Descendant's Future

News

          It's been almost a year since Ben and I got married. I've taken on all the responsibilities that I could to help Ben. We've talked about having children but, nothing yet. I walk into Ben's office as King Phillip exits. Ben sits at his desk, looking conflicted and exhausted. "What's wrong?"

Ben looks up, started. "Hey, Mal. How long have you been standing there?"

"I just got here, why? What's wrong?" I ask again.

He pulls me over and I sit in his chair. He kneels in front of me and takes my hands. "It's about your mother," Ben starts.

I freeze up. "What about my mother?"

"She somehow got loose. King Phillip was the man in charge of watching her. He was just here and told me that the containment she was in was found broken this morning. Maleficent nowhere in sight. They looked at the cameras and found that she was human again."

"How is that possible? She shouldn't have been able to escape," I start to freak out and when Ben tries to calm me down, I cut him off, running out the door. Rushing into our room, I quickly dig into the bottom of the closet and pull out a long wooden box. "She'll be coming here."

"Why?"

"Get to me, hurt those I love. Revenge, cruelty. Most of all, when she was first turned into a lizard, Fairy Godmother gave me my mother's scepter. For safe keeping." Opening the box, I peer in and look, making sure it's still there. I sigh in relief. "It's still here."

"You've been keeping it here?" Ben asks. "You could have told me."

"I thought you knew. I figured Fairy Godmother had to get your permission. She told me never to mention anything about having it. To keep it hidden." Tears fall down my face as I remember my mother.

Ben nods and wraps an arm around me from the side. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out."

"I'm not sure if I can do this forever. I mean- she's still my mother. She was terrible and cruel and evil but- but-"

"She's your mother," Ben finishes. "Honestly, the Council may not want you anywhere near this matter because of how personal it is. They'd be too nervous you'd switch sides. That or they'd want you to deal with it personally to prove that you are in fact good."

I curl into Ben's hold as I try to stop the tears. "I've always been scared she'll come back to get me."

"I wouldn't let her touch a hair on your head," Ben says. He pulls my hand up and kisses it. "I promise. Do you trust me?"

I smile and nod. "I do." Together we push the box back and stand up before going downstairs to join Mom and Dad for dinner.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Remember, we have that meeting with the council in a couple hours," Ben calls the next morning.

I nod. "I'm just finishing up my hair, can you grab my mother's scepter. I think we should bring it."

"I was just about to say the same thing," Ben agrees.

I put some finishing touches on my hair and just before I walk out, I hear a thud. "Ben?" I ask. I walk out and move around the bed until I see Ben on the ground, the scepter in his hand. "Ben!" He's struggling to breath and shaking slightly. His cheeks seem slightly thinner. "Help!" I scream, hoping someone's around. "Somebody help!" I try again. I shove the scepter out of his hands and try to help him breath, loosening his tie and opening his mouth.