Always by your Side - A Descendants Story : REWRITTEN

Chapter 12

"Those disguises are the most useless things ever, you know," Mal tells the pirates. "I could've smelled that fish smell from miles away if I'd had paid attention."

The pirates have taken her to their ship, which is docked in a little branch of the Auradon River; a wooded and almost inaccessible area in a far corner of Auradon City. After they took her out of the car and carried her through the woods, while she was still passed out, they took her to a small room belowdecks and locked the door.

Harry's come back after a couple hours to see if she's awake yet. "So, how's Royal life treating ya?" he asks her, grinning, ignoring her comment.

"Well, it was going pretty good actually, until someone took me and locked me up in a ship," she tells him.

"Yeah, it's not going to be much of a royal stay here, I'm afraid," he says. "Let's just hope that man of yours is coming to save your ass before it's too late, huh, Princess?"

"Is that why you did this? To get something from Ben?" she asks him, rolling her eyes. "Petty as always..."

"We're not just going to take something from him, sweetheart, we're going to take everything," he tells her, smirking.

"Ah-ha, all right," she says. "Well, good luck with that."

"What's with the lack of faith?" he asks her. "You think we can't do that?"

"Ben is not going to give you his kingdom," she promises him.

"He will when he knows you'll be shark bait otherwise," he says. "He'll give us anything we want in return for his precious queen."

"Sure, yeah, keep on dreaming, Harry," she rolls her eyes.

"How I've missed hearing you say my name," he sighs, smiling at her.

"Okay, alright, this has been fun, but it's time for me to go now," she tells him, standing up from the barrel she's been sitting on and walking towards the door.

Harry steps in front of the door, blocking her way. "You're not going anywhere, Princess," he tells her. "You two can go, when that King gives us what we want."

Mal wants to make a snarky reply, but then realises what he's said. "Two? What- what are you- who are you talking about? It's just me here-"

"Good try, sweetheart," he says. "I know your little secret, and it's only making this more fun, so I'd just keep that cheeky mouth of yours closed from now on."

Mal doesn't know what to say, it is probably best to just keep her mouth shut, indeed. So it's quiet for a little while, until Harry speaks.

"How long?" he asks her, bluntly and curious as always.

"None of your business," she tells him.

"How long?" he asks again, now in a more demanding tone.

Mal rolls her eyes at him. "Ten weeks."

"And no one knows?" he questions.

Mal just shakes her head.

"You're not going to be able to hide this forever, you know that right?" he tells her. "You're the queen of this kingdom, everyone will find out sooner or later."

Mal just blankly looks at him. "Well- now you're queen, but you won't be for much longer," he promises her, smirking.

She doesn't show any reaction, any emotion, having learned that trait from living on the Isle for 16 years. But she's honestly scared to her core. She knows those pirates don't fuck around and she knows that whatever they're planning, it will end badly.