This story is somewhat based on Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. But you don't need to know the story to understand this one. Hope you enjoy. And please take a moment to review if you may?

Forever and Always

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"I- I do." The proclamation was a soft whisper in the wind, as the trees rustled warnings of a coming storm. The sky above the young teenager, barely fifteen as he had just turned last week, darkened casting him in an eerie shadow. He'd wandered a bit too far. The woods here were dense, the trees too close together, their knobby branches intertwined. Having been lost in thought Danny couldn't safely bet that turning around and going straight back would return him home. Instead it seemed more he become even more lost, if that was possible.

What a first impression he must be making on his fiancé's parents. He'd never met the couple, nor their daughter who he'd been engaged to since the day their marriage was arranged, almost seven years prior. He'd heard from sources she was feisty. That no other higher ups would take her, and the Duke and Duchess had become so desperate they'd settled for Danny and his family. Okay, so his family was an oddity, but they had background and a bit of wealth, enough to satisfy the Duke and Duchess, who cared more for their status than their daughter and the possible sanity of her potential husband.

"Oh, oh shit," grumbled Danny, forgetting for a moment that his mother had warned him of his sailor's tongue. He really was terrible with directions. It didn't matter which way he turned. All he could see was forest, forest, and more forest. It seemed never ending, even when he stood and came to look deeper. Farther on it grew darker until he couldn't even seen what lay at the end.

Surely they'd come looking for him, wouldn't they? He was their son after all. But how long would it take for them to notice? It would have to be before his wedding day, how could their be wedding without now groom? Yet, his parents were quite flighty when it came to Danny, he didn't doubt they would notice until it came time to place the bands and he was nowhere in sight. They preferred focusing on superstitions, and the possibilities of apparitions that apparently plagued the small town of Amity. It would take much more than Danny being absent for a couple of hours to tear them from their work. He'd been surprised they'd taken an interest in his wedding day at all. Though really the only comments they made were along the lines of, 'She seemed nice,' and 'I'm sure you two will fit well together.'

Danny sighed and returned to pacing around the small clearing. Finally, tired of the constant back and forth, he sat back on a single stump at the edge. Reaching into his pocket, Danny pulled forth two golden bands. In the dull light, they appeared tired and worn, which strangely reminded Danny of the prisoners he'd seen earlier that day, marching through the streets towards the executioner with silver bands tight around their arms. Danny shook that thought from his head; no this was going to be a good marriage. He was going to be fine.

Danny sat back on the stump and fingered the bands. "I do," he mumbled softly, hoping to sound certain. But instead in sounded more like a whimper. "I do!" he tried again. But no, that didn't feel right either. He let the rings fall from between his fingers into the dusty straw below. Maybe he just wasn't cut out for marriage.

But like it or not, he had to try. If not for him, then for his family. They had a bit of wealth, sure. But nothing like that of his fiancé, which could set his parents and their little 'experiments', which tended to often eat them out of house and home when it came to funds, for life.

The wing began picking up, swirling the last of autumn's leaves high into the air. It too, took the rings taking them far above Danny's reach. Though lost in his own sorrow, and cluelessness, Danny didn't notice. The rings continued to swirl overhead, riding the wind like a raft on fast moving rapids. They moved through the forest at a breakneck pace, flowing deeper and deeper into the trees, finally catching on the ragged finger of a late branch.

Back on his stump, with his head buried deep within his hands, Danny tried once more.

"I do," he whispered, "I do take you to be my bride."

Overhead the constant cloud coverage broke, releasing first a soft drizzle that then turned quickly to a chilling downpour. Danny turned up his collar, and hurried from the woods, fighting his way through bramble after branch, hoping his legs were leading him correctly home or at least to a decent shelter until the storm passed.

If only he knew the power of such simple words.