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

Ch. 10 - Fondness! Or not?

"So you broke up with Audrey, son?"

The King of Auradon had an awfully solemn expression on his face, and Ben placed his bag down on the chair, before he bowed his head, "Father..." "Actually, it was Audrey who broke up with him." Belle helped her son a little, glancing over her book, "Snow told me Leah was lecturing her for being hot-headed when Audrey returned to her family estate in Auroria." "Audrey initiated it?" Beast snorted into his sugared cookie in disbelief, and Belle quickly gestured for Mrs Potts to remove the sugary goods from the King, "That girl has been clinging to Ben like cling wrap ever since middle school!"

"Manners, dear." Belle reproached, before she cleared her throat softly, "Though it did come as a surprise. You two have been together for so long, Benjamin...surely you tried to hold her back?" "Err..." Ben chuckled awkwardly, "After her slap, I thought it was best if I let her calm down...alone?" "Our boy indeed." Beast laughed, before he trained his kingly eyes unto his son, "Ben...you should have chased after her." "If he intended to hold her back." Belle added quietly, and Ben felt his heart skip a beat as he matched his gaze with his mother's.

"Nonsense. So you're saying he didn't want to hold her back?" Beast burst into hearty laughter, but Ben remained silent. By then, Belle had already placed a bookmark into her book, and his mother came to his side, "Ben..." "Mom..." The Prince of Auradon wasn't sure what to say; it wasn't because he wasn't confident, but it was because he couldn't trust that his tongue would not be faster than the gears in his head, "I...I don't know."

"But you do, my boy." Belle reached out to caress her son's cheek. It was amazing, really, that he had grown into such a lovely and matured lad, "Nothing in this world other than your heart knows the answer. And your heart...it beats to a life where, perhaps, Audrey is not so significant to you. And it's alright. You just have to admit it." My heart? Ben mused, his head still bowed, But...But I don't understand...I don't understand what exactly it wants.

"It's who you see, Ben, when you close your eyes, and when you imagine the person who you want to be there."

His eyes shut at once, like a boy eager to receive his gift, and even as Belle stepped away, Ben was greeted with a sight, indeed.

Small, cherry lips, against a pale complexion.

Wavy hair that held the richest colour he had ever seen.

And striking eyes that shone brighter than the Northern star.

"I see..."

"Her."

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"Mal! Wait up!"

The books in her hand wobbled as she came to an abrupt pause, and her purple locks whipped into Evie's unsuspecting face, leaving quite a sight for Ben as he neared the two girls: Evie, her mouth full of unfortunate purple hair, and Mal, with her books that wobbled more than a pudding in an earthquake.

"Oops."

Ben wondered why she had said that, but the answer came in an instant. A pink tornado whooshed by him, and Mal seemed to enjoy the scene as Audrey purposely slammed into herself, the books in her arm flying out onto Ben. "Oh!" Mal didn't seem very apologetic as the books rained down on Ben, and the poor prince looked to Audrey, aghast, "Audrey! Whatever was that for?" "You've stubbed my toe, Mal!" Audrey exclaimed before Ben could have finished his sentence, and Mal shrugged her shoulders, "I'll pick them up then, no biggie."

"That will not fix what you did to my toe!" Audrey snapped, even as Ben bent to help, and Mal lifted her head in annoyance, "Then what do you want?" "Take my shoes off for me, and give me yours." Audrey spoke smugly, earning an outburst from Evie, "And what shoes shall she then wear!?" "None. She can walk barefooted." Audrey smiled, and just as Ben was about to speak, Mal rolled her eyes, "I'm not your servant, Audrey. And even if I was, I am not walking barefooted."