Always by your Side - A Descendants Story : REWRITTEN

Chapter 10

"I can't believe after all this time together you still don't know how not much of a morning person I am," Mal complains, when the alarm clock goes off only a few hours after they've gone to bed.

"I do know that, but I also know that we're going to want to spend as much time being on our honeymoon as possible, so we have to get there early," he explains to her, throwing some clothes at her. "Get dressed, the boat leaves in 2 hours."

Mal takes a deep breath and finally pulls her blanket off of her and sits up on the edge of the bed. "You better have coffee ready before we're leaving."

Ben smiles at her. "I love you too."
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"You're kidding..." Mal sighs, mesmerised by the view, on the drive from the harbour to their beach house. They've arrived on a small beautiful island near Motunui, after a long day of travelling.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ben asks her, driving the jeep over the bumpy country roads.

"I didn't know the earth could be so pretty," she tells him.

"Just wait until you see the beach," he says. "You've seen nothing yet..."

After another half hour on the road, they reach a beautiful house right by the beach. Mal takes off her shoes and walks onto the beach, feeling the warm sand sink away under her feet. Everything around her feels so magical, she can't even put it into words.

Ben takes her hand and together they walk towards the sea. They wade along the sealing for a while, in total silence, just taking in their surroundings. The sun is already setting on the horizon and so they slowly start making their way to the house.

When they arrive, their suitcases are put downstairs in the hallway by Ben's travel assistant. "You want to go out to eat?" he asks her.

"Well, I am quite tired, but I'm also hungry as a horse," she admits.

Ben laughs at her comment. "It's as hungry as a bear, or could eat a horse..." Ben tells her.

"I'm so hungry I can't even speak English anymore," she says. "So, where are we going?"

After a sumptuous dinner at a restaurant in the small village near the beach, they went back to the house, got ready for the night, and then they went straight to bed.
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Miraculously, Mal's the first one to wake up the next morning. When she sees Ben still sound asleep next to her, she decides not to wake him but just gets herself some coffee from the kitchen and enjoys it outside in the bright morning sun.

It's almost an hour later when Ben walks outside as well. "How are you up before me?" he asks, sitting down with her.

Mal smiles cheerfully at him. "Why good morning to you, too," she greets him. "Sleep well?"

"Not as good as you, I take it," he chuckles. "I've never seen you without that morning mood."

"I don't have a morning mood," she argues. "Mornings just don't agree with me, it's not my fault."

"Right, right... I'm sorry, you have a lovely morning mood," he says, jokingly.

"Thank you," she says. "So, you want to eat some breakfast?"

The next two weeks the newlyweds enjoy everything the island has to offer. From relaxing on the beach, swimming in the sea and watching the most beautiful sunsets, to exploring the little villages, doing some fun activities and getting to know the local culture. They're finally not being constantly bothered by paparazzi and other curious people, it's just the two of them enjoying each other's company.

At the end of the honeymoon, Mal honestly wishes they wouldn't have to go home, but they have to get back to school, work and their responsibilities as king and queen.

When they arrive at Auradon Prep in the late hours of Saturday night, they're greeted by their friends who've missed them and want to know everything they've seen and done on their vacation.

It's an hour after midnight when Mal and Ben finally get into bed, exhausted but feeling fulfilled as ever. "I loved our honeymoon," Mal says, cuddling up to her husband. "We should do it again sometime."

Ben chuckles. "So, you want to get married again?"

"I mean, if we get to go on a honeymoon again... then yeah, sure," she tells him.

"Alright then, another wedding, why not," he says, amused, giving her a kiss on the lips. "But first I really have to get some sleep."

"Couldn't agree more," she says, yawning. "Good night."

"Good night."
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While the afterglow of the big Royal Wedding is still lingering among the people of Auradon, the pirates are busy with their own mission.

"Okay, listen up, here's the plan!" Uma shouts, making all pirates shut up at once. "So, now that our new Queen is peacefully enjoying her new little life, I'm thinking it's time to pay her a little visit, you know, just to surprise her..."

The pirates mumble to each other, not knowing where she's going with her alleged plan. "And then what?" Harry asks her. "Or is that the plan? Just going by, and then running back to the Isle again like last time?"

"Shut your ass, Hook," Uma snaps. "I've got a plan this time, it's going to work. Because, she's so much more than just a queen; she's the perfect bait to get what we want."

"I don't think Mal's going to let us come visit her, though," Gil tells her. "I mean, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've been kind of mean to her."

"Gil- I was- I was joking, okay. I meant, we're going to kidnap her and ask for ransom from her man," Uma explains, annoyed.

"You mean that king guy she's married to?" he asks her.

"Yes, indeed, the king guy she's married to," she sighs. "Anyway, he'll do anything to get his precious queen back, no matter what, won't he?"

"And how do you suppose we're going to take her?" Harry asks, cleaning his hook. "She's the queen, you can't take her without being seen."

"Those naive people in Auradon think no harm will come their way, we just have to find the right time, when she's alone for even just a little moment, and then we take her," she says. "We're going to have to be patient, and of course careful, but if we just observe her for a while to find out what her daily routine is, when it's easiest to grab her, it's going to be a piece of cake..."