Descendants: To Kill A Dragon

Chapter Five

This chapter contains non-graphic references to off-screen sex between teenagers, and a non-graphic reference to familial rape. That one takes place in the chapter concerning Claudine Frollo, so you may skip it if you wish. The quick and non-graphic murders in this chapter are par for the course for this story.

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"We're running out of space." Evie had told her, when they woke up that morning, and dazedly stared into each other's eyes. Mal had stayed the night, in their Junk Shop bedroom, and it had been the best sleep of her life. After today, Mal hoped she wouldn't have to see her mother again, not until the day she killed her.

"I know." Mal replied, and meant it. The shop was perfect for just the four of them, but there were more now, including children who were under her protection, but wanted to run away. There simply weren't enough places to put them, especially now that the entire garage was taken up by Carlos' lab. Even the unflappable faerie blushed at the thought of bringing guests into their own bedroom, especially after last night...

Today was the day that Mal put her first plan into action. Today, they took Dragon Hall. The school building built into the crypts was old and smelly, but it was sturdy and well-defendable, and had ready-made rooms that could comfortably house up to four kids at once. That would be necessary for stage two of Mal's plan. Stage one had gone off without a hitch, and a lot of that was thanks to Evie's persuasion. First had been the Tremaine cousins, bright and ruthless Daria with her chestnut hair, and haughty Antoine with his noble bearing. After that, Ginny started stealing for them, and Evie was teaching Dizzy how to be a witch while she acted as courier. Mal sent the Gothel girl on her mission to scope out the school, while she herself kept up recruitment.

Claudine Frollo came to them on her own accord. Apparently, after the fiasco at Notre Dame, Frollo had given up all of his priestly vows, and slept with every woman who looked remotely like Esmeralda. When his daughter was born, with perfect green eyes and dark hair, he turned his attentions to her instead. So she ran to the court, having heard about Jafar and Lady Tremaine (but only through quiet rumors and hearsay) and begged them to help her too. The punishment for Frollo would have to wait until after they took Dragon Hall, but Mal refused to send Claudy back home, despite the fact they had no room - so they'd let her sleep under the counter, on the condition she didn't steal anything. Old habits die hard, after all.

Mad Maddie was an old friend of Mal's (as much as Isle children had friends) and it was easy to persuade her to join in the mayhem they would cause. As the Granddaughter of Mad Madam Mim, she had three generations of Witch blood in her genes, and could perform minor magic spells, as well as hold her own in a fight.

Marie LeGume was the sole daughter of Gaston, and she joined up simply because she had too many brothers and too little food to go around. Put bluntly, she was starving. Clay Clayton was in the same boat. He had no siblings, but his father wasted what money they had on booze and women. It didn't hurt that the young man had a nice gun and his machete to bring to the table. Lucky for him, Carlos didn't hold a grudge. If he did, Mal would have turned him down, firepower or not.

Today, they all met early on this Friday morning, and ate breakfast together. The only coffee on the Isle came in already-used grounds, and the filth served at the Slop Shop was this second-hand brew. Evie served her preferred mint tea with breakfast, bolstered by some powdered caffeine pills for days like these, when they needed energy. Jay stood at the stove, making a breakfast stir-fry with potatoes, cheese (it was one of the few foods that improved with age), onions, and sausage that came from a can. Typically, many Isle children skipped breakfast due to scarcity, but Mal wanted all their troops to be alert and ready.