The Gladers from the Isle (ABANDONED)

Ridiculous

The next morning, all of Auradon Prep rose early. It was the day of the Tourney game. It was Auradon's most noted sport; a mashup of Lacrosse, Football, and Hurling. A brawly mess for anyone who didn't know what they were watching. A team was made up of seven boys and their captain, while the girls (and anyone who didn't make the team) cheered for them at the side of the field in Auradon's bright blue and yellow colours.
Auradon Prep's team was called the Knights, and a visiting school from Camelot, called the Golden Dragons, took to the field in red and gold sports kit. They looked far better trained and far fiercer than the Auradon Knights - most of whom had spent the past few days apologising to the VKs for their biased mistreatment (on Mal's demand).

Minho gulped. Even his new friend, the son of Sir Leon, wasn't as muscular. Jay looked at him and smiled. "Don't worry, we got this!"

"Shank, have you seen them? They look like they could eat a house!"

The whistle was blown, and the game begun. Newt and Teresa were watching Thomas in the cheer group to the side: he'd rehearsed a fully-fledged dance routine with the other cheerleaders for whenever the Auradon Knights scored. "He's pretty good," Teresa said to Newt.

Newt was stunned by what he was seeing, watching as Thomas skilfully lifted a girl over his shoulders. He was quite good at dancing, too: swaying his hips as he performed. He could have sworn at one point that he looked up at him, and winked. Newt was unable to tell whether he'd been joking or not.

Mal was watching Ben, who kept looking up at the bleachers to see her every so often during the game. When no one was paying attention to her, she looked as if she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Evie noticed, and smiled - happy for her, as she clapped and cheered for Jay: determination emanating from his entire being.

~

When the game had ended and the win was declared for the Auradon Knights (with a score of five to four), the prince picked up a microphone that was handed to him - presumably to make a speech. Everyone was still quietening from their whoops and cheers. "Give me an 'M'!" He shouted. The cheer team at the side did as they were told, waiting for his next instruction.

"Give me an 'A'!" Once again, they did as they were told. "Give me an 'L'! What does that spell?"

"Mal!" The crowd shouted.

Audrey, Prince Ben's girlfriend, opened her mouth in shock, before turning on her heel and leaving, although not before shoving a couple of other cheerleaders out of her way in the process.

"Did I mention that I'm in love with you?" he said. The crowd gave one another confused glances - was he reciting poetry at the end of a Tourney game? "Did I mention there's nothing I can't do?"

"What was in that cookie?" Evie asked Mal. Teresa and Newt's eyes widened as they looked over at the VKs. They had done this: why?

"Did I happen to say I dream of you every day? I'd like to shout it out loud, if that's okay," Ben said. "My love for you is ridiculous. I never knew that it could be like this. My love for you is ridiculous. My love is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S."

The cheerleaders followed: making the letters as they danced. Meanwhile, Ben made his way over to the bleachers.

"It's..."

"Ridiculous!"

"Just..."

"Ridiculous!"

"And I would give my kingdom for just one kiss..." He tried to dip his head closer to Mal's to kiss her, but she recoiled. He quickly wrapped his arm around her. "I love you, Mal. Did I mention that?"

After a confused moment, everyone cheered. Teresa and Newt exchanged concerned glances as they half-heartedly applauded. Was it a bad idea to get involved with what the VKs had done? And why had they done this? Did Mal want his status and power for herself? This spell would surely have secured it for her. But she'd moved away from the prince when he'd tried to kiss her. Even now she was writhing at his touch. If she wanted this to look convincing, she wasn't doing a very good job. So, there must have been something else.

~

King Adam, also known as 'The Beast King' sat at an old oak desk in his gilded office, filing through some minutes from the last meeting as he awaited Chancellor Ava Paige's arrival. A servant was stood beside him, waiting patiently with her hands entwined in front of her. The Fairy Godmother had arrived five minutes early, and was contentedly sipping a coffee as she sat across from him, her back to the door.

The room had several columns in the corners: Roman-looking and painted gold. On the wall behind the desk was a wide window, with royal blue curtains held either side by golden ropes. The other walls held paintings of passed monarchs, sitting in that very room. All of them had the same resemblance to The Beast King: that same curl in a head of brown hair, and that same concentrated glint in the blue eyes that meant something along the lines of 'courage and determination'. Or at least, that's what the painters had tried to make it look like.

The carpet was thick and rug-like, and even that was decorated. In the blue background of it was a prancing golden lion; a crown atop its maned head - because what said being a king more than a yellow lion with a floating crown?

There was a knock at the door and the doorman - dressed in dark blue with gold accents - opened it from the inside upon the king's nod. "Good afternoon, your majesty. Apologies fo rmy delay."

"Chancellor, please come inside." He gestured to the over-decorated chair beside where the Fairy Godmother was sitting, and she stepped forward to take a seat. The fairy didn't turn to greet her, but the king rose to shake her hand. "I trust you've made progress?" He asked.

"Yes," she responded.

The king handed the minutes from the previous meeting to the servant who stood beside him. "Read them out, Miss Lumiere."

She was the twenty-seven-year-old daughter of Miss Plumette and Mr Lumiere. Her skin was light brown, and she almost always wore white. She'd been happy to continue her family bloodline of serving the royals. She pretended to clear her throat before she read the paper. "'Four subjects from the Isle of the Lost have been selected to join Auradon Prep as students, to study and live alongside the children of heroes and royals. Studying their brain activity in a new environment and having them so close to WCKD is bound to help us get closer to finding a cure'," she read. She had written these minutes herself, and not a word about it was allowed to leave the office.

"Between that meeting and this one, my son chose four of the villains' children from the Isle to join Auradon Prep," the king began. He looked at the fairy. "What progress has been made?"

"We have managed to incorporate these two groups into the same dormitories, and they seem to be getting along well so far," she replied, beaming. "But I don't think that Mal is a good influence on my daughter - or on anyone else's, for that matter."

"With all due respect, Fairy Godmother," the Chancellor began, "this meeting is not about your villains. This meeting is about my subjects and how I'm helping us find a cure."

Miss Lumiere pulled the chair behind the king's and he nodded: allowing her to sit down so she could start writing minutes.

The Chancellor continued, "I have been conversing with Teresa Agnes."

"I knew it," the Fairy hissed. King Adam took one look at her, and she shrank into her seat.

"As I was saying, Teresa Agnes has been talking to me and trying to help WCKD to find a cure. I recently told her about why she was sent to the Isle when she started asking questions."

"You did what?" The King bellowed.