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.
Following the coronation of King Ben, that all changed.
Hayden has made it a point to book as many appointments as he possibly can. He spends every meeting he attends arguing for amendments and reformations in regard to the Isle of the Lost.
Even for all the cunning and manipulations he learned at his father's knee, he has still yet to make any real progress.
His main opposition comes from the Beastie, who, surprise, surprise, moved right over to the royal council following his technical step down from the throne, and Leah. The only surprise that comes from her clear opinion of him and his goals is the sway she seems to hold over the other members, especially her daughter and son-in-law.
Why there are three seats on the council granted to that particular family, Hayden has yet to figure out.
Unfortunately for him, Aurora and Phillip seem to be quite friendly with Charming, Eric, Ariel, Snow White, and Snow's husband, Florian. Every time it seems like they might be starting to see his side of things (mentions of the children suffering on the Isle are particularly effective in that regard) Leah or Phillip will say something to ruin his work.
Not every council member is purely against him, though. Merida and Naveen, much like their children, are fully open to amending the Isle laws. Jasmine and Rapunzel, largely, he suspects, due to them having married former thieves, are also firmly on his side.
Like he told Persephone, a more balanced and fair council system would definitely help. Hayden's done his research. He read every book he could find that even mentions the royal council before he set up the first meeting.
Members must, first and foremost, be of royal blood. This means that some likely allies, such as the Lis or the mentioned former thieves, can do virtually nothing.
Rulers who advocate the use of magic, such as Elsa of Arendelle or Kida of Atlantis, who would therefore be more sympathetic to the idea of abolishing a barrier that prevents all practice of magic, are also excluded.
Those who are not technically royalty also don't make the cut. This includes Tarzan, undisputed king of the jungle, Moana and Pocahontas, both chiefs of their respective people, and Simba, the lion-shifter who rules the Pridelands.
(Admittedly, he does appreciate the fact that this means Hercules is also not involved.)
Needless to say, the clear prejudice involved in merely becoming a member of the council works solidly against him.
Hayden can't help but bemoan this fact once again as he stands before the council, boots flat on the floor in front of the dais that holds the council's seats in a clear powerplay. He listens to the royals once again claim that they have logical reasons to not want any Isle citizens crossing the barrier and moving to Auradon.
"I can't say that I'm entirely comfortable with the idea of Ursula's child coming to Auradon," Ariel says delicately. "I mean, she did take my voice."
"Yes, Ursula did. Ursula, not Uma," Hayden points out. "She took it because, oh, let me think, you signed a binding contract," he deadpans.
"I was sixteen!" Ariel protests.
"Old enough to know better," Hayden agrees smoothly.
The comment, for all that it's completely true, earns him more than one angry look. Eric and Snow, from either side of the redhead, both place a comforting hand on an upset Ariel's shoulders.
Aurora, after a daintily shocked gasp at his assessment of her friend's past, gives her husband a pointed look and he quickly speaks up.
"Enough," Phillip says firmly. "The fact of the matter is that the villains imprisoned on the Isle are there for a reason. They are thieves and betrayers and killers."
"Oh, is that the reason?" Hayden asks rhetorically. "If that's the case then," he turns to Rapunzel and Jasmine, "my apologies, ladies, but it seems like your husbands will be living elsewhere."
They both just give him a small smile, fully aware of the point he's making.
Phillip blanches a little when he realizes his mistake.
Hayden turns back to face him before he can say anything to defend his words. "You as well," he says lightly. "I mean, you did kill Maleficent, didn't you? And, Eric, you killed Ursula?"
By this point, most every royal in the room looks uncomfortable. It's a pattern Hayden noticed early on in his dealings with them.
None of them seem to like having the ugly truths of their little fairy tales pointed out.
"Look," he says with a sigh, both ring adorned hands held out, "regardless of why you think the actual villains should be on the Isle, which we will come back to later, their children have committed no crimes worthy of a life sentence."
"Their parents-" Beastie begins.
"Yes," Hayden snaps before he takes a deep breath, consciously keeping his hair from sparking. "I heard you before," he continues calmly. "What I haven't heard is even one single reason for an entirely new generation to live their lives on a prison colony. Unless, of course, birth is now considered a crime in the great and benevolent land of Auradon."
The sarcasm in his last few words couldn't be missed by even the dimmest person.
Just when it looks like he might actually be getting through to a few of them, Leah speaks up and ruins things.
"Well, as interesting as this is, I'm afraid that our time is up," she says smugly.
"Aye, so it is," Hayden agrees easily. More than one council member gives him a suspicious look at the easy acceptance.
Merida grins at him. "Yer headed fer the Underworld t'morrow, aren't yeh, Hayden?" she asks, hiding a snicker when a few people flinch at the mention of the place.
"I am," Hayden says. "Don't worry, though," he adds with a smirk. "I'll see you all on Friday morning, ten o'clock."
"Oh? Isn't Cotillion on Friday?" Naveen asks with an innocence that fools no one.
"Yes, which unfortunately means the time for meetings will be cut short," Hayden confirms.
"Yes, how unfortunate-" Leah gets cut off.
"There were only four hours available, so I just went ahead and booked them all," he continues. "You know, just to make sure we have time to talk about everything we need to."
He looks directly at Leah as he says it, daring her to protest and knowing she can't. She sends him back a look that he thinks is meant to intimidate but, given the fact that he's grown up surrounded by villains and has seen Hades himself in a temper, means nothing to him.
"How reasonable," Jasmine says calmly, though mischief dances in her eyes. She's not the biggest fan of Leah either. "I, for one, would love to make the most of our time."
Hayden fights back a smirk as he nods back at her. "Oh, I think we all would."
Out of the corner of his eye he can see the Beastie looking slightly nervous as he watches them. "Yes, well," he flounders for a moment. "Meeting adjourned," he finally manages.
"Have a nice trip home, Hayden," Rapunzel calls sincerely as he turns to leave the room.
He gives her a small but genuine smile. "I will, your majesty. Thank you."
He gets about halfway down the hallway when Ben turns the corner and comes hurrying towards him.
"I missed the meeting, didn't I?" he asks sheepishly.
Hayden gives him a look. "You did," he says as he crosses his arms. "Not for the first time," he adds.
Ben looks at him with big puppy eyes. "I'm sorry, Hayden. I really am. I've just been so busy lately."
"You've been busy for a while now," he drawls. "Months, in fact. I know because I've spent all that time standing in front of the council alone, doing my best to force a bit of reason into their thick heads."
Ben starts to protest. "The royal council-"
"The royal council," Hayden sneers, "is made up almost entirely of biased so-called heroes uninterested in change. Not to mention that the only members are 'true' royalty. Fates, Ben, your own mother isn't even allowed on it because she's not of royal blood."
Ben frowns slightly at the truth of that statement before he shakes it off. "Hayden, we just have to give it time," he says earnestly. "I'm sure they'll come around and we can change things on the Isle. We can even look at adjusting the council."
"We made a deal, Ben," Hayden says pointedly. He's growing tired of the boy's never-ending optimism that, more often than not, seems to border more on naivety.
"I know, but-"
"Now, see, I was very generous when we made our deal," Hayden tells him. "Really, there was only one stipulation. Within a year you were supposed to have more kids leaving the Isle and real provisions sent over."
"Hayden," Ben starts to say before the godling cuts him off.
"A year," he repeats, "yet, because of the royal council it's been six months, half your allotted time, and nothing has happened."
The shadows seem to darken as Hayden looks right at him, golden eyes shining bright.
"Do you know what happens if our deal falls through, Ben?" he asks seriously. "Do you know what happens to you?"
Ben swallows nervously as he answers. "You get my soul," he says quietly.
"That's right," Hayden agrees. "The standard price because we didn't specify anything else."
There's a moment of silence.
"Do you know who else knows what happens if the deal falls through?" Hayden asks only to answer his own question. "Every person in that meeting who refuses to let things change."
Ben swallows again. "They don't..." He trails off weakly.
"Seem to care?" Hayden finishes. "Yeah. I've noticed. I just wasn't sure if you had."
He turns on his heel and walks away without another word, doubtlessly leaving the young king to think about the points he made.