Her Royal Highness

Chapter 26

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Mal squinted down at Uma's ship. It was actually a little bit... better than she remembered it. It had been patched and the ropes recoiled, and everything polished to gleam. It was also extremely crowded. Sick and dying people laid on the boat deck, crying for help as villains walked to and fro. Mal spotted Ursula down in the sea, Hans and Clayton out on the boat deck, the Queen of Hearts singing: "Off with their Heads!" Over and over as she walked back and forth across the gangplank, and her own mother, Maleficent, down on the boat deck conversing with Uma.

She glanced at her comrades. Almost all of the groups that made up one and two had made it through, with the exception of a few stragglers. Namely Carlos and his group. Mal had visited the area of the crash and found it abandoned with no sign of visitation. She'd assumed that the crash had been caused by the unstable building structure and continued onwards. Besides them, Ben was also missing, but he had a sword, so he should be fine unless he'd somehow run into Captain Hook. And even then, Mal had seen Jay nearly outfight the older man. Anything was possible.

Mal studied the outline of the boat and turned to her peers. "I need a group to help me engage them on the south side." She told them. Someone needs to shoot Ursula. Since she's in the water, it'll take her out for more than a few days. Watch out for her tentacles. Shoot as many villains as you can. Group one will have to take on the villain kids. Rush in, grab anyone you can and rush out. We'll keep the fight going as long as we have to but try to tranquilize anyone who fights back. If they fight back, don't bring them to the city."

Everyone nodded, and people began to whisper the plans to their peers. Mal got up and began to creep down the wharf carefully. About twelve people followed her, including Evie. Jay stayed behind to man the rest of the group, and everyone accepted him as the 'Away leader'. Mal trusted Jay to be reasonable.

Once set on the south side, Mal directed a member of her group who held a stun gun to shoot the Queen of Hearts, who was mumbling her mantra as she continued her stroll. They readied their gun, aimed, and fired.

The queen toppled into the water below. Mal's group emerged from their hiding place and began to shoot more while the people with swords began to rush to the ropes that secured the boat to the shore. As Mal prepared to run, she spotted a black, white, and red figure racing down the hill with a tan princess on his heels and an immobilized boy on his back. Carlos.

Mal hesitated as they got closer. She stared at the arrow sticking out of the boy's leg as he cried in pain. "What happened?" She growled.

"Ambush." Carlos gasped. He put the boy on the ground.

"Fine, fine!" Mal growled. She tapped a member of group one on the shoulder. "Please take him back to the city." She asked.

The man nodded. "Yes, your highness." He agreed and quickly hoisted the boy onto his back. Behind Mal, chaos was starting to unfold. Ursula was rising out of the sea as her group started to attack the ship.

Carlos dropped two swords that he'd been clutching to his chest as he ran to the ground. He handed one to Audrey, who began to shake just holding it, and picked one up. "Where is everyone?" He cursed.

"Up on the rise," Mal answered, pointing. "We're the diversion. Don't aim to kill but take as many villains as you can out of the fight." Carlos nodded and sprinted into the fight. Mal turned to Audrey, who had started to cry.

"Mal." Audrey croaked out as tears fell down her face. "Mal, I can't do this. I'm not you. I'm not selfless enough, or strong enough. Ben was right to choose you over me. Please... I'll only make things worse."