A Crack in the Mask

Meet and Stew

Notes:

Heya Descendants! Welcome back to the next installment of our Mask Series!

Are you guys as excited that we're back as we are to be back?

I know we said around Halloween, but we're two impatient bitches. It certainly didn't hurt that someone begged for us to post the new chapter. ;)

See, we're not complete ass holes. We'd say sorry for leaving you guys on that teaser but... I've never been much of a liar. And we rolled at the comments we received for that maneuver.

(See the end of the chapter for questions.)

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Ben wrings his hands nervously as he stands on his tiptoes to look down the drive for the hundredth time in the past five minutes.

It was finally happening.

The moment he'd wanted since he'd first learned about them. The moment he'd been looking forward to for months, if not years.

He was finally going to meet the people he's been fascinated with since he first found the stone tablets. Mal. Jay. Evie. Carlos. He'd read so much about them. Probably knew them better than anyone he considered to be a friend.

"Benni-Boo, I know you must be nervous, and a little excited for some reason-" Audrey takes a deep breath before she fixes a smile on her face, "But you're not showing your best side to the cameras, and you're biting your lips."

Ben frowns as he turns to look at her. Speaking of people he barely knew... Which was strange since he'd grown up with her. "Audrey," He sighs, "You don't have to be here if you don't want to be."

"Oh don't be silly Benni-Boo, of course I have to support you publicly," Audrey giggles as she pats his chest.

Ben forces a smile. "And I appreciate your support." He holds back a grimace. If he were being honest with himself he could admit he was just as bad as everyone else, with their polite smiles, insincere accolades, ulterior motives, and manipulation. It got old pretending to be someone else constantly. Having to constantly question who your real friends were and who was just trying to climb the social ladder. He was better at navigating the social circles than most, and could usually see people for who they were and what they were really after.

Audrey nods once before she steps directly beside him, "This is your first big move as the future ruler of Auradon. Everyone knows you're going to be a good and wise king." She wraps her arm through his and places her hand on his wrist, "So, don't worry. In order to be wise, you have to learn from mistakes." She blinks prettily up at him, "Everyone knows that."

Ben takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes before he opens them with another forced smile. "If I thought this was going to be a mistake I wouldn't have chosen to do it." He liked Audrey, didn't have anything against her besides the fact that she was so ignorant and close-minded. As were many of his peers and their parents. His advisors. The council members. The other royals he had to keep placated. Even his own father at times.

Honestly, it was exhausting to keep up all the pretenses and expectations. The only one who really understood him was his mother. But even she had been skeptical and reserved until he asked her to read the letters he'd been collecting.

"Prince Ben," The Fairy Godmother greets. "Princess Audrey, You're both early. They're not expected to arrive for another fifteen minutes."

"Fairy Godmother." Ben greets with a genuine smile. He'd been worried about how the woman would react to finding out she'd be the one mainly responsible for the new charges. But to his surprise, she'd been incredibly warm to the idea. Even going as far as to volunteer to teach his father's one concession. A remedial goodness class before the spring term started. Something to gauge their willingness to follow rules and understand the difference between right and wrong.