Old Habits

History

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I was ten when my mother told me the news. I was going to have a little sibling. I'd have to teach them everything Mother taught me because she didn't want to teach it all over again. I was eleven when I remember my mother's screams that night when I first saw the baby but it was strange. There were two of them. Why wasn't there another me?

"Mother, why are there two?" I ask. "Do you get rid of one?" I ask.

"Mal, I need you to listen to me very carefully. You have no siblings. These two children are disgraces and should never be looked up. They are dead. Go set them outside in the sun."

I stare at the children and see their smiling faces. I look back at mother and see her expression go blank. When she freezes, I grab the children and run away to my secret place. They stop crying as soon as I touch them instead, choosing to smile at me and watch me. "Hey little siblings," I say. "What're your names?" They don't reply. "Don't have one. Alright. How about you're Ben and you're Sophia. I'll raise you since Mother doesn't seem to like you."

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That night when I get home, leaving the babies in their cribs, Mother is angry. She throws me out of the house for the night without dinner, telling me it's a lesson in being evil. I spend the next six years raising them in secret, away from mother. I tell them about her though and show her pictures.

Jay figured me out when I was twelve, just two years after they were born. "Mal, who are these two?" he asks, walking towards their little pins. He followed me here without me noticing. "They kind of look like you."

"You can't tell anyone," I almost scream. "You have to promise not to. If mother finds out, she'll kill them."

"Who are they, Mal? We aren't supposed to care for another person and this looks an awful lot like caring."

"They're my younger siblings. Twins. When they were born, my mother told me to leave them outside and that they were dead. I couldn't do it. And I don't understand why she wanted to kill them."

"That's easy. The prophecy."

I glance at him and he nods. "You don't know, do you. A leader of the Isle is supposed to be taken down by two children from evil heritage, raised in the light. Twins, even, saved from a parent by their sister. Sound familiar."

"Are you saying these two toddlers can take down our mother?"

He shakes his head. "Not right now. And I've only heard what my father has told me. Twins will lead the Isle to greatness."

I look at the twins and smile. "Cool."

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A few days after we got back from retrieving mother's scepter, I brought Ben and Sophia to the fortress. I enchanted the goblins to only respond to me and turned the forbidden fortress into a safe environment. They absolutely adored it. And especially liked the extra space they had to run around.

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I barely had the time to send them a letter as we left for Auradon. It was delivered and they tried to write back. I'd send a letter whenever I could so they wouldn't forget about me and I guess it worked.

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"You two have grown so my since I last saw you," I comment. "When did I say it was alright to grow up without me?"

They laugh and I smile at them. "Mal, how long must we stay hidden?" Sophia asks. "We don't know anybody. How are we supposed to lead the people if the people have no faith in us or respect us?"

"They will respect you. You are the only twins that fit the prophecy and everyone knows the lines. And since they have voted me and Jay as Queen and King until such a time as the twins emerge, I can help them see and have faith in you," I insist.

"You're Queen?" Ben asks.

"Yeah, it's only temporary until you two are of age. I promise. The people want someone they feel can lead them and since I'm one of the four kids allowed to Auradon, I can make the biggest difference."

Ben and Sophia smile and pull me into another hug. We sit there for most of the next two days, talking and catching up. They show me the new tricks they learned to do with their magic and I taught them some new information.

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When it's time for me to go, the twins don't want to leave the hug. "I'll be back for you in a couple days. I hold up my promises. You'll see everyone and get a feel for the people on the Isle. Experience what the people go through," I promise.

"As birds?" Ben questions. "Are you sure we can't just be our normal selves? We can protect ourselves."

"People will recognize you and you could be in danger. I can't let you do that and put yourself in danger. I just can't, alright?"

They sigh and nod. "Fine."

"Have fun," Sophia says. "And if you're going to make us be birds, you're going to be a landing perch."

I smile and laugh. "Alright, that's fair. I'll see you soon."

They finally pull out of the hug and let me go. "See you then," they cheer, I turn and walk away until they're out of sight. That's when I start running. Just outside of town, I put the crown back on and make myself look dignified before walking in.

"Hello, Queen Mal," Dr. Facilier says, walking by. "How have you been this fine morning?"

"I've been great. It's good to see you again, sir. And please," I smile, "Just call me Mal."

"You may want to hurry and get to town. I hear that something approaches."

I take a quick glance at my watch and take off. "I'm late!"

wVL