“Can’t catch me!” Hazel Westergaard taunted as she ran across the rooftops on the Isle of the Lost. 

Being as slender as she was, it was far too easy for her to be quick and light on her feet. This was easily one of the best moments of living on the Isle: She could exercise on the daily and commit mild acts of mayhem. Harassing Unity was definitely one of those times as Hazel grabbed a wooden pole, using the stick to leap onto another roof. 

“Haha!” Hazel cried happily as she stared at Unity, who growled at the thought of being outsmarted.

“Someday, runt, someday,” hissed Unity.

“Yeah, when will that be?” Hazel sneered, pretending to be lost in deep thought. “Oh, yeah, NEVER!” She took off, faster than a magic spell.

Unity screamed in rage, storming back to her mother’s ship. That runt was starting to get on her nerves. But she’d get what was coming to her. Unity would just have to be patient, that’s all. All good things to those who wait. That was what her mother often told her.

Meanwhile, Hazel did backflips and cartwheels on her way to her papa’s run-down castle. Escaping from Unity had been child’s play, a normal weekday for her. She longed for something more than this life, she wondered what life was like in Auradon. 

I should know better than anyone else what wishful thinking gets people: Nothing but pain and sorrow, she scolded herself as she landed beside a worn-out but intact castle wall. She pounded a simple tune into the barrier, causing a ladder to slide down in front of her. 

Hazel began the climb to her papa’s war council room, which doubled as an infirmary. Gil LeGume and Ginny Gothel had the idea when she, Hubert Pinkerton, and Genevieve Gothel came back to the castle, injured because of Unity and her mother’s crew. It was a way for the teenagers to feel safe on the Isle, and Hazel’s papa agreed wholeheartedly.

“Haze, you made it!” Genevieve cried as she helped Hazel through the war counci’s window.

“Yeah, had to evade Unity. But it was worth it because I got the upper hand.” Hazel panted from her trek, grabbing a bottle of unopened water.

Hubert grinned at Hazel, ruffling her hair as she plopped down beside him on a beat-up couch.

“I told you to stop doing that, Pinkerton. I swear on Maleficent’s horns that I can and will kick your ass.” Hazel giggled at the goofy expression on Hubert’s face.

Genevieve rolled her eyes, laughing at their sibling dynamic. Hazel and Hubert were the definition of brother and sister sometimes. That’s when she realized how lucky she was to be their friend. If she went anywhere else seeking aid, she would’ve been turned away in an instant. “Guys, Hans has something to tell us. If we could be calm for a few minutes, we’d know what the news is.”

“You’re right, Gemma, we should wait until we’re in the ballroom to chase each other,” agreed Hubert as Hazel drank her water.

At that moment, Hans Westergaard entered the war council room, looking as regal as the day he met Queen Anna of Arendelle. His typical outfit on the Isle consisted of navy blue trousers; black boots; a magenta cravat; blue shirt; indigo vest; black epaulets; gold aiguillette; and a light gray-and-black blazer with patterns. His auburn hair and sideburns were neat and trimmed, and his fair skin was free of dirt or grime of any kind. Hazel’s emerald-green eyes were so much like her papa’s that most people couldn’t help but be enamoured by the way she walked or the way she talked. The father and daughter were both very good-looking, which certainly helped when people got out of their way in the streets. While Hans had been very cruel and manipulative during his time at Auradon Prep before he was banished to the Isle of the Lost, he realized his past crimes were horrible and actively made efforts to become a better person on the island. The first person he helped was Hazel, who had been far too young to experience any sort of abuse at five years old.

“Papa!” Hazel cried out happily, rushing to Hans. She hugged him tightly, inhaling the scent of mint from his cologne.

Hans wrapped his arms around his daughter, smiling contentedly. He had everything he ever needed right here: His little girl, a boy who was like a son to him, two loyal friends, and a girl who he treated like a daughter. Sure, the environment wasn’t too great to teach goodness lessons, but he adapted with what was around. “Hi, pumpkin,” he whispered in his daughter’s ear.

Hazel beamed up at him, her eyes glittering. Hans kissed her nose gently, making her giggle. Hubert and Genevieve came up to Hans, hugging him. Hans embraced each teenager before he walked over to his mahogany-wood desk. The dark brown mahogany wood stain had faded away, but the desk surprisingly remained intact after years of use. Hans sat down behind the desk, waiting for two more people to arrive. Hazel, Genevieve, and Hubert plonked themselves onto the couch, playing little made-up games with each other. The doors opened, and Gil LeGume entered, flanked by Ginny Gothel.

“What was the purpose of the emergency meeting, Hans?” Gil asked Hans, leaning against the wall. Having been one of Uma’s pirates, he was mainly used for brute force on her crew. That was, until Unity Hook attacked Genevieve, his and Ginny’s daughter, at Uma’s orders. Gil had been furious that day, refusing to work for Uma any longer because Genevieve had been hurt. With that, he quit being a pirate, learning how much protection that position offered him when it was too late. Ginny had never been a member of Uma’s crew, so she also felt the vulnerability her husband had been feeling. It was a miracle when Genevieve met Hazel and Hubert while she was looking for a safe haven for them. With Hans’s aid, they learned how to be good and were able to stay at the castle for as long as they wanted.

Ginny held Gil’s hand, gazing at Hans curiously. She had been one of the VKs who didn’t want to be a part of Yen Sid’s Anti-Heroes club, but her opinion changed when she’d seen the damage of wickedness firsthand. When Hans offered them protection at his castle, she accepted the offer almost immediately. Her worry for Genevieve prompted her to learn how to be good, same as Gil. With time, the couple left their wicked ways behind, making choices that would cause them to be banished from proper society (on the Isle, that is). Genevieve became friends with Hazel and Hubert, which was fantastic in the long run.

“Hazel, Hubert, and Genevieve have been chosen to go to a different school. In Auradon,” announced Hans.

The three teenagers gaped at Hans in shock, their expressions revealing their inner thoughts. Please be kidding, Papa, please, Hazel thought desperately. Hubert and Genevieve were frozen in their seats. Not one of them imagined life without their found family by their side. It had been unthinkable, even for Hubert, who was the Queen and King of Hearts’s son. They ruled Wonderland, where things weren’t impossible, simply impassible.

“You’re serious?” Gil inquired neutrally.

“Yes. They will be attending Auradon Prep, alongside the third generation of purebred AKs and half AK, half VK children.”

“Okay, cool,” stated Ginny. “As long as we can remain in contact with our children.”

“Jane, the new headmistress of Auradon Prep, can arrange for occasional video calls in one of the teens’ class periods, and they get a special call for Family Day. Other than that, they’re essentially on their own.”

“Hello! Stop talking about us like we aren’t here!” Hubert near-shouted.

“Sorry, kids,” apologized Hans. “Are you guys wanting to go to Auradon? We don’t have any hidden agenda. We don’t want you to steal the wand to free everyone. We just want you guys to get a good education and be free to be whatever you want to be.”

“One moment,”  vocalized Genevieve, standing up. She grabbed Hazel and Hubert’s hands, leading them out of the war council. “I think we should go to Auradon Prep,” Genevieve declared as soon as she shut the door.

“You know how crazy this is, right?” Hubert fired back at Genevieve’s declaration. “They’re asking us if we want to leave this place. It may be a hellhole, but it is where we grew up, and I doubt we’ll adjust to Auradon and ‘get over’ our trauma in a year or less.”

“Guys, we should think about this logically. We wouldn’t be around Unity or her wharf rats anymore. We wouldn’t be searching for genuinely good food around leftovers on the food barges. We’d be in Auradon, the land of opportunity. We could be whatever we wanted to be in Auradon.” Hazel gazed imploringly into her best friends’ faces, hoping that they’d come to an agreement. She seriously hated conflict among the people she loved.

“If you two want to go, that’s enough for me.” Hubert grinned at the girls, who laughed excitedly. “Let’s go to Auradon.”

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

    Hey, guys, gals, non-binary pals. I hope you’re all feeling okay; if you’re not, my private messages are open to anyone who wants to talk. Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, let me know in the comments.