𝑨 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴 𝑰𝑺 𝑨 𝑾𝑰𝑺𝑯 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑴𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺

𝑬𝑷𝑰𝑳𝑶𝑮𝑼𝑬

Meanwhile...

In the Auradon Palace Conference Room...

"This honestly couldn't wait until tomorrow?" Flora complained, filing into the conference room with Fauna, Merryweather, and the rest of the Auradon Royal council. "The coronation was this morning."

"The coronation is exactly why we're meeting right now," Genie retorted, holding the door open for the last of the members to enter and take their seats. "We have a very big problem on our hands."

From his elevated chair, Doc the dwarf raised a curious eyebrow, hands folded in front of him. "And that problem would be?"

"The king," Genie answered bluntly, folding his blue arms across his chest. "Something needs to be done. Immediately."

Fauna's brows furrowed in amusement, laughing at Genie in disbelief. "What on earth are you talking about? Ben hasn't even started his reign yet." Genie only nodded in understanding, taking his normal spot at the conference table.

"Precisely. And we need to try and halt that process as best we can, because if we're not careful, this kingdom will fall apart under his watch."

Everyone in the conference room fell silent, exchanging wary looks. Genie remained unmoved, watching them patiently until Geppetto finally turned back to him, chuckling nervously. "I...Perdonami, signore Genie, but I feel like that's a little dramatic. Benjamin has been training for this role his whole life. He knows what he's doing."

Genie only rolled his eyes, sitting back in his chair. "If he knew what he was doing, he wouldn't have enlisted his magical, ticking time bomb of a girlfriend to be his royal advisor. If he knew what he was doing, she wouldn't even be here in the first place."

At his words, Doc sighed in exhaustion, removing his glasses and massaging the bridge of his nose. "Genie, please. You've been exhausting the idea of the proclamation since Ben announced it.For all we know, there is nothing going on between them and Delphina Tremaine just saved all of our lives–"

"Right before she nearly took them all!" Genie shot back, sitting forward. "You all were frozen when her telepathy kicked in, but I could feel it. The amount of power she holds? The lack of control she has over it? Putting someone like her in a position of power is the worst thing that could possibly happen to this country."

"This is ridiculous. She'll start training with Fairy Godmother soon!" Merryweather exclaimed. "Genie, you are basing your concerns off of one, unfortunate circumstance. She'll get her magic under control, and–"

"And it'll be Anastasia all over again!" Attina, Ariel's oldest sister, cut in harshly. The other five daughters of Triton, who had all been gifted the ability to live on land and sea like their youngest sister so they could attend Council meetings, all nodded in agreement. "Creating enemies just because she has magic...hell, she'll be even worse! She won't just be creating new enemies, she'll be bringing back old ones!"

Jiminy Cricket stepped forward onto the surface of the table so everyone could actually see him. "If I may, Princess...the only thing Delphina Tremaine wants to do is free her family and all of the children that were unfairly imprisoned for their parents' wrongdoings. If we should take any indication from her, it is that the children of the Isle bear us no ill will."

Aquata, another one of Ariel's sisters, laughed derisively. "You don't actually believe that, do you? Jiminy, her best friend is Ursula's daughter, for Christ's sake. My family has already endured two different family reunions with those foul squids. We don't need a third."