A Frozen Secret (Disney Descendants x OC)

Carlos

TW: Brief mention of blood.

Wednesday, August 18th, 2:30 p.m.

My brain melted, refusing to form a coherent thought as the princess's hand dropped back to her side after waving at me. I prayed that none of my friends were looking at me. If they were, I knew I'd never hear the end of their relentless teasing, not with my eyes bulging from my skull and my mouth hanging open like a fish. We had been in Auradon not five minutes, and I had already found her.

She looked older than in the photo - now maybe fifteen or sixteen - but I knew it was her. I could never mistake those eyes for anyone else's. They were the deepest blue, guarded and calculating, assessing me and my friends as her gaze roamed. They shimmered in the sun like sapphires, glittering like stars dotting the night sky.

I needed to get a grip.

But how could I? My heart hammered against my ribcage, threatening to burst forth in a cacophony of emotions. This was my chance, my moment to finally confront her, to ask her the questions that had plagued my mind for years. But as she stood there, regal and aloof, I felt small, insignificant in her presence. I glanced at my friends, faces all turned away from me. They didn't understand the significance of this moment. To them, she was just another princess, another face in the crowd.

A boy dressed in the same uniform she wore with dark brown skin stepped next to her, concern evident on his face. She turned to him, conversing quietly.

"Is that chocolate?" I whipped around at Ben's voice, my brain finally working again. The soon-to-be emperor of Auradon was staring at my mouth, hands outstretched for a handshake. Confused, I lifted my hand and wiped the corners of my lips. I pulled my hand away to find my fingertips covered in the brown treat I ate in the limousine. Chocolate, so that's what it's called.

Ben smiled warmly and reached into his blazer pocket, producing a single-use sanitizing wipe inside a white package. He handed it to me between his fingers. "Don't worry, chocolate is my favorite too."

I tried to hide my bashful blush as I took the wipe. I tore it open and removed the tiny square. The faint smell of lemons filled my nose as I wiped the chocolate from my face. I shoved the used wipe into my pocket, causing the girl beside Ben - Audrey, I was pretty sure - to grimace ever so slightly. I ignored her, finally reaching out to shake Ben's hand.

His touch was warmer than I expected. It was far from the coldness I had expected from someone of his stature, the coldness and cruelty my mother had promised me I would find. But as I looked into his eyes, I saw something unexpected - kindness, sincerity. It caught me off guard, softening the edges of my nerves.

"Nice to meet you," he said with a smile, his voice warm and genuine. Audrey offered me a tight-lipped smile, her eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite decipher.

Ben smiled again. "As I was saying, it's so good to meet all of you. This day is a momentous occasion. One that I hope will go down in history as the day our two peoples began to heal."

"Or the day that you showed four people where the bathrooms are," Mal suggested, swaying with her hands on her hips. Ben laughed, turning to look at her.

"Was my speech a bit over the top?" He asked. I wouldn't know - I had been too busy staring to listen. Mal nodded. "A little more than a little bit."

Ben smiled again and shrugged. "Well, so much for my first impression."

Then came another smile and another laugh as Ben dropped his gaze. The people of Auradon must like to smile.

Audrey turned to face Mal, her hands resting on Ben's forearms. She squeezed him tightly and smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. "Hey! You're Maleficent's daughter, aren't you? Yeah, you know what? I do not blame you for your mother trying to kill my parents and stuff. Oh, my mom's Aurora. Sleeping-"