Tower of Thorns

Chapter 1

Mila's POV

"Mila, Mila, Mila," a group of reporters chanted. Multiple flashes went off and I had to blink to clear my vision. "Mila, please, over here! Only three days to the Royal Cotillion. Ever think a girl like you would be a Lady of the Court? How does it feel to be the most envied girl in Auradon? Is your mother still in Auradon or was she sent home?"

I looked over the camera flashes and made eye contact with Ben. He walked over to me and cleared his throat gaining the reporter's attention. "Okay, all right. Excuse me," Ben said as they cleared him a path. "Uh, we will let you know if and when that particular situation changes. As for the moment, Mother Gothel is still in Auradon and is proving to be a model citizen." Ben wrapped his arm around my waist and I leaned in closer to him.

"Did you ever think you'd be with a villain, kid?" A reporter asked.

Ben gave her a sarcastic chuckle while leaning closer to the mic. "We're done here," he said.

The reporters started talking over each other, trying to get their questions asked. Thankfully Fairy Godmother came over to us and started shooing the reporters away. Ben and Fairy Godmother thanked them as they left but I did not. I just rested my head on Ben's shoulder and wished that they didn't exist.

"Don't pay any attention to them," Ben said, rubbing a hand up and down my arm.

"It's not just them," I whispered, looking over Ben's shoulder at the forest path that led to the cliff.

"Do you still hear the voice?"

"Sometimes. Usually at night. I know that it's my brother. I just don't know why he's calling me. My Mom doesn't have any answers for me and it's frustrating knowing that I'm so close."

"Maybe we should do something. Go somewhere to get away."

"I'd like that."

Ben looked at his watch and his 'oh crap' look appeared. "I have a council meeting. I'm so late."

"That's okay. You're running a country. I get it."

"We'll do it sometime." Ben leaned down to give me a kiss on my cheek but a strong grip pulled me away.

I turned towards the force to find Evie. "If we don't do a fitting for your gown right this minute, you'll be dancing in your bathrobe, okay?" Evie said. She offered to make dresses for Cotillion, for a fee of course. I would help her sketch some ideas and in exchange, she would make my gown. She looked to Ben and said, "hi." Then she looked back to me and said, "let's go. Let's go."

I waved by as she dragged me back to her dorm room. Mal was sitting on her bed looking over her spellbook. Evie made me change into a yellow and blue, strapless, ballgown. I walked out from behind the dressing curtain and Evie led me over to a stand. I walked up the step as she zipped me up. I let out a gasp as the breath was sucked from me.

"Evie, I cannot breathe," I wheezed out.

"Well, you can breathe after Cotillion," She said as she helped me off the step and over to a full-length mirror.

I stared at my reflection. She came over and placed a tiara on my head and I smiled in thanks. "You look amazing," she gushed. I gave a small sigh before turning away from the mirror and looked out their window. "What's wrong?"

"Something is calling me to the Isle and Eve and Ben and even my Mom are telling me to ignore it. But I hear his voice. He sounds... so sad," I answered, my eyes never leaving the forest.

"Do you know who it is?" Mal asked.

I turned around to look at them. "Mom says that he's my brother."

"Mother Gothel never had a son... Granted we never knew she had a daughter," Mal muttered turning back to her spellbook.

I nodded my head and took off the tiara. "Evie, can you unzip me? I forgot that Eve and Kristy wanted to meet up and go over Cotillion things with Jane."

She unzipped my dress and I ducked behind the dressing curtain to change. I quickly put my burgundy dress back on. I slipped my gold heels on my feet and grabbed my bag. I walked out of the room and quickly found Eve and Kristy. They were walking next to Jane who was talking a mile a minute.

The four of us walked through the halls. Classes were canceled for the week to give everyone time to help prepare for Cotillion. Evie walked up to us and told us that she had an opening for a fitting and asked who wanted it. Lonnie was walking with Evie and Mal and she snatched the appointment. Evie and Lonnie walked off to discuss her dress. I knew I would be consulted once Evie got an idea down.

"I hate to keep bugging you," Jane said, drawing me back to the conversation, "but the Decorating Committee needs more answers."

"Fire away," I said.

She showed me her tablet, started talking, and flipped through pictures of everything. "Chair swags, entry banner, twinkle lights, napkin design, table bunting, and you still haven't picked the party favors yet."

"Honestly, Jane, whatever-"

"I mean we can do chains, key charms, pen toppers. I kind of love the pen toppers but, I mean, we can do all three."

I placed a hand on her shoulder as a wave of fatigue hit me.

"Mila?" Eve asked, rushing to my side.

"I'm fine," I said, shaking my hand. "Let's do the pen toppers."

"You won't regret it," Jane said, marking something on her tablet.

"I can hardly wait to see what your wedding will look like," Lonnie said as she and Evie came back to our group.

"Me, too," I said absentmindedly. "Wait, what?"

"The Royal Cotillion is like getting engaged to be engaged to be engaged," Kristy answered.

"I knew it!" Evie exclaimed.

"Everyone knows it," Lonnie said.

"I didn't know it. How come Ben didn't tell me that? I'm sorry, I gotta go." I brushed past the girls and ran into the forest. I kept running until I found the cliff. Lately, it's been the only spot that I could breathe.

Third Person POV

As Mila catches her breath cliffside a boy in a tattered red jacket and a pirate hat walks the Isle. He pushed a man over and others run in fear of him. A boy in all black sits on top of his home and watches the boy in red. The boy on the roof smirks before shimmering to the ground.

The boy in red walks over to Ursula's Fish and Chips. He takes some fish from a woman in front of the shop and she does nothing to stop him. He placed his sword in a barrel at the door and walked over to the counter. A waitress took the fish and the boy turned on the TV. The TV was broadcasting the news report of Mila standing in front of Auradon Prep. A girl in sea green brought a tray to the boy before grabbing a piece of food and threw it at the TV.

A group of pirates followed her lead even if they had no idea why they were wasting food. Harry, the boy in red, Uma, the girl in green, and Gil, a boy in brown ranted about Mal. They were angry at being left out, angry at Mal for leaving them behind. They were even angry at a girl they never knew because they were stuck on the Isle with no way out. Ben had yet to make any proclamation saying who would be next to live in Auradon.