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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟖
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄

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Only a few hours had passed when one of Uma's crew members came to tell them about a possible sword fight starting at noon. Rylee, Morgan, Skyler, Holly, and Gabby quickly gathered everything they would need before heading to the Lost Revenge. The Fitzherbert girl walked behind the rest of him as her thoughts bounced around in her head. Despite having the time of her life on the Isle, Rylee couldn't help but wonder if this was something they should actually be doing. It wasn't long before they finally reached the alley that would lead to the docks. The group of five instantly came to a stop and watched as Uma's crew prepared for the upcoming battle in the distance.

"Are you guys sure you want to do this?" Holly asked, causing Rylee and Morgan to turn their attention toward the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, "we can leave now. They never even have to know we were here in the first place."

"We told Uma we'd come," Morgan responded before turning her attention back to the pirate ship, "we've never broken our word and we aren't gonna start now."

"Then let's go!" Skyler shouted then she placed an arm around Holly's shoulders and started walking toward their destination.

Rylee, Morgan, and Gabby rolled their eyes at the daughter of Scar before following them onto Uma's ship. It wasn't long after they set foot on the boat when Holly, Skyler, and Gabby went to help the crew while Morgan walked toward Gil. The Fitzherbert girl instantly started scanning the ship for the son of Captain Hook before spotting him near one of the poles. A small smile formed on her face as she called out to him and walked over to him. As soon as she reached him, they shared a kiss before a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Fitz?"

Rylee's blood ran cold and her whole body tensed as she pushed herself away from Harry. The Fitzherbert girl kept her eyes locked with the Hook boy's for a moment longer before slowly turning around to come face to face with a tied-up Ben.

"Hey, Beasty," the blonde girl responded with a forced smile while trying her best to hide the fear she felt for him.

"What are you doing?" he questioned after Morgan and Gil walked across the deck to join them. The King looked back and forth between his best friends before Rylee caught the hint of annoyance in his eyes. "This isn't you."

"Sorry to say...actually, I'm not. They're doing amazing living on the Isle," Harry told the Beast boy with a smile as he pulled Rylee closer to his side, "they even started their own little crew."

"You two were doing so well," the King of Auradon muttered under his breath, causing Rylee and Morgan to stare at him with questioning looks in their eyes before he continued, "Remedial Goodness was helping you both become the people you were meant to be."

"You always told us not to change," the Macintosh girl responded while the Fitzherbert girl continued to stare at the brunette boy with disbelief in her eyes.

"It was for the best to place you in that class."

"Wait. I thought you just wanted us to observe and see if it would help them," the blonde girl retaliated, completely unaware of Harry and Gil watching their exchange with small smiles on their faces, "were you just trying to get us to attend the class?"

The only response Rylee received was silence from Ben. Even though he didn't verbally answer her question, his face said it all.

"If you thought we were...problems, then why did you ask us to be your Advisors?" Morgan questioned after her blonde friend let out a small scoff.

"I was hoping it would give you a reason to stop causing trouble and I wanted to keep you close."

The princesses shared another look while trying their best to keep their emotions in check, but they hopelessly failed. Both of them were usually great at hiding how they were feeling except for at that moment. It was obvious to everyone that they were angry and confused. They felt betrayed by one of the people they trusted the most. From the beginning, Rylee and Morgan thought Ben always had their backs like they had his. Everyone can see how his words hurt us in a way we could never have imagined. Now they knew they were wrong.

"Looks like your plan backfired," Morgan hissed before grabbing Gil's hand and forcing him to walk with her to the other side of the ship.

Rylee watched the pair have an inaudible conversation before turning her attention back to Ben. The Beast boy was just staring at her as she sat down on the steps near the edge of the boat. The Fitzherbert girl couldn't help but glare at him as a million different thoughts bounced around in her head. It wasn't long before Ben broke his gaze and looked everywhere but at her. The brunette boy wished he could tell her how much he regretted his choices, but he knew it was too late.

The next thing either of them knew, Harry jumped down from the step he was standing on and landed in front of the King of Auradon. A sinister smirk formed on the son of Captain Hook's face before he used his hook to "tickle" Ben under his chin.

"How's it feel being a King now, eh?" Harry asked as the Beast boy looked over at him with a blank look on his face, "you just lost your two best mates."

The pirate's words caused Ben to break his gaze with the son of Captain Hook to look back down at Rylee. While the two of them stared at each other in silence, Harry began to laugh as he circled around the pole and appeared on the other side.

"Give it a rest, Harry. Give it a rest," Uma ordered after pulling the Hook boy away from the King sitting down on the step directly across from Ben, "we wouldn't wanna damage the goods."

Harry let out an annoyed sigh as he jumped on a rope ladder and leaned back while using his hook to point at Ben. Rylee just watched as the Hook boy stared at the king with disdain in his eyes before turning his attention back to Uma. "You said I could hook him!"

"I said at noon."

The raven-haired boy instantly looked back at Ben before jumping down from the ropes to stand in front of the King. Harry then pulled out the pocket watch Rylee gifted him and dangled it in front of the Beast boy's face.

"Twenty more minutes," Harry announced before Ben leaned forward to look at the time.

"That says 11:30," the Beast boy responded with a smile, causing Harry to lower the watch and sit down next to Rylee.

"How did you ever live with him?" the son of Captain Hook asked while placing an arm around the daughter of Rapunzel and Eugene's shoulders.

Rylee continued to stare at the King of Auradon for another moment before looking over at Harry. "I have no idea."

"Wow. You sure have a type," Ben scoffed, drawing Rylee's attention back to him before quirking an eyebrow at him. It wasn't long after that when the son of Belle and Adam continued speaking. "You dated Pete for three years and now you're with Harry. Gotta thing for Neverland boys?"

As soon as the Beast boy finished speaking, the Fitzherbert girl felt the Hook boy's grip around her tighten. When she looked up at him, Rylee found him staring at her with an emotionless look on his face. "You dated Peter Pan's son?"

Before Rylee even had a chance to respond, Ume let out a loud sigh, causing everyone's attention to turn back to her. "You better hope your girlfriend comes through."

"She's not my girlfriend anymore," Ben responded before looking down at the floorboards, completely missing the sympathetic look on his friend's face.

"Leave us alone, Harry," Uma demanded after a smirk formed on her face while Harry's laughter filled the air, "and take your girl with you."

The son of Captain Hook instantly stood up and offered Rylee his hand. The Fitzherbert girl accepted it without an ounce of hesitation and allowed him to help her to her feet. The blonde princess looked back at Ben one last time before they walked away from him and Uma. When they passed the Beast boy, Rylee made the mistake of making eye contact with him, causing her to hesitate for a moment. The two royals just stared at each other in silence, neither knowing exactly what to say. That was until Ben whispered two words to Rylee that almost broke her. "Fitz, please."

Before the Fitzherbert girl had a chance to respond, Harry held his watch up in front of Ben's face once again. The smirk on his face did nothing but grow as he let out another chuckle. "Nineteen minutes to go now."

Rylee sent Ben one last look before she felt Harry place an arm around her once again and escort her across the deck. Once they were far enough away from Uma and Ben, the Fitzherbert girl stopped near the railing of the ship before she let out a long sigh. That was enough to make Harry stop and turn around to face her. The princess just stared down at the water for a moment longer before looking over at the son of Captain Hook. "I guess you were right."

"I'm afraid you have to be a little more specific, Ryls," Harry responded with a sly smirk on his face as he leaned against the railing, "I am right a lot."

"You told me Ben didn't understand me on the first day we met."

Rylee failed to see the raven-haired boy's smile growing as he pulled her closer to him. Her body somewhat tensed when she felt his mouth near her ear before he whispered. "I'll always understand you. I'll always be here for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Harry gently kissed her cheek. The sound of Uma calling his name caused Rylee to jump before the son of Captain Hook let out a small chuckle. He gave the Fitzherbert girl's hand one last squeeze then he turned and walked back toward his captain. Rylee's eyes stayed glued to Harry as he untied Ben from the pole and took him to the ship's plank. The blonde girl's conflicted thoughts continued to race through her head as she turned back toward the sea and stared out at the water. Due to her being lost in her own head, Rylee failed to notice Morgan approaching her until the latter was right next to her.

"Hey," the Macintosh girl whispered, causing her friend to jump before the Fitzherbert girl turned her attention toward Morgan, "Lonnie's here, too."

A confused look appeared on Rylee's face before Morgan gestured toward the docks. The blonde girl instantly turned around to see Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos walking toward the ship with Lonnie following behind them.

"Hey, guys! They're here!" Gil announced, causing cheers to erupt throughout the ship before jumping down from the rope ladder and landing on the deck.

"Welcome!" Harry called out to the newcomers at the same time Uma shouted, "finally!"

Rylee and Morgan instantly made eye contact with Lonnie before the daughter of Mulan and Shang sent them a concerned look. It was at that moment that the Fitzherbert girl came to a conclusion. Even though Ben might not understand them, they did. All of them did...and Rylee and Morgan turned their backs on them. But after exchanging another look, the princesses knew one thing for sure. They might not be able to change the past, but they can definitely decide their futures.

While Harry began taunting the teens from Auradon by twirling Ben around on the plank, Rylee and Morgan left their spot by the railing and walked over to Gabby, Skyler, and Holly. The first thing the princesses noticed was the skeptical looks on the three girls' faces. Rylee and Morgan just stared at them for a long moment before finding the courage to ask them a life-changing question.

"Hey," the Macintosh girl whispered just loud enough for them to hear them, making the three girls turn their attention towards them, "have you guys ever wanted to get out of here?"

"Every day since I was born," Holly told them before Skyler and Gabby nodded along in agreement.

"Well then, now's your chance," Rylee stated, only for them to stare at the princesses with confused looks on their faces before a smile appeared on the former's faces, "just follow our lead."

Once they were all on board with the idea, Rylee and Morgan started walking toward the bridge with Skyer, Holly, and Gabby right behind them. They didn't hesitate to walk across the platform and over to their friends, slightly bumping into Uma along the way. The daughter of Ursula watched them walk along the bridge, causing the annoyance within her veins to grow. "What are you doing?! He betrayed and lied to you! Now you're gonna help him?!"

"Ben might have lied to us but they didn't. It just took us a lot longer than it should've to realize that," Rylee retaliated as smiles formed on the faces of those who surrounded her.

"I knew you two couldn't survive here anyway," the daughter of Ursula hissed before her attention fell on Gabby, Holly, and Skyler, "neither could your three bozos."

"Funny thing is, we've accomplished almost the same amount as you," Morgan taunted, completely unfazed by the teal-haired girl's comment, "took you a few years. Took us a month."

The anger in Uma's eyes instantly grew as she glared at the girls standing in front of her. "It's going down!"

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