"...Mother?" (A Descendants × Hadeficent story)

Ch. 7 - Milk powder and farewells

"Hades, have we finished the formula?"

"Hades?"

"Darling? Have you gone to— oh."

It was a rather adorable sight: Hades, asleep over little Mal's cot, his daughter strapped to his chest with a baby carrier, a courtesy of the baby hamper Aurora had sent over in secret. It had to be sent in secret, through bribery, because ever since the 14th of May that same year, when Belle and Beast's firstborn — a son — had been delivered, Auradon's security had suddenly been tightened, and they had been forbidden any contact; it was almost as though Beast was worried that their son would be cursed by the Isle's villains, despite their lack of magic.

"Never mind. I'll just get it myself." Maleficent chuckled softly, heading closer to baby Mal as she gently placed her crimson lips against her daughter's forehead, "Little punkin beastie."

Why 'Punkin', you might ask?

Well, it had been given by Aurora, who was none other than 'Beastie' number 1. She had suggested it to differentiate herself from Mal, and 'pun' was because many thought Mal stood for Maleficent, but only the trio (Maleficent, Hades, Aurora) knew that it stood for Malinda, and Aurora thought that it was quite the pun. And of course, 'kin', since they were all family.

"Maleficent!" People paused to stare as she walked down a lane, their eyes landing on her horns, wrapped in black leather to fit the Isle's leathery trend. "Awful day, isn't it?" A random villain (Did I mention? Severe criminals all around Auradon were sent to the Isle should they deem too malicious to stay in the land of goody-two-shoes. Really.) grunted, not realising that it was the leader of the Isle who strolled by her in a cloak, and Maleficent only spared her a pitiful glance, before she continued in her stride towards the dealer that always sold her and Hades the milk powder tins for Mal's formula milk, since none of the Moors' milk pod flowers could be supplied without being discovered by someone.

"Danyca?" Maleficent dropped her voice a pitch, trying to locate the dealer. She might be the leader of the Isle, but that didn't mean that all the rats in the sewer listened to her. "Who're you looking for?" A homeless (means that they weren't significant enough to be respected or feared, which exchanged for power on the Isle, which got you your food, your necessities, your house, etcetera.) muttered angrily, having been disturbed by her, and Maleficent turned to sneer at him rather rudely, something she had mastered to intimidate the citizens of the Isle, "None of your business, you insignificant idiot."

"But it is, your Evilness. I can lead you to him at a price." The homeless suddenly spoke with more respect, causing Maleficent to turn around suspiciously, "Name your price." "Food." He grunted, pointing at his stomach, then at his arms, "And clothes." "Take me to him first." Maleficent knew better than to be tricked out of precious supplies, and the homeless grunted again, perhaps in irritation that he had not succeeded in tricking her, "'Aight. This way."

"Why would Danyca be here?" Maleficent's suspicion grew as the homeless man led her closer towards the pirates' wharf, and the man did not answer. "Answer me!" Maleficent snarled, reaching to grab his collar, but never did her hand make it to touch his collar.

"Wait."

...

"Hades."

"Damn it, wake up, Hades! You insufferable god!"

A slap echoed in the room, startling Hades as he leapt off the sofa, waking little Mal as he did so, "W-What?"

"Danyca is dead. There's no more milk powder." Maleficent threw the coin pouch at her husband, "Did you not give him enough food to last a month? Why'd he die?"

"Dunno. Haven't been asked to judge his soul yet. But you..? You just slapped me. Mal, are you okay?" Hades frowned concernedly, trying to soothe his daughter while wondering what had gotten into his wife, but Maleficent's next move stunned him utterly. "Gimme that." Maleficent growled, snatching Mal over from Hades, and the Lord of the Underworld instantly felt his hackles raise in the back of his neck, "Mal, what's gotten into you? What happened?"

"I'm sick of you! You're completely useless; you can't even keep the milk powder dealer alive!" Maleficent snapped, clutching Mal tightly, and even as Hades watched her with narrowed eyes, his eyes locked onto her fingernails. They were slightly longer than he had remembered, and they most certainly had not been painted black when he just saw her the previous night. And she most definitely would never have dug them into baby Mal like she was doing so then.

"Where's Maleficent? You're not her." Hades clenched his fists in fury, his flames dancing higher than they had ever done before on the Isle, and Maleficent snorted, "I am her. Maybe you just never saw the real me, Hades. But I'm tired. You, the Lord of the Underworld, a freaking GOD, are absolutely useless. I have no purpose in keeping you anymore. Scram."

"I will, on the condition that you give me little Mali." Hades reached out steadily, his eyes fixated on his daughter, but Maleficent only snickered, "Maleficent Bertha Hades is my daughter. She might bear your name as her last, but from this day forth, she no longer has a father. Now scram, before I have my minions drag you out, and have you lose your final bit of dignity as a God."

"Not going to move, Lord Hades?" Maleficent arched her eyebrow haughtily, "Very well. My pets! Drag this Lord of the Underworld away, to a place underground out of my sight!"

And even as the whole horde of goblins rushed in, dragging a resistant Hades out, Maleficent turned her back in him, her voice sharp and cold:

"Never appear before me and my daughter ever again."

All he last saw of her, was that tall figure, someone that he was almost convinced that it wasn't her, if only he could have ran his hand down her back a final time...

And over Maleficent's shoulder, all Hades managed to glimpse of his daughter was those big green eyes of hers filled with tears, her pale face scrunched up in confusion and anguish as she whimpered softly, before it soon turned into a full-blown wail, at which Maleficent threw her daughter back into her cot in disgust ("You absolutely useless weakling!").

My Mali...

No...

And then he was dragged away, into a cave, given to him as a final courtesy of Maleficent. The lair was later known to be the forbidden cave, for the Lord of the Underworld lashed out all his wrath upon those who trespassed.

A/N: So we're done with Part 1, which has been about Hades/Maleficent, and now Part 2 will be about the Core Four in Auradon (Descendants 1 but only some parts follow the detail/plot of the movie). Do keep a lookout for the update of Part 2 - Chapter 1!