Dark Times

Agreements

In twenty-two years, Mal had already lived through more than most princesses had ever experienced. When she set foot on the island, she saw the most terrifying sight yet. Fairies lay on the cold, dirty ground, scattered in the alleyways and she focused mainly on her family, who by fate were lying on the doorstep of the house where she lived for years.

"Ben."

She ran straight to her husband, who seemed to be the most awake person there.

"Hi, don't worry, I'm fine."

He said receiving the hug, but also trying to show her his best friend.

"Evie, what happened?"

She crouched down towards the blue girl carrying her son.

"At the time all that happened, a rock came loose and hit Tommy's arm." She was crying over the baby, who was also crying endlessly. Mal went over to see her nephew and was startled by the size of the wound. "A fairy thinks it was one of the magic support stones that hit him. We need to get him to an urgent hospital, Mal."

"But we can't leave here, not now."

Mal said quietly, because she didn't have the heart to spill the truth to her friend.

"We can't? So, I'm supposed to see my wounded son and leave?'

She asked with tears in her eyes.

"That's not its E..."

"Mal!"

"Mal!"

"Mal!"

And suddenly everyone seemed to be calling her name at the same time, making her more frightened than she already was. She wanted and was going to disappear, but remembered that the Island inhibited her powers.

"Come here."

Rashid pulled her out of the crowd of fairies and friends so that she could breathe.

"Tommy's...Carlos...Clarion."

When they went to a more secluded alley Mal seemed to be in automatic mode, just repeating everything they'd said to her.

"Calm down, take a breath."

Rashid asked her, holding her cold hands.

Mal leaned against the wall and as soon as she stopped to breathe, she began to cry like she hadn't done in a long time. Her cries were of exhaustion, despair, fear, worry and a mixture of other feelings that she wasn't expressing.

"What happened, Rashid?"

He asked, still crying.

"I don't know exactly yet, but I have a bet..."

(...)

Flashback

The guardians had been imprisoned since Mal's first trip to Neverland. Although it was assumed that none of them were crazy enough to leave the Fairy Kingdom, Clarion didn't trust them, especially Demetrius.

"If I don't get out of this room, I'll go mad."

The general of Auradon said for the hundredth time. The queen's imprisonment meant that they had to stay in the room until order was restored and Ben could lock them up in a real prison.

"Do you think it's better here than in Auradon?"

Colbi tried to persuade him.

"How about nowhere?"