The New Dragon

Chapter Five

A/N: Mariner is my working surname for Ariel and Eric's children. Thoughts? 

The Wattpad version of this chapter includes a map of how I picture Auradon, so that might help with figuring out the tour schedule for our favorite four antiheroes, and where everything is supposed to exist in this AU.

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As the royal carriage rolled through the streets of Oceania, Mal plastered a smile on her face and waved automatically as she thought back to the events of last night. As trumpets sounded and petals flew everywhere, she cast her mind back to that conversation with the other three.

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"We need to talk." Evie had said, calmly but firmly, letting Mal know she couldn't back out of it.

What should she say? How should she begin?

"Something's been bothering you, and we can all see it." Carlos explained, before quietly pleading with her. "Please don't lock us out, Mal. I couldn't bear it."

"We're a part of you, you're a part of us." Jay added, stepping forward to wrap Mal in his arms, as she broke down and started to cry. "When you hurt, we all feel it."

"So let us share the burden, Mal." Evie smiled sadly as she joined the hug, so that Mal was flanked on both sides. Carlos wasn't much of a hugger, but he put his hand on Mal's shoulder in comfort.

"I - I just don't know what to do." Mal sobbed out. "I know I'm twenty-one, but I still feel like such a kid! I can't handle the pressure."

"Of course you can't." Evie clucked disapprovingly. "That's why the magic brought us together, remember?"

Jay, who had been initially shocked and confused by Evie's words, caught on to the gist of what she was saying, and made his own observation.

"Yeah, we complement each other perfectly, and compensate for any losses." The son of Jafar explained, holding Mal tighter as she cried.

"But we can't do that if you don't let us, Mal." Carlos murmured. "The magic took away even the need to use words. It clearly doesn't want us to shut ourselves off."

"You're right." Mal sobbed. "You're so right, I'm sorry for worrying you."

Perhaps sensing something was still hidden, Evie kissed Mal's forehead, and breathed into her very soul, through the magic bond, a single sentence:

No more secrets

And Mal could hold nothing back from her, because they were one soul, true lovers of a kind that are seen only once in a generation (twice this time, because Jay and Carlos were too, and what better omen could there ever be than that?)

Mal was Evie, and Evie was Mal, and they were a part of each other's mind in the most pure communion, the next evolution of their psychic bond.

You don't need me anymore, Mal thought with a wave of absolute sorrow, and it tasted like a not-nearly-ripe apple to Evie, so bitter it made your cheeks pucker, the kind of bitterness that made your tongue feel like ash.

I'll always need you, Evie thought in reply, crying tears of true sadness, enough to make ten or twenty love potions, and Mal thought idly in the back of her mind that it was wasteful - the part of her that remembered how hard it had been to get them on the Isle.

I never want to be alone again. Mal thought, out of nowhere. Because for the past few days, even surrounded by people, she felt so alone when she didn't let them close to her. I love you.