Chapter Text

In Audrey’s room

The scent of roses and lilies fills the room as Alma showers her with a special perfume made by her mother. The quiet musings of her entourage mix with the television as they mill about offering makeup or jewelry. Brushing her newly styled pastel-colored hair, wearing her fresh off Edna Modes runway look. Studying herself in the vanity mirror, she can’t help but giggle as her mind wanders to the stories her dad would tell of heroes readying themselves for battle.  

“The school year is looking to be one filled with surprises for Auradon royals!” Giggles Helen of Troy as she tosses her auburn locks over her shoulder from the television. “With the opening of the barrier being the topic on everyone’s lips!” 

What a battle it would be.

“Don’t forget, Helen, they’re also talking about the switcheroo that took place soon after the cotillion.” 

The silence that falls over the room is nearly suffocating. A topic that she had avoided for the past week was here at full force. Looking through the mirror she sees Lucy's eyes glued to the screen as she wrings a scarf. “Hey, Lucy, do you think I should tie my hair up?” She calls hoping to distract. 

“Uh,” Lucy looks back towards her eyes wide as she anxiously looks between the screen and Audrey. “It couldn’t hurt to-uh to try something n-new.” She offers something with a weak smile. 

“What do you think, Astrid?” Audrey asks, pulling her hair into a ponytail catching the eyes of the aloof Astrid. Seated in the window trying and failing to seem unbothered. 

“...You look like a farmhand.” She offers with a smirk as she walks towards her taking her brush and combing her hair back into place. 

“Trying something new-”

“She’s a Princess, Lucy, not a Commoner.”

As the pair falls into their familiar pattern of bickering she looks to her best friend. 

Alma can’t stop shaking as she shuffles mindlessly through a jewelry box, eyes unseeing. 

If she hadn’t failed in keeping Ben at her side none of this would have happened.   

Or if she was here instead of running away she could have stopped Ben from being wrapped up by their nonsense. If she hadn’t failed…

Silently, she puts her hand on Alma’s with a small smile. “You need a second?”

With a shaky smile, she shakes her head, “Just need one more piece to add that final touch.”

As suddenly as it came over them it passed, the tension in the room fades as they enter with ease into Audrey’s orbit. This was what she was made for; to protect and to offer a place of rest for her people. That’s why she was chosen.

“Of course,” Helen smirks before looking into the camera with a glint in her eyes. “but that pales in comparison to the news that King Ben has been spotted at Bits and Bobbles shopping for what one source says was an emerald engagement ring.” 

Ice fills her lungs as she swiftly turns to see images of Ben entering a store and leaving with an obvious bag and a wide smile. Her world begins to spin. As more images of Ben and her flash across the screen in what must be slow motion. Wide smiles and warm eyes like they actually enjoyed each other.

 Why didn’t he have given her some warning?! Say something! Anything! Did their relationship mean nothing!?

Suddenly the screen goes black taking them with it. 

“...Audrey everyone’s super excited to have you back!” Lucy quietly offers, coming to sit on an ottoman by her feet. 

“Yes, Jen can’t wait till you see how well Cheer practices have gone.” 

“Who cares what those talking heads have to say anyway?” 

The ache in her chest begins to lift as she nods along with them. Looking up she pulls her shoulders back, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She was their Queen; she couldn’t let moments like this sway her!

“Of course, who would want a Villain as your queen!?” 

As though she had cursed Queen Belle with eternal sleep; the silence that followed was so deafening. 

Looking at Alma who was avoiding her eyes as she twirls a ribbon, “Well, I mean- when we were trapped,” She whispers looking down at her fingers. “on the Isle. Mal and the others… They really helped us.”

“There’s no way we would have survived without them.” Astrid offers offhandedly from behind. Her heartbeats attempt to burst out of her chest as her friends look away and sing the praises of the witch who stole her Boyfriend and CROWN!

“Are you honestly,” Rising from her seat she pauses till they look her way. “telling me that you’d rather have a vile villain as your queen!”

Silence falls for much too long as she fights the wave of anxiety that begins to climb up. 

“Well…”

As though she had been crushed by a carriage she begins gasping for breath.

“Oh no, Audrey-” Alma croons, her voice sickly sweet pulling her into a hug, dripping with pity. “Astrid didn’t mean it like that!”

“It's King Ben’s choice at the end of the day!” 

“Out!” She gasps out fighting tears as she pushes Alma away. “Just get out!”

“Audrey…” Alma whispers tears in her eyes and that annoying pity!

“Now!” 

As they gather their bags silently meeting each other's eyes before Alma offers, “We’ll wait by the entranceway for you.”

She was only gone for one semester! Is that all it took for her to ursper her position as head of Auradon? One semester! Was that all she was worth to these people! She knew the rules. The hierarchy of the school was a delicate thing anyone can fall out of favor but even so…she had hoped. 

A quiet knock comes from her room door making her jump.

“One moment!” Quickly dabbing at her eyes and blowing her nose before calling, “Come in.”

Silently the door opens to reveal her Grandmother with her maid. Oh no. 

Taking a seat on the loveseat she hands her coat and hat to her maid.

“Darling, Granddaughter…” Her eyes scan over Audrey piercing what little walls she had left.  “What did you do to your hair?”

Pushing her shoulders back and tossing her hair over her shoulder, “Good morning, Grandmother. I was just getting ready for the days activities-“

“Of course,” Tense silence falls as Audrey avoids her eyes. “What exactly have you planned to fix this mess?”

“...Since I took that break…” She begins trying to meet her steely eyes. “I was hoping to talk to him before his speech and after I hoped that seeing each other at events in the coming week could-“

“Do you honestly think that will work?” She scoffs, rubbing her temple. 

“I know Ben,” She pleads her palms, sweating as she goes on. “and he wants what’s best for-“

“What if he says she’s,” Her animosity makes her blood freeze in her veins. “What’s best for Auradon, for the Kingdoms! What then?”

She hadn’t thought that far, her heart was in her throat and her eyes burning as she twisted her fingers trying to clear her thoughts. Everything was falling apart, her friends were more than satisfied with leaving her behind. All those years of planning gone, staring at the floor she fights the tears.

Hearing her grandmother’s exasperated sigh makes her freeze. Her heart seems to match the steady thump of her cane as she draws closer. Suddenly her cold hand lays on her shoulder, “I hope your plan works. I would hate to see you fail...again.” 

Her mouth goes dry as she tries to swallow her shame.“Of course-” The slam of the door cuts her off. “Grandmother.”  

She couldn’t fail.

Eventually. After gathering herself enough, she heads towards Ben's office catching him on his way out looking so charming in his full regalia hair swept to the side, and eyes shining bright. As handsome as the day he broke her heart. 

“Ben! I’m so happy I caught you!”

“Audrey! Wow, you look great!” He laughs pulling her in for a hug that makes her heart skip a beat.

Looking up into his sea-green eyes she can feel herself falling into the familiar pattern of being in his arms. Before he clears his throat avoiding her eyes as he pulls away motioning to his office. Ever the gentleman. 

“Love the new look.” He chuckles, motioning to her hair, as he sits on the arm of the couch.  

“Thanks,” Sitting beside him leaning close in an attempt to meet his eyes again. “Wanted to try something new.” 

“Oh,” He nods, looking over his shoulder before rubbing his neck. “Yeah. With the growing numbers of Isle kids, I’m seeing a lot more colorful hairstyles” 

Time seems to crawl at a snail's pace as she waits for him to say something, Disprove the rumors. Tell her that he and Mal were done. That he realized what a mistake it was to date a Villian. Anything to prove what they shared wasn’t nothing.

Silence.

A fire grows in her chest as she watches him awkwardly avoid her eyes.

“Are you really proposing to her? 

The tension in the room snaps as he whips around to meet her eyes. Mouth agape he gasps, “Audrey-

“I thought it was just a small fling.” Jumping up to her feet letting them take her around the room. “Just one last hurrah before we got pre-engaged and moved on then your crowning happened and...I needed space.”

“A whole semester…” He rises walking towards her.

“Fine, A lot of space.” Rushing forward she grabs his hands pulling him towards her. “Then cotillion, then you guys got switched and I just kept missing my chance to-“

“Audrey, we weren’t happy.” Oh, Oh No. “Our parents decided that an engagement between the two of us was the best and we just said fine.”

“How can you say we weren’t happy!?” 

“We weren’t. Not really!”

“You can’t tell me how I felt.”

“Every time we were together we talked about our future as rulers of all of Auradon.” He slowly pulls his hands away, giving her his back as he goes on. “Or what we had planned for Auradon or what we need in Auradon.” 

“We are Royals,” Her heart in her throat as she whispers to his back. “We need to keep our focus on our people. 

“Even when we’re alone on a date?!” He seethes turning back to her arms thrown wide. “We never saw each other as boyfriend and girlfriend; it was always our Future and the kingdom. Never Ben and Aubrey.”

Silence falls as his words fill every corner of the room, where was this coming from!? Why!?

“So what do we do now, just let five or no, six years of work go down the drain.” What about the alliance, what about their plans!? 

“...I know about Chad.” As if lightning had struck she froze, Why now!? “I guess it's more I know about-”

“It was a child’s crush!” Her face blazes with heat as she takes his hands. “I was twelve years old!”

He looks down at her with an exasperated expression. “You’ve never looked at me like that! You’ve never laughed with me or talked with me like you do with him.”

The way he was looking at her Like she was some pitiful sad creature. The fact that he wasn’t even holding her hand just allowing her to cling to him. He was already gone. For how long she couldn’t tell but she had to know... 

In a whisper, she asks, “What does she have that I don’t?”

“Audrey-”

“Is it her hair!?” She asks, tossing hers over her shoulder, pulling on his hand as he tries to pull away. “Is it her messed up childhood!?” She can see the pity morph into something harder. Good.  “Her ability to turn a simple comment into a degrading attack! What is it, Ben!?”

After a beat he looks into her eyes, “She sees me. Not my crown or my Duty, she just sees me.” 

Oh. The fire in her chest gets doused with something akin to shame. As she drops her eyes to the floor. She can feel his eyes. That sticky feeling of pity being left in their wake, she knows it all too well following Ben’s coronation. How conversation would stop once she entered a room and quiet whispers would follow as she passed. How no matter who she talked to Royal or otherwise she was an object of pity.

“Your Highness,” Lumiera calls from the doorway.

It was happening again. She was going to lose everything to some rude evil Villain. Everything. Gone.

On reflex, she grabbed his hand finally looking up into his eyes. She saw that horrible sheen of pity but something was hidden just behind it...Guilt. With a watery smile, she walked past him and whispered, “See you soon, Benny bear.”

The way his eyes widened as he for the first time looked at her. She felt something click in place. Guilt. Was it because he hadn’t ever mentioned his concerns about their relationship? Or could it be because he hadn’t thought about the alliance? It didn’t really matter…

Guilt...She could work with that.

In some bedroom at some party

One week.

One cursed week.

One week of playing the part of the villainous leader; who secretly wants all this to fail because she’s just sooo evil and bored.

One week of backhanded compliments, and fielding in-depth questions about the security of the Isle. Learning all the overly contrived social rules of Auradon royals. Of hiding behind a loud and brash mask that they think you can’t hear their snide remarks.

‘ “I can’t believe she’s wearing that dress again!? And those shoes!?”

“Well, Her kingdom is falling apart and that’s why her father’s pushing for more money for the Countryside.”

“You can take the commoner out of the country but you can't take the country out the-.”

“Oh, Darling! We’re so happy that you're here! Come, Sit! Your outfit is so retro chic!”   

Watching Rei work was eye-opening, to say the least. The way she was able to breed the feeling of heartfelt fear and adoration in one breath was awe-inspiring. She does her part playing her cards close as she acts the part of the concerned upperclassmen who only wants the best for all. 

Pearl looking over her socials, a bubbling socialite, but clamming up around her. 

There’s more to it she can feel it. 

‘We know our conversation that night was weird but like it was just us venting! We want to make this as smooth as possible for all the new members of our Auradon family. ’

Wide smiles and empty eyes. Quiet whispers between the two when the clique is gossiping about nothing. 

The last night before the official beginning of the school year. Here she sits fresh off the dance floor, wearing very cute high slits in dark blue with waist detailed cutouts. One of the few perks is putting Gil to work making eye-catching outfits.  At the last party of the summer break; which is completely different than the last ten parties, she's been to because this one was invite-only. 

She just needs a small break, just a moment to take off the masks and be.

As she sits in a sparse room tucked into some corner of some fool's mansion, the muffled canned laughter and overly bright music seem to grow louder, her head beginnings to ache. The smell of dust and dank reminding her of her mother's storeroom when she would slip away for just a moment to breathe. 

Rolling her shoulders she can hear the door open from behind her. Taking a breath she pulls her shoulders back and downs her drink. 

“I wanted to take a moment and rest my feet.” Probably one of Rei’s goons ordered to keep an eye on her. “What couldn't last a minute without me?” She croons keeping her tone haughty. 

“I told you to wear the wedges!” Gil’s voice chides coming through the noise. “Stilettos are hellish on small ankles.” 

With a gasp, she turns to see Gil walking towards her. Her facade cracking like her voice as he pulls her in. “Gil…”

“I’m Iridessa’s plus one.” He whispers into her hair with a chuckle. “Me and Harry were worried about you. He...he thinks it's a lot of and I quote ‘Ripe Bollocks’.”

She knew. Every night for this past week he waits in her room with warm blankets and warm drinks. Silently begging her to rethink her plan as he complains about his day accent heavy as he pulls her close. “What about you?” 

“Me?” Gil sighed, pulling her into his lap as he took a seat on the bed. “I’m concerned. You’re  eating less and have like zero patience.” Laying her head on his chest she wonders when his voice became so calming. “But I know how important this is…” Sitting in his lap she can feel the tension from the past week begin to melt away. “Yeah, I’m worried. I don’t want you to put too much on yourself again. So this time I’ll make sure you won’t do this alone.”

Pushing her face further into his chest swallowing the scream building in her gut. She knew they were afraid of her cracking again, of her falling apart. She was too. She can still hear her mother's voice. Like jellyfish stingers wrapped around her brain sending jolts of anger and anxiety when she’s at her lowest. 

“I can’t just stop!” She growls. “I need to see this through.” Gil's arms pull her closer as he sighs. “It’s felt like this week has been nothing but a waste. I’ve only learned that Auradon social circles are just flooded with piranhas. And they’re really quick to eat their own.”

“Ah, The whole Audrey situation.”

Of course, Gil would be up on the school gossip. 

“Yes, the dethroned future queen, if we're not talking about how sad and desperate she looks. We’re talking about the Isle’s security.”

“Our Security?”

“Mmhmm, they want to know things like ' What would you guys do if there was a surprise attack or a sudden war?’ .”

 “Not very subtle…”

She can’t help the cackle that escapes her at Gil’s astute observation. 

“I think they're looking for what we used to lower the barrier in the first place. Rei wants to have a sparring match. No holds barred-As friends. Ugh.” While she rants she turns in Gil's lap to lay her back to his chest wrapping his arms around her waist. “I’m not that dumb! While Pearl and co. keep bringing up Ben and Mal like it should irritate me!? Which it does-I'm tired of seeing that little plastic princess!”

“And we can’t just tell them about the balance?”

“Remember our ‘Goodness’ classes?” At his slow nod, she waits for him to process the memory.  

“The Balance is a fickle being of unlimited power to just tell a magic starved populace of this well of power...it could lead to unforeseen dangers.” 

“You mean, like the children of those trapped behind a magical barrier uprooting you from your way of life and taking your place. And then planning to wreak havoc across the many lands in a twisted form of reparation. 

“...Yes.”  

“So what are they after?” Gil wonders as he rubs his cheek against her hair. 

While Harry was a good cuddler Gil was on another level. Just enough squeezes and just enough space. “Hades only knows…”

“Do you think they want to use you to make Ben and Mal break up?”

“Wha-”

“Like, the way they ignore Aubrey unless Ben or Mal are nearby. That has to suck.” 

That was true. She can still hear Rei chiding one of her groupies to give Aubrey space, ‘Imagine if you lost your fiance to a-Ugh, Villain. No offense, Uma.' 

“I remember Dr.Feelgood  said when facing a new event, positive or negative, you should reach out for your support.”

“Right,” Uma can’t help the shocked tone that escapes her as she twines their fingers together. “ Okay.”

“So they’re taking away Aubrey’s support, making her feel really bad. Like, imagine if I had come over here by myself I’d be so lonely and so uh, what's the word-”

It hits her like a sword to the temple. It was right there in front of her the whole time. “Vulnerable. They want her to snap.”  

“Well, I think I was looking for more like super sad but yeah if they’re looking for a villain maybe they’re gonna make one.”

Make one!? Was that their plan? They hadn’t made any leeway with her. They kept her at such a distance it made sense they were after someone more easily controlled.

“We need to go,” Uma whispers, jumping up. Grabbing her shoes, tossing them over her shoulder. 

“Uh, Why?” Gil asks, following behind her swiftly as they move through the crowded hall.

“I need to check something.”

 The music seemed to be lowered to a hush as they approached the main hall of the party. The scent of overly sweet punch combined with the floral perfumes brings her headache back with a roar. Finally, she sees them like a pack of piranhas flitting on the water edge eagerly waiting for the first drop of blood. 

“Do you think that we should say something?” A quiet voice whispers from behind her. 

“Rei said that showing her pity won’t help and...She's kinda obsessed.” 

Rei...It seemed was working hard. At first glance you may think Jane was the head of the  stands at the head of the group but if you have an eye for it you’d see just behind her was the puppet master.

Scanning the group she's moving through the crowds no doubt offering advice on how to “help” Audrey. 

“Go find Iridessa and tell her to come to my room when she leaves.” 

“Oh okay...You okay?”

“Yeah,” Planting a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, Gilly.”  

Smiling at his blank face turning a bright shade of red as he runs to find Iridessa. She turns to meet Rei’s questioning gaze. Time to get some answers.

“Rei, We need to talk.”

“I know manners are still new to you Uma but... I can’t just drop everything because you-”

“If you want to talk about your little plan,” Uma offers, making sure to be loud enough to be heard by those across the room. “Out in the open.” Behind her eyes, Uma can see the seething angry growing. She can’t help the smile that splits her face. “I’m game.”

“Fine.” 

“Rei-” Pearl whispers, pulling on her hand.

“It's fine. I’ll be back.” 

Stepping aside, Uma lets her lead the way to one of the many open balconies. Passing her Uma takes in the glittering lights of Auradon golden hills. The leaves in the distance are just beginning to change. The night air is crisp and chilling carrying the scent of apple cider and spices to her nose. 

“So,” Rei sighs. “what is it?”

“I was just wondering why a smart girl like you is so eager to make villains show their ‘true colors'.”

“I already told you, silly!” She giggles into her virgin bloody mary the sound raking across her brain. “That was a misunder-”

“And why go through the trouble of creating a Villain when you have one before you?” 

She pauses mid-sip swiftly cutting her eyes towards Uma, her mask slipping an inch, eyes dancing with curiosity and that all too familiar hunger. Leaning against the railing Uma watches Rei pull the doors close behind her.

A quiet whisper leaves her, “What do you know?”

Truth or Bluff. She was tugging on the line. The question is how much of a fight will she put up. Meeting her eyes, the hunger reflected back is blatant. She wasn’t looking for a fight, she was looking for a partner.  

Both.

“Enough. You aren’t exactly quiet with it. Audrey looks ready to snap any day now. I only have two questions. One, why waste time with a huge maybe? Two, can I watch?”

Silence falls for a whole minute as her words take root.

“A maybe!?” She cackles, wrapping her arms around her sides. “Oh please! She is a sure thing.” She lifts her head, her green eyes catching the moonlight in a way that screams madness. “Have you ever seen a more pathetic person!? And to think she was going to be our queen!? Her!? Someone who can’t even withstand a single blow to her social status.” 

Watching her rant and transform into this bitter creature felt satisfying and unsettling at the same time.

“They were all more than willing to sit back and be fat cats basking in the adoration of the blind common folks. Completely blind to our true path!” She growls through her teeth stepping to Uma’s side. “Till you.”

“Oh?”

“You made them see that their precious barrier could only do so much. They thought if they trapped all their fears and monsters-“ Her body only betrays her in small ways. A twitch here as she pushes her hands through her auburn, almost blood red, spiked hair.  A tremble there as she dusts her floor-length dark purple gown. “And-and evil on the Isle they be safe! And you showed them they can’t. ” If not for those minute movements. You’d think she wasn’t a step away from pure madness. 

She was right. But why did it feel like an insult?

“But they still want to hide their heads in the sand. They don’t want to step up and become true heroes...When I heard they were going to lower the barrier and bring over any willing citizens. I saw an opportunity...”    

“For true heroes.”

“Yes!” She whispers a wide maniacal smile grows across her face. “ You can’t have Heroes without Villains! Charity work and upkeep of your kingdoms don’t create heroes. Defeating a villain! Saving a town or village! That is when you become a hero.”

“And Audrey?”

“They’re weary of her. She’s old news, Mal has our little King wrapped around her finger.” Scoffing, she goes on. “Those fat cats can’t see their obvious failings. They’re latching on to the next shiny thing and ignoring the growing rot underneath them.”

“ Rot…” Rot was something she understood well. If she spotted a rotten board in her mother's shop that meant the whole wall needed to go.  Rot meant it was deep, a weakness that's been there for a while. Hidden away and grown larger than what you see. What exactly was brewing in Auradon?

Cutting her eyes with a small smile she licks her lips. “There are more of us who are tired of this boring facade. Who wants more! Aubrey is the first of many stones we need to build a bridge to our marvelous future.” 

Welp. This is looking more and more like this wasn’t an Isle problem. One of the many bright sides of the Isle a seedy Underbelly doesn’t exist because everyone showed their worst at all times. But Auradon, it seemed, had no idea how rotten their hull was.

“So...you want to do what, exactly?” 

“I know how to destroy a villain.” She says with a wink before turning towards Uma. “I know the basics of creating one, Surprisingly easy,  but I don’t know how to control one.”

“You want me to play babysitter?” Uma stares quizzically at her. 

“More along the lines of helping her understand.”  

“With your abundant knowledge,” She explains, rolling her eyes, She pauses at the sudden quiet from the hall. “I’m sure you know how hard it is to make a villain do what you like if they aren’t interested-”

“No worries, we have a backup when she goes off-script.”

Silence falls as she stares in wait, but Rei only smiles as she sips. 

“Once everything falls into place,” A sudden cry tears through the night.  “I’ll tell you more but first...we need our villain.” Nodding to Audrey’s form running in obvious distress towards her car.

As they reenter the party Pearl runs over trying to and failing to secretly tell Rei what happened. But it wouldn’t take some genius to put the pieces together. Ben was talking to the host, while Mal was looking remorseful as she twisted Ben’s Ring...They probably love bombed her once Mal came in, she took one look at the ring and their color-coordinated outfits and snapped.  

Watching Rei’s goons comforting Mal with empty words and platitudes make the small joy of final learning something turn to sand in her gut.

“We’re close.” Rei sings songs while giggling.

Catching Iridessa’s concerned eyes from across the room she gives her a small nod. Turning back to Rei she pauses, grabbing a flute of some bubbly drink from a passing butler. Her hungry was on full display as she watched Mal. This wasn’t an Isle problem, at all. If their little plastic princess couldn’t protect her people, that's on her. Her Job was making sure this little fungus problem keeps their little hands off the Isle.

“Hurray.”