Roses and Hooks /// Harry Hook

Chapter 4: Decision

The Meeting

The next day, Mal and Ben walk into the large meeting room. Inside is Ben's parents along with Fairy Godmother. After the incident the day before with Hades trying to escape, they have to come up with a way to make sure all the original villains stay locked on the Isle. They had all agreed to exclude Rose from the meeting since she'd just argue that the villains didn't want to take revenge. Plus, none of them could find the angry princess anyway.

The group stands before each other, the three adults looking afraid and worried while Ben looks frustrated. He wants to help the children on the Isle live a better life to not only move forward into a better kingdom, but also to make his sister happy. He knows that Rose wants nothing more than to save everyone on the Isle and to be with Harry. Ben is doing what he can to try to give his sister the happy ending that had been ripped away from her.

Mal, she looks to be saddened and scared of something. Her solution to the problem would cause many problems between her and Ben which saddens her, but that isn't what she's afraid of. She's afraid of facing her friends after making this decision, not to mention Rose. She's terrified of how Rose will react and what the unstable rage ridden princess will do. Mal's black eye had just healed, and she doesn't want to set Rose off even more than she already has.

"The people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out." Former King Beast says to the young couple, and Ben shakes his head in disbelief at his father. He doesn't understand why they can't just bring the barrier down. He'd listen to everything Rose had told him of her adventures on the Isle and understands that no one wants to fight anymore. They just want to be free.

"Who knows what he would've done if he got out." FG says in concern, mostly to Ben seeing as he's the one who doesn't seem to be taking this seriously. Mal chews on her lip, debating on whether or not to share her opinion, shattering everything.

"We cannot risk having another villain on the loose." Beast says seriously to his son and future daughter in law. Ben shakes his head, not knowing what to say about any of this. Mal speaks up to try to ease the blow that her decision will make with everyone she cares about.

"I feel like this is my fault." Mal says as she looks over at Ben. "I was supposed to protect Auradon."

"And you did. You do protect Auradon." Ben says to her. Mal did protect Auradon when she had transformed and sent Hades back to the correct side of the barrier. The fact that Mal is selling herself short upsets him because she did what a queen is supposed to do.

"Yes, but every time we open that barrier, we're exposed to danger." Beast says to his son, trying to get the boy to see some sort of reason. He knows that the words would be lost on his daughter, but he's hoping Ben can be reasoned with. "Maleficent, Uma, Hades."

Mal flinches and frowns at hearing her mother's name. Technically, Maleficent breaking free had been her fault since she'd been the one to manipulate Jane in the first place. Uma had also been her fault since she had always tormented the young sea witch. Hades...well, that has a connection to her all on its own. Maybe Mal is the problem, and she starts to debate on whether or not to leave Auradon again, but she knows she can't because Ben would just follow her there.

Before anything else can be said, Ben's phone goes off with a message. Walking a few steps away, he looks at it and sighs. Everyone turns to look at him, dreading what could possibly be going on now. Ben turns to look back at his family, knowing that the news would solidify their argument.

"Maleficent's Scepter and the Queen's Crown have been stolen." Ben informs them, his heart and gut dropping at the looks on his parent's faces. Mal looks down at the floor, knowing that this is probably her fault in some way, too.