None of us could have possibly guessed that was what Ben wished he could explain. 

The entire boat gasps and Mal's is above all of them. Belle and Beast watch, along with Fairy Godmother, in horror as Ben leaves Mal behind and climbs the steps to take Uma's hand. Mal looks like she can't breathe. Carlos turns with his mouth open to stare at Mal. So does everyone else. I don't think she notices. 

As Uma and Ben pass them, Belle and Beast give her surprised greetings. She smiles back nervously, an expression I never thought I'd see on that shrimp.

Once down the stairs, Ben takes Uma's hand and kisses a ring on her finger. My hand involuntarily jumps to my mouth when I realize it's Ben's ring. The gold one he gave Mal!

And then Ben and Uma come forward, to Mal's hurt expression. "I'm sorry." Ben says happily. "It all happened so fast. Something happened to me, while I was on the Isle with Uma."

"Yeah, it's called getting kidnapped." I mutter. What is going on?

"A connection." Ben says, looking at Uma the way he used to look at Mal. A pained almost whimper escapes Mal. 

"What are you saying?" She whispers. 

Ben rolls his head around, still smiling. "I'm saying---"

"It was love!" Uma interrupts, almost girlishly. "It was! I just---I realized how alike Ben and I are." She turns to look at Mal. "You know?"

"We are." Ben tells her. "You're so beautiful." He murmurs. 

"Ben." Mal pleads. "Ben!"

He turns to look at her, surprised. 

"Did you go back for her?" Mal asks, her voice cracking. 

Ben turns more towards her, like he's realizing something, but Uma shakes her head. "He didn't have to." She tells Mal. "I dove through the barrier before it closed and I'm an excellent swimmer."

"You are!" Ben says. 

"Thank you!" She giggles. 

Mal is still standing with her hands in front of her, looking like the world is ending. How could Ben do this to her?

Uma moves from Ben and takes Mal's hand. "Listen. Mal." Mal flinches under Uma's touch. "I just really wanna thank you." Uma tells her. "I do! For everything." She hugs Mal, and Mal looks as disgusted as I feel. Mal looks short if breath now. I don't think she's actually breathing right anymore. 

Ben moves next to Uma again. "Don't you see, Mal? You were right! You knew that we weren't meant to be together." He leans closer. "That's why you never told me that you loved me."

Is this why he's doing this? Because she never said that? Because even the Duke of Weaseltown could see right now that Mal's heart is breaking. 

"Be--Ben, I---" Mal can't talk. Uma looks a bit smug as she hands her purse to a girl and starts dancing with Ben. Right in front of Mal.

I rush forward and take her arm just as Evie takes her other one. "Come on, Mal." I hear the song playing. Oh, typical. It's 'Kiss The Girl.' Evie and I pull Mal back with our group, and Carlos looks angry. 

"Not too thrilled I risked my life for him." He says loudly. Ben doesn't even glance away from Uma.

"I can't believe this. Look at Mal." I whisper. She doesn't hear me, but Carlos looks at her. 

"I never thought I'd see Mal look scared." He mutters. 

Lonnie comes up behind Mal. "We're with you, Mal."

Mal doesn't respond, watching the scene for a few more agonizing seconds. Jay comes up and takes Mal's arm. "Let's get outta here." He tells us. 

"Okay." Mal says in a tiny voice. 

Jane rushes past us, dashing up the stairs. I follow her path to Lumiere. What could she possibly...

The window.

The stained-glass window of Mal!

I let go of Carlos and rush after Jane. "Lumiere!" I call before she can. "Unveil the gift, they need to see it!" I yell. Jane nods. 

"The window! Get it out!" She yells. 

Mal talks with Beast and Belle for a few seconds, then starts up the stairs quickly. "Mal, wait!" I stop her. "Wait just one more second."

Lumiere hastens the spotlight. "And now, the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece! Designed especially for his lady."

Mal buries her face in her gloves. I put an arm around her shoulder. "Look up, Mal. Trust me, please."

She does, just as the tarp falls off the window. 

Oh my goodness. 

That stained glass painting is even better in person. Mal's hair is purple, with green eyes and a purple gown, and Ben at her feet. This is how Ben sees Mal.

Everyone starts clapping, Jane and me the wildest. Lumiere puts his hand on his heart. 

And Ben.

Ben stares at it, moving forward as if in a trance. He doesn't seem like he remembers making it. 

"Ben did that?" Mal asks in surprise. 

"Yeah, he did. He did it for you." I squeeze her shoulders. 

"Ellie..." Mal steps down the stairs. "Ben's known who I was all along." Evie and I follow her down. 

"He loves the real you." Evie smiles. 

"A true love." Mal murmurs.

"I told you." Carlos says. I elbow him. 

Uma looks at Ben's awed expression a moment longer then holds her mermaid skirt up as best she can and storms over in our direction. "Cover that back up!" She barks. 

Lumiere backs up. "I will not!" He says in his french accent. 

Everyone stars whisper and talking in confusion. Uma turns back to Ben. "Um... Uh, why don't you tell everyone the present you have for me, Ben?" Uma asks. Is it just me, or does she seem... nervous?

Ben turns from the picture, a hazy and confused look on his face. But he gives a tight smile. "I have an announcement!" He holds out his hand and Uma takes it. "Uma will be joining me on the court tonight as my Lady."

Beast goes forward angrily. "Son---"

"NOT NOW, DAD!" Ben roars all of the sudden. Everyone jumps, including me. What has gotten into him?

"Uh..." Ben seems to shake himself. Like he doesn't know what he's doing...

"Uh... So, as my gift." Ben continues. "Uh, to her." Uma looks happily at him. "I'm bringing down the barrier once and for all!"

"No!" I yell. Everyone explodes into shouting and gasping. Beast looks helplessly at Fairy Godmother. 

Mal looks at me and Evie. They look as shocked as I do. 

Ben extends his arm to FG. "Fairy Godmother."

FG turns to him with her mouth wide open in surprise. 

"Bring down the barrier." Ben tells her. 

"I most certainly will not!" FG exclaims. 

"I AM YOUR KING!" Ben bellows. 

"Obey him!" Uma orders. 

FG gasps at Uma's tone. 

"Ben's been spelled." Mal whispers.

"Uma found your spellbook." Evie says.

 A shock goes through me as I realize she's right. If Uma dove through the barrier, and Mal left her spellbook on the Isle...

Oh, no.

Uma spelled Ben to love her!

Uma takes Ben's hand and makes him look only at her. "Ben. Just look at me." She whispers. 

Mal looks at the stained glass window once more. Then she steps forward hesitantly. "Ben!"

Uma looks at her, furious, but Mal continues. "Ben." She walks up and stops right in front of him. Next to Uma. "Look at me." She says softly. 

"No!" Uma says firmly. "Look at me! You love me, remember?"

"No you don't." Mal says, shaking her head. I clutch at Evie and find she's doing the same thing. 

"Yes, you do!" Uma yells. 

"Look at me." Mal tells him.

"Bring down the barrier, now!" Uma orders, turning to FG.

"I do not take orders from you!" FG tells her. 

Uma turns back to Ben. "Ben?" She demands. 

"Ben." Mal says, close to tears now. "I never told you that I loved you because I thought that I wasn't good enough. And I thought that it was only a matter of time before you realized that yourself! But Ben!" She points to the window. "That's me!" Ben turns to look at the window, still confused. 

"I'm part Isle, and part Auradon!" Mal insists. 

"Ben!" Uma grabs him and makes him look at her. "Eyes over here."

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

"Don't listen to her." Uma tells him.

"Ben." Mal says calmly. "I know what love feels like now." She beams. "Ben... Of course I love you! Ben I've always loved you!" She puts her hand on his shoulders and kisses him. Everyone in the crowd awww's, and Evie clasps her hands with mine. 

Mal backs off, and a slow grin spreads across Ben's face. "Mal."

"True love's kiss." I whisper. 

"Works every time." Evie finishes. 

Everything is perfect for one second. Then Uma explodes. "UH! Gimme the wand!" She yells, lunging for FG. FG yelps and holds the wand away, people crowding in front of her. 

"Guards! Seize her!" FG screams. 

Uma seems to realize her situation, and runs to the edge of the boat. 

"Uma!" I yell. 

"No! No! No!" Mal yells, putting her arms in front of everyone. I shove to the front. "Stop! Please, stop!" Mal pleads. 

"Uma, I know you." Mal tells her. "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 tells her. 

Uma doesn't seem convinced. I push forward, ignoring Mal's protests. "Uma. On the Isle, you told me that you always wanted to go to Auradon when you were little. Here's your chance! You deserve so much more than what the Isle has to offer."

She looks ready to accept, but her shell necklace glows. She looks back up at me with a pained expression, then smirks. She grabs the boat and swings herself over. 

"No! No! Uma!" Mal shrieks. Uma splashes into the water, and everyone crowds to the edge of the boat to see what happened to her. For a second, there's nothing but a faint glow. And then the water swirls into a  whirlpool that explodes, showering us all in seawater. When I look up, Uma is laughing. She's supersized, with green tentacles instead of her lower body. 

"She's doing what Ursula did!" I shout. 

Everyone crowds to the edge of the boat again as Uma settles into the water. "True love's kiss won't defeat this!" She yells. "THE WORLD WILL KNOW MY NAME!"

She sends tentacles up at us, and I take careful aim at the necklace. If I can just hit it...

But she sees me. "Not now, Princess!" A tentacle wraps around my waist and drags me overboard.

"ELLIE!" someone screams as I go underwater. I fight the fleshy thing holding me. I dig my fingers into it, feeling just as I did when the Hanses threw me over. Except this time, Carlos won't be able to reach me. I scream in frustration and kick at the tentacle, my breath leaving me and my vision going spotty. 

And then, she lets go.

My eyes shoot open and I kick off the tentacle, propelling above the surface. I gasp for air, feeling the ice crusting my skin and hair. I look around to see what made her let go, and I see a purple dragon flying above me, blowing flames at Uma. I panic for a second, before I realize...

Maleficent is still a lizard. 

But who...?

"Mal?" I yell. 

______________________________________

So the NEXT chapter will probably maybe be the last Descendants #2 one... if I can squish it all in. 

OK. One thing I'ma say: I just want to point out that I have 1.2K VIEWS NOW!!! AAAHHH!!!! SO HAPPY!!! 

:D anyways, hope you guys liked this chapter!