45

"Hello, Mother."

The words had scarcely left Margot's mouth before Ben angled his body so he was between them. Margot's lips twitched upwards slightly as she noticed the motion.

"Margot, dearie, surely there's no need for that. This is a matter between family members." Mother Gothel's sickly sweet smile melted away to a repulsive scowl. "So, step away, loverboy."

"I'm not just gonna let you hurt her again." Ben retorted, glaring at her hatefully.

"As if I would injure my own precious daughter! I only ever want what's best for her." The mostly silver-haired woman emphasized in her usual dramatic tones. "After all, Margot, dearie, Mother knows best, isn't that right?"

Margot frowned, stepping forward from behind Ben.

"That's a good girl. Now, let's talk, dearie."

"I don't particularly want to talk to you, Mother. In some cases, sure, mothers may know what's best for their children, but I doubt that has ever been true for you. All you care about is staying young, and judging by the amount of greys you now have, you must be getting more desperate." Margot told her coolly. "I won't be stealing potions for you anymore, and I will certainly not kidnap Rapunzel for you, so I think it's best if we cut ties. Enjoy your meal, Mother."

"You..." Mother Gothel seethed as Margot stepped away from her and raised her withered hand. "You insolent child! You know nothing!"

Before the strike could land, though, a strong hand had grabbed Mother Gothel's wrist tight enough to bruise. "Don't even think about hitting her. There are worse punishments than being stuck on the Isle of the Lost."

Mother Gothel gaped at Ben, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, before she pulled her hand back as if it burned and scurried away to a table in the corner, where she continued to scowl at the young king and her daughter as she shoved food into her mouth.

"I didn't know you had that side to you." Margot commented, her cheeks pink as she glanced up at Ben, who stared down at her with a warm, but resolute look in his eyes.

"There's a lot about me you don't know." Ben replied, his lips quirking upwards into a half-smile.

"Like what? I'm pretty sure I know you pretty well by now."

"Well, for one, I have my dad's stubbornness." Ben's eyes held an almost mischievous light in them as he stared down at her, and Margot felt herself unable to breathe for a moment. "I don't give up."

"Jeez, get a room!" Uma complained, flipping her turquoise braids out of her face. "You realize you're our prisoner right now, right? I don't wanna watch this sappy crap! I see enough of it on TV as it is."

Margot's blush faded as she looked at the girl she'd grown up with. "Uma. I know the Isle program has been going too slowly. I realized that from the moment I came back here with Mal. I visited all the kids who are coming in our first round, and I... I hated myself for leaving them here so long. But, I promise you, I won't let it delay any longer. I have permission to bring the first group, and I will be dedicating all my energy to get the rest over too. I swear on my life that I won't leave you all behind."

Staring at Margot, Uma couldn't believe this was the same girl who had left not even a year ago, skinny and terrified of everyone, constantly hunching her shoulders to hide the cleavage her mother forced her to display. This girl, this lady, had not only straight posture, but a proud and dignified air to her, and her clothes, rather than accentuating her sex appeal, brought attention to the regality of her facial features. The Margot Uma had always known would never break a promise out of fear, but somehow, she felt sure, if only from the unwavering determination in Margot's eyes, that the promise would be upheld.

"How can I trust you? You're an Auradon girl now. I don't owe you anything." Uma said pointedly, analyzing this stranger in her friend's body.

"You're right. I owe you. I don't take what you guys did for me these past few years lightly. Mal and Evie told me how you all protected me. I won't forget that." Margot promised, reaching over to squeeze Uma's hand.

"Those damn snitches." Uma muttered angrily. "Fine. But you bet your ass I'm gonna kill you if you don't keep your end of the promise."

Margot's lips twitched upwards as a fondness she didn't expect seemed to fill her chest. Uma was someone she hadn't spent enough time with while living on the Isle, clearly, since her mother always sent her to seduce Jay, but Uma was probably the one who cared the most about the Isle kids out of any of them.

"I won't let you down." Margot said assuredly. Without thinking, she grabbed Ben's hand, pulling him towards the door. "I'll get you out of here soon."

"I'm trusting you, Gogo." Uma warned, but her lips betrayed her smile.

"Thank you, Uma. Sincerely."

As Margot pulled Ben out of the Fish'n'Chips, Uma scoffed warmheartedly at the sight of the king following behind her like a lost puppy.

"You have two days, Gogo! Don't make me regret this!"

Margot glanced back and nodded with solemn eyes. There was no way she would let Ruby, Dizzy and all the others rot here for the rest of their lives. It was her responsibility to make sure they were given the opportunities they deserved. And she would not let anything distract her from her goal.

A squeeze on her hand returned her to the present.

"Thinking about the program?"

"We can't let them stay here any longer, Ben." Margot replied, holding his arm with both hands as she looked up at him. "I can't leave them here."

Ben's free hand reached upwards, as if to tuck her hair behind her ear, before it flinched backwards. "We won't. I promise."

Margot noticed his hand sadly, wondering how it would've felt to be able to lean into him in that moment. "I'm sorry for what I said before."

Ben's arm slipped out of her hands. "Don't be. The last thing I wanna do is pressure you."

To her surprise, her own hand shot out instinctively and clasped his before he could leave her reach. "No. Don't go. Please."

Ben's lips quirked upwards, and the resignation in his eyes disappeared with the return of hope. "I won't. Never."

A/N Merry Christmas everyone!! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, sorry I forgot till now to publish it.