Misrecalled arrival and setup

[smilingarmor]

To say Sylvando was surprised to be suddenly plunked down on a lawn of perfectly manicured grass would be an understatement. But it was significantly less uncomfortable than his first trip between worlds, and a significantly nicer place to arrive than the one he'd been drawn to previously, even if he hadn't had the chance to see much of it. So he got up, dusted himself off, and took a look around. "Well that was certainly quite a trip," he said to himself. "The question now is, where am I?" And after a moment of looking around, and noticing the eerie emptiness of the otherwise lovely castle, "...And for that matter, where is anyone?"

Comments

[mal_contented]

"You met him, Sylvando," Mal said, dryly. "No deal. We saw very well how people just appear and vanish. What do I do if you vanish with my book?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I'll hold onto it, thanks." then she stopped and narrowed her eyes, first at him because she was facing him, then she twisted free of Ben to turn those narrowed eyes on him as well. "Or don't the two of you trust me?"

Ben had firm memories of her using almost that same tactic to get him to eat the cookie drugged with the love potion. He wasn't stupid, he recognized it for what it was. But in the end, hadn't that worked out for the best? For them both? For Auradon? After seeing what happened when Audrey didn't get her way he had extra reasons to be thankful that he had fallen so deeply in love with Mal. He just wished he could get it through to her that she had never needed the cookie in the first place. He had already been more than half in love with her.

One day he should tell her about that dream. One day he should try that whole conversation again. But today wasn't that day. Today was the day that Mal felt, again, that she had to try a tactic. Had to test him. His feelings for her. Because she still couldn't trust herself enough to see how much he did love and trust her.

He knew this was a trap, a test, a tactic. And he could stand here and argue with her and wind up in a fight about all the wrong things...

Or.

Or he could use her trap on her, gently. So gently. Turn it around. Use it to show her she could trust herself. To help build her down, rather than arguing which might tear her down.


He reached out and touched her hair, gently. "Of course I trust you. If you give your word that you will give other methods an honest try first, and work with us when there is danger, then why wouldn't I trust that?" he asked.

Oh the look in her eyes as she realized the corner he had just backed her into with that innocent little trusting smile on his face. She spun to face Sylvando again, if only to break eye contact before it broke her. Because in that moment she had been almost ready to promise him anything. And she never wanted to promise him anything if she wasn't sure she could live up to it.

She wouldn't admit it, but Sylvando was one hundred percent right about her impulsiveness. There had to be a way to get her book back without promising. Because if Ben trusted her and she broke that... again... It might break her this time.

So she put on her tough face and crossed her arms at her friend. "Well? Going to tell me all the reasons you can't trust me as much as Ben does?" she snapped in challenge, secretly hoping he would actually break her down. That he would remind Ben of why he shouldn't put that much faith in her, shouldn't trust her...

[smilingarmor]

Oh now that was quite the clever move on Ben's part; he heartily approved. Like a certain Prince he could name, sometimes Mal just needed to be put on the spot a bit to live up to her potential.

"I didn't mean I'd keep it on me, silly-billy," Sylv said. "As I said, it wouldn't do me any good anyway; I'm no Veronica, after all. I was just planning to keep it in my room, wherever that happens to be while I'm here."

"But Ben's quite right. If you give us you word, I see no reason not to trust you with it. You've proven yourself more than trustworthy to me, after all, and if it comes down to it, I know you'd have my back any day, just as surely as I would yours."

[mal_contented]

While that had been what she wanted to hear a few minutes ago, and brought some colour to her checks faintly, it didn't help her at all now. "Just give me my book back," she said trying to snap as she held out her hand. Could she get them to forget to make her promise?

Ben considered speaking then chose to wait. He suspected he would learn more about Sylvando by saying nothing and seeing how the other man responded than by jumping in. the more he was seeing of him the more he was confused but impressed. And if he had learned anything from the whole sidekick fiasco it was that he had to be himself, even when he was king. All sides of himself. Including the side that preferred to listen and observe.

[smilingarmor]

Sorry, Mal, but Sylv knows you better than that. And he wasn't about to back down. The book stayed firmly in his hand and out of easy grabbing range.

"Well if you want it, darling, you've proven that you're quite capable of taking it," he said. "But I don't believe you will. After all, you've never been the sort to back down from a challenge, and whatever else happens before this mess is all settled, it's sure to be a challenge."

Sylv turned to one side, tapping the book's spine idly against the palm of one hand while holding it in the other. He sighed dramatically. "Though I suppose if you don't think you can handle it without having magic to lean on, that's quite understandable. Dealing with all this is a lot to ask of anyone, even the future Queen of the Realm, after all."

An appeal to her pride, and a hint of challenge, his phrasing implying that she was trying to use magic as a crutch when it wasn't needed. And a reminder of who she was and had chosen to be. A position she was going to have to step up and into sooner or later, and where one couldn't rely on magic to solve all- or even most- of their problems.

[mal_contented]

Her eyes flashed. In a more mundane way than her usual ticked off green. Though she was close to that. Had he been nearly anyone else, they would have been green. And she would have taken her book back by force of magic.

"Magic is useful," she snapped. "Why would anyone who cared about me ask me to cripple myself in the face of people who will not return that curtesy?"

Ben wanted to stay quiet, here, to listen. But he could not help but speak as he reached out to rest a hand on her arm. "Because this is Auradon," he said, gently but firmly. "We have to presume everyone will be decent and good when we first meet them, because often people try to change to fit the first impressions others have of them. Treat someone with kindness from the outset they are far more likely to respond in, well, kind. But greet them with open hostility, wariness, and distrust, and they will often return by being hostile, wary, and distrustful. We aren't saying never use magic, or smile even at people who are trying to kill you. We are saying to try the Auradon way first. You've seen yourself the change that makes. Look at how much easier it was for you and your friends with those of us who were welcoming, and how much harder it was for those who were not." He did not ask if she'd prefer to be more like him and Doug or like Audrey and Chad because that would imply negative things about his friends, even if he did wish they would have been more welcome and open.

Mal winced and... actually looked away, hugging herself around her middle, conflicted.

Ben glanced at Sylvando, trying to get a read on him at this moment. And given him silent permission if he wanted to be the one to comfort her first, this time.

[smilingarmor]

He'd clearly hit a nerve, though perhaps a tad more than intended. Still, if her pride was stung, that meant that the truth behind what he was saying had gotten through, even if she didn't like it. And it gave Ben the chance to step forward once again, and take himself up another notch in Sylvando's estimation. Whatever issues Auradon as a whole needed to work out, this young fellow was shaping up to be quite a fine king indeed. And with Mal at his side, the two of them would be a force to be reckoned with, whatever they chose to do.

When Ben glanced his way, Sylv smiled and nodded slightly, gracefully accepting the permission offered before stepping forward to face Mal, smiling and reaching out with his free hand to gently brush a stray wisp of purple hair back from her face. "Ben's quite right, Mal darling," he said. "After all, if anyone knows the power that a little kindness can have- a simple smile or a friendly word-, it's yours truly. It can turn someone's whole outlook around, bring hope in even the darkest of times. I've seen it happen, honey, in circumstances much more dire than this. And while it's true that not everyone will return the favor, especially at first, it's still well worth the effort. Our friendship is proof of that."

His smile broadened, became something a little less gentle, and more energetic and bright; much more like his usual. "Besides, if you think being without some silly old spell book is 'crippling yourself', you're selling yourself far too short, darling. After all, you're Mal! Fierce and fabulous, bright and bold, powerful and passionate, caring and clever, and much more! None of that comes from a book; it comes from you. You braved the darkest jungle, faced ghosts and monsters, and helped bring two lands back from ruin. And from the sound of it, had quite a few adventures here as well, which I frankly can't wait to hear about!"

"There's so much more to you than just magic, honey. You bring so much color to the world, wherever you go, and I don't mean just with your paints. And you've come so far from where you were when I first met you. You don't need a spell book to find your power; you're already stepping into it so much on your own. And truly, I couldn't be prouder of you."

[mal_contented]

At first, he winced away from his touch and tried to work up a glare when he said Ben was right. Tried and failed. But she did listen to the rest of her words. And din't fight it when Ben came over while he spoke to put his arm around her shoulders. Ben was nodding at the first part of his speech, but when he started speaking about Mal specifically, he was smiling more as well. And he too wanted to hear about the adventures he missed out on.

The change in Mal as Sylvando spoke about her specifically was more obvious and dramatic than the change in Ben. But that was probably to be expected. She was trying hard not to let the words sway her, she was trying to be stubborn and aloof and what she thought of as core Mal. But given she was starting from such a weak position, it was hard.

And she was drawing strength from his words, and being flattered despite herself. But the end her resistance had crumbled and she was more focused on trying not to cry than anything else. She took several deep breaths before she could respond, and when she did her voice wasn't argumentative, even though she shook her head. She still couldn't see in herself what Ben and Sylvando and everyone else saw in her. She still had trouble some days believing it was really that they did - that they could - see all this in her.

But she was trying. She was.

And with her other memories restored, she could see patterns that were her in both places. Her patrols in the kingdoms compared with her Uma watch. Her standing up against so many foes here, her standing up against so many foes there. Her habit of going to the most dangerous place she could when she ran away. Her weird mix of feeling like she was never doing enough while trying to do everything herself.

It was a lot to take in.

But there was one place where Sylvando was wrong. She took a deep breath again. Still trying to find the words.

Finally she spoke. "Maybe none of it came from the book" except that it had "But the book is part of it. That book I had then that I spent so long building up and creating. This book that was my mom's, they're both part of me. I don't know why neither of you can see that." Her voice wasn't argumentative so much as... tired. She was still fighting tears.

"I got the trident back from Uma. With magic. I fought through the Corroded with magic. I purified them. With magic. Using magic doesn't make any of the rest of me less! But I feel more like me with it! Why is that so wrong?" The last was asked almost plaintively. As close to plaintive as Mal could get, anyway.

Ben held her closer, tighter, clearly conflicted.

[smilingarmor]

"Oh Mal, darling," Sylv said, expression softening a bit again. "Of course we understand how important this book and the one you made are to you. You're a wonderful mage, and writing your own spell book at your age is no mean feat!"

"What we're worried about is the fact that it seems rather hard for you to use just a little bit of magic; it tends to be all or nothing. No one wants you to have to cut it out of your life entirely. You just need to find a tad more balance is all." And though not quite the same sort of balance, him balancing the book delicately on one fingertip as he mentioned it was certainly Sylvando way of emphasizing his point. "In fact, given what I've heard- and you can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, Ben darling- there's quite a few aspects of life here that could do with a bit more balance."

When addressing Ben he glanced his way with a polite nod, making sure he knew he was welcome on interject. Since all of Sylvando's information about the kingdom had thus far come from Mal, he knew she might be a tad biased. It would be good to get another point of view.

[mal_contented]

"Mal has never had much in the way of examples for balanced," Ben said, gently coming to her defense. "None of us have, but perhaps the Vks least of all. And I am sorry for my part in that," he added to Mal, kissing her head.

"How about this," he added. "We don't ask you to promise to always use non magical means first, we ask you to try. We ask you to try to find a balance. When things are restored, getting magic legalized again is going to be an uphill battle given this situation, but perhaps if we can counter that with proof of how it was used in moderation did not come at the expense of good relations or other skills. You know that one of the strongest voices against magic is Fairy Godmother, Mal. And you know her nearly as well as anyone at this point. If anyone can help built proofs for her, it would be you."

For a moment there was a panicked look on Mal's face. More pressure, one more task, one more thing that all came down to her. And Sylvando would see the moment it weighed on her. Almost breaking her. Almost.

But he'd also, if he looked at Ben, be able to see how carefully Ben was watching her from out of her sight line. How he was clearly aware of the battle going on within her, and giving her time to at least try to win this on her own, for herself. From the look on his face, he clearly had faith in her, but he was just as clearly ready to speak up if it was needed. For now though he remained as he was, strong and steady and there.

[smilingarmor]

Sylvando nodded his understanding. What Ben said fit with what he'd been told by Mal, so it was good to have it confirmed, even if he wished it were otherwise. But wishing only got one so far; fixing this particular aspect of the mess they were in would take a lot of work, and would likely extend beyond his time in Auradon, however long that turned out to be. Though if anyone could do it, it was likely Mal and Ben.

He did indeed see the moment the weight of it settled on her, and while he firmly believed her to be more than equal to the task, he knew that she likely had her doubts. He considered speaking, but thought the better of it, instead just giving a reassuring smile and a slight nod. Another reassuringly solid presence, despite his oddities. Or maybe because of them; Sylvando was, if nothing else, entirely comfortable in his own skin, and thus was living proof that getting to that point was possible.

[mal_contented]

Mal shook badly. She felt like she was breaking. This was just too much on top of everything else. She had to be future queen, and on Uma patrol. And look out for other villains. And plan the next... something. And there was that upcoming tour and she had dress fittings for it with....

With Evie. Who wasn't here.

A pang in her chest, but something else as well.

There was no Uma patrol if Uma wasn't here. She had no social calendar, there was no dance upcoming. All of life had been frozen by this magic in the oddest way.

She straightened, thinking.

So much of what she had to do, what was so overwhelming was... paused. Sure there were other problems and other challenges but...

But Ben was right... she could do this. Maybe not while getting ready for a kingdom tour and studying for finals and planning dances and graduation parties and the wedding... Oh dragons, the wedding...

But she couldn't do any of that now. There was no one to visit. There were no teachers to give the finals. No dance committees. No graduates to graduate.

But there was a chance. A chance to help whoever showed up. And to prove at the same time that magic could be allowed again so long as it was used reasonably. She could draft a proposal. Dalmatians, she could write a paper! FG loved reading research papers. She could almost write them in her sleep at this point. In fact, she had almost done that a few times.

She... she could do this. Right? Of course right! She took a deep steadying breath only to discover that she was already steady. She was okay. She reached over and took her book from Sylvando deftly as she used to pick pockets and hugged it softly to herself. Not defensively. She found her arms steadier, stronger, than she feared they'd be.

She looked up at Sylvando while leaning more into Ben. "I think I can do that..." she said softly, but there was strength in her voice. Strength, determination. And fierce pride. Because she could. With all that rest cut away, she could do it. And she knew now what she she hadn't fully understood when she ran alone last...

That asking for help wasn't failing. It was letting others share her victories. Okay, so she was still trying to get used to sharing in general. But still.

[smilingarmor]

Sylv didn't resist as Mal took the book from his fingertip, his smile spreading to a proper grin. If she'd needed a bit more of a boost, he'd had a little trick planned for that, but it looked like she was going to be just fine. Besides, he was sure there'd be plenty of other opportunities to turn amusing tricks into clever metaphors about life lessons.

"I knew you had it in you, darling," he said proudly. "With the three of us working together, not even the most ponderous of problems or the most convoluted of conundrums stands a chance!"

"For now though, we really do need to take stock of what supplies we have. And once we've done that, I'll use some of them to make us some dinner; can't go saving the world on an empty stomach, after all."

[mal_contented]

"Taking stock of supplies as a whole will be a larger task than we can accomplish in a day," Ben said. "So perhaps we eat sooner rather than later. We can break up tasks over the meal." He was so busy these days that working meals were about the only ways he got meals at all.

Mal nodded. "We could go to the cafeteria and I could..." she shifted the book.

Ben sighed and his shoulders fell a bit as he gave Mal a look she couldn't possibly see since he was still behind her.

But her wink to Sylvando was probably hint enough that she was aware of it. She let the pause linger for just a moment more, before causally finishing with "...seeing if there are sandwhich fixings in the cafeteria kitchen."

The look on Ben's face was probably exactly what Mal was going for, trapped and frozen, unsure if that had been a joke and he was supposed to laugh like he half wanted to; or if she had actually noticed his reaction and changed what she had been about to say, and he should be concerned...

[smilingarmor]

Sylv managed to keep from grinning any more broadly at the way Mal was teasing Ben, at least long enough not to ruin the joke. But his eyes glittered with amusement. This was Mal at her best and most natural. Really she and Erik would get on like a house on fire if they ever met, though there might be some of the same sort of good natured sniping that occurred between him and Veronica too. Come to think of it, he'd almost pay to see Mal and Veronica together as well, though it might result in a few fireballs being thrown around by one or both of them.

After a long moment of leaving poor Ben stuck, Sylv laughed. "Really, the look on your face, Ben darling," he said. "Oh, it's just too, too good!"

Still, he composed himself fairly quickly, even if the grin remained. "I think I can come up with something a bit better than just sandwiches though. Come on; let's see what we've got to work with eh?"

[mal_contented]

Mal laughed as well. And Ben relaxed to laugh too. "Okay, you got me. Fair. And better than sandwiches sounds almost as good as sandwiches does," he said with a chuckle.

There was a smile from Mal. She twisted to give Ben a kiss on the cheek. "You two go on ahead, show Sylvando what we have to work with. I have something I need to do really quickly. I'll meet you there."

Ben eyed the spell book warily, he couldn't help it.

"Not magic," she said. "But still something to make me feel a bit more... me. All the parts of me," she said, touching the book.

He hesitated just a moment then nodded and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Alright. I trust you."

It had been the smallest of kisses, but Sylvando would be able to see the way it - and the trust - made his purple haired friend sway slightly, almost swooning. The smile she gave Ben was sparkling and radiant and involved her whole heart. The kind of smile he'd never seen on her face before. For multiple reasons.

"And I love you," she said softly. She dashed away, a bit unsteady on her feet. She hid it well enough that most people wouldn't have noticed. But Sylvando and Ben? No way they missed it. She gave Sylvando a quick one armed hug sos he didn't have to let go of the spell book, then she headed out unless Sylvando stopped her. Her eyes were still full of joy and young love. True love.

The same look was in Ben's eyes, as he watched her vanish around a corner.

[smilingarmor]

Sylvando's grin softened just slightly at the way that little kiss affected Mal, and the truly radiant smile it left her with. Not even he, one of the world's foremost spreaders of smiles, could hope to bring out that sort of smile in his young friend; no, that privilege was reserved for someone very special. And from what he'd seen, she'd chosen a wonderful young man for the position, one who clearly loved her every bit as much as she did him.

He returned the quick side hug then watched her scamper off around the corner, the warm smile still on his face. "Ah, young love!", Sylv said. "It's a beautiful thing!" And once he was certain Mal was out of earshot, he added more directly to Ben, "The two of you really do make an absolutely adorable couple, you know that?" Really, how anyone could look at the two of them together and not wish them all the happiness in the world was beyond him.

Still, standing around talking about love wasn't getting them any closer to dinner. "Anyway, we've got a dinner to get going. Lead the way, darling! To the kitchen!" The last was stated with all the energy of someone embarking on an epic quest. And who knew? Maybe this particular quest would begin with dinner. He could think of far worse ways to start things off.

[mal_contented]

Ben smiled warmly, and still a bit goofily. "Thank you. She really is amazing." And he was still unsure how she could manage to love him, how this could be his life. Yes, sure, king. But she's not Audrey, being king wasn't a bonus to Mal, it had always been a major obstacle. She didn't love him because he was king, but despite it. How she could love him enough to put up with everything... he didn't know, he was just glad that she did.

"Right. Kitchen. This way," he said, leading the way. "Did Mal ever tell you how she used the kitchens here when she first came to Auradon?" he asked, with a bit of a dreamy smile as he led the way.

The kitchen, when they got there, was a huge industrial kitchen, but prep areas were seperated and made to look cozy by the way things were arranged. Everything was perfectly clean and spotless and organized and the walkways were wide enough for a fairly wide chef to carry large trays through without knocking things off of countertops and stoves.

Ben showed Sylvando where everything was and chatted with him as they worked. It didn't take long before Mal came back. She was in a leather jacket very like the ones that she wore in the Kingdoms and Diatu, the one that let her hide her spellbook and pen hidden within. Her pants were comfortable purple leather. But the shirt under the jacket, the fingerless gloves, and the short boots - while all purple - were softer purple. A bridge between Auradon Mal and Isle Mal. And if the Jacket was far more Isle, the Jewelry was more Auradon. She came in and gave a little spin. "What do we think? Isle, Auradon, and worlds beyond." She missed the bracelet Sylvando had given her though. But like her Spellbook it hadn't returned with her memories.

[smilingarmor]

The answer to Ben's question of course, was the fact that he loved and trusted her in return. And Sylvando knew well how much that meant to Mal. He encouraged her to be the best version of herself, but accepted and cared for her even when she fell short of that, something everyone needed and that had been sorely lacking in Mal's life before he'd come into it. "She's certainly that," he agreed. And maybe one day she'd see it herself.

But back on the subject at hand. "No she didn't," he said as they headed off to the kitchen. "But do tell! I have a feeling it was something exciting." After all, he wouldn't be telling the story otherwise. And knowing Mal, it was probably something chaotic and wonderfully colorful.

By the time Mal eventually joined them, the kitchen wasn't quite so spotless, and several cutting boards and other cooking implements were waiting in the sink to be washed. And while the food Sylv was preparing was taking a bit longer than sandwiches would have, the smells coming from the pot and large frying pan on the stove indicated that the results would be well worth the wait. He looked up from his cooking at Mal's entrance and grinned. "You look fabulous, darling!", he said. "That outfit is definitely you." In fact it was probably the most 'her' he'd ever seen her look. The most comfortable in her own skin. And that's what really made a look fabulous.

[mal_contented]

Ben was happy to take off his jacket, roll up his sleeves, wash his hands, and help. However he could. Sadly he had... little experience in the kitchen. So mostly just did what Sylvando told him to, and shared a story.

"Well, it wasn't long after Mal arrived that she gave it to me, but I'm not fully sure when she did the actual baking," he admitted. But he knew parts of the story from Lonnie. "But she and Evie and Jay and Carlos snuck into the kitchens, not realizing yet that they were welcome to use it openly. Or perhaps it was because they were cooking a spell and didn't want anyone to see. I'm not sure, and neither was Lonnie. Anyway, they were baking, of all things, a love spell. I don't think Mal ever realized that she didn't need it. I was more than halfway there already. But you van imagine Lonnie's reaction when she found out later that the cookies she impulsively added chocolate chips to when she saw them baking was meant to make me fall in love with Mal." He chuckled a bit.

He mixd or chopped whatever he was told to as he spoke. "Mal got me to eat one of the cookies, using the social version of the wounded bird feint my dad taught me when he was teaching me how to use a sword as a child. He taught me that you had to temper compassion with common sense..." That day was a whole other story though. "So even though the trap was obvious, I took the bait. I ate the cookie. I will admit the next bit is... a bit fuzzy," he said with a chuckle. "But the spell washed away on our first date. I was going to tell her I knew about the spell then and there, and was trying to figure out how to tell her that we needed to be honest with each other. Except..."

His smile was slightly different here, amused but also... diplomatic. Whatever he was about to say, Sylvando was good enough to catch the fact that he was about to start editing as he spoke. "She thought I was in danger because I was taking so long, trying to gather my thoughts. She threw herself into danger, sure I needed rescue. Any concerns I had about why she had felt so desperate to spell me faded then when I saw her throw herself in harms way to try to rescue me. Spell or no spell, I was in love," he added, his smile misty again. Editing over.

"I was raised to be honest but after that... I didn't tell her I knew about the spell. Not immediately. Not until the day of my coronation. When she gave me the antidote. That showed me... that she wanted me to love her, not because I was about to be king, but because she wanted me to love her. Me, the person. Oh the look on her face when she found out that I knew all along. And the even better look on her face," he added with a misty and loving smile as he remembered, "when she agreed to wear my ring, knowing I loved her. Without the spell."



When Sylvando complimented her outfit, Ben nodded. "I love it too, Mal. You look amazing. But why was it so important to change before we ate?" he asked, puzzled. He was relieved that she had left the spellbook back in her room. Maybe he had been concerned for nothing.

She smiled brilliantly. "Because the coat is the perfect place to keep my spellbook in easy reach without anyone knowing I have it on me," she said cheerfully. "And whatever that is smells amazing, shall we eat?"

And wrap!

[smilingarmor]

Thankfully, it didn't take much experience to peel and chop vegetables, so Ben was mostly put to work helping with that, or with fetching different utensils and bottles or containers of spices. Sylv, meanwhile, handled the more delicate tasks and the actual cooking as he listened to Ben relate his side of a tale he'd already heard from Mal's perspective.

He also caught the slight hesitation that meant Ben was editing his speech somewhat as he went. Not that he needed to, but Sylv approved of his suspected reasons. One day, Mal would feel comfortable enough to tell her beloved the whole truth, but for now it was enough for the two of them to be young and in love. No sense making things more complicated for them then they already were, or telling a story that wasn't his to tell.

"Hmm, I wonder if adding chocolate to a love potion would make it stronger or weaker?", Sylv mentioned thoughtfully. "Or if it would have any effect at all? After all, chocolate and love do go hand in hand, but one never can tell with magic." Serena would likely know, and he made a mental note to ask her whenever he next got the chance as Ben went on with his story.

And it really was a good story. Romance, intrigue, danger, a heartfelt eleventh-hour confession... really someone should write a book about it. Or perhaps several, since he suspected that was only the beginning of their adventures. And who knew? Maybe they would.

For now, Sylv grinned at Mal's cheek and nodded. "It'll be ready in just a moment, so if the two of you would be dears and set the table, such as it is, we can get down to dinner." And with good food, a toast to the hope of a successful venture. Whatever the days ahead might bring, they would face it together.