted the deacon who lived in the tiny church couldn’t get a message to Raphael.
She was proven right when she heard the gasps outside her throne room. Cora herself quickly sat up straighter on her throne, dismissing her ladies to the side. She kept two (the Marchioness Dernari and Viscountess Bastoni) attendants, then sent a third (Baroness Coppe) to hide in a panel in the wall in case she needed to alert guards. The Queen of Hearts had no idea who the Regency Council had sent, but she intended to find out. And if she was to protect Wonderland, she had to act in its wickedest interest. And that meant treating the person as an official diplomat- just in case.
The White Rabbit scampered into the throne room, chest heaving as he announced:
“Your Imperial Highness, Your Grace, Your Excellency, Your Royal Majesty, may I p-p-present th-the M-m-mistress of M-m-magic?”
Cora entered her dressing room, bidding farewell to the ladies-in-waiting who typically accompanied her. She had just set her state crown on the marble table in the center of her dressing room when she heard a rustle of curtain. Quicker than a flash, she withdrew two ruby-studded daggers from beneath her gown, throwing one at the curtain and holding the other forward protectively in front of her. While she had a panic button in her room capable of summoning guards, she was concerned that the crucial seconds it would take for her to turn around, exit into her connecting bedroom, and do so, would be enough for an interloper to turn into an assassin.
And she had not gone through hell to get her throne only to be cut down in her dressing room. Her chances were best if she kept the attacker confined in this space. For now that she knew they were there, she had no doubt she could win one-on-one.
Before Cora could demand they announce themselves, a familiar voice drawled, “Ow, princess. Is that how you greet an old friend?” Cora’s heart stopped as she retrieved a second dagger, breathing slowly to calm herself as Raphael stepped out from behind the curtain.
“We’re not friends, Raph,” she asserted as she scanned the dressing room, “How did you get in here?” From Cora’s perspective, she couldn’t see a trail of broken glass, nor any dents in the wall. So he hadn’t broken in. Similarly, it was her own guard who had let her in. She had recognized their faces, and they were alive and well.
Dressed in his standard black leather cloak, Raphael tilted his head as he mused, “No, I suppose we aren’t. As for how I got in...Wonderland doesn’t examine its wine, does it? Especially on unbirthdays?”
Cora sucked in a breath. Of course. A son of the Church would tamper with wine. Every guard in the palace was entitled to a celebratory glass on an (acknowledged) unbirthday of one of the Royal Family. Today, Cora had formally acknowledged one of her mother’s unbirthdays (partly to give Ardenzana something to do and stop trying to sneak into the throne room). Even the ones outside her rooms. Though how had he timed it? And, uncomfortably, Cora realized she’d have to start employing tasters. She hadn’t wanted to reinstate the barbaric custom, but if Raphael could get into her personal quarters, she had a serious security problem.
Echoing her thoughts, Raph stepped towards her, lifting a hand towards a curl that had strayed from her updo when she’d removed her crown, “It was too easy. You clearly need someone to protect you. You’ve got to be more careful, princess.” His eyes glinted in the candelight of her chandelier, and it was only then that Cora saw the blood from the cut dripping down the side of his face. The sight shook her out of her daze, and she raised the dagger to ward him away:
“Don’t touch me. And you forget yourself- I’m a crowned queen. I go by ‘Your Royal Majesty.’”
Raphael laughed, but dropped his hand to his side. Cora, still suspicious, kept her daggers raised, even as he simultaneously managed to respect and mock her all at once:
“That’s true. You are a crowned queen, Your Royal Majesty. And everyone knows it. That makes them interested in you.”
Cora digested his words as Raphael began to walk around the dressing room. He honored her request to stay out of her space, but her blood began to simmer as he started to examine her gowns and jewels. As if he had a right to be there. As if he owned them. As the simmering threatened to turn to boiling, she reminded herself that this was a game. And as Wonderland’s queen, she had to win. Raphael would not go through the trouble of breaking into her palace, drugging her guards, or hiding in her palace for a social call (not that he would be welcomed, either). He would, however, deliberately pour salt on wounds and try to get a rise out of her while doing so. She wouldn’t allow that.
Still, he couldn’t be here representing himself.
“Who are you here for?” Cora asked, making a mental note to get her ladies to call the jeweler and seamstress to melt down and deconstruct everything he touched.
“I can’t just be here for me?” Raph inquired, laying a hand over his heart. He leaned against her dresser and smirked. Cora didn’t reply, instead staring him down. Seeing she wasn’t going to engage, his smirk faded and he finally admitted:
“I come on behalf of the Council of Regents. They want to meet with you.”
Cora ran through a mental list of every monarch and kingdom she knew, whether recognized under the Auradonian empire or not (for while Mal and Ben ruled as de facto emperor and empress over them, at least for now, they recognized the royal families of the kingdoms they absorbed). None had regencies in place. She had no idea what he was talking about.
“I’m afraid I don’t recognize them.”
At that, Raphael laughed, and this time his amusement seemed genuine, “Oh, but Your Royal Majesty,” he somehow managed to make her title sound like an insult, “that’s where you’re wrong. You do know them, and quite well, too.”
“If I know them,” Cora riposted, “they can send an invitation, like everyone else, and we can schedule a time to meet, in their court or mine.”
“They’re not like everyone else. No heralds, no invitations, no etiquette like this.”
“If they don’t use heralds, what are you?” Cora raised the dagger again as Raph tried to step closer. She could she, from his expression, that she’d touched a nerve. While he tried to keep the smirk planted on his face, his eyes were bright with anger. She hadn’t meant to upset him- as much as she wanted him out of her palace -but she needed information. And Raphael clearly was annoyed that not only did she not fall for his game, but that she was trying to end it early. And worse...she’d done something else. She’d insulted him, somehow- but she couldn’t figure it out.
Though that was par for the course with him, and there wasn’t anything she could do about it now.
A long moment passed, and finally, he said, “I’m a reminder. About who you should trust. And who you need to look out for.”
Cora’s veins turned to ice. Aloud, she asked, “And if I decide I want to meet with them?”
Raphael shrugged, “Then you’re probably the only intelligent person with a crown right now. See you around, princess.”
Then he lunged towards her and blew incense in her face. Instinctively, she gasped and moved back- only to breathe it in. Her world swirled around her as she fainted; the last sound she heard was him laughing as he escaped.
1. How has your relationship with your family changed since you tried to take over?
2. Thoughts on Aziz abdicating and his sudden disappearance?
3. Thoughts on the fall of the barrier?
3. Thoughts on the plan to re-establish the barrier?
Thank you for writing, nonny.
1. It's...difficult...on good days. My granny and I used to be really close before everything happened. She never got to be a "real" mom to my mother, so she was always really involved in my childhood. My mom and dad were around too, of course, but for every milestone, Granny was there too. And no one wanted to make her happier than me. For a long time, I was able to do that, and she was never so proud as when Ben and I started dating. Because for Granny, this was always the way life was supposed to be: her beloved granddaughter in love with the handsome prince, the future of both kingdoms secured, everything at peace. She was as horrified as I was, obviously, when Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Evie showed up, terrified to meet Mal in the flesh, and then when Ben callously dumped me in front of the entire school and I broke up, she couldn't understand it. Ben and I had been together for a while, had been growing more serious (on royal terms), and it was completely out of nowhere. And for him to leave me for Mal? It was incomprehensible. Ironically, she thought he'd been spelled before everyone else did, but my parents reassured her that that couldn't be the case, not with King Adam's laws against magic. So that left her the conclusion that Ben had broken up with me because of something wrong with me. She didn't know what, because as I said, she'd helped raise me from the time I was a baby, to be the very perfect princess. Granny became distant and disappointed for a time. Then when it did come out Mal had spelled Ben...she became more supportive of me. My parents always were, and they all decided it would be good for me to spend time with my Fairy Godmothers. But eventually, I had to come back, because that's the thing about being a perfect princess- you can't stay in the forest forever. However, even though they were sympathetic, I don't think my family realized entirely how upset I was. Nor did anyone prepare me for how to handle the fact Mal and Ben were likely getting married. And I admit...when I saw their engagement...I felt more alone than I ever had. Because there had to be something wrong with me, right? For Ben to pick someone who spelled him? For everyone to do that? And just like that, my future was gone. What's a princess without a kingdom? What's a princess when she's not going to be queen? I just wanted to play a prank. See myself in the crown. But when I got to Maleficent's staff...well, the magic took my darkest thoughts and made me act on them.
The fact that I even had those thoughts basically ruined Granny's opinion of me forever. The fact that I touched the staff that had caused my family so much anguish, the fact that I embraced being a villain and made myself an Evil Queen....well, she stopped speaking to me outside of basic civility (perfect princesses keep up appearances, right?). Because I'd had everything good, and chosen evil. So in the end? Ben had been right to leave me. It didn't matter that the staff was magical. I'd made myself the Queen of Mean- ugh, can't believe I used the phrase -and well? Sleeping Beauty's mother wanted nothing to do with that. My mom and dad don't hate me, at least. But they're jumpy around me. It's like they think I'm a bomb and they keep waiting for me to explode. I think they realized they should have been more tactful around Ben's and my original breakup, but now that they know the lengths I went to....what I was capable of...they don't trust themselves to tell me everything. They love me, but they're afraid of me. It's hard to deal with that.
2. Total shock. Aside from Ben (who's obviously no longer in the running), Aziz (along with Chad) was one of the Holy Trinity of Auradon's best bachelors. Aziz was destined to be a handsome and popular sultan. He had a totally charmed life playing tourney in the meantime. Why would he abdicate? It makes no sense! Look, I wasn't at the whole meeting, because of the Queen of Mean thing, but I heard enough of their introduction to figure out
what they meant. They're going to raise the barrier again. And if I had to guess, Aziz's abdication was essentially a grand gesture in response to that. A giant temper tantrum to piss Ben off. I mean, I get it- I like pissing Ben off too -but if I'm right, Aziz's decision is short sighted. He could have made much bigger waves in protest as sultan than he did as someone abdicating. As for him being kidnapped? That I didn't see coming. I hope he's okay, and I can't figure out who took him. Like I said, Aziz was popular, and nice. Everyone liked Aziz. I mean, everyone. He's the last person who had an enemy to kidnap him. So the fact he has been is dangerous. Though with the barrier down, who knows? Maybe Jafar has finally decided to take his revenge on the House of al-Hamed...
3. Oh my gosh. Ben and Mal have done tons of idiotic things in my book, including many crimes of fashion. But this? This was so, so, so, stupid. What did they think was going to happen? I mean, Mal should know better than anyone- she was invited with Carlos, Jay, and Evie and they still tried to take over! What about the villains who didn't find corresponding hero lovers? Or those who...you know...are just villains? This was incredibly dangerous and to be honest it is no surprise that our crime rate has skyrocketed. Leather jackets don't make villains not villains!
4. It's a really tough decision. I mean, there are some VKs I...tolerate...now. But given the state of Auradon? I don't know what other choice there is. The options are kill all the villains and sterilize their offspring, or put them back on the Isle and reestablish the barrier. Which of those is more "heroic?"
Katie practically fled from the back room. She was grateful for the bustle in the front; it would help her to regain some of her composure. Her Aunt Giselle was smirking at her, while Jack and Scarlett were conspicuously absent. Katie instead managed to dash to the bar (manned by Pintel), who passed her a beverage. She grabbed one for Aziz, handing it in his general direction, still not entirely meeting his eyes.
Katie was saved from further embarrassment by the knock of boots on the floor. The pirates parted like the sea before Calypso, their chatter drifting into respectful murmurs as Elizabeth Swann-Turner, and Will Turner, entered. Elizabeth wore a white undershirt (clearly one of Will’s based on its length) with a simple black corset (more than loose enough for her to breathe) and leather pants. Over that, she wore a long, weathered trench coat and a simple tricorner hat, her sword glinting at her waist. Will was attired similarly, though he of course did not wear a corset (the better to show off the scar on his chest, though of course every pirate knew of his time as Davy Jones), and favored a bandana over a hat. He too wore a sword. Katie swallowed as she laid eyes on it- it was one he’d made himself.
Just like he’d made her father’s.
Will nodded to her, a soft smile on his face when he saw her. Elizabeth stayed serious, as befitting the situation at hand.
She glanced at the crowded tavern, then announced gravely: “I’m glad to see you’ve all arrived here. As you know, these are dangerous times, with further dangers likely to follow. We leave our waters open for a few days more to allow our brethren traveling greater distances time to arrive, but then-“ the Pirate King stopped as she noticed Aziz.
Aziz hesitantly grabbed the drink, barely looking at her as he took a sip from it. If they kept going like this, this would be one long journey…
He looked up as the new guests entered the room. Based on the way the other pirates were treating them, he could tell they were important. Probably some of the brethren that Katie had mentioned before. He was about to ask for more information when he was startled by the woman’s question.
If he was being honest, it felt weird to have to introduce himself to someone else- his face was plastered on far too many magazines for that to be neccessary. But in a way, it was also a bit of a relief, knowing that the other person didn’t already have a preconceived notion of him. Here, no one really cared about his family’s throne or his tourney throphes. He could just be…himself. Whomever that was these days.
“Uh, Aziz. Aziz of Agrabah, ” he replied, omitting his title- it wasn’t as if that meant anything here (except for motivation to be held for ransom, perhaps). “I’m Katie’s friend,” he added as an afterthought. He readjusted the jacket, trying to look more presentable. Again, it wasn’t as if anyone cared about his looks here, but old habits die hard. He stuck out like a sore thumb and he knew it, so the least he could do was try and seem less…well, less like someone like him, really.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at this deliberately vague response, and Katie swallowed as it seemed everyone in the tavern kept looking back and forth from her to Aziz. The pirates, all a ragtag group, tended to look after her in their roundabout way, but she didn’t typically bring friends to Tortuga (as the town tended to offend Auradonian sensibilities). A long moment passed where Elizabeth appraised the two, before finally inquiring:
“Agrabah? That’s a long way to bring a friend.” True, Tortuga was set apart from the mainland on purpose- and if Central Auradon was far, Agrabah was even farther.
“Aye. It is, isn’t it?” Ragetti sneered. He looked Aziz up and down, gauging the clothes on his back.
“And to Tortuga? Safe haven of pirates? Agrabah isn’t home to us-“ one pirate continued, raising his fist.
“And there’s naught of pirates there,” finished another. The crowd started to advance towards Aziz, suspicious now. A few reached towards their weapons, clearly itching to use their guns or swords.
Recognizing the situation was escalating rapidly (and that it was far too early in the evening for the tavern to erupt into a fight), Katie immediately shouted, “PARLEY!” Amidst a chorus of groans, Katie repeated, “Aziz demands parley.” She kicked him, trying to get him to repeat after her. Despite the murmurs of dissatisfaction, Katie stood straight and tall, daring any of them to stand up to her.
The pirates looked to Elizabeth for confirmation, who shrugged, “We honor the Code. Far be it from me to deny anyone parley. Though I must say- I think we’ve got bigger problems.”
“Elizabeth!” Jack’s voice rung out in the tavern, as he appeared on the second floor of the tavern, Scarlett on his arm. He quickly untangled their hands in order to sweep Elizabeth an exaggerated bow, “I think we’ve discussed how those clothes do not flatter you at all.” He sauntered down the stairs, “Still, from all the shouting I gather one of you lot’s asked for parley? And we aren’t even on a ship-”
“He who’s asked for parley,” Scarlett interjected, “will answer to me, in my tavern. And any who threaten him will earn my wrath. Savvy?”
The pirates nodded, angrily whispering under their breaths.
Will rolled his eyes and muttered, “Bloody pirates.”
Katie started. By all arguments, Will counted as one too. Still, he gave her a wink, and she shook her head at him.
“Now that we’ve established we will not be having a shoot out this evening,” Elizabeth declared, “Let’s redirect our attentions to something a tad more appropriate: what news has anyone of Auradon? Confirmed news? Not rumors?”
Katie looked at Aziz. If he shared what he knew, it could help save many pirates. But who knew if any of the pirates would believe him?
Katie practically fled from the back room. She was grateful for the bustle in the front; it would help her to regain some of her composure. Her Aunt Giselle was smirking at her, while Jack and Scarlett were conspicuously absent. Katie instead managed to dash to the bar (manned by Pintel), who passed her a beverage. She grabbed one for Aziz, handing it in his general direction, still not entirely meeting his eyes.
Katie was saved from further embarrassment by the knock of boots on the floor. The pirates parted like the sea before Calypso, their chatter drifting into respectful murmurs as Elizabeth Swann-Turner, and Will Turner, entered. Elizabeth wore a white undershirt (clearly one of Will’s based on its length) with a simple black corset (more than loose enough for her to breathe) and leather pants. Over that, she wore a long, weathered trench coat and a simple tricorner hat, her sword glinting at her waist. Will was attired similarly, though he of course did not wear a corset (the better to show off the scar on his chest, though of course every pirate knew of his time as Davy Jones), and favored a bandana over a hat. He too wore a sword. Katie swallowed as she laid eyes on it- it was one he’d made himself.
Just like he’d made her father’s.
Will nodded to her, a soft smile on his face when he saw her. Elizabeth stayed serious, as befitting the situation at hand.
She glanced at the crowded tavern, then announced gravely: “I’m glad to see you’ve all arrived here. As you know, these are dangerous times, with further dangers likely to follow. We leave our waters open for a few days more to allow our brethren traveling greater distances time to arrive, but then-“ the Pirate King stopped as she noticed Aziz.
We’re rascals and scoundrels; we’re villains and knaves
It took them most of the night to reach Tortuga, even with Jack’s many tricks. But they had to be careful and not attract too much attention- a lone sailboat might be of little interest to Auradon’s navy, but if they made a ruckus or asked for help, it would put them on the armed forces’ radar. Katie recognized that, she understood that, but her anxiety was practically through the roof as she waited for the ocean waves to bring them over Atlantica, and finally, finally, towards Tortuga.
Tortuga almost always was low lit- the pirates who inhabited it preferred torches, especially as most of them used the island to relax. But it appeared semi-shrouded in darkness. A few scouts floated, almost invisibly, candles doused, but they recognized Katie and Jack.
“Glad you made it,” Henry nodded to them both, “And almost under the deadline too.”
“Deadline?” Katie asked.
“We’ll tell you in a moment, love. We need to get to shore,” Jack attempted to reassure her, but it only made Katie’s stomach twist. The sight of Henry Turner and the other scouts alone made Katie on edge. Tortuga was traditionally the place where pirates relaxed. For them to be guarding it…things must have been worse than she knew.
Katie tried to process what Aziz was saying. It was overwhelming. Between just how much the media had been hiding (Katie had always supposed there was something they were hiding, but never to the degree of how much they actually were. Hiding an entire kidnapping was extreme, but apparently nothing was too extreme for Auradon).
The words ‘Of course I care,’ died on her lips as his declaration sunk in.
If your family isn’t okay as well, then I can’t be okay either.
And the way he was staring at her...he’d never looked at her like that before.
Katie found herself shifting under the intensity of his gaze. Unable to meet his eyes, she wrung her fingers together, trying to find some sort of sensation to ground herself as the words kept repeating in her head:
If your family isn’t okay as well, then I can’t be okay either.
What did he mean? Did he mean he’d fled...because of her? That he’d abdicated his throne for her?
That was impossible. Katie dismissed the thought as quickly as it had arrived in her head. This situation was far more nuanced. From Aziz’s description, the situation was rapidly disintegrating...
But before Katie could process that: she nearly jumped as she realized that Aziz had just abruptly discarded his qamis. She’d known him for years; she’d seen him play tourney, but this was different. The undershirt he wore echoed those favored by male pirates, and her mouth dropped open for a second, because she had not been expecting him to do that. This seemed more intimate, somehow, than him running around in a tourney jersey, and she bit her lip, turning to look at the oil lamp in the window instead, because she felt like she’d seen something she shouldn’t have- and she needed to pay attention to what she should see. Anything to bring her mind back down to earth.
“Yeah,” Katie managed to utter, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “That’s fine. Let’s go- there should be more men here now; someone’s bound to leave something on a barstool-” Practically barreling out of the room, she nearly yanked the door open as she dashed back into the main hall of the tavern, trying to regain her composure.
We’re rascals and scoundrels; we’re villains and knaves
It took them most of the night to reach Tortuga, even with Jack’s many tricks. But they had to be careful and not attract too much attention- a lone sailboat might be of little interest to Auradon’s navy, but if they made a ruckus or asked for help, it would put them on the armed forces’ radar. Katie recognized that, she understood that, but her anxiety was practically through the roof as she waited for the ocean waves to bring them over Atlantica, and finally, finally, towards Tortuga.
Tortuga almost always was low lit- the pirates who inhabited it preferred torches, especially as most of them used the island to relax. But it appeared semi-shrouded in darkness. A few scouts floated, almost invisibly, candles doused, but they recognized Katie and Jack.
“Glad you made it,” Henry nodded to them both, “And almost under the deadline too.”
“Deadline?” Katie asked.
“We’ll tell you in a moment, love. We need to get to shore,” Jack attempted to reassure her, but it only made Katie’s stomach twist. The sight of Henry Turner and the other scouts alone made Katie on edge. Tortuga was traditionally the place where pirates relaxed. For them to be guarding it…things must have been worse than she knew.
Katie blanched, “Wait, that’s why Corona seceded?” Admittedly, she’d thought there had to be more behind Corona and Arendelle’s secessions from Auradon than the official given reasons, but she hadn’t bothered to delve too deep. She’d just wanted to graduate and get out. But it would make sense that Auradon would have kept Ruby’s kidnapping out of the papers. Regardless of whether Corona was even part of Auradon anymore, they would hardly want the general populace to know they were incapable of keeping a princess of a member state safe.
As Aziz’s words sank in, Katie met his eyes, disgust and anger warring within her, “Wait, he said that to you? That he’d let me and my mom go, but everyone else...what, they just don’t count?” Sure, Katie supposed they were technically criminals. But most of the pirates here stole from one another, and occasionally from one of Auradon’s larger trading ships. The empire could stand losing a little gold. Mostly, the pirate society was slowly dying as Auradon became more and more obsessed with respectability, and if it had been left alone, perhaps the stealing and marauding would have died with him, sort of a lost tradition among their own rather than anything else. But Katie’s mother, and Aunt Giselle, and Jack, her Uncle Josh, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann...they might not be respectable, but ultimately, deep down, they were good. They didn’t deserve what Ben and Mal planned.
Katie gave Aziz a glance, “Yeah, I agree you definitely need a makeover. My mom won’t have much for you, but maybe Uncle Josh knows where we can find something a bit...less ostentatious...in your size. As it is, you might wanna lose the brocade jacket. Put that in her desk. Your undershirt should be less...uh, obvious than the jacket.” Katie quickly shook her head, trying to focus on the situation at hand and not on jackets or undershirts or feathered hats or lack thereof.
“Okay, a week? That fast- toss the jacket! We need to talk to Elizabeth, now. If she’s summoned the Brethren, they should be here soon. She might be here any minute. They like my mom’s place. Gives them extra rum.”
We’re rascals and scoundrels; we’re villains and knaves
It took them most of the night to reach Tortuga, even with Jack’s many tricks. But they had to be careful and not attract too much attention- a lone sailboat might be of little interest to Auradon’s navy, but if they made a ruckus or asked for help, it would put them on the armed forces’ radar. Katie recognized that, she understood that, but her anxiety was practically through the roof as she waited for the ocean waves to bring them over Atlantica, and finally, finally, towards Tortuga.
Tortuga almost always was low lit- the pirates who inhabited it preferred torches, especially as most of them used the island to relax. But it appeared semi-shrouded in darkness. A few scouts floated, almost invisibly, candles doused, but they recognized Katie and Jack.
“Glad you made it,” Henry nodded to them both, “And almost under the deadline too.”
“Deadline?” Katie asked.
“We’ll tell you in a moment, love. We need to get to shore,” Jack attempted to reassure her, but it only made Katie’s stomach twist. The sight of Henry Turner and the other scouts alone made Katie on edge. Tortuga was traditionally the place where pirates relaxed. For them to be guarding it…things must have been worse than she knew.
Aziz materialized in a puff of blue smoke in the middle of tavern, his fall broken by a table. He quickly got up and checked for any bruises or injuries- grateful to Genie for the fact that he was ok, but distressed by the fact that the table wasn’t.
Fuck. I’ll have to pay Scarlett some kind of compensation for this. Oh, well. We’ve got bigger fish to fry right now.
Speaking of…
Aziz looked around the room, taking in all the different sights and sounds. Were pirate taverns usually this quiet? He was sure that wasn’t how grandpa Cassim had described them. Oh, well. There was only one pirate that was looking for.
“Katie,” the prince exclaimed, running towards the girl, arms spread for a hug. “Holy seven deserts, I have so much to tell you, you won’t believe what happened–” the rest of his sentence got stuck in his throat when he realised he was still in pirate heaven. Where his sudden appearance might not be welcomed, unless he provided an explanation.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Katie’s friend. We planned to meet here, actually. ” He gave them an awkward wave, eyes still focused on the girl.
Katie felt her heart stop as the eyes in the tavern fixed on her and Aziz. The majority of the pirates either had let their hands drift towards their firearms or their swords, presently sheathed at the waist.
Katie shouted, “It’s all right, everyone! Um, at ease! This is Aziz,” she continued, spreading her arms wide, “He doesn’t mean us any harm.” Seeing the skeptical glances sent in their direction- Aziz’s clothes marked him out as distinctly not pirate -Katie called out, “He invokes the right of parley-”
“-which means he negotiates with me in my tavern,” Scarlett finished smoothly, appearing at the top of the stairs in a rustle of red skirt and black leather jacket, “Back to your rum, gents.” She waved at them dismissively, and grumbling, the pirates retreated.
“Scarlett!” Jack said, seemingly delighted as he dashed up towards the second level towards her. Scarlett merely raised an eyebrow, but resisted the urge to slap him.
Katie rolled her eyes, Here we go again. Then she returned her attention to Aziz, “I’m glad you’re safe. Though we probably shouldn’t talk here. You stand out too much already.” He was clearly dressed as an Agrabanian, and that would have to be rectified sooner rather than later. Clearly thinking along the same lines, her Aunt Giselle sidled over and crooned to Aziz:
“What a handsome face you’ve got.”
“Giselle, he’s at least 20 years too young for you,” Uncle Josh chided from the bar, where he was ordering a round for the group. Giselle pouted, but Josh continued, “Besides, I think he’s got more important things to say than compliment you on your hair.”
“It’s flaxen!” Giselle insisted, but obligingly shooed Katie and Aziz towards a dimly lit back room. The room contained a desk (where Scarlett kept monthly tabs on her profits), a faded chair in the corner, a few books, and a hammock. Otherwise, it was fairly sparse- but Scarlett would have been unwise to keep her treasures in plain sight. No one would look for them here, and that was the type of place they needed. Katie had so many questions- all of them burning. She resisted the urge to throw her arms around Aziz in relief as the door closed, instead whirling to face him and ask him everything she’d wanted to say on the phone:
Oh. Oh, so they were really doing this. Cool cool cool. Okay.
Aziz released a sigh of relief as the men lowered their weapons after Katie and her mother cleverly saved him. He gave Scarlett an apologetic smile for the table before turning his focus back to the brunette.
“Right,” he said, looking at his expensive tailored qamis and golden rings. He definitely should have changed his clothes before coming here, but he completely forgot.
As Giselle approached him, he turned on his princely charm, eager for a compliment or two. “Why, Katie didn’t tell me she had such a lovely…friend. Please know that all of Agrabah is grateful for your help,Miss Giselle” he finished with a short bow, right as was being ushered into the back room. Of course it wasn’t his main priority now, but he liked making people feel good about themselves, and a day spent as a runaway couldn’t erase his upbringing.
After he and Katie were finally alone, the prince had to resist the urge to hug her and tell her he’d missed her. It looked like she didn’t return his feelings to him, and he supposed they had other problems anyway. Or did she? God, he wished he knew what was going on with them. It’s like they were always one step forward and three steps back.
Anyways. Back to their (very troubled) sheep.
“Where do I even start,” Aziz sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So…I got into a fight with Ben. Worst we’ve ever had in like…ever. I don’t know if we’ll ever be the same again, nof unless he gets shit together. Then I realised I’m never going to be able to keep my loved ones safe if I’m stuck in his stupid regime, and so I…quit. And then I ran away. ” At that, he paused for a few moments, eyes widening. “Holy seven deserts, I ran away. I can’t believe I did that. What do I do now? Do I need to get a real job? Do I need a new name? Oh, Allah, I don’t know what I’m doing. Wait, did I say that out loud? Forget it, it’s all good, I’m good, you’re good - you’re gorgeous, really. ” Okay, that was too much. Like, way too much. Fuck.
“He and Mal want to gather all the villains and put up the barrier again. They announced it in a secret Council meeting yesterday…and that’s not all. This time around, they’re thinking of sending the pirates as well, Katie. I’m sorry, I tried to stop them- I was in the room where it happened, but no one listened to me.” His tone was apologetic as he finally reached the end of his explanation.
“Put *up* the barrier again?” Katie gasped, “How? Wasn’t that their whole schtick? That we could all live in peace? And why send us? I mean…we saved Atlantica!” Sure, it had mostly been an accident and not intentional that the pirates had kept Cutler Beckett away from the mermaid kingdom, but didn’t that count for something? It had, once upon a time.
“But I…I haven’t done anything!” She insisted, “I mean, I was born a citizen of Auradon. I’m not a villain. I mean, I guess I’m not a hero either. But that doesn’t mean I deserve lifetime improvement.” How could Ben think this was okay? How could *Mal?* Katie shook her head, reaching out for her mother’s desk to keep her steady.
Then the rest of Aziz’s words sunk in. Katie could see his frantic eyes, and the knowledge of what he’d actually done was finally starting to hit him. She could lie, she supposed, and normally she might have tried, being a pirate, but she couldn’t lie to him. Especially if he needed her help.
And it was obvious he did, because if their world was falling apart, it was equally obvious that despite his protests otherwise, Aziz was not good. He was very not good. After all, why else was he calling her gorgeous? He’d never said such a thing before.
Katie bit her lip and nodded, trying to keep her tone delicate, “Yeah, you’ll likely need a new name. Can’t be ‘Aziz’ when you’re on the run. Just a tad too on the nose. I mean, still something Agrabanian, but we’ve got plenty of Agrabanian pirates. I mean, look at your grandfather! It’s just too dangerous to have you share your name with a runaway prince. As for a job…that you can’t apply for. Not yet, anyway. They’d search your identity, and my mom can’t use her resources right now to make you a new one if wait you say is true. They’d round her up and send her away. You can’t access your bank accounts either. The only collateral you have is what you took with you. So those rings? Hide them, but hang onto them.”
Katie hadn’t expected to be advising Aziz about life on the run, but she supposed that was what they were doing now.
“If they’re planning on sending pirates away…Aziz, do you know when? They could be heading for Tortuga even now. Bloody hell, we can’t stay here. We’re like sitting ducks! And we have to tell Elizabeth-“ her mind was racing.
We’re rascals and scoundrels; we’re villains and knaves
It took them most of the night to reach Tortuga, even with Jack’s many tricks. But they had to be careful and not attract too much attention- a lone sailboat might be of little interest to Auradon’s navy, but if they made a ruckus or asked for help, it would put them on the armed forces’ radar. Katie recognized that, she understood that, but her anxiety was practically through the roof as she waited for the ocean waves to bring them over Atlantica, and finally, finally, towards Tortuga.
Tortuga almost always was low lit- the pirates who inhabited it preferred torches, especially as most of them used the island to relax. But it appeared semi-shrouded in darkness. A few scouts floated, almost invisibly, candles doused, but they recognized Katie and Jack.
“Glad you made it,” Henry nodded to them both, “And almost under the deadline too.”
“Deadline?” Katie asked.
“We’ll tell you in a moment, love. We need to get to shore,” Jack attempted to reassure her, but it only made Katie’s stomach twist. The sight of Henry Turner and the other scouts alone made Katie on edge. Tortuga was traditionally the place where pirates relaxed. For them to be guarding it…things must have been worse than she knew.
Aziz materialized in a puff of blue smoke in the middle of tavern, his fall broken by a table. He quickly got up and checked for any bruises or injuries- grateful to Genie for the fact that he was ok, but distressed by the fact that the table wasn’t.
Fuck. I’ll have to pay Scarlett some kind of compensation for this. Oh, well. We’ve got bigger fish to fry right now.
Speaking of…
Aziz looked around the room, taking in all the different sights and sounds. Were pirate taverns usually this quiet? He was sure that wasn’t how grandpa Cassim had described them. Oh, well. There was only one pirate that was looking for.
“Katie,” the prince exclaimed, running towards the girl, arms spread for a hug. “Holy seven deserts, I have so much to tell you, you won’t believe what happened–” the rest of his sentence got stuck in his throat when he realised he was still in pirate heaven. Where his sudden appearance might not be welcomed, unless he provided an explanation.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Katie’s friend. We planned to meet here, actually. ” He gave them an awkward wave, eyes still focused on the girl.
Katie felt her heart stop as the eyes in the tavern fixed on her and Aziz. The majority of the pirates either had let their hands drift towards their firearms or their swords, presently sheathed at the waist.
Katie shouted, “It’s all right, everyone! Um, at ease! This is Aziz,” she continued, spreading her arms wide, “He doesn’t mean us any harm.” Seeing the skeptical glances sent in their direction- Aziz’s clothes marked him out as distinctly not pirate -Katie called out, “He invokes the right of parley-”
“-which means he negotiates with me in my tavern,” Scarlett finished smoothly, appearing at the top of the stairs in a rustle of red skirt and black leather jacket, “Back to your rum, gents.” She waved at them dismissively, and grumbling, the pirates retreated.
“Scarlett!” Jack said, seemingly delighted as he dashed up towards the second level towards her. Scarlett merely raised an eyebrow, but resisted the urge to slap him.
Katie rolled her eyes, Here we go again. Then she returned her attention to Aziz, “I’m glad you’re safe. Though we probably shouldn’t talk here. You stand out too much already.” He was clearly dressed as an Agrabanian, and that would have to be rectified sooner rather than later. Clearly thinking along the same lines, her Aunt Giselle sidled over and crooned to Aziz:
“What a handsome face you’ve got.”
“Giselle, he’s at least 20 years too young for you,” Uncle Josh chided from the bar, where he was ordering a round for the group. Giselle pouted, but Josh continued, “Besides, I think he’s got more important things to say than compliment you on your hair.”
“It’s flaxen!” Giselle insisted, but obligingly shooed Katie and Aziz towards a dimly lit back room. The room contained a desk (where Scarlett kept monthly tabs on her profits), a faded chair in the corner, a few books, and a hammock. Otherwise, it was fairly sparse- but Scarlett would have been unwise to keep her treasures in plain sight. No one would look for them here, and that was the type of place they needed. Katie had so many questions- all of them burning. She resisted the urge to throw her arms around Aziz in relief as the door closed, instead whirling to face him and ask him everything she’d wanted to say on the phone:
We’re rascals and scoundrels; we’re villains and knaves
It took them most of the night to reach Tortuga, even with Jack’s many tricks. But they had to be careful and not attract too much attention- a lone sailboat might be of little interest to Auradon’s navy, but if they made a ruckus or asked for help, it would put them on the armed forces’ radar. Katie recognized that, she understood that, but her anxiety was practically through the roof as she waited for the ocean waves to bring them over Atlantica, and finally, finally, towards Tortuga.
Tortuga almost always was low lit- the pirates who inhabited it preferred torches, especially as most of them used the island to relax. But it appeared semi-shrouded in darkness. A few scouts floated, almost invisibly, candles doused, but they recognized Katie and Jack.
“Glad you made it,” Henry nodded to them both, “And almost under the deadline too.”
“Deadline?” Katie asked.
“We’ll tell you in a moment, love. We need to get to shore,” Jack attempted to reassure her, but it only made Katie’s stomach twist. The sight of Henry Turner and the other scouts alone made Katie on edge. Tortuga was traditionally the place where pirates relaxed. For them to be guarding it…things must have been worse than she knew.
Their little sailboat was escorted to the dock, and as they stepped out, her Uncle Josh grinned toothily at her, “Welcome home, Katie. Always good to see you. Though wish it were under better circumstances.” He went to help her with her minimal luggage as she clambered out of the boat, her legs cramped and tired.
“What do you know?” she said, “Please tell me.”
Joshamee Gibbs shrugged, “Nothing concrete. Just…the winds are stirring,” he turned his attention to Jack, “Elizabeth has summoned the Brethren.”
Katie’s jaw dropped, “She’s what?” The Pirate King, Elizabeth Swann, had continued to run an operation as she waited for her husband’s stint as Davy Jones to end. When it had, the two engaged in a sort of passive piracy, letting others send them wealth from their journeys in exchange for free passage through her territory. Elizabeth took to the seas at her whim, but it was strange for her to act in her capacity as Pirate King. Let alone summon a council.
“No time to talk about it, lass. We’ve got to get going,” Josh and Jack ushered her towards Scarlett’s tavern, where there was a crowd outside. This wasn’t entirely unusual- Scarlett knew how to run a tavern well due to her earlier years as a prostitute. However, this didn’t seem to be the usual drunken chaos that signified a profitable evening for her now pirate mother. Instead, there was a somber mood to the proceedings, and Katie realized with a start it was almost as if they were talking of war.
They entered the bustling tavern, where many pirates continued to drink, though also looking more serious than she’d ever seen them. Katie’s Aunt Giselle ran to her, and gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Welcome home, darling!” Giselle scanned Katie from head to toe, frowning slightly, “Those clothes do not flatter you at all!” Glaring at Jack, Giselle needled him, “You had to get her looking like some filth off the streets?”
Jack winked at her, “The better to blend in, Giselle. In these times, we can’t afford to stand out. It’s a matter of life and death after all.”
Giselle opened her mouth to reply, but they were interrupted by a commotion in the front of the tavern.
Katie was in her dorm at Auradon’s University. Still trying to find a part of herself- her passion –and with her mother trying to find her safety in a world Scarlett was still certain would be unsafe for pirates, she had continued on in her education, studying Accounting with a minor in Fashion. She hated it, but she had to admit, as much as she liked Ben as person, he and Mal seemed so content in their love they failed to realize that the values they held dear continued to exclude many. And that while for them, it might be a new fairy tale, for most, it was gradually morphing into a pretty dystopia. Accordingly, Katie had decided to finish her degree, then quietly depart Auradon. She had some hopes of persuading Scarlett, Jack, Giselle, and her Uncle Josh to make a run for it to Wonderland. How, she didn’t know, as sailing in the Boiling Seas required special knowledge, but she thought perhaps they could barter passage beyond the Boiling Seas to the Edge of the World. For surely, there had to be a place beyond Auradon that would still accept them.
Still, for her to travel unnoticed, she’d needed to keep her head down, and so she’d kept up with her studies and avoided making much of a ruckus. Still, as she stared down at her Accounting homework, part of her wanted to scream. Surely, even her father wouldn’t have wanted her to be this unhappy, if her unhappiness was what it meant for her to be respectable? Even Admiral James Norrington, in the end, had defied the mores of his world and laid down his life for what he perceived to be justice.
Justice. With that word echoing in her brain, Katie rubbed her temples, deciding she needed a break. She flipped the TV on, intending to watch a simple, mindless, television show, when suddenly, the entire screen went black before erupting into a breaking news bulletin.
“Oh, bloody hell, what now?” Katie crossed her arms, “Let me guess: Mal and Ben are expecting a bundle of joy?”
She fell into a stunned silence as she recognized the distinctive skyline of Agrabah.
“Welcome to Auradon News Nightly,” said Claudine Frollo, “We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming with this special announcement.” She paused for dramatic effect, before saying gravely, “Prince Aziz al-Hamed of Agrabah has renounced his right to the throne. In a statement released moments ago, the prince stated, ‘After months of careful thought and consideration, I have decided to renounce my right to the throne of Agrabah. I believe that my younger brother can better serve its people as sultan, and while I will always have gratitude for the years I have spent as Agrabah’s representative in Auradon, I think he should be the one to lead Agrabah to its future.’ His parents, Sultan Aladdin and Sultana Jasmine, have also released a brief statement, ‘While we were saddened to hear of Aziz’s decision, we respect his choices. While he is no longer going to be sultan, he remains a beloved member of our family and has the option to maintain his princely status if he wishes. Further announcements will be made in due time.’”
As Claudine prattled on about how unexpected the announcement was, and what Aziz could possibly be hoping to do with his future now that he would no longer be sultan, and why he would make such a choice to begin with, Katie’s jaw dropped. She’d grown up with liars, and learned all about how Auradon crafted its publicity. From the phrasing in the statements, she realized several important things: (1) Aziz might have been thinking about it himself, but he’d certainly never let his parents know, (2) his parents had only just found out, and (3) his parents had released a statement in order to cover the fact they had absolutely no idea what their son intended.
Frankly, neither did Katie, and she liked to think she and Aziz got along.
Katie scrambled for her cell phone, and dialed his number. To her surprise, he actually picked up (to her surprise, since he had to be getting hounded by reporters), sounding rather pleased with himself:
“Hi, Katie.”
“al-Hamed,” Katie said distinctly, “Claudine just said you’re renouncing the throne.”
“I am.”
“But why?” she asked, “I mean….it was always so important to you.” Katie remembered that bit with sort of a bittersweet understanding, because over the years, he’d had to bow out of their friendship several times before reconnecting. Publicity reasons, he’d assured her, having to do with the heir to the throne being seen associating with the daughter of known pirates (of whom some Auradonians considered little better than criminals). Aziz had always reached out when the furor of Agrabah died down, but Katie had always, always, understood that he’d had different responsibilities than most people. She might not get why he constantly sacrificed himself for Agrabah, but the fact was, he’d always done so. Until now.
Aziz paused for a moment, then replied, “Mal and Ben inspired me.”
This pronouncement was so unlike him that Katie was momentarily taken aback. Katie had teased him for years about his inability to lie, but his training in media engagement seemed to be playing a role here.
Why? she thought, Why is he talking to me like a news reporter? I’m not a reporter, I’m his-
Then Katie heard a click on the line, and her eyes narrowed.
Someone was listening.
What the hell? Who would spy on them? Why?
Realizing that Katie would have to make a believable lie for both of them, she chose her words carefully, “Ah. So the king and queen showed you that you could choose your own future, no matter your past? Inspiring you to live out your dreams, even though they’re different than what your parents wanted for you?”
Aziz’s voice was cheerful, “Exactly! I mean, my parents aren’t exactly Maleficent, but Queen Mal…what she did showed me I could have my own future, and my own happiness, too.”
“Uh-huh,” Katie replied as the click happened again. Their eavesdropper had apparently left, but she was still rattled.
“Yeah,” Aziz said, “How about I meet you? We can chat more about it.”
“Sounds good. Now?”
“Yes. Our place.”
It took her a second to figure out what he meant. Surely any eavesdropper, if they’d somehow remained and only tried to fool the two that they’d left, would think Aziz meant where they first met: Auradon Prep.
The reality was quite different.
“Sure. I’ll see you soon. Oh, and al-Hamed? Be careful,” Katie did her best to hide the truth behind her warning, “You were popular before, but I think you’ll be even more popular now.”
*
Katie hadn’t dared let on that she was going on more than a weekend trip. Still, in her overnight bag, she’d stashed her most valuable possessions and some practical niceties: James Norrington’s sword, a necklace fashioned after a doubloon from the Isla de la Muerta, boots, jacket, toothbrush, deodorant, sunglasses, clothes to blend into Tortuga, gold, and the dummy ATM card Scarlett had bought her on the black market in case she’d ever have to run. She played with her cell phone for a moment, trying to decide what to do with it. On the one hand, if someone was spying on her, they’d use it to track her. On the other, if she left it in her room after just mentioning she’d meet Aziz somewhere, their pursuer would get suspicious. Biting her lip, she comforted herself that Auradon Prep would just have to be a pit stop on her journey.
Katie bought the most basic ticket for the train using her regular account, leading her potential stalker to the school. As it zipped through the Auradonian countryside, she didn’t dare speak or try attention to herself, instead scrolling through her phone. She was trying to absorb as much news as she possibly could, and the Internet traffic likely wouldn’t stand out, especially since all of Auradon was likely trying to find updates behind Aziz’s sudden abdication. No one site seemed to have the answers, but then again, Katie couldn’t help but worry at the click on the line. At the fact that Aziz had tried to lie. He was so incompetent at it that for him to even try meant that something was deathly wrong. And for him to throw away his future? What did he know that she didn’t? Was the state of Auradon even worse than she thought? What was so bad that he’d potentially thrown away his family?
Katie forced down the panic that threatened to rise over the next two hours. Worrying over answers she didn’t yet have would only make her nauseous- and unable to watch her surroundings. She’d find out soon enough, she hoped.
The train stopped at Auradon Prep, and continuing her ruse, Katie exited. She didn’t sense anyone following her so far, but she had to be careful.
Just then, her cell rang, and she blanched as she recognized the voice.
“Jack?” Katie thought she couldn’t be more surprised than she’d been all evening. Her erstwhile pseudo father figure never used a cell phone- he hated being tracked.
“Hello, love,” Jack said, “Thought I’d check in on you. Heard the news, you see.”
How? It can’t possibly have reached Tortuga yet. The pirates there generally shunned many aspects of modern technology. Unless Jack wasn’t in Tortuga. Carefully scanning her surroundings as she pretended to walk towards Auradon Prep, Katie commented:
“What news? About Mom?”
“Oh yes. Quite a surprise she gave us, didn’t she? Coming to the capital for a visit?”
Katie stopped immediately, reading between the lines. Jack was here?
“She must have missed me,” Katie responded. She’d just reached the outer edges of the property comprising Auradon Prep. Not close enough to the manicured bushes that were well patrolled by guards, but near the wildflowers growing by the Tourney Field.
“Always does, love.” This time, the voice was behind her, and Katie slammed her phone shut, practically jumping out of her skin.
“Jack!? What are you doing here? What’s going on?”
“We’ve been hearing rumblings in Tortuga for some time that things are amiss here on the beloved mainland,” Jack whispered, holding his fingers to his lips, “No one can confirm anything, but some people are talking of Cutler Beckett.”
“I highly doubt Mal and Ben would hang people, let alone without a trial,” Katie riposted.
“As I said love, can’t confirm anything. But where there’s smoke there’s fire. And the rumors also mention the freed villains are up to things too. Us…we’re the in between. Not heroes, not villains. We can’t stay here while they fight each other. I suspect your young man thought the same.”
At that, Katie laughed, “Aziz is a hero.”
Jack tilted his head, “Philosophically speaking, probably. In current Auradon terms? Not necessarily.”
“What do you know?” Katie demanded.
“That you carrying that bloody phone puts you both at risk,” Jack scolded her as if she were a child. With that, he snatched it from her hands, hurling it over his head into the bushes.
“Jack!” Katie hissed, “I wanted to get rid of it on my own terms!”
“No time for that. Now, come with me.” Jack led her towards the river, where the tiniest of sailboats was moored.
Katie eyed him with trepidation, “Please tell me we aren’t going to row that. We’ll never get there in time.”
Jack winked, “We will, love. With some sea turtles, of course.”
*
It took them most of the night to reach Tortuga, but when they arrived, they were welcomed immediately by the scouts posted around the island. The sight alone made Katie on edge. Tortuga was traditionally the place where pirates relaxed. For them to be guarding it…things must have been worse than she knew.
“Welcome home, Katie,” her Uncle Josh grinned toothily at her, “Always good to see you. Though wish it were under better circumstances.”
“What do you know?” Katie said, “Please tell me.”
Joshamee Gibbs shrugged, “Nothing concrete. Just…the winds are stirring,” he turned his attention to Jack, “Elizabeth has summoned the Brethren.”
Katie’s jaw dropped, “She’s what?” The Pirate King, Elizabeth Swann, had continued to run an operation as she waited for her husband’s stint as Davy Jones to end. When it had, the two engaged in a sort of passive piracy, letting others send them wealth from their journeys in exchange for free passage through her territory. Elizabeth took to the seas at her whim, but it was strange for her to act in her capacity as Pirate King. Let alone summon a council.
“No time to talk about it, lass. We’ve got to get going,” Josh and Jack ushered her towards Scarlett’s tavern, where there was a crowd outside.
“Katie!” Sao Feng’s daughter threw her arms around her, “We found something of yours.” Katie peeked behind her to see a very annoyed Aziz tied up, gagged, and sitting on a barrel.
“al-Hamed,” Katie sighed, “What did you say to them?” She pushed away Sao Feng’s daughter and went to work untying him. Aziz spat out the gag and coughed, and Sao Feng’s daughter replied, “He asked where to find you. What? We thought he was dangerous!”
“Can no one ask a question around here?” Aziz queried.
“Not an honest one,” Katie replied. Despite herself, she hugged him once he was freed, “It’s good to see you.”
“You too,” he murmured, and she fantasized he buried his face in her hair for the briefest of moments.
“Come in inside. Wait, you don’t have your phone, right?”
Aziz grinned, “No. Knew I had to get rid of it. I wished it away, wished myself here, then wished Genie wouldn’t tell anyone about it,” at this, he did show a twinge of regret, “I didn’t mean to upset him, but I didn’t know how else to get here. Agrabah was swarming with guards and reporters.”
They entered the bustling tavern, where many pirates continued to drink, though also looking more serious than she’d ever seen them. Katie’s Aunt Giselle ran to her, gave her a peck on the cheek, then smirked at Aziz.
“What a handsome face you’ve got.”
“Giselle, he’s at least 20 years too young for you,” Scarlett the Redhead chided. Giselle pouted and Aziz blushed, “Besides, I think he’s got more important things to say than compliment you on your hair.”
“It’s flaxen!” Giselle insisted, but obligingly shooed the pair towards a dimly lit back room.
When the door shut behind them, Katie faced Aziz, “Why did you do it? What’s going on?”
Aziz stared at her, “Ben told me that the decision to let the villains leave the Isle….it’s backfiring. The villains have been here for two years now, and instead of assimilating into society, they’ve realized just how badly they were treated. Some didn’t know they’d been raised from the dead to be sent to the Isle. And the Isle conditions themselves, well, Mal says they weren’t great,” he swallowed, running a hand through his hair, “Many of the villains started to point out that the VKs were issuing propaganda, and then basically pitting children against each other to come to Auradon. That it was wrong. Evie Alley…the posters…choosing who got to come. It was all wrong. Even villains, it seems, have some sense of justice. And they’re angry. They’re demanding that King Adam be put on trial for war crimes. And Ben and Mal themselves. They have some support, actually. Meanwhile, Mal and Ben are trying to keep their throne, also trying to figure out how this has blown up in their faces. The best solution anyone seems to have right now is re-establishing the Isle and sending the villains back.”
“What?” Katie gasped.
“They’re saying the villains will never be rehabilitated. That they’re a danger. And they aren’t entirely wrong, but this decision will separate families forever. And if the Isle is still in the same conditions…Mal and Ben have become the very thing they swore they wouldn’t be. They’ve asked all the monarchs, and the heirs, for help,” Aziz reached for her hand, “They’ve also talked about clearly delineating what constitutes a hero and a villain. Under the current terms, pirates fall under ‘villain.’”
“And I’m a pirate, under those terms?”
Aziz nodded, “Even though you’re not like Hook. I couldn’t stand by and let them do that. I tried to say there has to be another solution….but no one would listen. And so I gave up the throne instead.”
Katie felt as though the room were spinning, “But if they’re classing me as a pirate…and I’m literally a college student right now, what about my mother? What about your grandfather?”
Aziz reached out a hand to steady her, “My father gave him a chance to be respectable a few days ago. He was gone the next morning, leaving a note that said, ‘If this is your idea of respectable, I’ve lost respect for you.’ We don’t know where he is.”
“Aziz, I’m so sorry,” Katie whispered, “I’m so, so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” he riposted, “I made the decision. Besides, you know how my grandfather feels about your mom. He’ll show up here soon.”
Katie tried to laugh, but instead, tears bubbled up in her eyes. All she managed to say was, “And you showed up here. Even though it’s going to cost you everything.”
“Well, not everything,” Aziz said, pausing for just a second too long before amending, “I mean, at least I know I’m not supporting a corrupt regime, right? I’ve still got my honor.” Then he smiled at her, and her heart skipped a beat.
It sounded like something her father would have said.
Mal paced back and forth in her throne room before finally sitting back on her throne, handling her neves by drumming her fingers against the golden armrest. She’d asked Ben not to be present for the meeting, hoping his absence would allow her and Cora to connect not just as queens, but as friends. Still, she knew this was a big ask, and she wasn’t entirely certain how this conversation would go. But without Cora’s assistance, she didn’t know how else to fix her and Ben’s reputations.
The Council had warned against revealing too much to Cora, who led Wonderland as its own independent queendom now. They feared sharing state secrets, and had strictly instructed Mal to be as vague as she could. Wonderland was Auradon’s ally, after all, but Mal had few doubts that if given a choice, Cora would sacrifice Auradon in a heartbeat if Wonderland needed it.
How, though, could she possibly impress the gravity of the situation on Cora without telling her at least something? Cora had to understand why it was so important for Mal and Ben to get power back. She just had to. And if anyone knew something about image rehabilitation, it had to be the former Princess of Hearts. She’d somehow done the impossible, making both her and her mother into palatable citizens again, somehow not reviled by Wonderland.
And if Cora could make a serial killer look like a good person, surely she could help two legitimate, kind monarchs look even kinder than they were, to everyone, villain and Auradonian alike.
Mal hurriedly smoothed back her hair as she heard the herald announce Cora’s title. She felt she’d embodied the mood of the meeting perfectly- tasteful lilac gown to her knees, golden necklace with dragon motif, and tiny bejeweled tiara nestled into her hair. After all, it wouldn’t do to reveal how panicked she actually was. She had to look confident, calm, and collected. She was just seeking an old friend’s advice, after all.
Cora, apparently, hadn’t gotten the memo, appearing in full Wonderlandian regalia. Mal suppressed a smile before jumping down from her throne. Some things never change. She kissed Cora on the cheek, Cora returning the gesture.
Mal smiled again, focusing on how this was just about seeking advice from a friend and not preventing a full scale war, “Cora! It’s wicked to see you! You look great!”
If overdressed a bit.
Cora raised an eyebrow, almost as if she had heard Mal’s inner comment, but Mal knew that Cora wasn’t magical. Back on the Isle, Mal recalled it been a great source of insecurity to her, and for a while, it had in Auradon too. Mal knew all about the weakness, and back when she led their gang, she hadn’t exactly done anything to help Cora’s insecurity. If anything, she’d sometimes emphasized her magical heritage as the Daughter of the Mistress of Magic, delighting in how it made the other girl squirm. Mal winced at her behavior now, but that was how life on the Isle was. She was sure Cora would forgive her for it. Cora, after all, knew Isle values too. Still, the Queen of Hearts couldn’t read minds, and Mal thanked Hades for that as Cora replied:
“It’s frabjous to see you too. Auradon is always beautiful in the fall.” Mal nodded in agreement. It was true, and fall in Auradon always brought back pleasant memories to the graduates of Auradon Prep. Games of Tourney, Homecoming dances for students and alumni alike, leaves changing in every color. It gave the land an almost picture perfect backdrop to capitalize on nostalgia, and Mal was hoping to use that now. She was just about to mention a fond memory of Tourney games past when Cora added:
“I should ask, though. This doesn’t seem like a social visit.”
Okay then, Cora. Right to business. Who cares about memories, anyway? Mal tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. In truth, Mal cared so much for memories- she had dozens of Cora on the Isle. They’d played many pranks on the denizens, with their most infamous earning Uma her nickname of Shrimpy: the girls had planned to dump shrimp on Uma’s hair. Cora, who had been a hairdresser so many years ago, had snickered: “She’ll never get the smell out!” Mal granting her a high five in response. Cora had unfortunately had a slip before they could carry out the prank together, so while Mal ultimately did it by herself, she’d made certain Uma knew it was Cora’s idea (with Uma despising the two ever since).
Mal swallowed, banishing the memory as though it were a ghost. It had been years since she and Cora had laughed like that- the last time perhaps being before Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay had left the Isle for Auradon to begin with. Mal hadn’t bothered to say goodbye- at the time, she’d assumed she’d be seeing Cora soon anyway, once they dropped the barrier. And as the months passed, the fairy had thought of her friend often, lobbying to get her including in each group of VKs taken to Auradon...but it had taken a long time and multiple applications, with many heroes suspicious of Cora’s slips. When Cora had finally come to Auradon, Mal didn’t even know how to address her. It was like meeting a stranger.
In some ways, Mal thought as she looked at the Queen of Hearts, it still was. Sighing, Mal signaled for the herald and butler to leave them alone as she guided Cora into her receiving room, where she met with high status guests in an informal setting. Mal stared at the tea tray, grateful that it had been set exactly as she’d requested: in Wonderlandian style, to honor Cora, but also, with a cup of coffee (as Cora famously hated tea) for the Queen of Hearts to drink. Mal liked tea well enough herself, but the multiple teacups and constant seat changing during a traditional Wonderlandian tea party often left her flummoxed. Luckily, the only guests today were the two women, and so they sat at the same time.
Now or never, I guess. Mal picked up her own cup and tried to think of it as ripping off a bandaid as she declared: “You’re right. Ben and I- we need your advice.” Cora’s expression was unreadable. While Mal no longer used her magic to read minds if she could help it- Ben told her it was an expression of respect -Mal wished for a long moment she could. If she could just tailor this conversation to whatever Cora was feeling, it would be so much easier.
But magic made things too easy, her husband like to say, and so Auradon’s queen avoided its use. Trying to channel her nerves into something else, she crossed her legs, reminding herself she was a queen, a fairy, daughter of a god. She did not need to be nervous. She just...had to be honest. Or as honest as she could be, anyway.
So when Cora asked what Mal needed her advice with, Mal answered:
“Cora...I’m sure you’ve heard about...the trouble Auradon has been going through for some time now.”
Hopefully not about missing princes yet, and discord among the royals. But even Wonderland has to have figured out some citizens aren’t happy.
It seemed Cora wasn’t about to let on, though, as she said, “I’m afraid not.” Mal fought the urge to shriek in frustration. If she knew Cora at all- and Mal liked to think she knew Cora at least a little, even after all these years -the Queen of Hearts was playing a long game, fishing for more information than Mal was inclined to give. Despite herself, the Council’s warning echoed in her head: “Do not trust her. Do not tell her anything beyond what you must, Your Majesty. Wonderland is no longer ours, and its queen will act in her own self-interest. We must act in ours.”
Mal, wishing there was some alcohol in her tea, drained the cup and tried to edit the truth as best she could:
“Ben and I....we’ve made decisions. Decisions that haven’t always been popular, and I know popularity isn’t the most important thing, or central to rule....it’s about doing what’s right.”
That’s what being in Auradon had taught her, that rightness and goodness were important, all central tenets of her being, and being wrong and bad were not virtues to aspire to, but things to leave behind. But Mal wasn’t sure she even knew what ‘right’ and ‘good’ meant anymore. Aziz had practically scoffed at their proposal during the Council meeting, and Ben had let on that he’d flat out disapproved in a heated discussion they’d had after. Aziz had always been one of the good ones, in Mal’s mind. But if he disagreed, were she and Ben really doing the right thing? And who was to determine the right thing, anyway? Wasn’t the right thing protecting Auradon, no matter how hard that decision might be? It was something she’d struggled to do once before, back when Audrey had stolen Maleficent’s Scepter...and yet, she’d come to the same conclusion. It was their duty to protect Auradon, at all costs. Even if the cost meant sacrifices of their own.
Mal resisted the urge to shudder at the thought of sending her father back to the Isle, instead musing, “But how can we do what’s right if our power is slipping away? If people think we might not be right anymore?”
Cora seemed oblivious to Mal’s inner turmoil, taking a sip of her coffee before responding: “You sound like you’re crafting a Wonderlandian riddle.” Mal smiled sadly, tears shimmering in her eyes, because Cora was so much closer to the truth than she knew. Wonderlandian riddles were famously unsolvable, with great competitions held to determine if anyone could come up with a possible answer. And this situation truly did seem unsolvable.
“Wonderland. Yes. That’s exactly it. Why I’ve asked you here,” sucking in a deep breath, Mal explained, all her words coming out in a rush, “Look, Ben and I....we messed up, letting down the barrier. We didn’t have any plan for what would happen. We didn’t think it through. We thought everyone would just...get along. Forget the past. Like we did!” Mal waved her hand at Cora and herself. Because it was true. Cora and Mal had moved on, crafting incredible futures beyond what their birth had destined them for. They weren’t banished to the Isle, the reviled progeny of outcast villains anymore. No, they were reigning queens! How far they had come....but how far they could fall.
Mal continued: “We thought if Auradonians could see that all villains weren’t bad, they’d be accepted, and we thought of people from the Isle would be free, they’d be happy. Get all the things they hadn’t had. A new start. A great fairytale in the end, everyone being friends. And Ben and I would have united the kingdom.” That was, after all, what Ben had envisioned. Ultimate peace. A utopia. True freedom for all. It was a beautiful dream, and one of the reasons she’d fallen in love with him. But maybe that was just it- that it was a dream, and like all dreams, they had to wake up:
“Maybe that was naive of us. Because that didn’t happen. I mean, for some people it did, but not everyone. Instead, some of the villains were- are -angry. They started taking out their anger on innocent people...Auradonians. And those Auradonians are terrified. And I don’t know what to do! Because now, people from the Isle hate us, and so do some people from Auradon...”
To Mal’s surprise, Cora appeared unmoved, only saying, “I’m sorry to hear the situation has deteriorated.” Mal blanched. Didn’t she get it? Didn’t she understand? ‘Deteriorated’ was the understatement of the year. Auradon was as close to war as it ever been, and Mal and Ben were the ones to put it in such jeopardy- something her father-in-law never ceased to remind them. It seemed like every family dinner was now fraught with some critique from Dowager King Adam, how Ben’s and Mal’s decision to abolish the barrier was a foolish one. It had been annoying at first, but much to Mal’s heartbreak, it seemed he had been right.
Some of her frustration creeping through, Mal riposted: “Yeah....it’s deteriorated all right,” she forced herself to calm down, reminding herself why she needed Cora in the first place: “Honestly, Cora, it’s pretty bad. But I don’t think it’s entirely unsalvageable. I mean, look at you! Look at your mom!” The fairy ignored Cora’s feigned confusion, instead trying to appeal to her ego as she reached forward and grabbed her hand: “Your mother...she did terrible things. Awful things. She did far worse than Ben and I ever did....when you came here, I know how much you wanted it, but I didn’t see how you would ever get Wonderland back with that kind of history.”
And it wasn’t a lie. Mal knew that Cora had held what she’d long thought was a delusion of grandeur, aspiring to rule the land her family had lost to Auradon. It just seemed so impossible that people with such rigid concepts of good and evil would allow Cora even a shot at ruling. And never mind Auradon, what about Wonderland? Why would they even want the House of Hearts back? Ardenzana of Wonderland had gone on a murderous spree against her own citizens. She’d killed hundreds, sentencing them without even a verdict in her darkest moments. Yet, somehow, astonishingly, the two had defied the odds: Cora was crowned queen of an independent Wonderland, and Ardenzana was back in her palace, enjoying retirement. It was utterly mad, but if they could take Wonderland back, surely Cora would have an easy time of it helping Mal and Ben with Auradon.
Somewhat hopeful now, Mal squeezed Cora’s hand, “But you did it! You got it back! The Wonderlanders love you! And your mom too! I mean, you did the impossible. And I guess I’m asking the impossible, Cora, but I really need your help: because if you got Wonderland back, then you can help us fix our images. Get our power back. Bring peace to Auradon-”
Yet before Mal could continue to describe her vision of peace, she was shocked to see Cora had taken her hand away. She looked aghast at Auradon’s queen, and the fairy couldn’t understand why.
“Mal, what happened with my mother and what’s happening now are very different situations-” Cora said slowly, but Mal insisted, desperate for Cora to see her point:
“No, they aren’t! What your mother did...it was so much worse-”
“Mal. I am asking you, politely, to not go there.” Mal met Cora’s brown eyes with her own fey green, seeing the steely gaze Cora had trained on her.
Finally realizing that Cora truly was balking at her assertions, the fairy crossed her ams and asked:
“Are you seriously telling me you think your mother was a better ruler than Ben and I? Cora, she killed hundreds of people-”
“Mal, stop-”
“Oh my gosh, you are. Cora, she murdered her own citizens! What Ben and I did was hardly the same category!” Auradon’s queen rose to her feet, remembering how sensitive Cora was to the topic and trying a different tactic. This wasn’t about rehashing the past, this was about building the future. Accordingly, she tried to redirect the conversation:
“Look, this is getting ridiculous. This is beside the point. I am asking you for your help rehabilitating our images when you and your mom have done the impossible.”
Now it was Wonderland’s queen who jumped to her feet, “No, this is not beside the point. This is the crux of the issue, isn’t it? You want to know how someone you view as an irredeemable villain got the throne back! Because in your mind, it should be impossible-”
“That’s not what I said, Cora,” Mal held her hands up, quickly backpedaling. And it wasn’t. It wasn’t at all what she’d said; what she’d meant to imply. The Dowager Queen of Hearts, Maleficent....they were all villains. They’d all done terrible things. Auradon had sent them all to the Isle as punishment. Cora and Mal had grown up in the same circumstances. She’d never meant to insult her. And yet...
“But that’s what you mean,” Cora hissed, “You want to know how Ardenzana of Wonderland isn’t viewed with derision when you and Ben are. How could she be viewed positively while you two, who’ve had everything handed to you on a platter, could possibly even be criticized!?”
Criticism? You think this is just criticism!?
Mal’s eyes flashed green, “I haven’t had everything handed to me on a platter. You, of all people, know that- how my mother made me constantly prove myself!” It was yet another thing Cora and Mal had commiserated about back on the Isle- overbearing mothers who planned out every moment of their daughters’ lives and destinies.
But Cora seemed entirely uncaring, and wounded at how little Cora seemed to empathize with her, Mal spoke without thinking, a trace of her Isle self just wanting to hurt Cora as much as Cora had hurt her: “But I don’t understand how you can’t see that what your mother did- having people’s heads delivered to her on a platter -isn’t heinous! Or how you can’t see that your slipping is incredibly dangerous-”
The sting of the slap caught her by surprise. Mal had known she was playing with fire, bringing up Cora’s slips, but Mal had never thought Cora would actually raise a hand to Mal in Mal’s own palace. This conversation had gone wrong. So, so wrong.
“Don’t you dare compare yourself and your mother to my mother and me. Don’t you dare! My mother was the target of a coordinated campaign. Her best friend betrayed her, organizing a coup. Her best friend coordinated terrorist attacks with the perpetrators wearing my mother’s colors. She was framed,” Mal stared at Cora, wide-eyed, as the Queen of Hearts was practically shaking with anger, “Who could blame her for becoming paranoid? For wanting to stop that however she could? For thinking that death itself would be the ultimate bargaining tool, because who would dare commit a crime when the penalty was their own life? My mother tried to save her people and all her actions, all of them, stemmed from that. Your mother?” the Queen of Hearts sneered, “cursed an entire kingdom because she wasn’t invited to a christening.”
Mal narrowed her eyes, this particular dig cutting deeper than the others. Among fairies, a christening wasn’t just a christening. It was a deeply personal, visceral event, and for Maleficent to be the only one excluded- the only one of all the fairies -was a calculated insult meant to humiliate her. It was not just about a party.
Still, Mal didn’t even have a chance to interject as Cora raged: “We are nowhere near the same level, as is becoming abundantly clear: I would never, ever, taunt someone for a medical condition beyond their control, and yet here you are, ‘Good Queen Mal,’ doing just that. And what’s your current problem? You’re upset that people don’t praise every single decision you and your husband make, even when you make them without a thought for the consequences. At least my mother thought her decisions through! And that, that, is why she isn’t hated in Wonderland. Because she thought of other people outside of her bubble. But you? You and your mother have never done that.”
“Cora, that’s not true-” Mal interjected, desperate to resolve the tension. Because it wasn’t. Mal did think of others. She was thinking of others this entire time. That was why she’d asked Cora here, because she needed Cora to help her fix her image- so she could save all of Auradon and her citizens. Mal was thinking not only of others, but of the very severe consequences that could happen if she didn’t. But she supposed Cora didn’t entirely know that, thanks to the Security Council.
And as the Queen of Hearts demurred, sweeping out of the room, “No, Mal. I think we both need to cool off before this conversation continues further. But I will say this: if you want to rehab your image, start thinking about other people besides yourself,” Mal supposed she couldn’t entirely blame her.
