Intertwined
Misty:TA-DA! Here is my first collab with Poke-lover88! :D It's Gretel and Ferriswheelshipping of course. XD I had a lot of fun writing this with Dani, and I laughed sooo much. She's the coolest Gretelshipper ever. ^-^
Poke-lover: Hah! Thanks Misty, lots of Gretelshipping fun and laughs to be had! XD Can't get any better than those three in a love-triangle can ya? We hope you enjoy! :D
Chapter 1: Reminiscing
Full Summery: Touko was happy, she was on her way to meet a prince she had a good chance of marrying. However, upon arriving at the castle, she finds his father to be a figure from her past that she took drastic measures to get away from. Thrown full-force into her memories of knowing Ghetsis, mixed with her growing feelings for N, she is forced to make a decision for not only who she wants to be with, but to also decide if she has it within her heart to forgive Ghetsis for his past wrong-doings.
Pushing away the curtains, I looked outside of the carriage as it trundled down the cobblestones and towards the castle rising up in the distance. I sighed, and leaned back into my seat, knowing fully well that this ride would take a while. Touya was going to be angry with me for being late, but I couldn't help it. Rubbing my forehead, I poked my head through the curtains and looked at the driver.
"Umm, nice day, isn't it?" I started, trying to make this ride a little less boring.
"Yes, it is a wonderful day!" he said happily. "The Prince has decided to make a choice of who he will marry!" I raised my eyebrows.
"Oh...he is now…" Smiling, I rested my cheek on the windowsill.
My eyes wandered back to the castle; the same castle. The one that I'd been in only a few years ago, even though it felt like decades. I wondered quietly to myself if this N character would be anything like his father, Ghetsis; the man I'd been arranged to marry so long ago. I had been in a carriage quite similar to this one, and the familiar sound of the Tauros' hooves, trotting away on the street below lulled me back to that day.
...
"Sit up straight, dear." Mother gave me a stern look, snapping at my hunched position on the plush seat. I sighed, reluctantly obeying her orders and straightening up. Father nodded to me in approval, his nose still buried in his newspaper. It seemed he couldn't care less about today, and yet Mother had nearly blown a gasket in her nervous excitement. It wasn't every day that your daughter was arranged to marry a prince after all, even if this was just the first time meeting him.
"Now, make sure you use your manners, Touko. We wouldn't want him thinking you're uncivilized," Mother reprimanded again. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes and glanced out the window. Uncivilized. Like he would ever think that. I had known Ghetsis for longer than my parents could even imagine. The colossal and daunting castle grew larger every step that the Ponyta took and my heart began to beat a little faster. There was no way I was marrying Ghetsis, and it seemed everyone but my parents and the man himself knew this as well. I had an elaborate plan, and I intended it to go as smoothly as possible.
Sooner than I would've liked, the castle had grown from a dot in the distance to a tall looming figure above me. The Ponyta slowed to a stop at the whistle of our driver and I gulped. This was it.
The door to our carriage creaked open, our driver standing outside. He bowed, "Milady," he cooed, holding out his hand to my mother to help her out.
"Thank you." My mother shot me another look that told me to be on my best behavior before taking the driver's hand and stepped out onto the stone walkway. I sighed to myself again. There was no backing out now; Mother would make sure of it.
The driver's hand poked back into the carriage after my Mother was safely outside and I took it, grabbing a handful of my dress and hiking it up so I wouldn't step on it when I exited. The driver helped me out, and to me it seemed the air got even colder. Everything about this castle made me want to go cower in a corner, but instead I put on a smile, thanking our driver and walked forward a few places to stand at my mother's side.
She looked down at me out of the corner of her eye and smiled. "I am proud of you, dear," she said, her voice holding a bit of pride that I'd never heard before. In all my years she'd never said anything to compliment me, and the one time she decided to, it was because I was going to marry a prince. Not because I had scored well in school or remembered my manners perfectly at a gala, but because I was going to marry royalty. If I had been even the slightest bit hesitant about carrying through my plan to get out of marrying Ghetsis, it was sure gone now.
"Are you two lovely ladies ready?" Father asked, stepping up to my Mother and holding out his arm. She took it graciously and nodded. I noticed a look of confusion dart over my father's face as he looked to me and noticed how upset I was. I prided myself on not showing that kind of emotion, it wasn't lady-like after all, but I had slipped up and let Mother's words get to me.
I nodded stiffly and walked forward quickly, suddenly eager to get this whole thing over with. All I had to do was stand dinner with the green-haired prince, and then I'd be done. I'd carry out my plan and never ever have to see him again...or my parents for that matter. Some may have called me rebellious or stupid for the plan I'd concocted, but I saw it to be completely justified.
My shoes clicked on the ground, my parent's footsteps not far behind, as I hurried to the castle door. I shivered; it was freezing outside. It shouldn't have been this cold today, it was spring after all. Maybe it was just my strong distaste for the castle. It's grey stone walls, the hard floors, the echoes it made, and most of all the man inside who owned the building. I hated it all.
I stopped in front of the grandiose front door, cherry oak with black metal padlocks dotting its surface. They took security so seriously. We lived in such a small kingdom I doubted anyone meant the royal family any harm. But that didn't keep them from hiring hundreds of guards and locking every door with steel bolts.
My mother and father caught up to me seconds after, Mother leaning down to my level and whispering in my ear to slow down, and that walking that fast made me look like a peasant girl. The large door jolted to life a moment later, successfully breaking my angry thoughts toward my mother as a very familiar figure stood in the doorway.
"Hello, you must be the Whitlea family." Mei, a maid that I'd befriended during the time I had known Ghetsis greeted us, bowing and quickly motioning us inside. "We've been waiting for you," she said, sending a small wink my way when I passed through the threshold. I sent a smile back and took another reassuring breath as I entered the castle's hold.
"It's so beautiful," Mother whispered as she followed me inside. I huffed. Some might see it as beautiful, or a place they'd die to live in. I saw it as a highly decorated morgue. It was so dim, and cold, and uninviting. But maybe that was just my distaste for the man inside rubbing off onto my view of the place.
The three of us headed up the stairs, and toward where I thought the dining hall to be located. Blocking out my Mother's obsession with the way the interior of the castle looked, I stopped in front of an intricate Oaken door, where I could sense Ghetsis' aura. The young boy by the door grinned.
"Introducing the Whitela family," he called out, and pulled the double doors open, revealing a lavishly covered table with so many different types of food, I probably couldn't ever eat even a quarter of its content. My mother walked over to stand in front of me, and bowed. I hadn't noticed, but Ghetsis was standing across from us and at the head of the table. Taking in a breath, I followed suit, and bowed slightly as well.
"Welcome," he stated as we lifted our heads up. "Please sit down." I felt my father's hand as it prodded my back, and I stiffly headed toward a seat.
"No, you may sit by me," Ghetsis said, and I almost cringed. Dang it… I thought. I felt like a board as I stopped in front of my chair and Ghetsis stepped behind me before I sat, pushing my chair in behind me. With a sweep of his cape, he sat down in his chair, and looked at me. Why me…? I moaned in my head. This sucks.
"Thank you very much for inviting us here," my mother said, practically as giddy as a child who had gotten some candy. Ghetsis didn't even look her way and continued to stare at me; I squirmed in my seat.
"No trouble at all," he replied, before looking up. Immediately, servants rushed in, and began dipping portions of our food onto our plates, not even asking what we would prefer. I looked at my green beans. Yuck.
"Now, what are your thoughts on the wedding?" my mother asked, sipping wine from a crystal glass. I almost choked on my first bite, and Ghetsis glanced over. Putting a hand to my mouth, I coughed quietly, and hunched over in my seat. My mother shot me a look, but I ignored her.
"As soon as possible," Ghetsis answered her, whilst staring at me. I almost gagged into my napkin as I wiped my mouth.
"Splendid!" my father exclaimed. "What color should her dress be? Green to match your…."
"Wonderful hair!" my mother declared. I almost laughed out loud. A lettuce dress? Give me a break! Ghetsis stayed quiet for a moment.
"No, I think wearing white would be more suitable to...her personality." I stared at him with a look of repulsion. He's kidding, right?
My Mother clapped her hands together. "Ah, yes! You know best, your Majesty," she stated. I looked away.
"Only an idiot would trust the advice of this man," I grumbled underneath my breath. My parents stared at me in horror, and I glanced at them. "What? It's the truth."
"B-b-b-b-but Touko," Mother stuttered. "You can't just insult the King like that!"
I crossed my arms, and stuck out my tongue at Ghetsis. "Loser."
My mother swooned, and hitting her head on the side of my chair and fainting on the spot. I looked down at her.
My father held a hand up to his mouth. "Leah!" he exclaimed in worry. "Are you alright!? Touko! Apologize to his Majesty immediately!" I glared at him.
"No way! Why should I?" I snapped. "I don't like others making decisions for me, OR telling me whom I'm to marry. Especially if it's someone I hate!" The room was completely silent. Did I go too far…?
"Now tell me," Ghetsis started, and I turned to look at him, while feeling queasy. "What makes you hate me so much?" I felt a dark, angry aura as it filled the room. I really did go too far.
"Does there have to be a reason?" I inquired. "I don't think I am entitled to tell you anything." Ghetsis' eyes narrowed, and I felt as if he might skin me alive.
"Touko Whitlea," he said, as he pushed his chair aside, and stood before me. Before he could answer, I jumped to my feet, and put my chair between us. I needed as much space between us as possible now. "Answer me," Ghetsis demanded.
I glared at him. "Not a chance." I heard another thud, and looked over my shoulder to see that my father had also fainted. I gulped; now I was alone.
Suddenly, I felt Ghetsis seize my wrist. "Answer me, now," he said, his eyes lit in a dangerous way. I turned my head away, and wished I could get out of this predicament. My eyes widened. The plan; all I needed to do, was get Ghetsis to let go of me.
"Fine," I said, my other hand slowly moved behind my back, reaching for anything on the table. "I'll give you my answer." My head lowered, in a way that might seem obedient, but that was not the case. My hand grasped an item, and I knew what to do.
I swung my arm up in an arc, and struck Ghetsis in the face with a fork. Blood seeped down his face, and I only saw his expression for a moment: Pure shock. Using this opportunity, I ripped myself from his grasp, and hurtled towards the balcony to our left. I heard the dazed cries of my parents as I climbed up onto the railing.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I just can't go through with this wedding. I'd rather die, than marry him."
Closing my eyes, I leaned backwards, and tumbled off the edge. As wind rushed past my ears, I heard a roar from above me, and knew it was Ghetsis.
WHACK!
Misty: THE END! JK! XD Hope you all enjoyed the chappy! :)
Poke-lover: Hah! You thought we were gonna end it there? *shifty eyes* Nope. XD Let us know what ya thought of it! :D
-Poke-lover88
~Misty