Here is the first chapter of the final story of the 'Raised on the Isle' series!

I don't want to give away anything so I will just say . . . you will be surprised by an event or two. I can say that this story will mainly focus on Mal and partially on Audrey and it will be updated every Monday unless a notice is given.

Thank you for taking a chance on this series and for reading the first chapter of the final installment.

Enjoy.

Mal blinked.

What was she doing standing on Auradon Prep's back terrace?

Why is her hair shoulder length again and dyed a darker hue of violet?

What was she doing in a dragon-patterned dress with dragon-wing epaulets instead of her purple, black, and pink Cotillion dress?

A few moments ago, she was dancing with her fiancé and significant other for eleven years—technically seven—King Ben, at her Royal Cotillion, where she officially became 'Lady Mal'. She was smiling lovingly at her husband-to-be, feeling so happy that True Love's Kiss worked to break the spell and everything was back to normal—well as normal as it could be.

But now, Mal was staring at the rolling green hills and sparkling blue seas of the kingdom known as Auradon, wondering what exactly happened to get her there. Was it another spell . . . ?

While deep in thought, Mal failed to notice or sense someone sneaking up behind her. Someone wrapped their arms gently around Mal's waist and surprised her with a giant loving embrace. Mal relaxed, knowing the familiar feeling of this person's touch.

Mal whirled around, greeting her dreamy fiancé with a genuine smile. "Not a tentacle in sight," she declared.

What?

Why did she say that?

What was she talking about?

The king looked sharp and self-assured in his cobalt blue suit with its yellow pocket square. His honey-brown hair shifted across his forehead as he scanned the water. His hair was suddenly longer, like he usually wore it when they were living on the Isle. "I believe if Uma was up to something," Ben began before he smiled at her, "we'd know by now."

Uma! She must have something to do with this! She casted some kind of spell with her mother's shell necklace!

But . . . there was something telling her that wasn't right. Something—whether it was her mind or her heart—told her that Uma had no part in this. Uma . . . would be the solution?

"Ben, we know how villains think," Mal argued. What? She didn't want to say that. "I don't trust her as far as I can throw her. She's going to wait until our guard is down and strike."

No! Mal didn't believe that. Something was telling her that Uma was her ally! That she would be the reason why they succeed.

But with what?

Ben smiled, making Mal fall in love with him all over again and, after being together for eleven—seven—years, has become a natural thing. "Come on," he encouraged as he gestured to the school, "everybody's waiting."

Suddenly a swarm of memories came back to Mal. She, Ben, Jay, Evie, and Carlos started a new program to welcome more villain children from the Isle of the Lost to Auradon. They would begin school at Auradon Prep in the new semester, but for the summer would stay at Evie's starter castle.

Wait . . .

When did Evie get a castle?

"Umm," Mal began uncertainly. "I have a strange question . . ."

"Ask away." Ben's smile turned reassuringly, almost making Mal forget what she was thinking.

She hesitated. There was so many issues to ask about. Why did they decide to start the program? Who were the kids they were taking? Why does she and Ben look so different? What else has suddenly changed?

After a moment or two, she finally decided what to ask.

Clearing her throat to cover her moment of silence, Mal genuinely wondered, "How long has it been . . . since Cotillion?"

To Mal's surprise, Ben chuckled at the question. "One year and eight months," he answered with an amused tone. "Why? Are you planning a surprise for our thirteenth anniversary to make up for our twelfth anniversary? When you forgot again?"

Mal froze. It's been almost two years? How could that be? It would explain why their appearances changed so much, but not her memory loss.

"C'mon." Ben wrapped his around her shoulder loving. "We don't want to keep the kids waiting."

A jolt ran threw Mal's brain as more fragments of her missing memory returned. The kids . . . they were Drizella's daughter Dizzy, Dr. Facilier's daughter Celia, and Smee's twin sons Squeaky and Squirmy. They were the ones chosen for the 'VK Program'.

Mal sighed to control her breathing, which had started to pick up without her realizing. The last thing she needed was one of her panic attacks to make the—her situation worse.

"Okay." Mal relented, leaning to Ben as he led her away, temporarily forgetting the relapse in her memories.

Pastel-clad students, teachers, and parents gathered eagerly on Auradon Prep's front lawn to greet the school's newest Isle additions. Throngs of curious Auradonians had flocked to the event and were milling about the well-groomed gardens, converging under the King Beast statue and clustering on the school steps. They were all beyond excited to welcome the second wave of villain students to their side of the sea.

The Auradon Knights marching band, wearing snappy blue-and-gold uniforms, blasted out a toe-tapping number as the school's cheer squad shook their pom-pos and rallied the growing crowd. Ben's parents, Beast and Belle, mingled among the crowd, looking as proud as ever of their son and his efforts to rule the kingdom with kindness—the same kindness that the villains showed him when he lived on the Isle for ten years.

The royal couple smiled at each other, noting all the electrified citizens who were waving homemade WELCOME ALL posters, flying painted REUNITE banners, and holding cheery flower bouquets.

Queen Leah and her granddaughter, Audrey, daughter of Sleeping Beauty, stood near a row of meticulously trimmed hedges. The two looked on with considerably less enthusiasm than most. Audrey's mouth formed a serious line, and her brown eyes were unsmiling. She pulled at her long ash-brown hair—which was newly streaked with pink and blue—straightened her pink leather ensemble.

Audrey frowned at all the hoopla. Auradon Prep did not need more evil offspring students. The first four had been more than enough for her taste. The only reason they came to Auradon was so Ben would agree come home to rule as king.

The rest of Auradon, however, felt differently. A giant video monitor was set up atop the school's battlements to carry a real-time feed of the Isle's barrier opening. WELCOME TO OUR NEW VKS blazed across its screen. A formal royal guard detail stood in their pressed gold uniforms around the lawn. The king's stretch limo, now painted purple in Mal's honor, sat parked and ready to go in the circular driveway. In a few moments it would be crossing the barrier to pick up the four new VKs.

Mal and Ben made their grand entrance into the packed festivities. Mal surveyed the bustling celebratory scene, trying to act like everything was perfectly fine and to see what else has changed. Auradon Prep looked the same, but her friends appearances were definitely different.

Well, Jay didn't really change; his hair grew slightly longer with part of it now contained in a ponytail. Evie looked much more beautiful; her hair was slightly darker and was parted on the side at the moment.

Mal had to hide her surprise once she saw Carlos. His hair was much longer than Mal has ever seen it! Definitely shaggier too. Mal couldn't help how her heart felt heavy from seeing her dear friend looking so mature, and she was sadly unable to recall watching him become an adult.

Mal adverted her attention to keep herself from getting emotional. Despite not recalling much, she was quite pleased to see the newest VKs would be greeted with more excitement and fanfare than she and her friends had been when they'd first arrived. To be fair, the people back then were quite shocked that their future king was such close friends with villain children.

Ben adjusted his golden crown, which bore the Beast family crest, and stepped in front of the crowd to speak. Mal was going to join her crew that stood off to the side of the stage, but suddenly stopped herself, like she knew she was supposed to stay there. The couple waved to the jubilant crowd. Mal, who had once found the royal wave rather awkward, now performed it like a pro.

"Bibbidi-bobbidi, one two, one two." Fairy Godmother stated as she tested the microphone. "Can everybody hear me?" Once the crowd answered with a cheer, she offered the golden mic to the king. "Ben."

"Thank you, Fairy Godmother." Ben broke out one his trademark warm trademark smiles that put everyone at ease. Ben had really come into his own as the leader of the kingdom. His approval ratings were off the charts, despite being raised on the Isle.

"What's up, Auradon?" Ben belted with rock-star style. "Thank you, thank you so much for coming out to welcome our new arrivals. They'll be here soon."

Queen Leah, clearly displeased, pulled nervously at the strand of pearls around her wrist, leaned over to Audrey, and whispered, "Not like we had a choice." Audrey merely nodded back, still frowning in discontent.

"It worked out pretty well with the first four," Ben mused to the crowd.

"Especially for you," Chad, the preppy son of Cinderella and Prince Charming, shouted back teasingly. His blond curls shook as he laughed at his clever joke, which he immediately stopped when Audrey snapped her fingers, causing him to cower obediently.

"Yeah. Real funny," Audrey commented sarcastically.

Ben gazed out at his subjects, then turned to face Mal, focusing all of his attention on her. "Mal," he began, smiling at his beloved, "this is the exact spot where we started our new life in Auradon, where we let the world know that we were together and that nothing could change that."

Mal smiled.

"I have known you literally my whole life." Ben smiled lovingly. "But did I mention . . . that I'm in love with you?"

Wake up!

Faster than she could blink, everything seemed to have fast-forward for Mal. People had suddenly moved from where they were just a second ago. Her friends had moved from one side of the stage to the other, where they surrounded Doug, who for some reason held a guitar in his arms.

As Mal gazed around in confusion, looking for the person that shouted at her, her eyes landed on Ben, who was now on one knee in front of her. He pulled out a little blue box from his pocket.

"Mal," he began confidently, "I know I did this on the Isle almost three years ago, but I didn't have a proper ring back then. Now, I wanted to make it Auradon official."

Ben pulled back the lid to reveal a spectacular one-of-a-kind vintage-style ring with an enormous purple stone encased in a dragon design. "Will you marry me?" Ben proposed. "Will you be my Queen of Auradon?"

"No!" Audrey blurted on impulse.

Mal heard the princess, but her first thought was that she didn't hear Audrey say that before. Then Mal wondered what she meant by 'before'.

Mal was about to ask what was happening to her, but instead squealed against her will, "Yes!"

The Auradon palace bells pealed loudly as Ben slipped the ring on Mal's finger and stood while embracing her. The couple kissed—a real True Love's Kiss—as if they were the only two people in the world.

Carlos, who'd thrown on Doug's band hat, accidentally chest-bumped Beast—who found the incident hilarious—then turned to find Jay. The two pals clapped and pumped their fists, ecstatic for their friends. Dozens of onlookers flipped DIY welcome signs to reveal sweet congratulatory messaged like Queen Mal, Happily Ever After, and True Love, Mal!

Audrey, surrounded by the colossal celebration of love, felt crushed under the weight of utter devastation and raw heartache from losing Ben for good. For losing the crown that was meant to be hers.

Queen Leah narrowed her eyes at the officially engaged couple, her pink ruffled collar only made things worse. "A lifetime of plans. Gone," she chided. "Our family status. Gone."

The retired queen turned to glare at her grand-daughter. "Audrey, you were supposed to be his queen and you let him slip through your fingers," Queen Leah reprimanded. "Your mother could hold on to a prince. In. Her. Sleep."

Audrey winced, though she quickly held her ground. "Don't you think I feel bad enough, Grammy?" she barked. "He would have been mine if he hadn't been raised on that damn Isle—!"

"You watch your mouth young lady!" Queen Leah scolded. "The last thing we need is you causing any more dishonor to our family with such foul language!"

A squad of girls stood next to them, delighting loudly in the sheer romance of Ben's proposal and chatting giddily about it. "Ben and Mal are the best," one cheered. "I'm so excited for Mal to be our queen!"

Audrey turned on them angrily. "You'd really rather have a VK on the throne instead of me?" she interrogated, letting the frustration caused by her grand-mother out. "What is wrong with you people!"

The girls simply rolled their eyes, laughed among themselves, and took their happiness elsewhere. But it didn't matter. Everywhere Audrey looked, all of Auradon seemed to be rejoicing over Mal and Ben's official Auradon engagement. "What is wrong with everybody?" she fumed.

Once again, everything moved forward for Mal, but this time she was actually experiencing the events as they flew by.

First, Mal had happily greeted Evie at the bottom of the stage. Next, she was hugging Ben's biological parents as they expressed how happy they were that she was going to be their daughter. Then, Ben had wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he thanked Fairy Godmother for helping with the special surprise. After, Jay and Carlos cracked jokes as they and Evie bowed and curtsied dramatically to their future Queen of Auradon and their current Queen of the Isle.

Now, the time has slowed back down to normal, leaving Mal face to face with Audrey, who glared at her in disdain. The smile that had been on Mal's face immediately faded. This couldn't be good. . .

"Congratulations." Audrey commended with feign sincerity. "You won him fair and square!"

Mal let a small smile grace her lips. Maybe Audrey has changed. Maybe she had nothing to worry about.

After a moment, Audrey cocked her head. "Oh, wait, no, you didn't," she denied forcefully. "You found Ben on a boat with no memory. He had to cling to you because he had no idea who he was or where he came from. Ben was only with you as payment for saving his life." Audrey shook her head in pity. "He never loved you."

Mal gaped at the princess. She could not believe Audrey would say such cruel and horrible things to her.

Without her wanting it to, Mal's heartbeat quickened as she started hyperventilating. Her hands turned numb while she started to become sweaty. To top off the obvious panic attack, she had a new symptom; dizziness. Mal couldn't see straight and everything was starting to spin.

"Such a touching story for the grand-kids," Audrey sneered vehemently, unconcerned for Mal's safety. "Wake up!"

Mal clutched her head as she fell to her knees. Everything around her was starting to blur as her head throbbed. Gazing up at the princess, Mal could see a sort of mirage of her. She partially saw the current Audrey, but then it switched to an evil enchantress version of her with pink hair and blue ombre and a wicked version of her current outfit. Back and forth the image went, making Mal's head ached even more. Clutching her head harder, she closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to regain control.

She's almost there!

C'mon, Mal! You can beat it!

Don't let it take control of you! Wake up!

"Mal?"

Mal gasped abruptly, taking in a deep breath of air that she truly needed. She took a moment to observe her surroundings. Her panic attack abruptly stopped; she no longer had the massive headache, the world was no longer spinning, and Audrey looked like her original self—no longer the evil version of her taking over.

It took a second for Mal to realize she was on her feet again with Ben having an arm wrapped around her waist to steady her. She still felt a little faint, but not as bad as it was before.

"Mal?" Ben repeated softly. "Are you okay?"

She gazed up at him slowly. Seeing the worry on his face, but the look of love in his eyes was enough to make Mal feel better. As long as he was with her, nothing would be too much for her.

"I'm fine," Mal promised in a small, timid voice. "Just another panic attack; my worst one so far. I just need a moment or two to catch my breath."

Ben adverted his attention Audrey, who still had a sour look on her face. "Did you cause it?" He practically growled.

"No," Mal intervened as a way to keep his infamous temper in check. "It started on its own. I was due to have one anyways. You know the saying: wrong place, wrong time."

Mal flashed Audrey a fake smile. "If you will excuse us, my king and I have some kids waiting on us."

The couple turned their backs to Audrey, who watched in disdain as they and their friends entered the fancy limousine.

Meanwhile, Mal had to keep a calm composure while she internally freaked about the unidentifiable voices in her head.

What did they mean . . . when they said to 'wake up'?

Cliffhanger! Please be sure to leave a review so I know what you're thinking! Thank you for reading and see you next Monday!