get free | ben beast

SECOND CHANCE

Once upon a time, long, long ago, well, twenty years ago, Belle married her Beast in front of six thousand of their closet personal friends.

Big cake.

Yeah, so instead of a honeymoon, Beast united all the kingdoms and got himself elected king of the United States of Auradon. He rounded up all the villains and sidekicks – basically all the really interesting people – and he booted them off to the Isle of the Lost with a magical barrier to keep them there.

No magic. No WiFi. No way out. Or so they thought.

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Benjamin, the son of the King and Queen, stood staring out the window. His sight was set on the horizon and the cloud covered island on it. He was barely focused on Lumiere, who was fitting him for his suit to wear to his Coronation, which was swiftly approaching.

As Lumiere measured Ben's head for the crown, his parents entered the room. A very human King Adam had Belle on his arm, and they looked at their son with wide, proud smiles.

"How is it possible that you're going to be crowned king next month?" his father asked, teasing him. "You're just a baby."

Belle smiled. "He's turning sixteen, dear."

"Hey, pops," Ben greeted, looking away from the island.

"Gosh! Sixteen? That's far too young to be crowned king. I didn't make a good decision until I was a least forty-two."

Belle scoffed and looked up at her husband. "Uh, you decided to marry me at twenty-eight."

"Ah, it was either you or a teapot." Ben laughed at his dad's joke while Belle pretended to pout. "Kidding, I'm only kidding."

"Mom, Dad–" Ben tried to step down from the pedestal he was being measured on, but Lumiere held him in place. "I've chosen my first official proclamation. I've decided that the children on the Isle of the Lost be given a chance to live here in Auradon."

Belle audibly gasped and dropped the blanket she had been folding. Despite the horrified looks on his parents' faces, Ben kept talking, walking over to them despite Lumiere's protesting.

"Every time I look out to the Island, I feel like they've been abandoned."

"The children of our sworn enemies? Living among us?" The King couldn't believe what his son was suggesting.

"We start out with a few at first, only the ones who need our help the most. I've already chosen five of them."

"Have you?" Adam asked, narrowing his eyes.

Belle gently touched her husband's arm. "I gave you a second chance." They shared a look and looked back at Ben, willing to give him a chance as well. "Who are their parents?"

"Cruella De Vil, Jafar, Evil Queen," Ben hesitated on the next one, not sure of their reactions, "Maleficent."

Lumiere couldn't help but scream at the mention of the villain's name.

"Maleficent!" the king shouted. "She is the worst villain in the land!"

"Dad, just hear me out here!" Ben tried.

"I won't hear of it. They are guilty of unspeakable crimes."

The staff that had been in the room quietly made their way out, shutting the doors behind them. No one wanted to be caught in the middle of the family squabble — not with the King's temper.

"Dad, their children are innocent. Don't you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?" Ben asked, hoping he would see reason. "Dad?"

The King glanced at Belle, who nodded encouragingly. He could tell that she believed in their son, and so he needed to give him a shot as well.

"I suppose their children are innocent," he said, sighing.

Ben sighed in relief and smiled.

"Well, well done," Belle congratulated her son. "And who is the fifth child?"

Ben's smile fell and he looked between his parents nervously. "Uh, oh yeah. Just remember what you just said about how the kids are innocent."

"Ben," Adam said, scoffing and crossing his arms. "Who could possibly be worse than the daughter of Maleficent?"

Ben cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. "The daughter of Gaston."

Neither of his parents could hide the looks of disgust on their faces. A growl escaped from the King's throat at the mention of Gaston.

"No."

"Dad, come on," Ben said, putting his hands up. "I understand why you both wouldn't want anything to do with her, but she's not her father."

"But she was raised by him," Belle said, feeling skeptical. "That horrible man."

"Which is why she needs our help," Ben said. "It's why all these kids need help. They've only ever known evil and the Isle. We can show them that life can be better. That it can be good."

His father grumbled and shared a long look with Belle. Both of them knew it was unfair of them to judge the girl – and all of the kids for that matter – based on who her father was. He released another small growl before he nodded his head.

"Fine."

Ben sighed again and smiled. "Thank you for giving them a chance."

"Besides, how much damage could she do other than being self-absorbed and illiterate."

Belle his a small smile and swatted at her husband. "Don't be mean. I clearly remember having to teach you how to read."

Ben chuckled as his dad looked at the ground, embarrassed. "Thank you. You won't regret this."