Stealing the Black Cauldron///A Descendants Applyfic///CLOSED

Chapter Seven: Blaming the Kids

Hannah still felt her body shaking from the magic she'd exerted. However, she suspected that she was shaking less out of tiredness now.

The King didn't speak for a moment, staring down the trio. His glare seemed to prompt Hannah to speak.

"Father, it was our first attempt. They won't always go w-" He cut her off.

"You failed. You had your chance, and you still failed." His gravelly voice made the teens freeze up.

Gracie managed to give a voice to her throat. "Sir, it really wasn't her fault." She stepped closer to him, a frantic smile coming to her face (a nervous attempt to be friendly or positive).

"We tried, we really did, but no one really knew what they were doi- AH!" She shouted as the King grabbed her wrist and pinned it to the table.

"Do not speak back to me, useless child." He bellowed. The King's eyes glowed a dark red as the rage in his voice made everything shake.

Gracie felt her breathing hitch while she fruitlessly attempted to pull her arm away. His grip felt like the same force as the magic that had threatened to pull her into the Cauldron before. Her eyes couldn't seem to leave his face, which struck a fear in her bones she didn't know was there.

A fear of demons and the eerie things that hid in the shadows. The monsters under the bed that she had tried to ignore when she was younger. A fear of the creatures that would grab those afraid and drag them into the darkness.

That was what she saw in the Horned King's eyes. The black of nightmares and the red of hellfire.

He let go of her hand, but she felt too terrified to move.

Quietly, CJ pulled her away from the table, making her shoulders untense as her senses came back to her.

Hannah took Gracie's place in front of the table. CJ glanced over and saw that his friend's eyes were almost as red as her father's.

"I'm the one in charge. Fault falls upon me." Hannah said. Her eyes were full of anger, but her voice shook with fear.

The King leaned forward, his bone-thin fingers making cracks in the table wood. "So, you take the fault?" He whispered.

Her mouth opened for a moment, but no voice came to her throat. Finally, she managed to answer him.

"Yes. And all subsequent failures."

He stood up and struck the girl.

Hannah shouted, falling backward as her face stung with pain.

CJ stepped forward as the King continued to speak. "Hannah King, if you are even thinking of making me proud, you will not remain such a failure as you are."

"Shut up! She did her best, and it's not like you did anything!" CJ protested. The King glared at him, towering over the group. His horns scraped across the ceiling as he tilted his head down.

Gracie grabbed Hannah's arm and pulled her away. "Hanny, are you alright?" She whispered. Hannah just nodded, rubbing the side of her face.

"Silence, child. You are lucky I have not struck you down where you stand." He warned.

"Oh really? And how would that work out for you?" CJ leaned closer, his voice becoming a whisper. "Do you think Hannah would listen to you if you killed me?"

The King looked ready to strangle him, but didn't.

He handed a leather bag to CJ, shoving him away slightly. "This will keep them asleep. This will be the last help I give you." The King growled, his eyes narrowing.

"Now, get out of my sight. No more free ways out. Next time, you come back with the Cauldron, or you retreat and suffer the consequences."

With that, he shooed them out of the house.

The three were still silent, unaware of what to do. They hesitantly shifted around as the door closed behind them.

Gracie quietly moved away from Hannah, her hand still lingering on her shoulder as an attempt for comfort. "I... sorry, I got you in trouble with this stuff..." She mumbled.

Hannah took in a sharp breath. "It's not your fault. Father is just... difficult to please..." She attempted to explain.

"I..." Gracie glanced around. She didn't really know what to do or say. "I'm gonna go jump on some rooftops, 'kay? We'll regroup later?" CJ gave her a thumbs up.

'Dios, I'm being useless right now.' Gracie scolded herself. She felt awful, but she turned and ran off to the roofs.

CJ looked over to Hannah. She stared off quietly, her eyes lost and tired.

"Hey... are you feeling alright?" He asked, taking her hand.

Hannah looked at him. "My face still hurts." She managed a laugh. "But I'm okay..."

CJ gave a slight glare, though he didn't look angry at her. He pulled her into a hug, exhaling tiredly. "Everything will be alright, got it?" He promised.

She choked down what might've been tears. Hannah hugged him back and she nodded.

"Yea... yea, we'll be okay..."

He pulled away and looked into her eyes. They faded from red, to crimson, to purple, to blue.

"You're doing your best, alright? I know he doesn't see that, but it's true." CJ promised. Hannah gave a slight smile and laugh at that.

"Thanks... you're really great, you know that?" She hummed, tilting her head to him.

"You're giving me too much credit," he joked, reaching over and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm just trying to be a good..."

CJ trailed off as his hand paused. His fingers traced her cheek for a moment, and Hannah leaned into his touch. "Friend... trying to be a good friend."

Hannah smiled more at him. "Well," she reached up and held the sides of his face. She gently tilted his head down to look at him better. "I'd say you're doing an amazing job."

"Really?" He asked in a teasing voice.

"Of course! You're incredible," she nodded. Hannah stepped away a bit, hesitating to let him go. He made her feel happy. She really couldn't help but smile around him. And with the way he smiled right back - which he hardly did to anyone else - she was sure he felt the same way. At least, she hoped.

"Now, we should probably come up with a better plan."