"I do" Jonathan said
"And do you, Duchess Alanna of Conté, take Prince Jonathan of Conté to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold from this day forward? For richer, or poorer? In sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
Alanna glanced up at Jonathan. And was hit with a flashback
"Do you, Lady Alanna of Treabond, take Duke Roger to be your husband? To have and to hold from this day forward? For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"
Last chance Alanna, just turn around and run back up the aisle. Come on! Just turn around and run!
Alanna felt her foot start to pivot.
No! Don't run Alanna, you are no coward. Only cowards run.
Alanna's feet were firmly planted. She was starting to feel warm. True, a marriage wasn't a blood bond, but it was a bond nonetheless
"I…I…I…"
"Do" Mouthed Roger
"Do" whispered Jennaya and Elspeth at the same time
"I…I…"
Alanna looked around the room. Her father was sitting in the front row. Alanna knew he was packed and planned on leaving as soon as the father-daughter dance was over. Thom was mouthing the word 'Do'.
"I…"
Her father had the same plan as before, do the father-daughter dance, and leave. The only thing different from this wedding and her first wedding was the next two words came out easily
"I do" Alanna said
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. Prince Jonathan, you may kiss the bride.
Jon kissed Alanna and a loud "EWWWW!" could be heard from the front row
When they stopped kissing Jon went down and kissed Gaby on the cheek.
TWO YEARS LATER
"Gabriella Aria of Conté!!!"
"Hide me!" 4½ year old Gabriella said as she ducked behind Anthony
"Anthony Vanyel Don't you dare help your sister hide!"
"See ya later sis"
"Hey! What about the twin's code?"
"That comes after the Anthony code"
"What is the Anthony code?"
"One simple rule…when mom says not to help you, ditch the twin code"
"What good are you?"
"What did you do anyway?"
"Well you see mom and Jon were welcoming a delegation from Scanra…"
"What did you do…why didn't you let me help!"
"because it's part of the Gabby code."
"You're making that up!"
"Am not"
"Are too"
"Am not"
"Are too!"
"AM NOT!"
"ARE TOO"
"ok ok I did."
"Ha! I win!"
"and I … well I kinda…"
Just then Alanna came in. "Gabriella you are in so much trouble!"
"Mommy, can I ask one question before you yell at Gaby?"
"What is it Anthony?"
"What did she do?"
"I'll tell you while Alanna and Gabriella talk" Jon said coming into the room.
"Jon…Daddy, please help me" Gabby said
"No"
"But…but…but you're a prince! You're supposed to protect the people of your future kingdom!"
"Uh…sorry but not going to happen. Come on, Anthony."
"Ok goodbye Gabby… if you die can I have your toys?"
"No!"
"Fine! Mommy if you kill her can I have her toys?"
"I'm not going to kill your sister…how ever tempted I may be to do so"
"Rats… can I have them anyway?"
"NO!" Gabriella shrieked." No tochie my toys!"
(Two hours later
"What did mommy say?"
"She… she… she said she and Jon might send me to the convent." Gaby sniffed
"Wow…she was mad"
"Yeah she said that… that I couldn't do anything fun for the rest of the week. That's two whole days!"
"But that means you can't come out to see Auntie Jennaya and Uncle Lavan and their son when they arrive!"
"I know and that isn't the worst part she took away my toys and sweet privi-umm…the thing where I can eat candy-for the rest of the week too."
"Wow…hey mommy! Can I play with her toys"
"No, her toys are grounded just like your sister."
"But it's not fair!" Gaby yelled
"It's your own fault" Alanna said walking in "You shouldn't have dropped a pitcher of wine on Jon."
"I didn't mean to. It was an accident"
"You accidentally climbed into a tree behind us with a pitcher of wine? You accidentally leaned over in the tree? You accidentally poured the wine all over Jon in front of the entire Scanran delegation?"
Gabby thought for a second "Yep"
"Don't lie to me Gabriella… or I might just let your brother play with all of your toys"
"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Gabriella screamed "I'm sorry mommy, I did it on purpose but it was only 'cause Jon made me go to that party two weeks ago"
"He made me go too…but did I pour wine all over him?"
"No…but you aren't smart enough to figure out you'd need to climb a tree in order to reach the top of my head" Jon said
"Jon don't make me hurt you."
"If you're going to hurt me, you have to catch me"
"Is that a challenge my dear husband?"
"You bet it is" Jon said before running out of the room
"Stay put you two." Alanna said before lifting her skirts enough to run after Jon.
"Why do I have to stay? I'm not grounded! I'm the good twin"
Gabriella threw a book at her brother just as Elspeth walked in with her son, Alex.
"Gabriella, are you suppose to throw books at your brother?"
"Yes" Gabriella said
"Should we ask Alanna?"
"No! Please don't tell mommy! I'm already grounded!"
"You're four."
"FOUR AND A HALF!!!!"
"Yeah Aunt Els the half is very important."
"My deepest apologies for leaving off a whole six months"
"'Pology cepted"
"How many times have I told you Gaby you need to speak properly.
"Mommy, can I play with Anthony and Gaby?"
"You can play with Anthony, but Gaby is in trouble"
"Is she on time-out?"
"Yes…a very, very, very long time out"
"How long?"
"How long are you in trouble Gaby?"
"Two whole days!" Gabriella said
"She's on time out for 48 hours"
"WOW what did she do?"
"What did you do?" Elspeth asked
"I poured wine on Jon"
"YOU DID WHAT!"
"It was payback."
"For…?"
"Making me go to the party"
"Oh yes that is such a horrible thing to do." Elspeth said "Asking a princess to go to a ball…how tragic and unacceptable"
"So you do understand!"
"By the way you have to go to a party tomorrow." Jon said running back into the room
"I can't go. I'm grounded…hmm, being grounded has its benefits"
"You are going to the party. That's a royal command."
"Great now you start giving royal commands."
"Hey, at least I'm not making you stand for a dress fitting…hmmm, not a bad idea"
"Mommy Jon's being a poopyface!"
"Jonathan, what are you doing to the poor little angel?" Queen Lianne asked as she walked in
Jon sighed, it was a widely known fact that Queen Lianne had a soft spot for Gabriella.
"Mom all I did was say she had to come to Jen's party."
"He threatened to make me stand for a dress fitting!"
"Don't worry sweetie, you don't have to have a dress fitting" Lianne said "I don't think you've grown enough that you won't fit in your old sized dresses
"That's not the worse thing!" Gabriella said
"What else?"
"Mommy punished me!"
"Why did mommy punish you?"
"I don't know, I'm a little angel"
"An angel with a crooked halo maybe" Jon mumbled "Mother, she dumped a whole pitcher of wine on me in front of the entire delegation from Scanra"
"Ahh that's so cute."
"It's not cute mother! She ruined one of my new shirts!"
"And you can't afford a new shirt?"
"That's not the point!"
"Then what is the point?"
"It…it's the principle of the matter! I stand behind Alanna one hundred percent on the punishment for our daughter"
"Well I don't" Lianne said "Alanna! Come here please!"
Alanna walked in "Yes?"
"I order you to take Gabriella off of her punishment"
"But she needs to be punished when she does something wrong."
"That was an order, Alanna"
Alanna glanced at Jon, who shrugged, and then had his face light up "Father!"
"Yes?"
"Mother is trying to stop Alanna from punishing our children."
"Why?"
"Because she favors the girl"
Roald sighed "Lianne, you can't stop Alanna from punishing the children"
"But Gaby is such a little angel."
"Well you still can't stop Alanna."
"But…"
"Remember when you tried to let Jon get away with everything?"
Lianne shuddered "I don't want to think about it"
"Yeah so why would you do that to Alanna and Jon?"
"I had forgotten about when Jon was like that" Queen Lianne turned to Gabriella "Gaby, I'm sorry, but you have to be punished"
"But…" she said pouting."
"Oh Roald, just look at that little face!"
"Gabriella, go into your room!" Alanna said
"But mommy I almost got the queen on my side."
"Yes…but I'm on your mother's side and my father is on my side" Jon said
"Fine but you'll regret making me go to that party."
"Gabriella, was that a threat?"
"Yes it was"
"I hate to do this Gaby, but you leave me no choice… Anthony come with me, I'll get Gaby's toys so you can play with them…um, where did you put Gaby's toys Alanna?"
"Queen Lianne!!!!"
"That is to far Jon go to your room."
"Mom I'm an adult!"
"I said go to your room."
"Jon's in trouble" Gabriella chanted
"So are you" Alanna said "Go to your room"
"Mommy? Can I play with Gaby's stuff still?"
"Sure"
"Mom!!!"
"Fine sorry 'Tony you need your sisters permission."
"But…"
"You heard her Anthony"