Fate's Gift

Chapter 5: First Break

As the room brightened, Persephone began to give instructions, mentioning private rooms and tables full of food, but Mal wasn't paying attention to any of it. All she could think about was Ben. Ben, who hadn't gotten upset at them, at her, during this horrible experience. Ben, who for some reason believed that she was good, that she wasn't like her mother. Ben, who was still under a love spell.

She'd give him the antidote now if she could, just so she wouldn't have to see his earnest expression when he came to try and convince her that she wasn't evil. So she wouldn't have to watch the confusion that would settle over him when the Fates ultimately showed her giving him the spelled cookie. He could shout and scream at her, and then he could go be with Audrey. He could be with who he loved. Like he would tomorrow, or later today.

It's not like him being spelled helped her anymore, anyways. She wouldn't be getting the wand anytime soon. Honestly, she wasn't even sure she wanted it at this point.

Mal was snapped out of her thoughts by Evie shaking her arm. "Jay and Carlos are going to go scout." Evie was telling her. "Do you want me to stay here?"

Mal shook her head while watching Ben out of the corner of her eye. He looked like he was arguing with his dad. "Go get food." Mal told Evie. "I'll be fine."

"Mal," Evie's eyes darted to Ben as well, and Mal reached out to squeeze her hand.

"I will," she insisted. "Maybe... maybe not at first. But I will."

Evie squeezed her hand back, and hesitated for only a moment before going to join the line, the call of food being too strong. Even though Mal knew that Evie probably didn't look forward to being so close to the royals, the Isle taught them to never turn away a meal and other than some light snacking, none of them had eaten all day. Who knew when they'd be able to eat again after this.

It only took another minute for Ben to escape his parents and make his way to her.

"We need to talk." He said softly when he reached her side, taking her hand in his. Mal nodded, letting him lead her over to Persephone. She avoided her stepmother's eyes as Ben asked for a private area, and then they were going through a veil of vines to a place behind the screen.

Mal stood away from Ben, keeping her eyes on the ground. Here she was, an Isle gang leader, the daughter of Maleficent, and she couldn't even bring herself to make simple eye contact. But Ben was different. He was sweet, pure in a way that a lot of the kids on the Isle weren't, and with his ridiculous notion that she was good... she could admit that some part of her didn't want to disappoint him.

"Mal, please look at me." Ben pleaded softly.

Mal didn't respond, but lifted her head just a little. She still avoided his eyes.

Ben sighed, but didn't ask again. Instead he said, "You're not evil, Mal."

"How can you say that?" She asked him, wrapping her arms around herself. "Ben, you just watched me sing a song about taking over the world with my mother."

He didn't answer and she began to pace, her fingers digging into her arms. "I'm not a good person, Ben." She said, finally looking up at him. "On the Isle, my whole life was stealing, looting, fighting, and hurting people."

"You were trying to survive," Ben said, taking a step forward. He stopped when Mal took a step back and shook her head. "Did you enjoy hurting people?"

Mal scoffed, "That doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," Ben insisted. "What about the gangs?"

"Excuse me?"

"Carlos said that no one is alone on the Isle." Ben explained, "The gangs are for protection, right?" While Mal didn't answer, she didn't stop him either so he continued. "And you led one. You protected people. Gang fights, that was to make sure you were all safe as well, wasn't it?" Tears began to flood Mal's eyes, and she hated that he could break her barriers so easily.