The Kings Villain

~Nails and Shoes~

Standing in Evie's room, staring at the wall in front of her as a corset was being tightened so hard around her waist, it started to make her heave. Mal can be seen, laying on Evie's bed with her spellbook on her right and drawing in her notebook.

"E..."

"Yeah." Evie replied distantly, too focused on her art to absorb anything else around her.

"I love you. But if you pull this any tighter, im gonna wrap the string around your neck." Athena said in a polite voice, one she's master over her time in Auradon.

To that, Evie gave a harsh hoist to the strings, tugging it even tighter.

"Oh!" Athena exclaimed, ignoring Mal's laugh in the backround. "Okay, Evie, I can not breathe." She whined, clutching her stomach as she tried to get air back into her lungs.

Evie hummed at her statement, not at all taking her seriously. "Well, you can breathe after Cotillion."

Athena scoffed, rolling her eyes at the comment. "Well, I sincerely doubt that. I have at least 20 more events directly behind it, and I can't even remember what a single one of them is." Her complaints went unheard as Evie stepped back and reviewed Athena, praising herself at the masterpiece that was her gown.

"Impeccable."

"E? M?"

"Hmm?" Evie hummed, only half listening. Mal actually looked up from her book  for the first time since the girls entered the room.

Athena halted her words, worrying if what she was about to say would trigger her friends. "Do you ever think about what we'd be doing if we were back on the Isle right now?" She said, turning her head to watch their reactions.

Evie laughed her off, like it was the funniest joke she's made all day. "That's funny." But Mal's eyes lit up, clear agreement in her expression. "Yes." She said at the same time, causing her and Evie to share a surprised look.

Evie brushed them off, the quiet TV in the background catching her attention. "Ah! Look who's on TV."

Athena didn't have to guess. She knew it was her. It was always her. Has been for the last half year.

"As the royal couple continues their tour of the kingdom, they dined with Aladdin and Jasmine. Six months ago... " The TV's voice sound.

"No one thought King Ben and his girlfriend from the wrong side of the bridge would last."

"Ouch." Athena said, scrunching her face and rolling her eyes at such harsh truth. However, it's been so long since someone referred to her as a child from the isle and not Cinderellas' long-lost daughter that she almost let out a smile.

"Athena must be counting the days until the Royal Cotillion... when she will officially become a Lady of the Court."

And the smile disappeared. As grateful as she is, to not only be with Ben but to be so... excepted into her upcoming role, she couldn't help but wish she was back to bussing at her mothe- Ursula's kitchen.

"OH MY GOD." She blurted out, standing up straight so fast that both Evie and Mal flinched back. They watched with stunned faces as Athena rushed over and snatched up Mal's spellbook, ignoring her protest as she flipped through the pages until she identified what she was looking for.

"Read it fast at lightning speed. Remember everything I need." She said before hurriedly swiping through the pages.

Evie gave her a look of disapproval, one  of which Athena promptly ignored and stepped towards her. "I know Athena's secret to fitting in, and Ben wouldn't like it one bit. Haven't you guys had enough secrets between the two of you already?"