Descendants 2 Junior Novel

by Eric Geron

  Lumiere joined Mal at her side. “Work it, girl,” he whispered.

  Mal giggled. She surveyed the crowd again.

  Where is Ben?

  Then she descended the steps toward the deck as everyone applauded.

  Belle and Beast greeted Mal at the bottom of the stairs. Beast, in his royal-blue suit with gold sash and signature black bold-frame glasses, took Mal’s trembling hand.

  “Hi,” said Mal, comforted by him.

  “Ben’s on his way,” said Beast. “You look beautiful.”

  Belle wore a gold dress and a delicate crystal-encrusted gold crown. She also took Mal’s hand and smiled lovingly. “So beautiful,” she said. “I know we were shocked at first, but you—you were exactly what Ben needs.” She was referring to the Family Day event, when Ben had first announced to Belle and Beast that Mal was his new girlfriend. The photographer had captured their shocked expressions upon hearing the news.

  Beast gave Belle a little side hug. “And lucky for me, she doesn’t go by first impressions,” he said. He, Belle, and Mal laughed, though Mal’s laugh was nervous.

  Evie could sense that Mal was apprehensive. In true best-friend fashion, Evie rushed to her side. “Hi!” She led Mal onto the deck. “How are you feeling?”

  Mal looked at the cameras and guests. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

  “It’s okay. We’re here with you,” said Evie.

  Mal grabbed Evie’s hands. More fanfare played. It was a great moment for the VKs. Mal and Evie beamed at each other.

  Lumiere called out, “King Benjamin!”

  Ben appeared at the top of the stairs in a sleek royal-blue silk jacket with gold accents. The belt he wore had a gold beast-emblem buckle. His honey-brown hair was swept across his forehead under his thick gold crown, and his blue eyes sparkled like stars. He looked every bit a king.

  Everyone applauded. Mal couldn’t take her eyes off him. Ben nodded, and his eyes met Mal’s. She smiled at him. He walked down the stairs and paused at the bottom.

  “Go get him,” Evie whispered to Mal.

  Mal took a step forward.

  Ben passed his parents without looking their way.

  Okay…Belle mouthed to Beast at the slight.

  Ben stopped in front of Mal and bowed.

  Mal bowed back at him.

  “Mal,” said Ben, coming up from his bow, “I wish I had time to explain….” He turned around and looked toward the top of the stairs.

  Mal smiled.

  Could this have something to do with all those not-so-secret discussions Ben has been having with Jane? wondered Mal.

  Then her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. The crowd gasped in shock.

  Uma? here at Cotillion?

  Yeah, I’m officially going to be sick. And not because I’m on a boat.

  Uma glowed in a teal-and-gold mermaid-style dress as she entered the grand staircase.

  Her gown was simply exquisite, with tiers of sea-colored tulle and delicate nets threaded into the pieces of the fabric. Her hair was up in a bun, and she wore dark fingerless gloves and carried a turquoise clutch. Her gold shell necklace shimmered against her chest. Uma smiled kindly at Ben and walked down the steps to meet him.

  Ben kissed his beast-head ring on Uma’s finger.

  Mal looked on with tear-filled eyes.

  Ben linked his arm with Uma’s and led her to Mal. “I’m sorry. It all happened so fast,” Ben told Mal.

  Mal stared at him.

  “Something happened to me when I was on the Isle with Uma.” Ben looked at Uma dreamily. “A connection.”

  Uma giggled at him.

  Mal shook her head. “I’m sorry…what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that—” Ben began.

  “It was love!” Uma smiled at Mal. “I just—I realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?”

  “We are,” said Ben.

  “I know!” Uma beamed.

  Mal looked back at Ben. “Ben.”

  Uma giggled and pulled Ben close.

  “Ben,” Mal said a little louder.

  He looked at her.

  “Did you go back for her?” Mal asked.

  “He didn’t have to,” said Uma. “I dove through the barrier before it closed. And I’m an excellent swimmer, so…Listen, Mal. I just want to say thank you. I really do.” She giggled again. “For everything. Just…thank you.” She threw her arms theatrically around Mal and gave her a tight-as-tentacles strong embrace that made Mal recoil.

  “Don’t you see, Mal?” said Ben. “You were right! See? You knew that we weren’t meant to be together. That’s why you never told me that you loved me. Thank you.”

  Mal stared at him. She had no words.

  Uma beamed at Ben, who had a glazed expression on his face. They joined together and waltzed across the deck. Evie led a stunned Mal away from them.

  Mal was shaken, and she couldn’t take her eyes off Ben. Carlos held one of her arms and Evie held the other, for support. They watched as Uma and Ben danced a Cotillion waltz in front of the surprised crowd.

  “Not too thrilled I risked my life for him,” Carlos said bitterly.

  Lonnie joined them. “Well, we’re with you, Mal.” She rested a hand on Mal’s arm.

  Jay walked over, too. “Let’s get out of here. Come on.”

  The crowd quickly cleared a path for them as they headed toward the stairs to leave. Beast and Belle gasped as they watched Mal being led out.

  “Mal!” cried Beast, stopping her.

  “We’re so sorry, honey, we had no idea,” said Belle.

  “I’m going to talk to him,” Beast promised.

  Suddenly, Jane raced up the steps toward Lumiere, who still stood at the top. “Lumiere! Lumiere! Unveil the gift! They need to see it! Now!” she shouted.

  “And now, the unveiling of King Ben’s masterpiece, designed especially for his lady,” said Lumiere, signaling a guard across the deck to uncover the art piece as fanfare played.

  Mal, Evie, Jay, Lonnie, and Carlos, now joined by Jane and Doug, froze on the steps.

  Uma and Ben turned.

  All eyes watched as the guard on the opposite landing pulled a cord. A royal-blue drape fell away, revealing the stained glass panel Ben had commissioned for Mal.

  Mal’s eyes filled with tears again.

  Ben does love me! his gift proves it.

  And crazy as it sounds, I love him, too.

  The stained glass panel depicted a sunrise with Ben and Mal.

  On the right, Ben wore his royal-blue suit with gold epaulets and crown. He reached for Mal’s hand. On the left, Mal, with long purple hair and a gold crown, wore a purple dress and cape that swept around her. It wasn’t the perfect Lady of the Court Mal. Not at all. It depicted the real Mal, in all her purple-haired, green-eyed glory. The party guests applauded. Mal couldn’t take her eyes off it. She knew Ben must have been planning and designing the stained glass panel for months. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

  Mal spoke to Evie. “Ben did that?”

  “Yeah, he did,” said Evie.

  “Evie.” Mal took her hand. “Ben has known who I was all along.”

  “And he loves the real you, M.” Evie looked at her.

  “A true love,” said Mal, gazing at the portrait in awe.

  “Yeah.” Evie smiled.

  “Told you,” said Carlos.

  Mal laughed.

  Ben stared up at the stained glass, his vacant expression changing to one of contemplation.

  Uma marched to the stairs. “Cover that thing back up!” she snarled.

  “I will not!” proclaimed Lumiere.

  Uma smiled and turned to face Ben. “Why don’t you tell everyone the present you have for me, Ben?”

  Ben approached the stairs. “I have an announcement!” he declared.

  Beast removed his glasses and started to walk down the steps toward him.

  “Uma will be joining the court tonight as my lady.” He took Uma’s hand.


  Mal stared, speechless. After all that?

  Uma beamed and chuckled.

  Beast stepped onto the deck. “Son!” he boomed.

  “Not now, Dad!” roared Ben in his most beast-like voice.

  The crowd froze, scared.

  Ben addressed his subjects. “So as my gift to her, I am bringing down the barrier once and for all!” He looked into Uma’s eyes, and she beamed at him.

  Mal and Evie gasped and looked at each other.

  On the Isle of the Lost, Uma’s pirate posse had the live feed of the Cotillion on the old television in the fish and chips shop. They watched as Lumiere announced Uma.

  “Mateys,” said Harry, standing at the counter. “We ride with the tide!”

  The pirates cheered and whooped. They drummed on the table and kicked their legs up in the air and clapped their gloved hands and high-fived. Harry locked lips with Gil. The pirates danced, twirling triumphantly as if they were on the yacht.

  Their time had come.

  “Fairy Godmother, bring down the barrier!” Ben bellowed.

  Fairy Godmother’s mouth was a perfect circle. “I most certainly will not!” She gripped her wand tighter.

  “I am your king,” said Ben.

  “Obey him,” demanded Uma.

  “Bring down the barrier!” Ben boomed.

  Mal’s eyes lit up. “You guys!” she whispered to her friends on the steps as they huddled up. “You guys! He’s been spelled!”

  “Uma found your spell book!” whispered Evie.

  They turned and watched Ben take Uma’s hand and gaze into her eyes.

  Mal looked around. Her eye caught the image on the stained glass. Suddenly, she knew what to do. She stepped forward.

  Mal faced Ben.

  “Ben!” Mal smiled and stepped in front of him.

  Everyone waited to see what would happen next.

  “Ben! Look at me,” Mal pleaded.

  Ben turned toward her.

  “No! Eyes over here!” Uma said, standing beside Mal. “You love me, remember?”

  “No, you don’t,” Mal told him.

  “Yes, you do!” Uma shouted.

  “Ben, look at me,” said Mal.

  Uma turned toward Fairy Godmother. “Bring down the barrier!”

  “I do not take orders from you,” said Fairy Godmother.

  “Ben!” Uma commanded.

  Ben continued looking at Mal, transfixed now.

  Mal took step after step, closing the space between them. “Ben, I never told you I loved you because I didn’t believe that I was good enough, and I thought that it was only a matter of time before you saw that yourself—”

  “Oh, please.” Uma rolled her eyes.

  Mal pointed at the stained glass. “But, Ben, that’s me! I’m part Isle and I’m part Auradon—”

  “Ben, eyes over here.” Uma smiled.

  Mal’s eyes filled with tears. “And you saw us for who we were and who we can be—”

  “You love me,” Uma interjected.

  “And, Ben…I know what love feels like now,” said Mal.

  “Don’t listen to her, Ben. Don’t listen to her,” said Uma.

  “But, Ben, of course I love you. Of course I love you. I’ve always loved you.” Mal kissed him.

  Uma stepped back and looked on.

  Then Mal pulled away and gazed up into Ben’s eyes, which suddenly seemed clear.

  Ben smiled at Mal. “My Mal.”

  “True Love’s Kiss,” said Evie to herself, grinning. “Works every time.”

  The crowd cheered.

  Uma lunged at Fairy Godmother. “Give me that wand!”

  Fairy Godmother yanked it out of reach. “Ah-ah-ah.” She called out for the guards. “Seize her!”

  The crowd swarmed Uma, but she quickly ran to the railing.

  Mal held up her arms to block the guards. “No! No! No! Stop!” As much as she wasn’t fond of Uma, Mal felt in her heart that jailing her was not the answer.

  Uma backed against the rail and faced Mal and the rest of her onlookers.

  “Uma, I know you. You are so much more than just a villain,” said Mal. “And you have to believe me, because I have been there. Do not let your pride get in the way of something that you really want.” Mal took a step toward Uma, then another. “Yeah?”

  Uma looked at Mal and touched her shell necklace, which had started to glow. Then she turned, put her hand on the rail, and stepped up onto the banister.

  Mal ran forward to stop her.

  Everyone behind her screamed and rushed forward as well.

  But it was too late.

  Uma leaped off the yacht.

  Everyone raced to the railing, including Mal, whose mouth was agape. Ben’s eyes bugged. Carlos, Jay, Lonnie, Jane, the guards, and the rest of the party guests looked at each other, murmuring. All of a sudden, they saw a slight bubbling in the sea below that turned into a roiling boil, and then…and then…

  Out of the waves, Uma rose as an enormous tentacled sea witch.

  Talk about going overboard! shrimpy just got a whole lot bigger.

  Guess the slimy tentacle doesn’t fall far from the sea witch.

  Uma sloshed a wave of water over the yacht that sent everyone stumbling.

  Then she vanished under the waves and resurfaced. “True Love’s Kiss won’t defeat this!” Uma roared, grinning. “The world will know my name!” She threw back her arms, then flung out long slimy tentacles. One nearly swept Evie into the sea, but she jumped aside. Another lashed out at Lonnie and Jane, who dodged it. Uma cackled with her hands on her hips; then she folded her arms, ready to strike again.

  Mal watched her friends avoid Uma’s attacks. She clenched her fists. Her eyes sparkled bright green, her hair whipped with magic, and then…

  Mal vanished in a burst of purple smoke—and turned into a giant dragon.

  She had iridescent purple scales and a bilious-green underbelly, razor-sharp claws and teeth, two curved horns on the top of her head, and a long spiked tail.

  It would have made Maleficent a proud mom had she been there to see it.

  Everyone on the yacht gasped.

  Mal locked her glowing green eyes with those of the enormous sea witch.

  “Bring it on, Mal!” Uma yelled, swiping with her arms and tentacles as Mal wheeled overhead. “Let’s finish this—once and for all!”

  Mal spread her huge green-purple wings and soared over Uma, breathing out flames. People on the yacht crouched down to evade the heat. Uma ducked under the waves, rocking the yacht violently back and forth, with everyone on deck staggering one way, then the other.

  Ben had seen enough. He roared mightily, removed his crown and jacket, and ran to the banister. Despite the screams from the guests, Ben dove off the yacht into the sea. He surfaced between the two dueling giants. “Stop!” Ben shouted. “Mal! Uma! Back down!” He looked from one massive monster to the other. “Back down!”

  Mal and Uma broke their stare-off by looking down at Ben.

  Uma cackled. “What are you gonna do, Ben? Splash me?”

  Mal’s eyes sparkled brighter as she hovered beside Ben and glowered at Uma, her dragon wings flaring out in anger.

  “That’s enough! This isn’t the answer! The fighting has got to stop! Everyone!” yelled Ben. He looked at Mal. “Nobody wins this way. We have to listen and respect each other. It won’t be easy. But let’s be brave enough to try.”

  Uma rolled her eyes.

  Mal’s green sparkle faded from hers, and she straightened up a little.

  Ben turned to Uma. “Uma, I know you want what is best for the Isle! Help me make a difference!” Everyone at the rail of the yacht watched in silence as Ben held out his hand to Uma.

  She looked torn. Her eyes softened. She reached out a tentacle to Ben, about to touch his hand. Instead, she dropped his beast-head ring into his hand.

  Ben watched her lower silently beneath the waves.

  And then Uma was gone.

&nbs
p; The crowd aboard the yacht watched Uma head out to sea, and they exhaled a collective sigh of relief. The clouds parted, and the sky twinkled with infinite stars. Ben took his eyes off Uma’s wake and swam back to the boat. Jay and Carlos lowered a ladder, and a sopping wet Ben climbed up. Everyone cheered for him. Then Mal flew up and hovered above them.

  Mal’s wings closed, and then…

  POOF!

  Everyone gasped.

  She vanished in a swirl of purple smoke—and dropped on two feet on the yacht in front of the stained glass. She was Mal again, but not quite the same Mal.

  Her hair was long and thick and purple. She wore the purple dress depicted in the stained glass, with its purple cape and rich layers of fabric that swept past her feet. The dress sizzled where it touched the wet deck. Mal patted out the fiery embers, and the crowd giggled. A gold crown shimmered atop her head. She curtsied to Ben, who bowed. Mal grinned and laughed. Fanfare played, and two guards took her by the elbows and escorted her down the stairs as the crowd clapped for her.

  Evie met her at the bottom, and Mal grinned.

  “I did not know that I could do that,” said Mal.

  Evie laughed. “Yeah, that makes two of us.” She blew out a few more embers on Mal’s dress. “Shall we?” asked Evie, extending a hand.

  “We shall,” Mal declared as she took her friend’s hand and walked toward Ben.

  Mal walked straight up to Ben and kissed him.

  Everyone cheered and applauded.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” said Carlos, which made everyone laugh.

  Beast looked on proudly. “How about that boy of ours?” he said to Belle.

  “How about his girlfriend?” Belle smiled fondly. “We’re in good hands.”

  “I owe you guys a lot,” Ben said to the crowd. “If there’s anything I can do or if there’s anything you need, please—”

  “Umm, actually, there is something you can do, Ben,” said Evie. “I know a girl who’d really love to come to Auradon. It’s Drizella’s daughter, Dizzy. She’s like a little sister to me and…”