Choosing Love

Chapter Twenty Five

Mal sighed as she stood outside Ben's castle. She had finally decided to bite the bullet and take up King Kristoff's invitation to attend one of the 'Learning to be Royal' meetings. In all honesty, she wasn't completely sure what she should expect from the whole thing.

Would this be like one of Ben's council meetings, where they all sat at a table and took turns talking? Would this be like on the Isle, where they all talked over each other? Would this just be complete madness where the guys dressed in drag and did the hula?

Okay you have officially spent too much time around Ben's shadows, Harry, Jay, Carlos and Gil if that's where your mind went, she thought as she pulled her jacket around herself. Yes she was wearing her pale green dress with the butterfly sleeves, having deemed it good enough to save from the 'donate' pile as it almost reminded her of something her mom would wear, but she wasn't taking her leather jacket off unless it was on fire.

And even then she'd probably debate whether or not it was worth it. After all, she could turn into a dragon, the likelihood of fire burning her was exceptionally low. Not that she was practically interested in testing that theory if she was honest.

She wasn't particularly attached to the dress in question but she figured it'd be a good idea if she looked reasonably put together when going into a castle filled with royals. If Family Day was any example, royals were not ones to 'dress down'.

"Did you forget how to knock?"

Mal blinked as the door opened and she stood face to face with a snowman. Wait...what?

"It's okay if you did. Anna forgets how to knock all the time," the snowman continued as Mal stood in silence, the gears in her head trying to put a name to the snowman. Or just figure out how it was alive really. "Kristoff brought me with him to keep me out of Anna's hair, which is silly. I'm never in her hair. Oh! I'm Olaf by the way and I like warm hugs!"

"Okay..." Mal said slowly. "I'm Mal."

There was no way she was going to tell the snowman what kind of hugs she preferred. Or even if she preferred hugs. That was just a bit too much information to give the snowman...and she was still talking to a snowman of all things.

I think I know why Akiho is the way that he is, she thought as she shook her head slightly. Good thing Estelle's with Ben and Hadie, otherwise I think he'd have a ball chasing Olaf all over the castle. Actually, that'd be fun to watch. Why didn't I bring Estelle?

"How did you know I was at the door?" Mal asked as she walked in, pulling herself out of her thoughts.

"Kristoff told me to check the door so I did," Olaf grinned, walking with Mal to the ballroom where the meeting was being held. If anyone asked, Mal would deny it but she let out a small sigh of relief seeing how informal everything was. Well, as informal as it could look being in a ballroom but no one was decked out in their royal finery so her leather jacket didn't look completely out of place.

"Mal!" Belle grinned as she walked over to her.

"Hello Belle," Mal said, returning the smile and dipping into a small curtsy. She wasn't going to lie, she was still a bit uneasy around the former Queen. After all, the woman was part of the team that set up the Isle. One wrong move and Mal could find herself back on the other side of the barrier.

There's no way Uma would stand for that though. Never mind Harry and Jay. Plus, there's the fact that you're dating the woman's son and mom would probably just bring me back the second she found out, Mal thought, trying to shake the nerves that had formed.

"I was nervous my first meeting as well," Belle told her and Mal looked over at the brunette.

"I'm not..."