Judy looked out at the trees of the new land, they were pine, unlike the oak of her home. She let out a sigh. Those mighty oak she used to climb, those mighty oak of olive green and brown, those mighty oak the sight of she may ever see in the absence of their sight.

Still it wasn't all bad, she had left the halls of Bellwether behind, and soon, was to enter the halls of her betrothed.

Betrothed, what a cursed word. Destroyer of happiness and bearer of misfortune. The word that surpassed all others and whose word was law. It had ruled her before but now doomed her. Now not only was she to wed a male she had yet to meet but the male she had yet to meet was not even her species, not even her same niche. He was a fox, a red one at that, now a prince but was to be crowned alongside her and be bound to her. Aside from his name she knew really knew nothing about him and until she was wed to him, all she'd know about him was that name, Nicholas.

"We have arrived.", the guard told her with a voice scratched by weariness. He a rhino, large even by the standards of his species, donning the green, and yellow of the Zootopian courts on his cloak.

Judy sighed, now only minutes separated her from her marriage.

000

Prince Nicholas stood on a wooden stage assembled on the banks of the moat surrounding the castle. The stage had been set up as an outdoor altar following the tradition of the Merry Lands, every weeded royal pair (save the first) had been married on that stage. While to some it seemed an eccentric tradition, for the royals of the Merry Lands it was the easiest way to leave going as an option and to let anyone participate. While usually seen as the loveliest place for any royal to stand on, for Nick it turned itself into a joke, and he was to be the punchline. In just a few short minutes he was going to be wed, not to the mammal of his choice, but to one someone else chose for him.

Then he heard the crowd shouting as one, "The bride, the bride!", half whooping with laughter. Had he been the king of any other land he might have given the crowd a faux threat of death, but here it would have been futile to do so. Then her carriage rolled up to a stop in front of the stand, she alighted from it, her simple blue dress and grey fur lit by the torches surrounding the stage and street. Nick watched as his mother walked over to the doe, grabbed her wrist and unceremoniously led her to the stage The vixen's eyes aimed a look of hatred upon the doe who followed her, her ears drooped behind her, her eyes struggling to hold back her tears.

After they reached the stage the vixen shoved Judith towards her son, and the ceremony began. As the minister, a skunk by the name of Samuel, asked them for their vows, Judith tried desperately to stifle her tears but eventually failed as they streamed down her face. As she did so Nick looked down on her, unsympathetic towards her plight. By the time the minister pronounced the pair husband and wife Judith's cheeks were drenched in tears. She would have been happy to call it a night then and there but there was more to the festivities she had to partake in.

000

At the wedding feast Judy was seated next to her new husband. She tried to talk to him but he ignored but then told her in a voice that was half of a growl and half of a mutter, a few words directed to her, none were encouraging. "Do me a favor and be quiet.", that was all he said to her, and she obeyed.

Aside from his parents Nick had a single sister, Elizabeth, who was the clear favorite. Her parents gave her most of their attention during the meal, leaving only a fraction for Nick, something that he was very jealous of. He also had a single friend, a small, light brown, temperamental fox by the name of Finick. While he was easily provoked, he was always there when Nick needed him so he usually liked to keep him close. Now however, he wished for him to leave.

"I think you should talk to you wife.", Finick whispered to his friend.

"Why should I?", Nick snapped back at him.

"Well for one she is your wife.", he responded, making Nick roll his eyes. Now Finick was upset, he grabbed the collar of Nick's jacket and pulled him to his face. "You might like to consider that she has been torn from her home and that she has been told to shut up by the very mammal who's supposed to love and protect her."

"You want me to love her?" ", Nick muttered angrily to the smaller fox.

"I want you to at least act like you don't hate her.", Finick told him as he released Nick's collar.

Judy didn't hear anything Finick said, his whispers were too quiet, even for her, but she did notice when Finick grabbed Nick's collar. After the former released the later she looked at him, concerned. Nick glared at his friend before fixing his gaze in front of him. Part of Judy wanted to ask him what happened, but he told her to be quiet and she had no intention of disobeying him, so she didn't. Instead she looked back at her plate.

000

When the meal had finally ended, and the guests had finally retired for the night, it was time for the pair to retire themselves. As Nick led her to their bedchamber he thought about what his friend had said. Was he acting like he hated her? Yeah you are you jerk!, he thought. "Judith,", he started. At the mentioning of her name the bunny silently straightened to attention. "You can talk now." Still she remained silent, rubbing her arms with her paws. "Alright, I order you to say something.", he added, slightly annoyed.

"W-what do you want me to say?", she asked him, backing away slightly.

"I don't know… anything!", he growled.

The fox shouting at her caused her to jump back and fall onto her back before propping herself with her elbows.

Nick mentally kicked himself, 'Wait to go genius,', he imagined Finick yelling at him, 'if she wasn't afraid of you before she sure is now!'

Nick took a step forward, crouched, and placed a paw on the shoulder of the trembling bunny. "Sorry,", he sighed. "I'm being a real jerk here aren't I?" Judy didn't say anything, she simply looked at him, still trembling with fear. "You can say it if you want to."

"I don't.", she told him, finally calming down.

For a few seconds there was silence, then Nick asked, "How about this, if I'm ever do that again I'll do whatever you ask, deal?", he extended the paw that did not rest on her shoulder out towards her.

For a moment, she looked at it dumbly, then she took it an gave it a little shake. "D-deal."

He stood up, still clasping her paw. Then he pulled on her paw, lifting her back onto her feet. "If you ever need anything, feel free to ask."

"T-thank you.", she told him when he let her paw go.

Relieved, Nick continued to lead the rabbit on. As he did so he could not help but hope, hope that someday he could count this rabbit as a friend, that she would forgive him for his actions, that she wouldn't be afraid of him, that he would have made it up to her. For now, he thought to himself, you'd better act like her friend.

First chapter of a new series. Sorry it's a little short, I was having problems with writing a beginning. Weird, I know exactly where I'm going but I couldn't figure out to start it. Anyway, can't wait for things to come. Later chapters are going to get a little… awkward. See you next week for ch.2.