The next day arrived quickly. Mal didn't even get the chance to speak to Ben before she was placed in a cart and was on the way to the cathedral with him. It seemed everyone in Auradon was here, Snow White was presenting it through the television and fairy godmother had let Mal and her friends know that they had sent over televisions so that everyone on the isle could watch too. Mal wore a long dress made only from the colour lilac, it matched her dark purple hair.
For the first five minutes Ben and Mal didn't speak to each other, it was mainly Ben waving to the crowd and smiling. Mal sat looking on nervously with the small box that held the potion to break Bens love spell. Mal's hands were sweating as she held and looked down at it. Ben turned and noticed, he slid his hand under Mal's and the two clasped theirs fingers together. Ben seemed to notice how clammy her hands were because he squeezed Mal's hand to comfort her.
"Don't be nervous" he said "all you have to do is sit there and look beautiful" and then he paused and took a good look at her from head to toe and then smiled and added "no problem there". Mal looked down at their hands and shifted slightly, uneasy. "Thank you" she said.
"Mal? Would you wear my ring?" Ben asked as he moved both of their hands on his lap as he took the ring of his finger. Mal quickly pulled away. Untangling her fingers from Bens and her hand, now free, went to her chest.
"Uhh ummm not now?" She managed the words to escape her mouth as an excuse.
"I think it would just slip right off me?" She added as she smiled a sorry smile. Ben silently agreed and looked back to the crowd. That's when Mal held up the box.
"I have something for you?" She said.
"For me?" Ben replied as he took the box from her.
"Yeah it's just for later" Mal said gesturing vaguely to the box as he opened it to see what was inside.
"You know for strength. The carbs so you keep your energy up" Mal proclaimed smiling.
"Always thinking" Ben said as he held up the small cupcake in his hands examining it before Mal "but I can't wait till later" he added before shoving the small cake into his mouth and began to chew.
"Nooo!" Mal stresses but it was too late, the snack was already down his throat and he smiled.
"This is really good!" He said still with some of the food in his mouth. Mal looked shocked, she was looking from his his mouth to his fingers where he cake had been.
"Do..you feel okay?" Mal asked.
"You bet" Ben responded.
"Do you think you're still in lo- ...have strong feeling for me?" She said as her eyes followed his fingers as they entered his mouth and he sucked the remaining chocolate off his fingers.
"I'm not sure" he said and Mal's look was distant "I mean let's give it a few minutes for the anti-love potion to take affect". Mal nodded and was silent for a moment, agreeing.
Then she realised what Ben had just said and came back to reality instantly.
"Wait what!" She yelled in shock. Ben began laughing insanely.
"You knew?!" Mal asked in the same tone.
"That you spelled me? Yeah I knew"
"I-I swear I can explain myself!" Mal said quickly trying to cover herself but Ben was calm.
"No, no it's fine. I mean you had a crush on me, I was with Audrey, you didn't trust that it could happen on it's on? Am I right" Ben said.
"Uh erm I mean yeah...oh yes you are so right" she replied catching herself.
"So then how long have you known?" Mal said in a quieter tone.
"Since our first date? Your spell washed away in the enchanted lake" he replied.
"So what since then you've just been...pretending?" Mal couldn't quite understand what she was feeling was she sad that he was pretending to love her all this time. Ben didn't reply though. He took Mal's hand and then slid his ring on her index finger and then kissed the back of her hand looking up at her as he said "I haven't been faking anything?" and the couple smiled.
The cart stopped not long after and Ben and Mal walked up the steps together but as they reached the top she bowed to both of Bens parents. Ben father approached the two along with his wife and looked at Mal with sorry eyes.
"We told Ben this wasn't going to be easy?" He said referring to what had happened on Family day but Ben interrupted before Mal could apologise.
"You also taught me that a king has to believe in himself even when it isn't easy" he said and King Beast smiled in response at his son. Queen Belle stretched her arms out and took Bens hands "Ben, we are so proud of you! Keep listening to your heart!". All three smiled as Ben thanked them both.
"You are going to be a great king!" Bens father proclaimed before taking his wife's hand and walked inside.
"Wish me luck?" Ben then said to Mal as a man in a suit came up beside her and let her off inside.
