Notes: So I have added some French phrases to the story because lets face it this all takes place in France originally and I have a headcanon that both French and English are Auradon's official languages and as someone who grew up simultaneously speaking two languages I know for a fact that you will switch between them a lot without even realizing it most of the time... also, pardon my poor French, I barely took two years of it in high school so it is definitely not my forte, so please fell free to correct any of my mistakes...

Also, almost done with the last chapter, sorry it has taken forever but my drafts were completely deleted and had to start from scratch...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

White, fluffy snow covered the outside world that Mal could witness from her seat at the windowsill in the most picturesque view she had ever seen in her young life. The sight was nothing at all like snow was on the Isle. There, snow meant dreary, cold days and even harsher nights as well as endless mountains of sludge covering the streets of the island. Winter here at Auradon, however, seemed to be the complete opposite.

In fact, from what Mal had experienced so far in her and the gang's (Evie, Carlos, and Jay) stay here at Château Bête for the holidays was that snowy days in Auradon meant snow fights and building forts and snowmen and ice skating on the lake and putting up the Christmas tree with her friends, la famille Royale, and all of the staff (something no one ever did at the Isle) and drinking hot chocolate while huddled up with her boyfriend and friends in front of the fireplace. Honestly, it was so much better than the Isle. But even so, with all of the fun she'd had, as Christmas day got closer at hand, Mal could feel the tension between herself and Ben's parents growing as they spent so much time together in close quarters (or at least as close quarters as one could get in the enormous monstrosity of a castle, no pun intended).

As such, here Mal sat, hiding away from the rest of the world by sitting snugly in the gigantic, towering, multiple-floors library. As it was, had Mal been aware that the library belonged to Reine Belle herself, she would have definitely found a better hiding spot. But there Mal sat, blissfully unaware, on the windowsill with a book tucked in her hands as she returned to her reading of Orwell's paranoid tale of a dystopian World War II aftermath, helping along the events to take place for as the Fates would have it, Mal's relationship with the former Auradon rulers would begin to change.

As was her custom, the former Reine d'Auradon made her way to her private library. Of course, in most cases in most castles, the principal library would never be considered private but as it was, Beauté et sa Bête had never been a normal couple so it was to be expected that instead of roses and chocolates, Adam gave Belle, his avid reader of a wife, a library. And so this was where she was headed, towards the comfort of her books and their stories and the memories of days spent with her precious son, both captivated and enraptured by a tale.

If only the former Reine knew of the Fate awaiting her inside. For as she stepped into her sanctuary, Belle discovered an unusual yet somehow familiar sight. There, as the afternoon sun glared through the stained and clear glass windows, sat Mal, Maleficent's daughter, enraptured in yet another dystopian tale. Unbeknownst to Belle, Mal was a fast reader and a whole morning alone had been more than enough for her to finish Orwell's novel and move onto the next, grâce à Dieu that the boys and the former Roi Adam had gone out for the day on some trip on the former Reine's behest (Belle knew the boys wanted to go out and she decided Adam should spend some time with them to get to know Jay and Carlos better, or well, at all) and Evie decided to work on her holiday homework as well as the dresses for the Christmmas Eve party. As such, she now found herself with a copy of Fahrenheit 451 on her lap (a short novel compared to Orwell's 1984, although eerily similar in their theme of getting rid of words to get rid of ideas) and muttering under her breath.

"Honestly, how could they do that? Burn books? Now, that is a true crime. And they say we are the criminals," she scoffed, "We at least appreciate knowledge, after all, everyone knows words have great power," Mal hissed to herself, completely unaware of the audience she now had.

Belle, however, was very aware of the girl and it was her words that drew her out of her stupor.

"Oui, en effet. I cannot imagine how anyone could be so cruel as to burn a book and deprive others from learning and experiencing the beauties they hold." The former Reine answered almost unaware of her own actions, startling Mal (surprisingly enough) and causing the girl to jump up like a spring finally released after being placed under extreme pressure.

"Votre Majesté, je ne...I...I didn't expect to see you here," she stuttered, before mentally berating herself and fighting to gain some composure. (Because really there was just something about Ben and his mother that always made her act like a bumbling fool. Like maybe they were so kind she felt she was not quite worthy and good enough to talk to them and so she stuttered.)

At the sight of the nervous teen before her, Belle chuckled softly, before moving forward and soothingly saying, "Oh non, cherie, relax... This may be my library but you are always more then welcome to use it whenever you wish as long as you return the books you read right in their place, of course."

"It's... It's your private library?" Mal answered still tongue-tied but at least able to not squeak in nervousness. "I thought it was the main one. Je suis très désolé. I did not mean to disturb you." She answered as she moved to her feet, almost scurrying away (oh, how the tables had turned in her life) only to be stopped by Belle's gentle grip on her arm.

"Oh non, ma cherie, you do not disturb me at all. And I didn't mean to make you feel like you have to leave. After all, this may be my library, something I'd thought Ben had informed you off, but I do love company, especially that of someone who appreciates books as much as mon fils et moi."

Mal contained a flush and answered, "I would not really say I'm much of a scholar but if there is one thing ma mère, Maleficent, taught me was the power of words, although she mostly meant in the ways of spells and her spell-books..."

Belle nodded pensively. From what little she'd managed to interact with the Isle children, she'd been able to note that all of them were hurt and wounded by those who were supposed to love them the most and unconditionally so. In truth, what little she'd been able to glimpse at made her heart ache for them (and feel so very extremely guilty and terrible for abandoning these children in that horrible place alongside her husband) that she'd unofficially adopted the four kids as her own (and had already made a move to organize a better life for the kids still left in the Isle meanwhile they got them here), much to her still taciturn husband's annoyance and without said children being aware of it. However, as Belle saw the young purple haired girl in front of her stand truly uncomfortably before her, she decided it was about time that she began to fix this issue and show these kids how much they'd made their way into her tender heart.

"Mal, ma chère, truly, you don't have to leave. In fact, I'd appreciate your company. I know Evie is working on some designs with Madame de Garderobe and the men are gone, to most probably do some last minute Christmas shopping, meaning I don't have mon cher fils to share this enormous library and endless amounts of books with." Belle spoke, recovering from her thoughts and smiling reassuringly.

"Are you sure?" Mal asked, shifting her weight between her feet, trying to keep an air of ease, that same attitude of nonchalance that she often opted for in the Isle and Auradon Prep where she was always on her guard. The effect was ruined, however, by the way in which she clutched Ray Bradbury's novel against her chest as a shield, something the ever observant Belle noticed.

Belle nodded softly, slowly moving towards the young purple hair child, hoping to put her at ease when she spoke next, "Oui, of course, Mal. I really would love your company, as well as being able to discuss some of the world's most marvellous stories with you. After all, I don't have a daughter to share my love for books with, and although Ben does love them as much as I do, Audrey never did, much to my utter disappointment."

Mal nodded, chuckling nervously (not quite wanting to think about the implications to the Reine's words, she really wasn't ready for that yet) and moving towards a couch near the fireplace, where Belle motioned for her to sit beside her. Mal sat down stiffly beside her, keeping some distance between them. Knowing better than the push the girl any further, Belle allowed it.

"So, I see you've found quite the selection of books to read," Belle commenced, noticing the pile of books next to the window sill.

There, by the sill, sat a collection of books everything from more dystopian novels (The Hunger Games and The Giver series, and thankfully not Brave New World or Battle Royale, Belle really did not think they were appropriate for a 16-year-old (or anyone, really) to read and it was probably the library's charm that kept Mal from them, thankfully) to some classical authors (Dickens, Shakespeare, Austen, Poe, Tolkien, Caroll, and C.S. Lewis) to some more modern authors (Dr. Seuss, Marcus Zusak, John Green, and J. K. Rowling). Clearly, of course, most of those books had yet to be read, but Belle wanted to know which ones had already been enjoyed by the green eyed half fairy.

Mal kept herself from fidgeting and answered, "Oh, um, oui, I've read some of them already. I especially liked The Book Thief. It was cool that Death was the narrator, but the story really was about Liesel. I mean, she lost so much and she had to start over again without her mom and she only had her foster parents and Rudy to help her at first and..." She trailed off, suddenly unsure of what else to say and feeling she'd said too much already, given away too much.

And she was right. Through her words, Belle made the obvious connection from all of the parallels one could draw between the two girls. The girl felt identified by Liesel and her struggles to fit in. The former Reine's heart went out for the poor girl once more. As such she decided to share with Mal something very important. The story of yet another girl who just didn't seem to fit in. Moving slightly in her seat, Belle turned to completely face Mal, who was staring into the distance out the window. Clearing her throat slightly, the regal woman brought Mal to attention.

"You identify with her, don't you?" Belle commenced, asking a question she already knew the answer too. Mal stiffened but gave an almost imperceptible nod nonetheless.

"Can I tell you a story, ma chère?" Belle spoke again. Another nod from Mal.

"Once, a long time ago, in a provincial little town in le sud de la France, lived a young girl..." Belle began the tale, her eyes taken on a distant look in their eyes that made Mal wonder whose story this was exactly.

"This young girl, well, she was so very different form the rest of the town people. For starters, her father was an exotic scientist that always had the craziest ideas. And the way he looked always, so positively wild, well it's no surprise everyone assumed he was some sort of Frankesteinish mad scientist." Belle said, chuckling at her own little joke about her cher papa. Seeing her chuckle, Mal joined with nervous laughter, her eyes lighting up just the slightest bit with mirth. Belle's heart fluttered with hope and relief at the sight of the girl's sparkling eyes.

"But, that was not the whole of it. The girl, she loved reading. In fact, ma cherie, it was her favourite pass-time. To immerse herself in a tale. To travel through time and space and become anything she wanted through her books. She could be a pirate in the Caribbean. An explorer in the jungle. A princess of some ancient tribe. A traveller of worlds and dimensions that lived among the stars. All thanks to her stories." Belle continued, her voice gaining a dreamy quality to it as she remembered. It was her tone and words that held Mal's rapt attention as she imagined it all.

"Yet, the people of that little French village did not understand. To them, it was all so odd. That this beautiful, young girl could love her books so much as to disappear into different worlds. To them it was unthinkable. So she remained odd to them. The crazy scientist's daughter was just as mad. And they talked about her behind her back. Made fun and jested about her oddness.

They thought she lived with her head on the clouds, that she was always dazed and distracted and unfocused. But she always knew, what they said and thought about her. And it hurt at times, but the girl, she remained steadfast. She remained a reader and a dreamer and her dreams, they finally got her far." Belle said, pausing to allow all of the information to sink in on the girl. She knew that if she let Mal process it, the young half-fae would figure it out.

For her part, Mal also took a moment to think it all through. A young, beautiful girl, who read and still reads and whose dreams took her far, it had to be the former Reine of Auradon, but then that most mean... Belle, the former Reine d'Auradon, was as much as of an outcast as Mal is? But how? She really needed answers now.

"Votre Majesté,... the story, it is yours, isn't it?" Mal spoke, somewhat shy. Belle smiled in answer and nodded.

"But how?" Mal asked, her voice cracked, sounding so childlike, like that of a scared and shy youngster.

Belle's heart went out for the poor girl as she looked at the lost little girl look she held. Going on instinct, she reached forward, her fingers lifting the girl's chin slightly upward in a delicate fashion (unknowingly, she imitated her fils actions that day by the lake, calling to Mal's mind yet another resemblance between the two). The sudden look of fear and confusion in Mal's eyes, however brief and small, broke Belle's heart.

"Because like a great woman once said, "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" And as such, it is as possible for a plain country, book-loving bumpkin and a Beastly prince to join in marriage and for her to become 'Reine d' Auradon' as it is possible for the kind-hearted, brave, talented, and book-loving daughter of the 'Maîtresse du Mal'." Belle said, knowing she was implying a lot with her words but entirely sure of them being the truth.

Mal stiffened as she studied Belle, looking for even the smallest hints of malice in her eyes. There weren't any. The benevolent Reine really believed her to be capable of so much and... she believed that Ben loved her that much. In that moment, Mal was more than sure that Ben was definitely his mother's son. They were both so good, so kind, so loving, so forgiving. How she wished she could be half as good as them. But they, they believed her to be so and so much more, apparently.

Mal felt tears form in her eyes for the third time in her life and as such, being so overwhelmed and having so little experience with such a situation she reacted on instinct. Ben had been making her more physically affectionate and it showed when she launched towards the Reine, grabbing at her red, winter dress and burrowing her face against the Reine's lap like a small child desperately seeking it's mother's comfort.

For her part, Belle, let out a small huff of surprise, but held onto the young girl immediately. Belle fought her own tears as she held onto Mal, arms embracing the girl's form as much as possible, as Belle bent as best she could, placing kisses on the girl's purple hair and whispering comforting words. As she held onto the child, her guilt wreaked havoc inside of her.

This was all hers and her husband's fault. She, who had been called such a benevolent Reine, had been so blind-sided by her own fears and that of the other royals as to let this child and many others to rot and suffer in that horrible Isle. And really, would she had done anything had it not been for her son? Probably not, or at least, not anytime soon. Dieu, she was a truly horrible person.

And her fils, oh, sa cher garçon, who cared so much and was so beautiful and kind, and this poor girl and her friends who she now loved so much. But especially, this poor girl, who instead of blaming her, cried her poor heart out on her lap. Belle held onto Mal tighter. She would fix this, she would give these children a home and a family and loving parents. And she would help the children of the Isle, get them out as soon as she could. She would fix her failure as a Queen and a mother and a kind human being.

With her head buried on the Reine's lap, Mal went through her own internal struggle. For some reason, she could not cease sobbing, and the comfort Belle gave her as she held her made her chest ache more and her sobs fall out continuously. She had never gotten this amount of care and love from anyone except her boyfriend and siblings, yet none of them could ever provide the maternal love Mal so deeply (and unkowingly) craved. As such, the poor, lost child within Mal that only wanted her mother's love and approval cried for lost chances and past hurts.

To Belle, however, her increasing, wrecking sobs were tearing her apart, and so she finally voiced the apology the child in her arms so deeply deserved.

"Je suis très désolé, Mal. This is all my fault. All the pain you've been through, from being stuck with your cruel mother on that horrible island to having to feel like an outcast in Auradon and not standing by you when they attacked. I could have done so much better, try harder, yet it took my tender-hearted and compassionate fils to really make me realize how much Adam and I erred. But I promise to you Mal, I'll make it better now, for you and Evie and Carlos and Jay and for every other kid stuck in that Isle." Belle proclaimed in that fierce compassion that was so often used to describe her.

Mal stilled for a moment in the Reine's arms, her sobs lessening as she heard the woman's words. To be honest, she could not fight the woman about her statement. She was indeed partially to blame for her and her friends childhood sorrows, but then again, she couldn't entirely agree with the Reine. To be so cruel as to blame such a kind-hearted woman so fiercely? Impossible. After all, her offspring was the most innocent, benevolent, and warm-hearted being in the Universe (closely followed by Belle, Carlos, and Evie... she still couldn't understand how someone could have ever expected the latter two to be villians) and really, it was pretty clear he got most of his traits from his mother, particularly this. So, Mal, with tears still silently falling, raised her head and looked at the Reine with a fierce look of her own.

"I do not blame you. I admit, you could have done something to help the children of the Isle, myself included, but you are not at fault for where or to whom I was born. It was simply my lot in life, the burden I had to bear. But now my lot seems to have changed quite a bit." Mal finished, a small giggle escaping her as she thought of all of her new, much happier memories of Auradon and her boyfriend and her friends.

Belle grinned in reply. This child was so kind and good and pure and she didn't even realize it. That almost broke Belle's heart a bit more as she remembered what the child had gone through. However, Belle momentarily vanished said thoughts and decided to turn things on a more cheerful note, but how? And then, it struck her. Ben often said that the Isle Four loved baked goods, and Mal and Evie especially liked to do them (although Carlos would often join them and Jay would often try to nick some of the fruits of their hard work) and how Mulan once mentioned that Lonnie had so sadly told her that the villains' kids never got any home-baked goods from their parents. Plus, really, the boys would be here soon and they would be hungry.

"Mal, dear, I was thinking, to get on a more cheerful note, would you like to join me in baking some cookies?"

Mal froze for a moment, surprised at the turn the conversation had taken, yet relieved that Belle decided to not force her to talk any further on the touchy subject, or mention her breakdown.

"Oui, votre Majesté, I'd love that," Mal answered sincerely as she nodded eagerly, almost bouncing on her sit, suddenly full of energy and eager to do something about it. Belle giggled at the younger woman and stood up. Mal followed right behind, carefully placing her previously discarded book on a table.

"Oh, and please call me Belle. And, Mal, dear, you really are very brave and very kind and well I'd like to believe we're more alike than you'd know."

Mal nodded soberly, but she knew believing what the Queen said would not happen any time soon, something the Queen seemed to realize if her smile was anything to go by.

"Now, do you believe our fashionistas are already done so that Evie could maybe join?"

Mal chuckled slightly and replied, "Honestly, knowing them, probably not, but we can go see."

Belle chuckled as well, turning unto the right hall to look for said women. On the way there, as they joked and laughed, Mal selfishly and briefly wished Evie was still busy, however she crushed the thought immediately. She could share Ben's mom with her sister and brothers just as much Ben could sure her with them.

Mrs. Potts who had also been on her way to Madame de Garderobe couldn't help but to hear the echoing laugh in the hallway and turning to the next hall, she had to pause at the sight before. There walked Belle and Mal, arms tucked into each other as they laughed, the painting such a pretty picture of a mother and her daughter. Mrs. Potts felt her maternal heart almost burst at the sight. Oh, how happy she was that the poor children of the Isle of the Lost found a home in her kind-hearted mistress's heart.

Notes: This chapter was inspired by Penny of Sinoh's "Tea Talk" which I tots recommend reading too...

Btw, thanks for the George R.R. Martin comment from a guest... I honestly hadn't noticed that discrepancy...