FROZEN HEART ━━ 024

( ROYAL BOAT PARTY )

          ELLIE AND HER FRIENDS ARRIVED AT THE BOAT WHERE COTILLION WAS BEING HELD. The three of them look at all the decorations, the set up and how everything was put together.

          "Jane put together all of this?" Marissa asked.

          "They should make her official party planner," Kaia added and the three of them laughed as they joined the crowd.

          Ellie looked around and tried to find Carlos amongst the boat full of people but she didn't see him anywhere. But even though she didn't see him, he saw her. He saw the blue fabric of her dress that stood out because of the jewels and sequins. The skirt reached her ankles and she had a pair of blue strappy heels on her feet. The lace sleeves fell off her shoulders and reached her wrists. He noticed how her blonde hair was out and falling passed her shoulders in lustrous curls. The more he looked at her, the harder it was for him to put his feelings into words and tell them to her. He took a deep breath and walked over to her and she smiled when she saw him.

          "I was looking for you," she said with her hands clasped in front of her.

          "I could tell," Carlos replied with a lopsided smile. "You look beautiful."

          "You don't look half bad yourself," Ellie said as she grabbed his hand and they joined the others.

          "How does it feel to be here on a date with one of the best queens in Auradon, Carlos?" Marissa asked and Ellie rolled her eyes.

          "Unless I'm up there or back in Arendelle, I'm nobody's queen," she said.

          "Bull shark! You're our queen. Got it?" Kaia asked with her eyebrows raised and the four of them laughed.

          "Alright, fine," Ellie said and things started to quiet down when Lumiere appeared at the top of the stairs.

          "The future Lady Mal!" he said.

          Mal walked out and turned around so everyone could see her. Her dress was gold with blue details, the colours of Auradon. Her purple hair was pulled into a side braid and she had a small crown sitting on top of her head. Everyone clapped and cheered for the girl, even Ellie. They didn't really get along and even though Ellie held no ill feeling toward her, she couldn't just magically forget what happened. Regardless, this was Mal's night.

          Speaking of which, Mal walked down the stairs and spoke to Ben's parents before joining her friends. Evie reassured her that she had their support no matter what happened and tried to help calm her nerves. Everyone turned back to the stairs where Lumiere was introducing Ben.

          "King Benjamin!"

          "I still need to get used to that," Ellie said as she clapped with everyone else.

          Ben appeared at the top of the stairs and headed down to Mal who couldn't stop smiling. They both bowed to each other even though Mal was supposed to curtsey but it was okay.

          "Mal, I wish I had time to explain," Ben said before turning around.

          Uma was standing there in a seafoam dress and her braids were pulled into a bun. Ben met her halfway up the stairs and placed a kiss on her hand where she had the ring he originally gave to Mal. Everyone was shocked and Marisa grabbed Kaia and Ellie's arm.

          "Is everyone else hallucinating the same thing I am right now?" she asked.

          "I'm sorry. It all happened so fast. Something happened to me while I was on the Isle with Uma. A connection," Ben said and Ellie narrowed her eyes.

          "Are we all on the same crack here or what?" she asked while watching the whole ordeal.

          "It was love! I just realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?" Uma asked as she looked at Ben.

          "Don't do drugs, kids," Kaia said.

          "Ben, did you go back for her?" Mal asked and her voice cracked.

          "He didn't have to. I dove through the barrier before it closed and I'm an excellent swimmer,"  Uma said with a small shrug. "I just wanna thank you for everything."

          Uma pulled Mal into a hug and Ellie could feel the irritation rising to the surface. Uma was practically rubbing it in Mal's face that she took her boyfriend from her. Uma and Ben started dancing and everyone watched in discomfort.

          "Not too thrilled that I risked my life for him," Carlos said and Ellie scoffed.

          "I literally threw myself to the spawn of my family's sworn enemy where he almost turned me into frozen fish sticks," she said.

          She couldn't help but feel like she was having a severe case of deja vu and she was still feeling anxious like last time. If Uma was pulling the same stunt Mal did at Ben's coronation, then Uma was definitely working at an angle.

          "Remember when Mal took Ben from Audrey so she could use him to get closer to the wand?" Ellie asked.

          "It sounds pretty horrible when you say it like that," Marissa said.

          "I mean, did she freeze her heart to keep her quiet when she found out her real plan," Kaia chuckled dryly.

          "What if this is the same thing? Uma wanted the wand to take down the barrier just like Mal did. But we foiled her plans so she takes Ben from Mal like Mal took Ben from Audrey so she can be Lady of the Court," Ellie said.

          "Which means Uma would be the future Queen of Auradon," Kaia said.

          "Meaning Fairy Godmother would have to obey her and use the wand to bring down the barrier per Uma's orders as Queen," Marissa added.

          "Classic," Kaia said.

          "And now for the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece, designed especially for his lady," Lumiere said and Ben and Uma stopped dancing.

          The blue veil dropped and revealed an image of Ben and Mal made from stained glass. Mal was in a purple dress and her eyes were green. The picture showed who Mal truly was and everyone clapped.

          "Cover that back up!" Uma yelled.

          "I will not!" Lumiere protested.

          "Why don't you tell everyone the present you have for me, Ben?" Uma asked after stumbling over her words and Ellie was catching on.

          "I have an announcement! Uma will be joining the court tonight as my lady," Ben said.

          "Son─"

          "Not now, Dad!" Ben shouted. "So as my gift to her, I'm bringing down the barrier once and for all!"

          Everyone gasped when they heard Ben's announcement. Ellie was trying to figure out what was going on while also trying not to think about what would happen if Hayes was able to just walk freely into Auradon. His father would be with him and they would hunt her down and then her family after. She couldn't let that happen.

          "Fairy Godmother, bring down the barrier," Ben said.

          "I most certainly will not," the woman said.

          "I am your king!" Ben shouted.

          "Obey him," Uma said.

          "Audrey said Ben was spelled when he announced his love for Mal which was true but it wore off and his feelings were still there," Ellie said as she looked at her friends.

          "Ben's feelings for Mal were so real that he wouldn't just leave her for a girl who captured him no matter what they fought about," Marissa said.

          "Unless Uma spelled him," Kaia stated.

          "It all makes sense. Uma's original plan was to hold Ben hostage so Mal would trade the wand but we screwed that up for her. So she jumps through the barrier as we are leaving, finds Ben, spells him into falling in love with her so she will join the court as his lady and Fairy Godmother would be under obligation to take down the barrier if the King orders it," Ellie said when all the pieces fell into place.

          Ellie hurried up the stairs where the VK's were and grabbed Mal and Evie's arms.

          "Ben is under a spell. Uma spelled him so she could get close to the wand after we gave her the fake one," she said.

          "She found your spell book," Evie said while looking at Mal.

          Mal called his name as she walked up to them and stood right in front of him.

          "Ben, look at me," she said.

          "No, look at me. You love me, remember?" Uma asked.

          "No, you don't

          "Yes, you do."

          "Ben, look at me."

          "Bring down the barrier now!" Uma shouted.

          "I do not take orders from you!" Fairy Godmother said.

          "Ben, I never told you that I loved you because I thought I wasn't good enough. And I thought that it was only a matter of time before you realized that yourself. But Ben, that's me! I'm part Isle and part Auradon," Mal said.

          "Ben, eyes over here," Uma said.

          "And Ben, you've always known who we were and who we can be."

          "Don't listen to her."

          "Ben, I know what love feels like now. Ben, of course I love you. Ben, I've always loved you."

          Mal kissed Ben on the mouth and Ellie sighed in relief when it broke the spell Uma had placed on him. But Uma reached for the wand but Evie held her back.

          "Guards, seize her!" Fairy Godmother said.

          Uma ran to the side of the boat and everyone crowded around her. Mal told everyone to stop while Uma held onto the rail.

          "Uma, I know you. You are so much more than just a villain. And you have to believe me because I've been there. Do not let your pride get in the way of something that you really want," Mal said.

          Ellie looked as the shell necklace around Uma's neck and noticed that it started to glow. Everything was quiet until Uma jumped off the boat and into the water.