Disclaimer for the entire story: Sadly, I do not own Strange Magic, although I do have the DVD that I play once a week.
*Blush* How did this happen?! I thought that I'd give myself a break from my present work-in-progress and do a short Halloween story...this happened and it's not really a short Halloween story. Oh well. Constructive advice is appreciated but please refrain from criticism. Enjoy!
Marianne growls as she parries her blade once more. She could feel the frustration taking hold and causing her movements to become sloppy. How could he do this? It made no sense to her. She knew that her father had a lot to deal with besides being her dad but this is ridiculous.
"Marianne, please reconsider," Dagda pleads. "Roland is the only suitor who has approached to court you. I know he has flaws but he loves you."
"He loves the crown and his hair. Not in that order," Marianne huffs.
"Loving the crown isn't a bad thing," Dagda hesitantly remarks. "He'll be loyal to the kingdom even if he's not the best candidate to be king but that's why you'll be queen. You just need someone to rule by your side to help you be a stronger ruler."
"I'm stronger alone," Marianne states, throwing every ounce of her regal bearing into her form!
"I don't want you to be alone," Dagda sighs. "The crown is a heavy burden without a partner and once you're crowned queen, the prospects of you finding someone to be your partner will dwindle. Just think about this, for your poor father's sake. Consider accepting courting attempts during the ball tonight."
Marianne sighs heavily at his begging and her shoulder's sag from their defiant stance. She hardly thought that she was overreacting about the whole "take a chance to court your future queen" ball. It was a stupid idea, especially since she knew that Roland would be making his own attempts to snuff out the competition and ensure that no eligible male would be able to approach her.
Whatever did she see in that dung beetle?
At least she didn't let his good looks and charm fool her for long but she almost accepted his courting attempts. She shivers slightly at the thought that they probably would have been married by now had she not caught him kissing another female on her way to inform him of her acceptance. He tried to play it off as a harmless fling but if he was serious about courting her then there was no way that he should have been dallying with other females.
"Dad, I promise," Marianne speaks up, looking sweetly into her father's emerald eyes and holding his hand. "If I ever find a guy, who takes me by the hand, looks me in the eyes, and I don't want to hit him then I'll marry him but that guy doesn't exist."
"Don't tease your father," Dagda grumbles. "I'm too old."