𝑰'𝑽𝑬 𝑮𝑶𝑻 𝑨 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴 - 𝑫𝑬𝑺𝑪𝑬𝑵𝑫𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑺

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝟑

"How many times do I have to say this is unnecessary?" Delphina sighed, resting on the settee of a private den in Auradon Palace. Her back was propped up on an armrest and cushioned by a thick, fluffy pillow as a thick, fluffy blanket was spread over her legs, which were currently spread in Ben's lap. The coffee table next to the settee was covered with an array of snacks, teas, and medication for the throbbing headache she was currently nursing.

Across the settee, Ben raised an eyebrow at her as he held out a steaming mug in her direction. "You could tell me a million times and it wouldn't matter. Drink."

"It's just a headache!"

"A headache brought on by dark magic, and we don't need a repeat of three months ago. Drink."

Delphina stared at the steaming mug warily, subconsciously shrinking away from the beverage and closer to the armrest. She met Ben's eyes once more, giving him her best puppy eyes. "Can I at least have a pineberry first?" she pleaded softly.

In any other instance, Ben would have caved immediately. He would have set the mug down and shoved the entire bowl of pineberries in her lap, then requested that the kitchen bring up two more bowls in case she ran out. But ever since Delphina's quest to save the kingdom left her with a bruised psyche and a soul overloaded with dark magic, Ben refused to take any chances.

It also didn't help that Delphina had died for a minute and never said anything until way after the fact.

Since she had started her interrogations with Maleficent, Delphina always left the encounter with a throbbing headache that ranged from annoying to day-ruining, and Ben had never been more paranoid. Fairy Godmother had set Delphina on a strict post-interrogation ritual, and Ben was always there to make sure she followed it to a tee.

So, now, here she was, with the king of Auradon staring her down, completely immune to her puppy eyes and holding out the disgusting sludge Fairy Godmother called a magical cleanse.

"You know the rules," Ben began firmly. "It works fastest–"

"On an empty stomach, yeah, yeah..." Delphina grumbled, finally conceding as she reached forward and grabbed the mug, watching the muck as if it was going to leap out of the cup and bite her. With one final pout and huff, Delphina tipped her head back and began to chug the potion as fast as she could. It had a million different tastes and textures, and each one was worse than the last. Somehow, Fairy Godmother had crafted a magical cleanse that was thick and pungent, with a stench that burned Delphina's nose hairs. The best way she could think to describe it was if someone took the stench of the Auradon Prep boys' locker room and sauteed it with moldy cheese, then baked it for three hours on a bed of rotted eggs, and let it sit and mold even further for another few days.

And that was just the smell.

The taste was indescribable. Different textures and extracts combined together in the worst way imaginable. Delphina could only get so much of the drink down before she had to stop, pulling away from the cup and screwing up her face as she coughed heavily.

"God, how does it get worse every time?" she wheezed, covering her mouth and fighting the urge to puke up everything she had just swallowed.

"You only have a little bit left, come on," Ben urged gently, rubbing Delphina's leg in encouragement. She only hesitated in response, giving Ben her brightest smile.

"You know, I actually feel perfectly cleansed! So, I say we just burn the rest of this and I never have to drink it again and–"

"Delphina."

Her weak attempt at escaping the current situation was met with yet another firm look from the king. Delphina nearly growled in defeat, rolling her eyes and raising the cup again.