Descendants: To Kill A Dragon

Chapter Twenty-Nine

A/N: I love adorably stupid Chad, and I also love cross-polinated yellow-pink roses. I have some at home. (I hope I did a good job writing Ben's train-of-thought pov in this chapter)

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"I can't stay here, Ben." Chad had whispered after the broadcast was over, and the talking heads were back, chatting about the latest development.

"What are you planning to do?" Ben asked, and was distracted from the answer by a courier, who approached him warily, as if there were assassins around every corner.

"Your highness, I have news. It would have gone to your parents, but..."

"But they are indisposed at the moment. I understand." Ben replied solemnly.

"As you know, your father arranged for three ships to head for the Isle as soon as the barrier dropped, to prevent future catastrophe such as the one we suffered last month." The courier explained, referring, of course, to the first time the barrier fell, and scared them all into doing something.

"Right. And?" He hoped they hadn't gotten to poor Evie and Carlos, alone on the island with no defenses. His stomach dropped with the thought of it. Surely they'd be kept alive as bargaining chips in the negotiations with Mal?

"And, well... This is hard to say out loud, milord, but all three ships are sunk. The crew barely made it back with their lifeboats." The courier explained, embarrassed, as if the sinking of the ships was his fault, personally.

"Oh goodness. I see then. Um... Did my father say anything about what to do after that attack?" Ben asked in his most authoritative voice, to hide how he unprepared he felt. How unworthy to stand in the place his father stood.

"No, sire."

"Well then..." Ben thought for a moment, biting his cheek in concentration, before nodding to himself. "Alright. Can you get a message to the troops? Tell them to stand down, and not cause any trouble with fhe new rulers?"

"Not cause any trouble!? Ben, she locked up our parents!" Chad exclaimed from the background, making Ben remember he was actually still there.

"Chad, if you recall, your own mother won her fortune through right of conquest when she usurped House Tremaine. It's not just legal, it's necessary, and if Mal Morgana uses the law for her benefit, we'll have to fight her through the channels of the law."

"Okay...? And, how do we do that?" Chad asked with that vacant expression he usually wore, the one that Ben often wanted to smack off of him.

"Fight fire with fire, Chad." Ben explained, and the vacant look remained firmly in place.

"But if we did that... Wouldn't the fire just get stronger? You should fight fire with water. Or maybe dirt."

"We won't be using literal fire, you doofus. We'll be using right of conquest, just like she did." Ben explained, and enjoyed watching the light in Chad's eyes as it clicked.

"Oh, right! We just have to assemble an army and return with our pikes out and swords swinging!" Chad exclaimed. "Let's go!"

"Not us Chad, you. I have to stay behind and deal with what my father did while he's gone." Ben explained.

"Aw! Wouldn't be a road-trip without my best bud, but I guess I still see the logic." Chad sighed. "I'll be back, Ben. I'll be back soon, and I'll bring you an army!"

That had been a full week ago, and through texts and phone calls, Ben got the impression that Chad wasn't having much luck, which was about what he'd expected. He had suggested the idea as a way to get his friend out of trouble and away from the capital while he was planning his next move. He couldn't visit his parents (the guards at the dungeons wouldn't let him in), and the next option was to speak with Mal, who would know what was going on, at least.