𝑨 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴 𝑰𝑺 𝑨 𝑾𝑰𝑺𝑯 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑴𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝟓𝟐

NOTE: Welcome to (and I can't believe I'm actually saying this), part one of the last two official chapters of this story! After that, all that's left is the epilogue(which has not been written yet, so hang in there please)! I'll save the sappy message till then ;)

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Maleficent took a moment to scan the expansive room before her, eyes gleaming with demented excitement at all the prospective terror she could cause. "I must apologize for the late arrival! After so many years, my magic took a little while to boot up. You know how it is," she waved a hand, shrugging casually, as if she was late for brunch. The masses in the cathedral began clamoring over each other, trying to escape while Maleficent faked a pout at the pandemonium.

"Aww. After all these years, no one is happy to see me? And I thought Auradonians were supposed to be kind." Her lips curled into a snarl and she slammed her staff down, sending out a loud thundercrack that terrified everyone into silence. She had yet to notice Delphina and her family hidden among the crowd, still scanning the room for someone in particular.

"Where is that blasted, wretched old..." She trailed off in frustration, and Delphina realized she was searching hungrily for Fairy Godmother and her wand. She blinked, realizing the fairy had completely vanished from sight and her telepathic presence had vanished from Delphina's mind.

She frowned softly, trying to sense the fairy's presence when a shiver of warning ran down her spine. She returned her sights to the cathedral stage, where Maleficent stood, eyes locked on her curiously. She took a moment to examine Delphina before her lips curled into an amused smirk.

"My, my. The apple never does fall far from the tree, does it?" She stepped down from the stage, graceful as ever as she made her way over to Delphina. Mal stepped forward, ready to address her mother, but Maleficent only breezed past her daughter, focused on the redhead. "You are her spitting image, down to the magical signature. And that obnoxious hair." She inhaled deeply and her eyes shimmered with greed while Delphina scowled at her with nothing but pure hatred. "So much raw power, and you haven't the faintest idea where to start with it. So much potential, and it landed in the hands of your pathetic bloodline."

"Was Anastasia 'pathetic' when she put you on your ass with only a year of training under her belt?" Delphina snapped out. Audrey and Chad each grabbed one of her arms in warning, and Ella muttered a plea for caution.

Maleficent's nostrils flared in offense at her words. "I see you inherited her brazen ways as well." She began striding closer with a purpose, only for a wall of blue suits to stop in front of Delphina protectively.

Adam, Ben, and Kit stood shoulder to shoulder, flanked by a herd of royal guards ready to draw their swords at the first signal. Maleficent gave a fake pout of sympathy before flicking her fingers to the side casually.

Instantly, the protective detail was magically thrown across the cathedral like a couple of ragdolls. Delphina's eyes widened in horror, but before she could rush over, a constricting force wrapped around her body, pulling her away from Chad, Audrey, and Ella and dragging her across the carpet until she was toe-to-toe with the mistress of all evil.

Ella and Audrey shrieked in horror, and Belle was narrowly able to grab the blonde's arm before she charged the dark fairy herself. Maleficent only rolled her eyes at the display, slamming her staff into the floor again. Green magic spread throughout the room, freezing everyone in their spots like Delphina had done moments ago, leaving only her and Mal unfrozen.

"This is quite the armada you've acquired, Miss Tremaine. You even managed to wrap the king around your finger," she mused, visibly impressed as she regarded Delphina with something akin to respect. Delphina was ready to spit in her eye when she turned around with a huff, finally looking at her daughter. Mal shrunk back immediately at her mother's scathing glare. "This is what you should have been capable of! This is the type of plotting I raised you to do! How on earth did you turn out to be such a disgrace, Mal?"