For The Crown
PART ONE, PART TWO, PART THREE
~★~❤︎~✦~
“It’s in her nature."
Recently you’ve been thinking of your father. There’s not much you know about him, your mother rarely talked about the man and when she did it was to curse him. One night your mother came stumbling into your room the smell of wine on her breath as she fell onto your bed, shaking you awake. She wraps an arm around you pulling you close. “Do you want to hear a story?” Your sleepiness fades at the question and you quickly nod your head. “Once upon a time there was a woman who fell in love with a man, and even though he was married the man assured her that he loved only her. Even when he would kiss her goodbye to be with his wife she blindly loved and believed him. So when she found out she was pregnant she was sure the man would be as happy as she was.”
She squeezed you a little tighter, her thin fingers bruising your arms, you silently wince. But you don’t move still engrossed in the story. “She had made the man his favorite meal and the moment she told him he pushed a wad of cash in her hand and told her to deal with it.” Her wine soaked words became venomous towards the end. She lets out a heavy side her head falling atop yours, her curls falling in front of your face. “The foolish woman thought once he saw the baby he would change his mind, though he refused to even meet the baby” she sits up stumbling towards the door, pausing turning back to you. “Maybe if you were a boy” with that she leaves you.
You did your best to forget that night but it always managed to creep its way back into your mind. Now though as you lay on Ben’s chest you have questions. Did she feel this? Is that the reason she taught you love isn’t something to be felt but manipulated, all because your father broke her heart? The hand on Bens chest tighten around his shirt. Perhaps in her own misguided way she was trying to protect you from the pain she felt all those years ago?
For the first time in years you had hope for you and your mother’s relationship, and hope the deceiving bitch that she is pulls the floor from out from underneath you just as you found your footing.
The moment the fairy godmother walked up to the fives of you with that patronising smile on her face, a feeling of dread settled over you. “Follow me, the school has a surprise for you five.” She leads the five of you towards an empty classroom, a large veiled item at the front. You all watch as the fairy godmother makes her way to the front of the classroom. Pulling the white cloth away revealing a glass circle. Mal opens her mouth about to question what it was when Maleficents voice echoed into the room. You all stiffen as your parents faces appear on the glass, all bunched together.
“Is it working yet?” Maleficent question moving closer.
The evil queen is to her right squinting, “What are you wearing?” She questions nose scrunched as she looks Evie over.
“Mom” Evie groans back and the fairy godmother takes that as her queue to leave. As she slips out the classroom door Maleficent takes over the conversation.
“What have you been doing Mal?” Even through the glass barrier Maleficent's stare still gives you a chill. Mal doesn’t seem affected, taking a step closer to the glass.
“I’ve been studying your spell book” Maleficent nods pride on her face as green wisps surround Mals fingers.
“And what about you my doll?” Your mother questions. You clasp your hands in front of you, a practiced smile on your face.
“It’s been well mother, I’ve been keeping up with my studies”
“And do you have a boyfriend?” she prys, You wring your hands together biting your tongue as you look at your mother. Of course she only cares about that.
“Yes mother, me and Ben have been dating for a few months now” she finally smiles, red lips curling as she looks back at the other villians.
“I had no doubts, you always listened well.” She takes a step back not even bothering to give you another glance. Jafar takes over the conversation from there. You take a step back eyes casted to floor, your sick of this. Sick of making excuses for her when she won't even met you halfway. All she sees you as is her puppet only useful when you do what she wants.
Well your done with that.
You turn around slipping out of the room, ignoring the fairy godmother as she called after you. You need to be alone, away from all the noise. Slipping through the halls, desperate to reach your dorm.
Of course this day isn’t done punishing you.
Your crossing the courtyard, when Audrey steps directly into your path, her little entourage flanking her like decorative guard dogs.
“What’s the matter? Ben finally sick of slumming it with isle trash?” she smirks crossing her arms as she smirks.
You grit your teeth. Normally her comments slide right off you, but today after everything you’re already on edge. If she wants to see isle trash, fine you’ll give it to her.
Your fist connects with her face before she can even make another comment. Blood blooming under her nose, smearing on your knuckles. The satisfaction is instant. Her two cronies gasping as they surround her fussing over her as though she was dying. You roll your eyes at the dramatics.
“How dare you hit me!” Audrey screeches, slapping you across the cheek. You pause, a humorless laugh leaving you. She's dead.
You grab Audrey’s perfect pink hair, yanking her down to the grass. Her friends keep screaming but don’t move to help. You pull your arm back, ready to hit her again, when someone yanks you away.
You whip around, still in fight mode, but the moment you see Ben’s face, the fire fades. “What is going on here?” His voice is firm, sharper than you’ve ever heard it.
Audrey speaks first, tears streaming dramatically. “She attacked me out of nowhere!”
Ben looks at you, his hand still wrapped around your arm. Audrey sniffles. “It’s in her nature.” And just like that, the fire roars back to life. You move to hit her again but Bens grip tightens on your arm.
“Cindy, Tia take Audrey to the nurse.” They scramble to obey, hauling Audrey away. As soon as they’re out of sight, Ben drops your arm.
“What the hell happened?”
“Audrey was running her mouth.” You cross your arms, defensive and furious.
“So you punch her?!” He’s defending her, of course he is. Audrey’s words echo in your skull isle trash. That’s what people see when they look at you. A role already written. To Audrey, you’re trash. To your mother, you’re a pawn. And Ben… you thought he was different. But maybe he only loves you because you’re the good villain kid he can parade around. Proof he’s merciful. Proof you’re tame.
“Your right,” you spit, voice tight. “Guess it’s just in my nature to be violent.” His face falls, those soft puppy eyes dimming.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know that.” You roll your eyes. The armor he worked so hard to break through snaps back into place.
“Why don’t you go comfort Audrey?” you grit out turning to leave, sick of this conversation but Bens not letting you go that easy. He yanks you back pulling you tightly into his chest. He growls as you try to pull away.
“Let me go!”
“Is this about your mother?” You freeze. He knows he’s right. He heard about the call. He’d been worried, but clearly she said something worse than he imagined. “What did she say?” he questions gently.
A tear slips down your cheek. "Nothing. I'm just sick of everyone telling me who I am" He pulls you closer.
"My mother only cares about me when I'm doing what she wants."
"What does she want you to do?" he questions
You sigh tighting your grip on him enjoying the last moments you have with him before you implode everything with your next sentence. "She wants me to marry you"
He actually laughs, stunned. “What?”
You take a step back from him so you can look into his eyes. “The moment we received the letter to come here my mother had it planned that I would seduce you for the crown” you exhale, finally letting out all stress holding that secret in caused you. You watch Ben closely bracing for his anger.
Instead he gently reaches out to you, taking a step toward you as he tilts your chin up. "I know."
"What?" you question, confused by his words. He smiles leaning in a bit closer.
"I'm not an idiot I knew you were up to something, you just looked so cute when you were scheming so I let you." he places a sweet kiss to your lips. "I just want you, the real you." you kiss him, your mother may push her goals on you but there is one thing you can both agree on, your going to marry this man.
