To Chien-Thank you for saying my story was the opposite of sucking. I
appreciate it. Jerks do suck, don't they? Glad you give my story two
opposable thumbs up!
Nina-That's the kind of thing you have to decide for yourself. (To be frank, when it comes to that kind of subject I tend to avoid it. I guess I'm too pure for fanfiction.) But, if I HAD to say, I suppose no. Two reasons: One, Miranda would never do that kind of thing unless she really loved the guy, and Two, Antony is too nice to make her do anything like that. God I am such a prude.
On to chapter 9. Wow! Almost to the big one-oh!
Miranda, after getting the numerous pots and pans, walked into town by herself and laid her blanket at the corner of the market.
The first day went incredibly well for the poor girl. Many passerby, after seeing such a forlorn-looking and beautiful woman, took great pity on her. She, sitting there all dirty in rags, was a sight that went to many people's hearts. Almost everyone bought wares from her. She didn't even need to ask. Some people even paid their money and walked away without even taking the goods.
Miranda was incredibly ecstatic after selling every last pot and pan after only a day. As the sun set, she collected her money in a kerchief and walked home. She couldn't wait to show Antony how well she had done. She was thrilled to see the look on his face.
She didn't know why, but all of a sudden she found herself wanting to make Antony and herself happy. As she swung the tied up kerchief and whistled merrily, she realized that life wasn't so bad now that she had gotten used to it. Deep down she still longed for the days of parties and opulence, but she knew it was long gone.
She missed her father and mother. Miranda sighed. She wished that she and Antony could live in her castle instead of in a hovel by the side of the road. Sighing once more, she continued on her way, seeing the light of the fire already twinkling from their house in the distance.
*~~*
"Antony!" Miranda cried, the moment she opened the door. "Look at all the money I made!" She held the satchel triumphantly above her head as if it were a trophy.
"That's wonderful!" He said, taking the purse and dumping the contents on the table. Miranda looked at the silver and gold coins. Six months ago this would have been nothing to me, she thought, but look at me now. Drooling over a few piddly coins. "This can feed us for the next two weeks!" He said enthusiastically. He sat down and sighed. "I long for a pot-bellied pig. Do you suppose there is enough there for a pot-bellied pig?"
"Since when have you had pot-bellied pig?" Asked Miranda laughingly. "You act as if you were a king." Antony looked at her a moment, his face full of horror for a split-second, then it went back to normal.
"And I am." He said after a short pause. "King of this house! I may not have fine clothing or a feast every night, but I have enough food to fill my belly, clothes enough for my back, a roof over my head, and a lovely wife. What don't I have to make me a king?"
"A title." Miranda said.
"Ahh, but that is the only thing I don't have. And what do I need it for? I give it away, I do!"
"But you don't have it!" Miranda laughed teasingly. "How can you give it away when you don't have it?"
"I don't to everyone else, but to myself I have a title. And I give it away." Antony said. "For you. Now, how about that pot-bellied pig? I am sure there is enough here to get one! And a fresh lot of wares!"
"Another set? But Antony!" Miranda wailed.
"Just one more set. I promise." He said. "And next time no splurging. But tonight, we dine! Come, come, let's get some wine and our pot-bellied pig!"
*~~*
The next day Miranda, full of pork, set out for town again with a fresh lot of wares. She hoped to sell as many this day as she did the day before. She wondered what Antony was doing, and what he did while she was gone.
Would he read? She didn't know many beggars who read, but he did. Reading was a privilege set for nobility, but Antony read avidly. She liked that quality. She never asked him, but had meant to. Probably worked as an apprentice, she thought. Shrugging, she continued on her way. Would he do his own work? Go out around towns and play for alms? That is what she supposed he did. After all, that is how she met him.
Soon she arrived in town and set up her stand at the corner. Business started picking up as soon as she had settled down. She had sold three pots and was ready to sell more when she heard some galloping from around the corner. Before she had time to think, a drunken soldier came riding around the corner on his horse. Not exactly knowing where he was going, he ran right into her stand. She moved just in time, but when she came back after he had galloped off, the entire stand was smashed up, and every pan broken into a thousand pieces.
Nina-That's the kind of thing you have to decide for yourself. (To be frank, when it comes to that kind of subject I tend to avoid it. I guess I'm too pure for fanfiction.) But, if I HAD to say, I suppose no. Two reasons: One, Miranda would never do that kind of thing unless she really loved the guy, and Two, Antony is too nice to make her do anything like that. God I am such a prude.
On to chapter 9. Wow! Almost to the big one-oh!
Miranda, after getting the numerous pots and pans, walked into town by herself and laid her blanket at the corner of the market.
The first day went incredibly well for the poor girl. Many passerby, after seeing such a forlorn-looking and beautiful woman, took great pity on her. She, sitting there all dirty in rags, was a sight that went to many people's hearts. Almost everyone bought wares from her. She didn't even need to ask. Some people even paid their money and walked away without even taking the goods.
Miranda was incredibly ecstatic after selling every last pot and pan after only a day. As the sun set, she collected her money in a kerchief and walked home. She couldn't wait to show Antony how well she had done. She was thrilled to see the look on his face.
She didn't know why, but all of a sudden she found herself wanting to make Antony and herself happy. As she swung the tied up kerchief and whistled merrily, she realized that life wasn't so bad now that she had gotten used to it. Deep down she still longed for the days of parties and opulence, but she knew it was long gone.
She missed her father and mother. Miranda sighed. She wished that she and Antony could live in her castle instead of in a hovel by the side of the road. Sighing once more, she continued on her way, seeing the light of the fire already twinkling from their house in the distance.
*~~*
"Antony!" Miranda cried, the moment she opened the door. "Look at all the money I made!" She held the satchel triumphantly above her head as if it were a trophy.
"That's wonderful!" He said, taking the purse and dumping the contents on the table. Miranda looked at the silver and gold coins. Six months ago this would have been nothing to me, she thought, but look at me now. Drooling over a few piddly coins. "This can feed us for the next two weeks!" He said enthusiastically. He sat down and sighed. "I long for a pot-bellied pig. Do you suppose there is enough there for a pot-bellied pig?"
"Since when have you had pot-bellied pig?" Asked Miranda laughingly. "You act as if you were a king." Antony looked at her a moment, his face full of horror for a split-second, then it went back to normal.
"And I am." He said after a short pause. "King of this house! I may not have fine clothing or a feast every night, but I have enough food to fill my belly, clothes enough for my back, a roof over my head, and a lovely wife. What don't I have to make me a king?"
"A title." Miranda said.
"Ahh, but that is the only thing I don't have. And what do I need it for? I give it away, I do!"
"But you don't have it!" Miranda laughed teasingly. "How can you give it away when you don't have it?"
"I don't to everyone else, but to myself I have a title. And I give it away." Antony said. "For you. Now, how about that pot-bellied pig? I am sure there is enough here to get one! And a fresh lot of wares!"
"Another set? But Antony!" Miranda wailed.
"Just one more set. I promise." He said. "And next time no splurging. But tonight, we dine! Come, come, let's get some wine and our pot-bellied pig!"
*~~*
The next day Miranda, full of pork, set out for town again with a fresh lot of wares. She hoped to sell as many this day as she did the day before. She wondered what Antony was doing, and what he did while she was gone.
Would he read? She didn't know many beggars who read, but he did. Reading was a privilege set for nobility, but Antony read avidly. She liked that quality. She never asked him, but had meant to. Probably worked as an apprentice, she thought. Shrugging, she continued on her way. Would he do his own work? Go out around towns and play for alms? That is what she supposed he did. After all, that is how she met him.
Soon she arrived in town and set up her stand at the corner. Business started picking up as soon as she had settled down. She had sold three pots and was ready to sell more when she heard some galloping from around the corner. Before she had time to think, a drunken soldier came riding around the corner on his horse. Not exactly knowing where he was going, he ran right into her stand. She moved just in time, but when she came back after he had galloped off, the entire stand was smashed up, and every pan broken into a thousand pieces.
