Half and Half

Chapter Eight

Mal looked at Belle, feeling more than a little nervous. Even if Lady Steph was in the room with her, it was still nerve wracking.

After all, this wasn't just Benny's mom. This was Belle. Everyone on the Isle had heard the stories that Gaston had shouted to crowds in the taverns, even if they didn't want to. And the taverns were by Ursula's Chip Shoppe so Mal had heard plenty of his stories considering the moron didn't believe in keeping his voice down to prevent eavesdroppers. So not only was Mal was in a room with Belle, she was in a room with the High Queen of Auradon.

Also known as the woman who had the power to send her back to the Isle, no matter what Lady Steph wanted.

"Is there anything I can get you Mal?" Belle asked, a smile never leaving her lips as she looked over at the purple haired girl.

Mal shook her head. "I'm good."

"Are you sure? You're my guest after all and the last thing I'd want is for you to go without."

Uh huh. And that's why the Isle's the way it is, Mal thought with an inward sigh. But she didn't say it out loud.

Not only would Lady Steph probably not be happy with that response but there was a chance that Ben would hear how Mal spoke to his mom. Mal could handle him being mad, she almost expected it, but she could not handle the puppy dog eyes of disappointment.

Not after she'd already experienced them once this week after accidentally dog-earing a book he'd lent her.

It wasn't even as if she'd meant to do it on purpose! It'd been on her bedside table and had gotten knocked off when she was getting ready for bed.

Still, those eyes...Mal lived on the Isle and even she didn't want to experience those eyes ever again. Hence the not speaking her mind at that particular moment. She knew that it would get back to Ben and Mal would be subjected to those eyes again.

"I'm sure Queen Belle," was what she opted to say, Lady Steph having worked with her on honorifics and when it was best to use them.

Belle smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to use my title here Mal. Not when it's just the three of us."

"But Lady Steph said it's rude not to," Mal explained. "And you know, you're the High Queen so I'd rather not get kicked back to the Isle just yet for insulting you."

Belle paused as Persephone sighed, looking as though she was resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"What?" Mal asked, seeing the look on Persephone's face. "You said honesty was important, Lady Steph. Besides it's not like I said anything that was insulting."

"Well regardless, you don't have to worry about that," Belle said, accidentally speaking over Persephone as she opened her mouth.

I'll have to apologize for that later, Belle thought as she noticed she'd done that. That was rather rude of me and it won't help our alliance with Olympus if I anger Persephone because then I anger Demeter.

"In fact, I wanted to talk to you about the Isle," Belle said as she looked over at Mal.

"Why?" Mal asked, furrowing her brow.

"Well because you'd know what it's like, what the people need—."

"No, I mean why now? Why do you care now? Not much has changed on the Isle in like five years from what I've heard," Mal elaborated and then tilted her head, as if doing the math. "Yeah five. Cause I was born four years after the Isle was created and I just turned five so the Isle's nine. Right Lady Steph?"