Ursula swam around in the large pool that Maleficent had installed. This was the woman's' equivalent of pacing. Maleficent had managed to chip slightly through the barrier before Virgil's' birth and she could use basic magic, just like everyone else now could. This is why she was the unspoken dictator. At least, that was one of the reasons.

"Children, we have some interesting news." Ursula said.

"We know, Jafar said." Virgil answered, crossing his arms as he stood in the middle of his friends. He was very small, only coming up to Remus's' shoulder. He still managed to make grown men cower.

Jafar frowned and held up a letter. The envelope was woven with a rouge wax stamp. "This arrived while you three were out in the market. It's from Auradon Castle."

The boys stiffened, exchanging glances. After a silent conversation of looks, eyebrow raises and shrugs, Janus looked at his father. "What do we have to do with it? It's not like it's addressed to us."

"It may not be addressed to you but it's about you." Ursula commented from her pool, propelling over to the side. "They are requesting you to join their school."

"What?" Frowned Remus, pulling back from the letter he'd been curiously reaching for. "Why the hell would they want us to be in their big fancy school?!"

Ursula glared at her son. "Silence, Remus," She scolded, clouting him over the back of the head with a tentacle. Remus flinched slightly, head bowed.

"So they want us in their school," Virgil said slowly, "And it's not April Fools, right?"

"No, it isn't." Jafar sighed angrily. "Your mother, Virgil, wants you three to go. As insiders. And then you'll free us. But Ursula thinks-"

"It's a stupid idea!" Interrupted Ursula, obviously enthusiastic about conveying her opinion. "This could be some form of trap to get us to surrender something or a way to turn you against us! I don't want some posh kings and pretty mermaids taking my son from me!"

Virgil used this moment to glance at his mother. She was always there, in the shadows. Her horns were glistening in the dying light and Virgil raised his hand to feel his own growing horns that hid under his hair. She always made him uncomfortable and she knew it. She was sitting on an old desk and she was leaning back lazily. This was all she did. Sit there and threaten people. But she'd kill you. That was the difference between her and the other two adults. Her threats were real. Her threat was real. She was a monster. And, god, did she know it.

Maleficent stepped from the shadows, her tight black robes fitting her ageing form somehow. "I understand your points, Ursula." She said, getting the attention of everyone in the room instantly. "But it must be done. We put our sons in Auradon and our sons get us out. And then we rule." She smiled. Virgil wanted to vomit.

"I agree with Maleficent but we shouldn't separate Remus from you. He assists you and you cause more chaos together than apart." Jafar commented. "But we can't sign for Remus to go without Ursula's' permission."

Janus turned to look at the octopus. "If you sign, you'll be the terror of the seas again. The scourge and queen. Triton would crumble beneath your power and you'd crush Ariel with a blink of your eye. But if you don't sign, we can't go and we can't get you out. And you'll be stuck here as a forgotten failure, sitting on this trophy island of those Auradon skanks." Ursula listened to Janus speak, face blank and considering. "Surely this isn't what you want? Or what you deserve? How did the great Queen of the Sea go from there to what I see before me-"

"Give me that paper, I'm signing it!" Ordered Ursula. Maleficent smirked, handing over the sheet. Ursula wiped an inky finger across a dotted line, writing her name in swirly handwriting. She handed up the sheet and Jafar scribbled his name.

Then she took it. Maleficent made direct eye contact with Virgil. And she signed it. The signatures glowed and the paper faded away.

"You'll be going soon." She smiled.