Rise of the Isle of the Lost (Descendants 3)

“Yes,” said the Grand Vizier, his face darkening. “The Great Wall keeps us out of Stone City, and so the flying carpets are our only means of transport to reach what has always been a trading partner for us.”

“I understand,” said Ben.

“And they’ve told you about our olive situation as well, yes? Our farmers plant and nurture the trees, but the wind carries the fruit over the wall, and the imperials are the ones who benefit from our hard work. Now I ask you, is that fair?”

Ben demurred from answering just yet.

“The leaves from the trees also blow over to the Stone City, and they have to clean it up,” said Lonnie hotly. “Agrabah doesn’t offer to help clean up the mess, but only demands the villagers return the fruit without payment.”

“We don’t have to pay for something we create ourselves!” said the Grand Vizier, just as hotly.

Lonnie jumped to her feet, a hand on her sword. The Grand Vizier did the same, a hand on his scimitar, and the guards in the room followed suit, ready to attack on the Grand Vizier’s command.

“Now, now,” said Ben, holding out his hands in a pacifying gesture. “We don’t have to fight. We’re here to find some peace between the two kingdoms. You have both been good neighbors for centuries, and you can still continue to be good neighbors for centuries more.”

“What is your solution?” asked the Grand Vizier.

“A compromise,” said Ben, trying to catch Lonnie’s eye. But she was looking at her feet, seemingly still angry at the Grand Vizier.

“Compromise?” said the Grand Vizier, shaking his head. “There is no compromise. We need to fly our carpets! And we want our olives back! Nothing else!”

“Grand Vizier, what would it take for you to listen to my proposed solution?” asked Ben.

The Grand Vizier shook his head, and it appeared all hopes of a truce had disappeared, when Lonnie unexpectedly knelt before the Grand Vizier like a supplicant, and offered him her sword, holding it lengthwise and balanced on the edge of her fingertips. “Forgive me, Grand Vizier, for my rudeness earlier,” she said, her head bowed low.

The Grand Vizier looked shocked. “The imperial favorite’s daughter, bowing to me?”

“Yes, my lord,” said Lonnie, her eyes on the floor. “I took advantage of your hospitality and should never have acted in such a hostile manner in your presence. Normally I wouldn’t do something like that. I’m not sure what came over me, but my mother taught me that honor is about admitting when you are wrong, and I was wrong.”

The Grand Vizier looked thoughtful for a moment. “I accept your apology,” he said. “Please, rise.”

Lonnie stood up. Ben tensed, wondering what was going to happen now. But the Grand Vizier smiled kindly. It appeared he had been moved by Lonnie’s humble gesture.

“I will listen to you, King of Auradon,” he said. “Because if someone of such high imperial blood can admit their mistake, the people of Agrabah are not so proud that we cannot do the same. Perhaps we can work with them as we have before.”

“I am glad to hear it,” said Ben, grateful that Lonnie had insisted she come along on this task and proud that she had changed the mind of the Grand Vizier without having to resort to battle—even if she had acted a bit more rashly than he’d had in mind.

“If you please, tell me the Auradon compromise,” said the Grand Vizier. “I find I am quite excited to hear it.”

Ben took a deep breath and explained his idea. Now all he had to do was convince everyone that his solution was the answer to their problem.

“Who’s down here?” asked Fairy Godmother, holding her wand high in the air like a torch and walking closer and closer to the speedboat.

“Quick, hide!” said Mal, and the four of them scrambled to find the nearest hiding place. Jay and Carlos dove under the seats, while Mal and Evie crouched behind a few containers.

“Do you think she saw us?” Carlos whispered worriedly. His heart was pounding rapidly under his black-and-white leather jacket.

“I hope not,” said Mal, crouching down even lower in the shadows.

“I swear I heard something,” said Fairy Godmother, sending beams of light everywhere.

The light arced over the boat they were hiding in, but no one moved, s

o it danced over to the next boat. Carlos breathed a small sigh of relief.

“I guess I was wrong,” muttered Fairy Godmother, and she walked back toward the shuttered yacht club at the end of the dock and began waving her wand again, making the windows sparkle and giving the building a new coat of paint.

“What’s Fairy Godmother doing down here anyway?” Evie whispered.