Reckless Paradise [a descendants story]

Chapter Twenty-Three | Four Years Later

The TV was on in the background as Quinn prepared lunch. It had been four years since the campaign had ended. Not much had changed. There had not even been an official statement from the king on the matter.

"Prince Ben made a ground-breaking announcement today," Snow White said from the TV.

"Is he going to wear something other than blue and yellow for once in his life?" she muttered, digging through the fridge for the jam.

"I have decided that as my first decision," The prince's voice was a little nervous, but firm. "to allow four children from the Isle" Quinn's head snapped up and she rushed to the couch. "to come to Auradon for a trial period."

Quinn stared at the screen as reporters bombarded the young man with questions.

"Dad!" she called, eyes riveted to the screen. "You won't believe this!"

Dad stepped inside as Prince Ben continued. "I have decided on four children who need our help the most: the children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella de Vil."

There were audible gasps for the reporters. Maleficent was widely considered the worst of all the villains.

"That kid has guts," said Dad, sitting on the couch beside her.

"What does this mean for the other children of villains on the Isle?" one reporter asked.

"As I said, this is a trial period," said Prince Ben. "But if it goes well, I am open to allowing more to come to Auradon. Not all at the same time, of course. I know that this is going to make things different around here, but I hope that we can all give these kids a second chance." He bade the reporters a good day and the screen went back to Snow White, who looked a little paler than usual.

Dad and Quinn stared at each other, a hopeful smile spreading over Quinn's face.

"This is unbelievable!" Quinn exclaimed. "Do you think the campaign had something to do with this?"

"Absolutely," Dad said. "Where else would he have gotten the idea?"

Quinn looked back at the television, where they were now displaying the mug shots of the four villains whose children would soon be in Auradon.

"Let's just hope those kids behave themselves," she said.

•••

In the years since the fateful press conference and the fallout from it, Quinn had tried to retreat from the public eye. She spent nearly all of her time either in Sherwood or the Underground, passing through Auradon City with eyes on the cobbled streets, avoiding the gaze of anyone around her. People still recognized her, but fortunately mostly avoided her.

She had shut down all of her social media and lived reasonably contentedly with her old friends from Sherwood – many of whom had moved to the Underground – and new friends from the Underground. She helped Chloe run the shop and helped behind the scenes with Undergrounder campaigns, knowing that her association with any cause would harm it.

Occasionally she still watched the footage from the Isle, but less and less. It began to just make her sad, seeing them all living their lives in a harmful environment that she was unable to save them from.

•••

There had been quite a lot of drama at the coronation, but in the end, the VKs had behaved admirably, defeating Maleficent and saving everybody. While everyone had been frozen during the confrontation, the cameras kept rolling. Quinn watched it back many times and could help but tear up every time at their bravery. And, true to his word, the newly coronated King Ben had announced that he was working on a plan for the other children of the Isle. Quinn hoped he knew what he was doing and that his advisors would have their best interests at heart.