Perfection~ MAL* BOOK 3

the sleeping beauty: part 2

Audrey felt trapped in her body as her alter ego took over and caused the destruction. Whilst that part of herself took control, she screamed inside for freedom. She supposed this is how her anger felt for a few years now, while watching Ben and Mal, then Cori and Mal, then everything that was supposed to be hers one day swiftly be taking from her.

When she woke from her sleep, she wished it was all a horrible nightmare. She wished it was just another normal day where everyone was living their happy lives. Everyone but her. But she wasn't so lucky. She opened her eyes to see her grandmother, the former kings and queens, Fairy Godmother, a few VKs, Ben, Mal and a blue-haired man. She wanted to throw up, she wanted to jump up and run away and hide forever. That wasn't an option.

She looked at Mal and asked if this was all a horrible dream. It wasn't.

"I'm sorry," Audrey lets slip a few overwhelming tears. "I wanted to hurt you both. I wanted to hurt all of you."

Audrey felt ashamed. She didn't dare to move, she wasn't going to plead her case either, because she knew she didn't deserve to be forgiven. But she hoped at least one day she might earn it. From the people she turned to stone, those she poisoned to sleep, Ben turning into a beast, curse Cori--

Cori...

Now she really felt like throwing up. She hide away Cori, while she went to fight Mal once and for all. What was she thinking? Even if Audrey had defeated Mal, even if she successfully took over the kingdom, Cori would have never been able to wake up, because she isn't the one in Cori's heart. Mal was-- Mal is!

She looks at Mal with urgency.

"Cori, she..." Audrey trails off.

"Audrey, where is Cori?" Anthony asks, on behalf of everyone.

"She-- I left her in her room..."

"Where, Audrey? In her castle home?"

"No... at Auradon Prep. I-- I wanted to keep her close enough, without actually putting her in danger. So I dropped her off in her old dorm room and spelled the room so no one would get in."

"We need to go there now." Mal says. She looks at her father. "You're coming with us.

"Of course..." Hades sighs in mild annoyance. Mal and Ben make their way out of the room.

"Mal!" Audrey calls out. "If you wake her, please tell her I'm sorry..."

"When I wake her, you can tell her yourself." Mal answers before walking out with Ben and Hades accompanied by guards. Cinderella, Kit, and Chad followed after them, and Anthony and Etta not far behind.

•~•~•~

Everyone arrived outside of Cori's old dorm room. Ben attempted to touch the knob at the door, which shot back sparks at him. He jumped back and shock his hand in pain. Mal stands in front of the door, refusing to let it get in between her and Cori.

"Be careful, Mal." Cinderella warns. Mal's eyes glow green, the door starts to rattle from where is was. The shock until the hinges finally gave out and the door fell to the floor inside. Mal stepped on the door together carefully. The room was dark because the curtains were shut up.

This problem was quickly solved when Etta decided to storm up the windows and pull back the dark curtains to let in the light. The light helped Mal to see exactly what she wanted.

There laid Auradon's lost queen, sleeping away in her bed. Mal slowly walking over to her and sat beside her. Cori looked so peaceful, just like all the other times when Mal would be with her to cuddle. Mal took her love's hand into her own and squeezed. Of course, no reaction...

Mal wipes away the tear that slipped from her eyes before looking at her father who was brought into the room.

"Can you wake her?" Mal asks softly. Hades, despite his dislike of Auradon and it's former and current rulers, nods to his daughter. He may have a mild shriveled heart, but it still possessed the love of a parent. And for him to see his first-born daughter reduced to hopeless, he would do all in his power to right it out.

Mal stands and reluctantly let's go of Cori and steps away from bed. Hades does what he had done to Audrey's awakening. He waves his arms in a circle motion, the room glowing blue.

Finally, Cori's body sits up the way Audrey's did. She fell back down immediately after Hades was finished.

Nothing for a moment. Then... Nothing at all.