Three days later by the Castle. . .

"Okay, let's get this over with," Sans said as he swung Frisk around and chuckled. "Almost time. You'll have to go back to all your royal treasures. Remember, no talking."

"I got it," Frisk insisted. She groaned. "I'm gonna miss Undyne and Alphys. Papyrus. Oh, and you."

"Well I should hope I'm in there somewhere," Sans said back as he looked at her. "You got endless burgers with me."

"And endless jokes."

"I gotta have someone to test them on. They've got to get a chuckle before they are ready for public," Sans insisted. In six days, he had become friends with her again. Actually, better this time, because last time she was only eight years old and he was mostly just watching her for Tori.

She seemed to get to know him too. He was more than just a funny skeleton good for a burger and hot dog break. "Sans, you don't have to hold me yet." She kicked her feet.

"Aww, poor Chum," Sans chuckled. "You'll be fine."

"Ugh, I hate this luggage part," Frisk complained to him. "Why does the wife have to be the one to get carried across to each other? And why are you carrying me now?"

"Cause it's bugging you."

"You know I hate this part, and this stained dress."

Sans chuckled again. "Almost there." At least he got an extra three days again too. In that time, Asriel should have learned a thing or two about the rules. "Alright, here we go. Remember the rules?"

"Stay still. Be quiet. Be luggage," Frisk complained. "Got it."

Sans got in position with Papyrus still at his side. Up ahead was Toriel, Asgore, and of course Asriel. They were all quiet this time. When it hit 7:59, Sans moved forward with her. Asriel bent down slightly to pick her up. Still quiet. He was following directions fine this time. Sans returned back to Papyrus while the royal family went into the castle itself with Frisk.

Yeah. "Alright. Guess that leaves an hour before work." Sans trotted along.

"I hope she does better this time with the prince," Papyrus said.

"As long as he doesn't hurt her, I don't care. And if he does, then I just have to take care of her myself." So, it worked out both ways in the end. Still? "He really better not hurt her." Nah, nah. She'd be fine. Toriel and Asgore were there, and thinking wouldn't help. "Let's just concentrate on something else."

"Okay," Papyrus agreed. "You're right. There was a three day grace period he took again. He should have learned the rules by now."

Inside the Castle . . .

Frisk was placed on the ground as soon as she was in the castle.

"Welcome home again, Frisk," Asriel said to her.

Frisk? He actually called her by her name instead of wife. That was a good sign.

"First, let's go ahead and get you dressed. This way." Asriel led the way in front of her. She went into her room. "I didn't know your fashion preference, so there is a little bit of everything from casual to formal."

Frisk opened the closet and looked. Oooh. He was right. He didn't just buy fancy dresses. He even had white shirts and white pants. From designer to cheap.

"I'll leave so you can get dressed. I also have undergarments for you in the drawers, and a few pairs in front of the closet. Mom helped. Just leave your things on the bed and we'll get them washed soon. I'll see you in a bit." He smiled. "I have a surprise for you." Asriel closed the door and left.

Not a single hug or trying to nestle beside her. Not that she was complaining. Frisk checked out the door. Ooh! Never knew how much a girl needed basic bras and panties.

Frisk eagerly got dressed feeling so much better. I mean, a shower would have hit the spot, but the whole pail dumping wasn't something she was looking forward to. After she got her undergarments she looked at the closet. She picked a pair of nice white pants and a white shirt. Then, she picked some white sneakers.

When she opened the door, Asriel turned around. He smiled at her and held something in his hand. "For your hair?"

A barrette. It was wild looking, like vines with white flowers. Pretty. She took it and placed it in her hair. "Thanks, Asriel."

"No thanking yet. And, I'd rather you not call me that yet. You still think of me as Flowey," he said. "So, if you could call me that instead of Goat boy, that would be great."

Geez. He sure did change in the last three days. "Okay, Flowey."

"Good. Come this way, Frisk." Asriel led her three rooms down. Toriel and Asgore were over by the room.

"You look quite beautiful," Toriel remarked to her.

"She is," Asriel said for her, "but she would have been fascinating in red. If only I had established that as your color. First day, I bought you white though." He gestured toward the door. "Go ahead and open it."

Frisk opened the door and her mouth. Just.

Dropped. "Gloria?!"

Her friend was sitting on a chair, completely fine, just reading a book. Frisk moved so fast to hug her, Gloria almost got toppled.

"Frisk!" Gloria hugged her back. "It's okay. I'm okay now. Your prince left the Underground and he helped me. His mom healed me too. I was shocked." She gave Frisk a small hug back. "I heard what happened, Frisk. It's okay, I am living here now with your husband, so that we can stay close."

Frisk's eyes were starting to well up with tears. "Gloria," she choked. "I . . ."

"I know." Gloria was starting to cry too. "Maxie and your Aunt, I know. I'm so sorry, Frisk!" She held her so tight.

Frisk felt herself finally unlocking her doors of grief as they both moved toward the floor and cried in each other's arms. Someone finally held her, letting her just let go of it all. They both cried for several minutes as they reminisced too about what happened.

Her soul felt so much relief now. That pain, she'd been mostly hiding it. It would sneak in every once in awhile, but she would try to close it off. She was constantly around Sans, and he wasn't someone she could just weep on. Not like Gloria. She just couldn't do it to Alphys or Undyne either. They didn't know her family. None of them knew them.

Their attitude. Their love. Their personality. "I'm so sorry," Frisk finally said. "I've put you in this position."

"It's not your fault," Gloria said. "I get to hang out here for six whole months, in a castle, with royalty." She tried to make her feel better. "Oh, Frisk. I know. It's not your fault. I mean, you were great. You were the fabled one that broke this kingdom out. I can't blame you. That was brave as hell, Frisk!"

"I didn't mean to cause any of it. I didn't even mean to become the 'pacifist child'. I was just getting out," Frisk admitted. Then, she remembered the door. It was closed. They must have closed it a long time ago to give her personal space. She had been so deep in her grief, she didn't even notice.

"I know, Frisk. I know, of course I know," Gloria said. "It's going to be okay though." She lifted Frisk's face and moved the wet hair from it. "I am your best friend forever, Frisk. No matter what. I'll be right here until this whole thing gets worked out."

Frisk spent as long as she could with Gloria. Talking about everything that happened, and hearing what Gloria had to say too.

After an hour, there was a knock on the door. Asriel was right there. "Hello, Frisk. Is your soul feeling better?"

"Flowey." Frisk moved from Gloria and stared at him. "I don't know how to thank you for what you're doing for her."

Asriel shrugged. "Just wanted to make you feel better, human. Um, Frisk. Sorry."

"Don't be. I am human." Frisk bit her lip. "I . . . just thank you."

"Don't worry," Toriel said from behind Asriel. "We'll take very good care of Gloria. She is a wonderful friend too."

"Okay, so?" Gloria stole one more hug from Frisk. "I have been in here for a day and a half waiting to see this big old Underground. Show me what's what?"

Frisk laughed. "There's so much!" She looked toward Asriel. "Could we try and go somewhere?"

"Yes, I think a ride would be a great idea," Asriel agreed. "Follow dad, Frisk."

Frisk grabbed Gloria's hand and they both ran toward Asgore.

"Oh my goodness," Toriel sighed and looked toward Asriel. "Her soul is so open."

"Being stuck without grieving right closed it off more. She was limited in her actions." Asriel nodded. "Now, her soul is open. I'll give her another hour with Gloria, then I'm spending quality time with Frisk."

"Good luck, Asriel." Toriel's heart began to soar. Her son. He really had studied humans. Maybe. Maybe he could take care of a wife?

Asriel skipped lightly. "Wait up, girls!" He laughed as he ran after them.

A royal carriage ride. Frisk laughed and talked constantly with Gloria until Asgore insisted Gloria needed to go back home to the castle. She knew the three-hour rule, so she wasn't surprised. Every twenty-four hours she'd get to see her best friend though. Now she did have something to look forward to when she was forced to stay with Asriel. Although, so far, he hadn't been bad at all either.

"This way, Frisk." Asriel held his hand out to her. "I need to talk to you. In order for our marriage to work, I must have complete honesty with you." They walked hand in hand. "When I screwed up and tried to change everything on you, just to keep my form-"

"Oh, don't apologize," Frisk stopped him. "I told you, it's fine. I can't judge you, I've never been there. And. And." She couldn't help herself as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you sooooo much, Flowey!"

Flowey gently hugged her back, but didn't say anything until she let go. "You're so . . . your open soul feels so good. No Chara interrupting it. No grief. Just. So open." He closed his eyes briefly and then insisted they sit down on a log. "Okay, Frisk. Remember honesty? I'm going to be honest. I have no idea how Smiley Idiot did it, and I can't know either. So, I'm just going to do it the way I think I must. Honestly."

"Honest is the way I'd appreciate it," Frisk said. "What is it?"

"The things that are involved, well, I have to work with it. Definition wise, because raw is too hard. Only thing is, you are loaded with Sans' power," Asriel warned her. "That means when I do what I have to do, which is basically infusion? It won't feel good. It'll be like last time."

"Before Sans did something?" Frisk knew that much.

"Yes. So, I can't force it," Asriel smiled. "I need it mutual, so it doesn't hurt. Can you bond with me for that energy, or expose your soul to me?"

"How . . .?" Frisk didn't know what he was getting at.

"Okay, subtlety not working. The book used was from 2400 BC, Frisk. That contract is basically telling Sans and me that we have to have sex with you every day."

"What?!"

"But, definition wise, we can just get away with infusion."

"Sans hasn't said anything about . . . okay, no, I know I'm not." She wasn't supposed to say, but Sans never did anything!

"He was working the definitions differently. No one wants to do that to you."

"But consummation is how I'm supposed to pick," Frisk said.

"The wording was more like . . . when you could stand to be with someone." Asriel patted her hand. "Monsters weren't always . . . easy back then," he settled with. "I'm sorry. But don't worry, we can get around most of it. We just need to lie down with each other, and I will push some energy into you."

Oh, that's what the naps were always for! Tricky Sans, of course. "Just lie down, and let you put power in me?"

"Very gently," Asriel said. "Do you want to expose your soul?"

Flashbacks to fighting in the Underground came back to her, as well as with Gaster. "No."

"Okay," Asriel said. "I figured not. Well, you are overflowing with his power, and I need you to visualize and remember that I am not here to hurt you. Do you understand, Frisk?"

Frisk nodded.

"Okay." Asriel gestured to the ground. "Here fine?"

"Outside the castle?" Frisk looked around.

"Well, I'm an outside kind of guy?" Asriel shrugged. "If it helps, I want you to be able to look up. Even if you can't see the sky, it should make you feel better. It did me."

"I got it." Frisk went ahead and moved to the ground, but so far Asriel had been quite decent. Plus, he brought Gloria back to her.

He laid down beside her and took her hand with his. "Alright. Remember, I'm not trying to hurt you this time, Frisk. These pellets actually are friendly pellets."

Frisk laughed at that, remembering the first time she met him. 'Friendliness pellets'. She lied still and felt a sharp sting.

"Easy, easy," Asriel insisted. "I've got to exchange a little of your power with me too, or I'll turn into a flower. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Frisk squealed, feeling the sting around her. It evened out slightly though as she felt warmth also invade her body. It was a different kind of warmth. After a few minutes, it was over.

"Not too bad?" Asriel questioned her.

"No. I've been through worse, believe me." Frisk hopped back up on her feet. "Wow. Did I just do that?"

Asriel did the same thing. "A little." He touched her hair. "Looks like you got some white strands again. Sorry about that."

"No problem." Frisk looked at her fingernails. They were back to normal too. "I really appreciate you being honest with me, Asriel. I'm quite used to secret keepers, if you know what I mean."

"Secrets have a time and place, and they can be fun!" Asriel chuckled. "However, you can't have secrets from your wife. So, here's another one. I really was just trying to get you to pick me so you'd let me continue to have this power. I was playing everything up to a really high degree. I'm sorry."

"So that's why you haven't glomped me at all today?" Frisk questioned. "Well, that's great. Thanks, Flowey."

"But, you triggered something. Something you only did one time," Flowey said. "Something that was strong enough for me to break the barrier last time. And this time, me already being in this form, really got triggered." He held back onto her hand. "I like you, Frisk."

Um. "Okay."

"Listen. We've only got six months. I've only got six months to prove I'm the monster for you," Flowey said. "Just, remember? I know I've messed up a lot. A huge amount. A tremendous amount. But? I'd spend the rest of my life making up for it, if in the end, you choose me in six months."

"There's that six-month thing again. Over and over. Gloria said it too," Frisk said. "What happens in six months?"

"It ends," Flowey said. "You didn't know that? You'll choose one husband in six months."

"And if I choose nobody?" Frisk asked.

"Well? You have to choose somebody," Flowey said. "There's no choice."

"Well, I knew about the-well, I mean." Frisk felt frazzled. "So what, I just give a name?"

"You know how you choose." Asriel stood up and gave her his hand. "That's never changed."

"So what happens if I break the contract?" Frisk asked.

"I was desperate, mom was desperate, and dad was desperate. I'm sorry. They put some things in there that we didn't know about. Basically, you'll go into the possession of seven kingdoms, and they'll divide up our kingdom in the process amongst each other."

"So, uh? So. Uh. Huh. Uh?" Frisk spluttered her words and then blew a raspberry. "I'm gonna have ta be with you or Sans? Or end up as some concubine for seven kingdoms?!"

"Six months is awhile to get to know each other," Asriel said. "We're dating every other day. It'll be alright. Come on. Let's walk back to the castle. I had dinner prepared last night for you."

"Then it's freedom?" Frisk asked. "Right? After I choose?"

"Well, your husband can't release you," Asriel said. "If we do, then it's like rejecting you. I'm sorry."

"I'm stuck. I'm." Stuck. Sans never said that. He never said that again, she assumed . . . why else would he still be doing this? "Sans is my friend," Frisk said to Asriel. "If he can't free me any more than you now, then why is he still doing this?"

Asriel shrugged. "We are all stuck for six months, or we forfeit. You are safer with two husbands then one. Does that make sense?"

"I don't." An illusion? He wanted me to think I had choice. "Sans is my friend. He likes me as a friend. You like me as more. I have to pick one of you." Well, it was obvious how this would end.

However, Asriel was doing a very good job to still make her feel welcome. He wasn't holding it over her. "Thanks for . . ." She took a deep breath. For the good of the Underground. For her life. Asriel was her future in six months. "Thanks for being honest with me."

"No problem, Frisk." He moved some of her wild blue hair out of her eyes and then reached into his pocket for a box. He popped it open and inside was a beautiful ring. "Do you want to try it on? I know that humans really like rings."

Frisk looked at the box. My future. My unescapable future. No, no. She wouldn't get like this. In life, there were things she just had to do. She moved her hand out to him. Asriel took it from the box and slid it on her finger.

"If you are my Princess in six months, that can always be on your finger. Just like a human marriage."

Frisk looked at it. It sparkled lovingly, but it still didn't feel right.

"Frisk?" Asriel asked as she stared at it. "Do you think . . . I can . . ."

Get a kiss. She already knew that was coming. Frisk took the ring off her finger, feeling a sense of relief with the action. She gulped. "Uh. Here, hang onto that." She tried to chuckle, but inside she was starting to feel lost. She watched as Asriel came closer to her. Your future husband wants to kiss you, Frisk. Just accept it. She nodded and opened her mouth for him.

No big deal. She'd kissed plenty of guys before. He gripped her gently in his embrace as she felt him gently kiss her mouth. Her fingers tingled, and her feet did too.

"Heh. Thank you, Frisk." It didn't last long. "Look at that?" He touched her hair. "More and more white. The blues almost gone because you're accepting me. That's the way it's supposed to happen. A natural infusion that never even needs a name." Asriel took her hand and placed it on his heart. "I'll do my best to one day set you free, with me."

Frisk nodded slowly, but she felt tears welling in her eyes. I've kissed several guys before. Why am I getting like this? Her body was even trembling. Marriage. Marriage. Marriage. Marriage. Marriage. Marriage.

"What's wrong?" Asriel asked. "Eh? I moved too fast?" He patted her hand. "No rush. Sorry. Everything's going to be fine. Let's go back home, okay?"