Half and Half

Chapter Sixteen

A few days passed since Beast had left for the Isle. The castle tried to act as though things were running as normal even though it was clear to anyone that they weren't. After all, if things were 'normal', the Crown Prince would have been running around after his friends with a smile on his face or had his nose buried in a book.

Not staring out the window of his bedroom as if he were the spouse of a sailor eagerly awaiting their partner's safe return.

"Benji? You wanna go reorganize the library?" Chip offered.

"No thanks," Ben said softly.

Chip sighed. The thought of reorganizing the library normally could tempt Ben more than anything as Belle's private library was organized by category, not by the Dewy Decimal System that the public libraries in Auradon had. Meaning it was possible to find oneself surrounded by piles of books, something that was, without a doubt, Ben's favorite thing in the world.

"Ben, you know...I'm sure Audrey and Chad are just having a busy day that's all. Trust me bud, I'm sure the 'ABC' gang will be running around these castle grounds in no time," he said, using the name Ben had given their little trio after he learned to read and realized Audrey's, Chad's, and his names all started with an 'A', 'B', and 'C'.

Truthfully, Chip had no belief in that considering he might have swiped a letter from Audrey saying in no uncertain terms that she and Ben were friends anymore considering he was now 'tainted' by the Isle. Normally he would never dream of opening his brother's mail but Ben had enough drama going on.

Gods Leah, you know I don't really care for Audrey but she's a young kid. You're supposed to be teaching her to be better than you, not a mini you, Chip thought. Hopefully, Aurora makes it so you're not around Audrey or Phillip Jr. much so you don't get a chance to completely ruin those kids. Ben needs his friends now more than ever and for some reason, he considers Audrey a friend.

"Um...just to let you know there're two idiots coming your way," they heard Mal call from the hallway, her voice slightly muffled because of the closed door.

Ben hadn't wanted his mom to see him upset so he tried to keep his door closed as much as possible. Of course, he didn't realize that every time Belle saw the closed door, her heart broke slightly as normally Ben's door would be open as wide as his smile.

"Idiots?" Chip asked as he went to go open the door. A good thing he did too because the next thing he knew, a purple and gold carpet holding two five year old boys came barreling through the doorway.

"Ben!"

"Emir? Akiho?" Ben asked, looking surprised to see his two friends as they rolled off the carpet. Or at least attempted to as Carpet clearly had been taught how to prevent hyperactive children from falling off of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Akiho's mama and papa were visiting my mama and papa and we heard about your papa," Emir said. "Aziz always says Auradon City is only a few hours away from our castle as the carpet flies so we borrowed Carpet when Olaf wasn't looking."

Chip shook his head. "I'm guessing by 'borrowed', you didn't tell your parents where you were going?"

"I mean...they always say we can go play with Ben! And Ben needs us!" Emir said before going to give Ben the biggest hug he could.

"Yeah Chip, we're not going to let a little thing like permission stand between us and our best friend!" Akiho nodded before he joined in on the hug.

Mal chuckled. "I might have been a bad influence on your friends Benny!"

"Nah, they're always like this," Ben called back to her, his voice slightly muffled by the hug from Emir and Akiho.

Chip shook his head, clearly impressed by the loyalty these kids had. Sure, his own friends had texted him and reassured him that they didn't think he was 'tainted' by the Isle with Adam being sent there, but they were teenagers. Early teenagers but still teenagers.