Auradon's royal council meets every weekday from ten in the morning to five in the evening. Well, they're supposed to. The purpose of these meetings is so that any Auradon citizens who feel they have a case to argue or an issue to bring up may do so.
Satisfied with the way Auradon has been run for the last twenty years, it's rare for any citizens to actually make appointments and speak to their ruling representatives. This means that they usually don't even bother with holding a meeting more than maybe twice a week.
That being said, the majority of the council members unhappily take their seats on Friday morning. It's five minutes to ten and they all know exactly who is going to be walking into the room any minute now.
They wait and, sure enough, just as the minute hand on the grandfather clock at the back of the room ticks over, the door opens. An increasingly familiar pair of heavy black boots make their way silently into the room as the clock chimes.
Hayden stands before the council with his hands neatly folded behind his back. He waits for the tenth chime to fade away before he speaks. "Thank you for meeting with me," he says, fighting back a smirk as he makes sure to look each member in the eye.
"Aye," Merida calls with a mischievous smile. "We're always happy to see yeh, Hayden."
"How was your trip home?" Naveen asks.
"It went well," Hayden tells them. "My father sends his regards," he adds, knowing Hades did no such thing. He just enjoys the pinched look it puts on the majority of the council's faces.
"Yes, well, if the ... pleasantries are out of the way perhaps we can get on with this meeting?" Beastie suggests. "Some of us do have things to do today."
Hayden shrugs lightly. "Actually, if you don't mind, we're waiting on a few more people."
"Oh?" Jasmine asks, one eyebrow raised.
"They should be here any moment now, your majesty," he tells her.
"I wasn't aware anyone else had booked a meeting," Florian says pointedly.
"No one else did," Phillip agrees.
"Well, I'm afraid that if your name was the only one on file then you are the only person who may speak today," Leah adds smugly. Her brow furrows in confusion when Hayden doesn't look concerned at all.
"I think you'll find that I updated my booking as soon as I returned to Auradon," he says simply before hearing the door open behind him. "Here they are now."
It's interesting to see the array of different expressions on the council's faces as Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay all join him.
Merida and Naveen both grin, mischief lighting up their eyes. Jasmine and Rapunzel smile though, as Jasmine glances in Leah's direction, hers turns more than a bit smug. Everyone else ranges somewhere on the scale from pale and worried to tense and outraged but trying to hide it.
"We're not late, are we?" Mal asks knowingly.
"Right on time," Hayden tells her with a small smile.
"Yes, well, if that's everyone..." Snow White says tensely, sending a slightly nervous look in Evie's direction as she does.
"Not quite," Evie tells her. She looks her right in the eyes as she does, refusing to shy away from her judgment.
"And just who else would be... willing to speak for the Isle?" Eric asks.
His question is answered as the door opens once again. Hayden doesn't even bother to fight back a smirk as he watches eyes widen across the council.
"Sorry I'm a bit late, everyone," Ben says politely. He makes his way over to stand beside the five of them, right next to Hayden on the end. Hayden notices that he's made sure to wear his crown and can't help but silently commend the powerplay of it.
"Ben," the Beastie says in clear surprise. "What are you- I mean, I thought you were busy preparing for Cotillion?"
"I'm sure you did," Ben says, tone still undeniably polite but with a pointed look. "I, however, felt that attending this meeting was far more important than looking over Cotillion preparations again. After all, we have a lot to discuss."
"Yes, we do," Rapunzel agrees cheerfully.
"I'm not sure I'm quite comfortable having Maleficent's daughter in this meeting," Leah speaks up, her voice haughty. "Not after what she did to mine."
"In that case, you're excused," Ben promptly tells her. "We will conduct the rest of the meeting without your input, Queen Leah."
Jaws drop around the room. Hayden sees Mal and Evie both look at Ben with pride while Jay and Carlos share a discreet low-five.
The old woman looks particularly shocked. "Well, I- I can't- I-,"
"-will refrain from making derogatory comments such as that if you wish to remain in this meeting," Ben finishes smoothly. He hesitates a moment after, like he thinks he may have been a bit too harsh, before glancing at Hayden out of the corner of his eye.
Hayden just nods approvingly, and the king takes a deep breath, regaining his resolve.
"We are not here to blame the crimes of the parents on their children," he continues. "Not anymore. That's a practice that has been happening in Auradon for far too long, twenty years too long."
A few members grimace, clearly uncomfortable having their unjust actions spelled out so clearly, while still others just look indignant, as if they've done nothing wrong.
"Ben, you don't know what it was like," the Beastie tries to reason. "You're only sixteen-"
"I am the sixteen-year-old you all made your king," Ben cuts in. His voice is just this side of appropriately firm.
The royals stare at him in a stunned silence.
"Besides, the fact that I don't know what it was like is all the more reason for me to change things. All of you are blinded by your old prejudices and past experiences. You're biased," he tells them.
Phillip starts to protest. "We are not!"
"I've read over the transcripts from all of the past meetings Hayden has called. Every reason any of you have given for keeping the Isle as it is circles back to the crimes your personal villains committed," Ben continues. "I have yet to hear one sound reason for any of their children to be imprisoned as well."
"That would be because there aren't any," Hayden says bluntly. "It's just easier for the so-called heroes to brush any potential problems under the proverbial rug."
Jay snorts. "More like under the literal barrier."
"So, you admit that these children may cause problems?" Ariel asks. She sounds a bit desperate, like she's trying to assure herself that they've done the right thing by keeping the Isle so isolated.
Hayden and Mal exchange a look. "Yes, just the same as any other person has the potential to do so," she says.
"Admittedly, maybe more," Hayden admits. "After all, being locked away on a prison colony for no reason other than existing is sure to breed resentment."
"It doesn't breed evil, though," Carlos adds. "That's all about choice."
"If I'm remembering correctly," Rapunzel speaks up, "didn't you four make your own choice already? At the coronation?"
"We did, your majesty," Evie says. She gestures between herself, Mal, Carlos, and Jay. "We all chose good."
"Four of you did," Aurora points out. She looks directly at Hayden. "One of you, however, did not."
"That's true," Hayden agrees with a nod. "I chose to remain neutral instead."
"There is no neutral," the Beastie claims. "There is only good and evil."
"What a black and white way to look at things," Carlos notes. Hayden smirks at the wordplay while the others roll their eyes.
"It's an outdated way of looking at things," Ben adds.
"Outdated!" Leah exclaims. "He is the son of Hades! God of the dead! He is evil and his son must be as well!"
"Death," Hayden says coldly, "is not evil. It is a natural part of life."
"It's the end of life!"
"Is that not natural?" he asks, one eyebrow raised. "Life must end so it can begin anew."
There's a long moment of silence as everyone else in the room seems to contemplate that statement.
"Maybe so," Ben says thoughtfully, glancing at Hayden like he's just discovered a whole new side to him. "However, an ending is not the only way for a new life to begin." He looks at the council, making eye contact with each member. "A new life will begin for every innocent citizen wrongfully imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost. The offenses of every criminal imprisoned will also be re-examined to determine if a lighter punishment will suffice."
More than one mouth opens on the council, but Ben just keeps speaking, not allowing them to complain.
"There will also be severe adjustments made to the supplies shipped over on the monthly barges," he tells them.
"You can't just do that!" Florian cries.
"He can and he is," Naveen tells him with a beaming smile.
"I am simply doing what should have been done years ago," Ben says. He looks at Hayden. "That covers our deal, right, Hayden?"
"It does," Hayden tells him with a satisfied nod.
"Oh, please," Charming scoffs. "That little deal is what has you worried?"
"What has me worried is the inhumane way the mere concept of the Isle has been handled since its creation," Ben says firmly. "Though, admittedly, it is nice to know my soul will not be claimed." He looks directly at his father. "Not that any of you seemed to care about that possibility."
The Beastie is not the only one that flinches at the accusation that's, really, nothing but the obvious truth. Before he can defend himself, however, Charming speaks up again.
"He wouldn't have done anything," he claims with an insultingly dismissive wave of his hand.
"What makes you say that?" Hayden asks.
"You- you can't," he says like it should be obvious.
"Why's that?"
Charming glances around at the rest of the council like he's looking for help. "That- that's basically killing him! It's illegal!"
Hayden cackles as every shadow in the room seems to darken. "I don't know if that's arrogance or just plain foolishness," he says. "Do you really think your mortal laws are more important than an oath so ancient you can't even begin to truly comprehend it?"
Charming swallows hard as he looks into golden eyes that seem, for a moment, so much older than the youthful face around them.
"And, believe me," he adds, his voice nearly a purr, "it wouldn't be basically killing him. Death would be a comparable mercy."
It's Leah that interrupts the chilling silence that falls over the room. "See! He is evil!"
Ben gives her a pointed look. "I believe I already told you that comments such as that will not be tolerated." He sighs. "I suppose this is as good a time as any announce a few more changes I'll be making. Queen Leah, this will be your last meeting. After today you will no longer be considered a member of Auradon's royal council."
She gasps in pure shock, one hand pressed to her chest.
"In fact," Ben continues, undaunted, "I will be making multiple changes to the council. First and foremost: it will no longer consist solely of 'true' royalty. It will be for ruling parties, for leaders."
"Now, wait just a minute," Phillip protests. "You can't just-"
"As presiding king over Auradon, I can and I have," Ben says firmly. He glances over at Hayden. "I've been king for a while now. It's time I start acting like it. It's time I start acting in the interest of all my citizens."
"A fine idea!" Merida cries, slapping one hand on the table in front of her with a grin.
"But-but, non-royals on the council?" Florian stutters. Naveen, Jasmine, and Rapunzel all give him rather irritated looks for obvious reasons.
"Huh," Jay speaks up. "Here I was thinking most of you married someone not of a royal bloodline. Was I wrong about that?" he asks, turning to Carlos with both eyebrows raised.
Carlos shakes his head. "No. No. You were right." He starts to point out council members. "Let's see, Charming, Sultana Jasmine, Queen Rapunzel, and King Naveen all married outside of royalty."
This time, no one misses the way the villains' kids only refer to those three and Merida by any kind of title.
"Don't forget the ex-Beastie himself," Hayden drawls with a smirk. Carlos just points at him with a nod.
"Although," Evie adds 'innocently', "would 'true' royalty also have to include being raised as such? Because, if so..." She trails off, looking right at Aurora.
"That's right," Mal says as if she's just had a sudden realization. "Sleeping Beauty certainly wasn't raised as a princess."
"An excellent point," Ben nods, obviously fighting back a smile. "And all the more reason to open council positions."
"Aye, tha' it is," Merida agrees, still not bothering to hide her own grin.
"Oh, I can't wait to let Elsa and Anna know!" Rapunzel nearly squeals.
"You can send them a letter after the meeting, Punz," Jasmine tells her.
"Any chance we'll be getting one of those letters?" a voice calls from the doorway.
Everybody in the room looks over to see a tall, well-muscled redhead standing in the doorway. There's a woman standing beside him with a smirk, her long mahogany hair pulled up in a messy ponytail.
Hayden immediately rolls his eyes with an annoyed sigh. "You've gotta be kidding me," he mutters under his breath.