[✔︎] 𝐌𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 ✫ DESCENDANTS ONE ¹

11: Escape Your Dreams

Off with your head.
Off with your head.
Off with your head.

The phrase repeated itself in Maddie's brain as she began to comprehend what Quinn was saying. Her words began to sink in as Maddie began to face the true reality of what she had just said.

Help the VKs steal the wand.
Help the VKs steal the wand.
Help the VKs steal the wand.

That's what Quinn wanted, but knowing Quinn, she had some plot underlying within that. And Maddie wanted to figure it out. But first she had to escape, escape her mind, escape this dream turned into a nightmare and maybe never come back to the Isle. Stay as far away from Quinn as possible.

That was wishful thinking, really. Maddie couldn't control her dreams and whether or not she ended up on the Isle was not her choice. She was transported to places that had a reason for her being there and now she knew why.

"You know I haven't got all day." Quinn said. "I see the conflict in your eyes. But alas dear Maddie. Why should you care about a place where you don't belong? It must be hard enough to live in a land where you don't belong, but knowing it, holding conflicting realities in your head will drive you mad!" Quinn said. "Another insightful quote from dear ol' dad."

It must be hard.

It was hard. Nobody in Auradon would ever understand her.

"Reality is a prison, Mads." Quinn said, tapping her nails on the table. "'I'll never know why people say they suffer from insanity. I have all my life and I've never been happier.' We're different and they'll never see pass that. So we have to show whose boss."

Show whose boss.

Maddie was beginning to suspect what Quinn was trying to do, but that could not be a good outcome.

"Now you're starting to catch on." Quinn said, tapping Maddie on the chin. "Good for you. You're starting to see it my way, I hope. You know what I want, and you are going to help me."

"Dream big, princess." Uma said. "I have a feeling Mal and her gang aren't going to come through. So why even bother?"

"Let them fail. They'll regret it." Quinn said. "Who would dare cross the daughter of the Queen of Hearts?" She turned to Chelsea. "The daughter of the Cheshire Cat." She turned to Gil. "The son of Gaston." She turned to Harry. "The son of Captain Hook." She turned to Sam. "The daughter of Smee." She turned to Uma. "And The daughter of Ursula?"

"Pretty much all the Auradon snobs." Uma pointed out. "Why do you think we are here?"

"We are here because of our parent's mistakes. We are here because Auradon thinks we'd turn out just like them, except we aren't them, and we've committed no crimes, so should we not have a fair chance to get to Auradon like Mal and her gang?"

"And we are back to square one." Sam said, with sarcasm evident in her tone. "Hooray."

"I don't care for your sarcasm and sass, Sam." Quinn said.

"And I don't care for you in general, Quinn." Sam said.

"Touché." Quinn said. "So Maddie have you made your decision or do I still have to keep talking? Because I can go on all day and talk your ear off."

"Because we all want to hear your voice all day." Sam said, propping her feet onto the counter. Quinn rolled her eyes. "Rolling eyes is my thing. Okay Quinny? Find your own thing."

"My thing is cutting off people's heads." Quinn said. "Which I'm seriously considering doing to you."

"I'll carve out your heart first." Sam said, swinging her legs off the table and setting them onto the floor, propping her elbows on the table.

"Ladies." Uma said. "Can we be civil for a moment?"

"I am being civil." Sam said. "I'm just saying what I'll do if she tries anything,"

"And I'm just saying what I'll do to her if she tries anything." Quinn said pointing a finger at Sam, earning a glare from the blonde haired girl, as Quinn stuck her tongue at her.

"Samantha!" A voice called as they entered the shop. It was her father, Mr. Smee.

"Hi dad." Sam said, turning her attention away from Quinn and toward the door. "What's up?"

"You were supposed to pick up your brothers hours ago." Smee said, flatly. "Did you forget?"

"I did." Sam said. "Sorry."

"Ugh. It's Sam being sensible Sam." Quinn said, under her breath, but loud enough for the blonde to hear.

"It's fine." Smee said. "Boys! Come in here." Squeaky and Squirmy entered the shop. "Now you two be good to your sister."

"Their angels in a devil sort of way." Sam said. "We'll be fine."

"Good." Her father said. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Dad." Sam said as Smee disappeared through the saloon like doors, going to who knows where.

"Alright. Thanks to the interruption we'll just get to the point." Quinn said. "Have you made your decision?"

Maddie looked at her thoughtfully. In the words of Alice, she had known who she was that morning but she had changed so many times since then. But there was no getting out of Quinn's ultimatum.

"I did." Maddie said. "I'll help them."

"Lovely!" Quinn said. "Less blood on my hands. Now wake up and go back to prissy little Auradon and you tell those VKs what you told me."

Maddie nodded. Concentrating, she tried long and hard to escape her dream world, feeling the eyes on her as she finally woke up.

Maddie turned toward the clock on the wall.  To her surprise only thirty minutes had passed since she'd dozed off.

Ben still sat going through papers, but had the kindness to place a blanket on Maddie as she slept. Looking at him made Maddie want to back out of Quinn's deal. But if she did that heads would roll, hers included. Maddie took a deep breath. She'd have to find the VKs and tell them what Quinn wanted to tell them, but not giving Quinn away. And something deep inside Maddie wanted nothing to with the plan.

She couldn't back out now, she was in too deep.