Descended

Chapter 5

The Core Four walked in silence to Evie's castle home. They had left Ben in charge of alerting anyone who might need to know of their sleeping parents presence. Doug had raced off to see if there was any way, any chance of waking them.
It was not until they made it inside that anyone uttered a word. And, by anyone, well, it was everyone. All four VKs started talking at once as if they were protected my magic now that they were inside the house.
They were.
Evie held up her hands to quiet the noise. "Do either of you know if your parents have a true love?"
Mal cut off anyone's answers with a huge yawn.
"Right,"Carlos managed. "Let's sleep on that."
Jay let out what may have been a laugh but sounded suspiciously like a growl.
They muttered their goodnights and headed to the wing that held their bedrooms. Four rooms. One for each of them.
Mal stuck her head into her room to ensure her shrunken dragon was still contained before following Evie to her room and climbing into the princesses bed kicking off only her shoes.
Evie was thankful for the company. She had a hunch that Carlos would probably sleep in Jay's armchair tonight. No one wanting to be alone.
"Hey M, what are you and Uma planning?"

Uma woke after only a few hours. It was still very dark in her cabin. Gil was sleeping peacefully, one arm hanging off the bed. Harry it seemed was not so fortunate. If they way he gripped her waist was any indication his sleep was wrought with nightmares.
She struggled in his hold so that she could face him. His expression looked pained even though he was wrapped in the embrace of sleep still. His breathing was erratic.
"Harry," she whispered. In her current position she was looking sort of up at him. She always had to look up at him, but when they slept he usually cuddled lower against her. He had never held her like this, as a protector? Maybe. As something else? Something more?
"Harry," she tried again wrapping her arms around him. "I'm here, Harry. I'm right here."
His expression softened as he pulled her further into him; she drifted back to sleep.
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Morning came too soon. The three pirates were awakened by the sounds of the crew on the deck.
Uma shoved herself into a seated position, the sudden movement effectively keeping both boys from trying to hold her and sleep on.
"Get up. We have plans." And with that she was already pulling on her leather pants. She thought to change her shirt, but decided being seen in Harry's would make the Auradon boy's head have that much more trouble pinning down what exactly their relationship was. With that in mind she looked for something of Gil's as well.
Harry and Gil were confused as the captain stepped out of the cabin in her own tight turquoise pants, the tattered tank top that was Harry's hanging loosely on her body bunching slightly at her hips, her own brown belts wrapping around her body matching the brown shirt of Gil's she had pulled on and artfully tied under her breast. Boy, were they both thankful for that brown shirt, Harry's had done nothing for Uma's modesty. Not that the captain was ever modest, but still. They did not need any prince in Auradon looking at Uma and getting ideas.
Second thought, as Uma swayed her hips while she walked away, the princes would definitely get ideas.
The boys clambered into their own coats, neither had been quite as undressed as Uma, and they followed her to the deck.
"Are ye sure you want to be going to this girly thing alone, darling? You know how I love..." Harry trailed off under the deadly stare the sea witch gave him.
"You have plans of your own, Hook."
Uma left her crew with orders to watch her ship, and also for some crew members to look for any children who might need help. Anyone who's parents may have taken their freedom to mean freedom from the burden of their children as well.
"Let's go. We will be back by sundown. Desi is in charge."
Harry and Gil fell into step just behind the the captain as they made their way to the bridge.
"Hey, Uma. Um, why'reyoudressedlikethat?" Gil felt bold enough to ask.
"Because." And a smile played at her lips.

Audrey was feeling trepidation and a lot of it. She laid in her dorm room staring at the ceiling wondering what Mal needed from her for the 1000th time at least. Maybe she should cancel.
No. No, she could not cancel. It was nice to be included again. She needed to to try to be friends with the VKs for real.
Up. Get up. She urged herself.
Shower. Makeup. Hair. Outfit that does not look like she is trying too hard. Outfit that took the better part of an hour to pick out.
Easy, breezy, beautiful.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was in its usual style. And she had on a nice pink sundress.
This would not do. Time for a change. A real change.
She pulled her hair into a messy bun, and decided to ask Evie to make her something to wear in blue.
Final check.
Audrey grabbed her bag and was out the door.

When Jay opened his eyes he saw that Carlos had moved from his armchair to the foot of the bed sometime in the night. Figures.
"Hey." He kicked at the younger boy playfully. "Wake up. It's," he checked the clock, "9:00. Shit. Why didn't Evie wake us up?"
He jumped out of bed which sent Carlos unceremoniously tumbling to the floor. Jay did not stop to apologize. He just left the room to check on Evie. It was not like her to oversleep.
Carlos was only a step behind when they burst into Evie's room. There on her bed were the two girls, still in their dresses from the night before, sleeping soundly.
"Up! Get up! We have plans!" Carlos shrieked in his exaggerated Evie impression.
Both girls opened their eyes and glared at the boys. Mal's eyes began to turn green.
"Ease up, Mal. It's after 9 o'clock." Jay told them.
"What?!" Maelstrom Evie was out of bed and chiding everyone to their own rooms. "Get ready. Get showered. How could we have overslept? I'm going to have company in my bathrobe!"
Mal laughed. "Let her do her thing guys."
They obeyed Evie and left her room after she started throwing pillows at them.
Ten minutes later Jay and Carlos were dressed and heading out the door.
"Tell Ben we will be there by 12. I just, I made these plans, before. I just..." She trailed off.
"It's all good, Mal."
"Yeah. A few hours of being normal can't hurt us."
"Besides, Even future queens deserve to plot sometimes." Jay locked eyes with Mal and laughed. He always could read her fairly well.
Mal laughed too.
"Not a word, Jay."
"I would never."
And she knew he wouldn't. He slipped out the door. She locked it behind them.
Time to call Jane. She could get here in thirty minutes. Mal knew she could.