Choosing Home

Chapter Seventeen

Ben sighed as he sat down in his chair. He wasn't hiding, no not in the slightest. He knew he had calls that he had to make. Aurora and Phillip needed to be informed, and his dad needed to know it was safe to come home.

Not to mention what kind of friend would he be if he didn't call to check on Chad? He should at least see if Chad got back to his castle safely, with how he almost sprinted out of Fairy Cottage.

Plus...there was something telling him that it might be a good idea that he should recuse himself from running the trial. The last thing he wanted was to give Freddy a chance to argue that the trial was biased against him due to Ben being a factor.

Right, okay, he thought with a small sigh. He needed to make these calls. He needed to stop dragging his feet on this. So all I have to do is call the mother of the woman I used to be in a betrothal contract with and tell her that not only was her daughter apprehended with the stolen scepter and Queen's crown but that there is a likelihood that her daughter would need to be tested for a possible pregnancy to say the least. Thank Gods that Aurora's not like her mother.

There was no point in dragging his feet though, he just needed to grit his teeth and make the call.

"Queen Aurora? I hope I'm not bothering you, I know it's a rather late hour."

"King Ben! I was hoping you'd call," Aurora stated. "I've been hearing the rumors about Audrey, Phil even texted me before he arrived home from young Jane's party. Are the rumors true? I'd rather hear it from you than anyone else, you're one of Audrey's oldest friends."

Ben couldn't help the small sigh that escaped his lips. "Sadly the rumors are true your highness. Audrey stole Maleficent's scepter and the Queen's crown from the museum and is the one responsible for the kingdom wide sleeping curse. And...forgive me but may I speak bluntly?"

"Of course King Ben," Aurora said, her voice soft. "Please...I want to know the truth."

"She also broke Fred Frollo out of custody, he was the VK who attacked Cotillion, to assist her in her are...suspicions that Audrey and Freddy partook in...forgive me Aurora, I wish I could tell you this under happier circumstances. Actually I wish Audrey could be the one to tell you but...there is a chance where Audrey may be pregnant."

Aurora sighed. "Thank you for telling me King Ben. Her father and I will be there momentarily but we will definitely need to have Audrey tested for pregnancy. Can...can you tell me if it was at least consensual?"

It was clear that, by the way Aurora's voice halted near the end of the question, that she wasn't sure if she even wanted to know.

"I can only assume it was consensual," Ben told her. "The only evidence we have that an encounter like that exists is..."

"Ben?" Aurora asked as Ben faltered. How could he tell Aurora that the bed in question in Fairy Cottage...it had been her's?

"It's speculation that the encounter occurred but we would still need to have Audrey tested for the possibility of pregnancy to err on the side of caution.

"Thank you for informing us. Phillip and I will be there soon," Aurora said. Ben could hear her call to Phillip to have Henri bring the limo around and he felt his heart clench. Soon he would have no choice but to watch his friend be tried.

Please Audrey, please have something related to regret, he thought once more.

"King Ben?"

"Yes Queen Aurora?" Ben said, pulling himself out of his thoughts.

"Audrey...she'll be sent to the Isle won't she?" Aurora asked, and Ben's heart broke for her. This wasn't a Queen asking about one of her subjects but a mother asking about a daughter.