Chapter four: The Ice Queen Simone
Marshall Lee POV
That night Gumball and I sneak in back to our house in the cave; thankfully the banana guards and that candy machine dude were gone. Quickly I pull out Gumball's winter clothes and help him put them on. When that's done with, we hurriedly leave our house and fly away to the Ice Kingdom. I really hoped Simone would agree to help us and not throw us out.
Few hours later we arrive to the Ice kingdom and Gumball couldn't hold himself any longer,
"How long are we staying here? Can I go play in the snow? Will the Ice Queen let me play with her penguins? Can we go skating later? Are we going to sleep on beds made of ice? If you touch the snow will your hands freeze since you're a vampire?"
His questions came out one after the other not giving me the chance to reply, I try to answer at least one of his questions as I land on the ice queen's open cave but Gumball jumps away from me and runs deeper into the cave towards a colony of penguins staring at us.
"Gumball, wait for me!" I call out to him
"Who dares enter my cave? Show yourself!" I hear the ice queen shout as she lands behind me holding a penguin, "I go out shopping and this is what I get? Burglars!"
"Wait, Simone! We're not burglars I swear, -" I start but never manage to finish the sentence because Gumball comes running back and interrupts me
"Oh my glob! You must be the Ice Queen! Marshall told me a lot of stories about you. Is it true that you kidnap princes? Is your hair naturally white or did you die it? Does the cold bother you? Why is this place called the Ice Kingdom when you're the only resident in it? Or do the penguins count as residents as well? I know Cake told me it's rude but do mind me asking your age?"
The Ice Queen stares at Gumball curiously and slightly offended, that's when I run towards the pink boy and pull him back, "Um Sorry about that." I tell her then turn back to Gumball and say,
"Why don't you go and play with penguins while I talk with her?"
"But I want to know what you guys will be talking about? Also you promised me we'll go skating?" Gumball whines
"How about when we're done I'll tell you what we discussed, meanwhile you go play with the penguins. And we'll go skating tomorrow, that sound good to you?"
"Okay." He smile then took off running to the penguins
"Marshall Lee? To what do I owe this visit?" asks Simone when Gumball is out of earshot
I turn to look at her, a part of me hopes that maybe she remembered something about me but looking at how she still wears the crown atop her head I know that she still doesn't remember me. But nevertheless, she is the only person I know who might be willing to help.
"Simone I need your help! There are these people who are coming after Gumball thinking he is a prince, which he isn't I can assure you of that. I don't know what to do, I thought of taking him to the Nightosphere but it's too dangerous for him to be there, and I really don't know what to do! I need your help Simone."
"Wait, slow down a little. Are you telling me that that kid over there is Gumball?" she asks pointing at him
"Uh yeah, but he's not the prince."
"But he is the prince."
"No he isn't!"
"Oh Marshall Lee I know a prince when I see one, never doubt my eyes." She smiles
"He's not and you can't convince me otherwise."
" I'm pretty sure you are well informed about what a royal birthmark is, seeing as you are a royalty yourself. You must have noticed one on Gumball."
"I know what a royal birthmark is and Gumball doesn't have one! End of discussion."
Simone shrugs then walks past me and deeper into her compound, I turn and follow her silently. "I need your help, please tell me what to do?"
"Marshall Lee have you been to the Candy Kingdom lately?" she ask stopping short in the hallway
"No, why are you asking?"
"I'm telling you this for a reason, right now there's a civil war ongoing in the Candy Kingdom."
"What's that got to do with my situation?"
"There's a civil war because the crown prince has been missing for years. The Candy Kingdom is in chaos! No one knows what to do; the candy citizens need a leader. Their current ruler Earl Lemongrab is not doing a very good job."
"Again, what that got to do with my situation?"
"The crown prince is Gumball."
I open my mouth to interject but she stops me immediately, "He IS! I have been following leads on the missing Candy prince; I even have one of his missing posters. Marshall Lee listen to me, I don't usually give these king of advices but I'm going to do it because for some reason you have a specially place in my heart, though I really don't know why."
My heart leaps when I hear her say those words. Simone remembers me! Not in her head but in her heart.
"Anyway, Gumball's rightful place is on his throne ruling over the candy kingdom. That is his destiny and you are stopping him from achieving it for your own selfish reasons. Do you know what will happen if you continue resisting? War. War is what's going to happen. Very soon the candy citizens will find out that their prince is being held hostage by the vampire king. They're going to attack the Nightosphere. It won't only be the candy kingdom; other kingdoms will fight as well. It'll be a world war."
The weight of her words sinks heavily at my heart and I have to bite the inside of my mouth to stop from lashing at her.
XxXxX
"Gumball come on, it's time for bed." I call out
"Already?" he whines cuddling a penguin while ten other penguins are jumping at his feet, "We still haven't played hide and seek!"
"You'll get to do that tomorrow." I say reaching out for him, he puts the penguin down then holds my hand and we walk back where I came from when the ice queen suddenly pops up
"You know, I don't mind having Gumball stay here in the ice kingdom. Give him a couple of years and he'll grow to be the perfect husband material."
"No that's forbidden! Gumball won't be staying with you alone." I warn
Simone giggles then says, "I'm just kidding. I came here to tell you that Gunter will be showing you to your room."
"That I appreciate." I say then feel Gumball tugging at shirt. "What's up?" I ask turning to look at him
Gumball opens his mouth but clamps it shut and blushes when he notices that everyone in the room is watching him. He tugs again and this time I bend down to his level and Gumball leans forward and cups my ear whispering, "I really got to go pee!"
xXxXx
"This bed isn't made out of ice!" Gumball pouts
"If it was, you'll probably die from the cold." I say tucking him in
"What did you and the Ice Queen talk about?"
I look at him unsure of what am I suppose to tell him. I didn't want him to worry. "Nothing important. I just got her to agree on letting us stay here for a while."
"So you're not letting the banana gaurds take me?"
"Of course not. Didn't I promise you?"
Gumball giggles, the he sits up a small smile on his face as he asks, "Can you sleep with me tonight?"
"I'm not going to share a bed with you again Gumball. We finally have our own beds to sleep in; we won't have to fight for space anymore."
His small smile disappears and he looks down "Yeah, you're right." Gumball says with no enthusiasm
"Hey" I say softly, "My room is right across from yours, I'll leave the door open for you. You can come in whenever you want."
He nods smiling then falls back on his bed, "Good night Marshall." He says
"Good night Gumball." I say back before I get up and leave his room. I slip into my room leaving my door slightly open incase Gumball feels scared sleeping by himself. Then drop myself on the bed with a big sigh. My talk with Simone comes back to me and I'm left wondering what the right choice is. I really like Gumball, deciding to take him in was the best I ever did. Gumball really brightened up my days. I don't want to give him away. I don't want him to leave me alone. I need him just as much as he needs me. Rolling to my side I close my eyes and try to fall asleep, my chest was bubbling with feelings that are very strange to me. Fear, loneliness, despair, worry, confusion, longing and love I have never felt this way towards anyone before.
Suddenly I felt the bed dip as someone climbs on it, then a pair of small hands twists around my waist and warm body presses against my back.
"I'm scared." Gumball whispers
I turn around and pull him closer to me, caressing his hair slowly till he falls back to sleep. I've grown soft. What happened to the scary, brutal Vampire King? Gumball snuggles deeper mumbling incoherently and I realize how selfish I have been.