THE STRANGE TALE OF MARIUS BOGFAE:

Chapter 29: Happily Ever After

A year or so later

*Narrator speaking*

Things had gone so well ever since the defeat of Roland. Marius had proven that he was an efficient leader and the worthy heir to the throne. Peace was finally restored to the kingdom and the harmonious cohabitation returned.

The prince did manage to make some agreements with his parents and completed a full year at Villains High, becoming one of the next graduating seniors and got a diploma in Wicked Evil Diplomacy. Aside from being the future king of his world, he also became the Fae Realm ambassador that interacted with Villainapolis and other worlds concerning politics, trades, and tourism. His actions not only strengthened the interspecies bonds of his people but also the interplanetary ones. Marius managed to balance his duties with his time dedicated for his family and friends.

And speaking of friends...

*Radio scratch and Kit breaks into the office, revealing Safír Dragon to be the Narrator*

"Safír! What do you think you're doing?" Kit pointed at her wristwatch. "We're going to be late!" She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of his chair and out of his office.

"We'll be back later!" Safír shouted at the readers.

Later on, at the Primrose Chapel

Bells were ringing and echoing throughout the walls of the Primrose Chapel while the attending individuals took their positions.

"You know, I'm glad that the Fae Realm doesn't have the same audience sitting rules as we do back in Villainapolis when it comes to weddings," Jessie Joker told Daylight as they sat down somewhere in the front seats.

"Really?" Daylight frowned in curiosity.

"Yeah, they make the bride's friends and family sit on one side and the groom's on the other."

"That's totally unfair!"

"I know, right?"

A seat or three away, Randolph was brushing away tears. "Randolph?" Safír frowned while he and Kit, whom he had been starting to date, sat next to the usually emotionally stiff guy. "Are you...crying?"

"Yeah." Randolph nodded. "I get emotional at weddings."

"At least your happily emotional," Kit chuckled. She made a head notion to Roland and Helena, who were gagged and being held in stone stocks in order to be witnesses at the grand wedding. "These guys will be wailing once the vows are made." A fanfare began to play. "Oh, it's starting!"

Everyone watched as Prince Marius Bogfae came out in front of the altar along with the Sugar Plum Fairy while a bunch of little elf girls tossed Night Violet petals in the air as they were followed by a parade of bridesmaids and groomsmen both from the Fae Realm and Villainapolis. Guests were sighing at the sight.

"Here comes the bride!" Daylight exclaimed. Guests turned to look at the new individuals coming down the aisle and up on the altar: the Bog King Lysander leading by the arm his soon-to-be daughter-in-law Penna De Mort. And what a sight she was! Dressed in a replica of the V-Neck, sheath silver dress that Queen Marianne wore on her wedding with the Bog King, except Penna's was made of lace fabric with lavender accents and a crystal belt shaped like coiling serpents. Her black teal-streaked hair was tied up in a braid that reached her waist with a traditional fairy matrimonial hair ornament (a headband made of white flowers) sitting on her head. Her jewelry consisted solely of purple cobra chandelier earrings and an evening necklace. Whispers of admiration were heard among the crowd as the Bog King went to join his wife and the rest of the royal family in the audience while Penna joined Marius by the altar and ignored the glares of hatred that Roland and Helena were giving them.

"Fae Realm, Villainapolis, royals, commoners, villains, heroes, and antiheroes," the Sugar Plum Fairy spoke loud and clearly. "We are gathered all together here today to witness the second most extraordinary bond to ever occur after the one of our grand rulers, the Bog King Lysander and the Fairy Queen Marianne. They had marked the union of two different kingdoms into one. Now the flame has been carried into a bigger fire as our world united with others thanks to our prince and heir, Marius Bogfae, and his soulmate, Lady Penelope Svjetla Marvolo Riddle, or Penna De Mort for short." The Sugar Plum Fairy gave a teasing wink at Penna, who slightly flustered about her original long name being revealed.

"If it makes you feel better, I still prefer calling you Viper Eyes," Marius whispered to Penna with a grin.

"Bug Fly," Penna faintly shook her head in amusement. "For my sake, don't ever change."

"Prince Marius Bogfae," the Sugar Plum Fairy asked as she placed Marius' left hand on Penna's right one and made their fingers intertwine, creating a spark of light to appear. "In front of this crowd, in Titania and Oberon's names, and in front of the cherished one chosen designated by the sacred Night Violet as your soulmate, do you vow to accept this woman as your beloved wife, to treat her as your equal, and to have her rule with you over this kingdom as your consort?"

"I do," Marius vowed. The crowd sighed, Penna smiled at him, Roland and Helena tried to object through their gags, and the spark on the united hands grew in size.

"Lady Penna De Mort," the Sugar Plum then turned to Penna, "do you also vow to accept this man as your beloved husband and equal and to justly rule this kingdom with him as his consort?"

"I swear on the River Styx that I do," Penna said.

The crowd gasp when the light coming from Marius and Penna's hand increased and dissolved, revealing two rings (both of them with violet jewels) on their fingers, one snake-designed for Marius and a butterfly-designed one for Penna.

"With all the power invested in me, I hereby declare you husband and wife!"

Marius and Penna embraced one another in a kiss while the crowd cheered. The gags were instantly removed from Roland and Helena's mouths as the new royal couple began to walk out of the chapel, being greeted by applauding citizens who were happy for their newly wedded prince and the new princess consort of the Fae Realm.

"NO! THIS IS SO UNFAIR!" Helena wailed as the guards dragged her and her father. "WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ROYAL!" Jessie Joker pouted before walking towards and, with a few complicated tricks she learned from her father the Joker, managed to make Roland and Helena forcefully smile.

"Now that's the spirit!" she said cheerfully. "Big smiles for the royals!" The guards laughed with her as Roland and Helena tried desperately to shake off the gruesome smiles she had forced on them.

While Marius and Penna were climbing onto a royal carriage pulled by hummingbirds, Marianne and the Bog King were standing on a balcony in the chapel, watching as their son and daughter-in-law finally got seated into the coach before it set off. Penna threw a bouquet of Night Violets, which Kit caught and tricked Safír into kissing her by having him sniff the flowers, which bloomed once he and Kit both touched the flowers.

"Well, our son has found true love and has shown that he'll be a great king," the Bog King said proudly. The royal coach set off, with the new royal couple waving at the crowd and shouting good-byes at the equally happy crowd.

"And she'll be a perfect queen," Marianne said in a similar tone of happiness and pride. She looked happily at her husband. "The way they brought worlds together through their love...It reminds me of how you and I brought ours together."

The Bog King smirked as her fair hands held his grey, rough ones. "Yes," he agreed. He kissed one of her hands. "We did get a strange magic." The king and queen smiled at one another and kissed with passion while Marius and Penna had a similar scenario as their coach went into the horizon.

*Safír Dragon resumes his role of Narrator for one last time*

When the time came eventually, Marius and Penna were crowned as the new Bog King and Fairy Queen of the Fae Realm and proved themselves to be just rulers loved by the people, despite the fact that they were hybrids and Queen Penna used her magic to help out in community events. The now-retired Lysander and Marianne took the opportunity of exploring the other worlds for a change and spent a lot of time at Villainapolis, where they started to go to their favorite spa for the holidays more often.

Roland and Helena rotted in jail and the remains of their corpses were burned thoroughly, not even leaving behind a single trail of ash. They were gone for good and everyone, including villains, who thought that Roland and his progeny were a disgrace to the name of Evil, thought that it was good riddance.

Villains High still stands to this day. Our descendants themselves go there and retrace the family footsteps. It just never gets old. The evil school beloved by everyone still stands, with its classes, its evil students born from villains and antiheroes alike, and its historic stories passed on from generation to generation. And trust me as I say this: no matter how many years this school stands, no matter how many students come and go, if there's one tale no one will ever forget, it's the strange tale of Marius Bogfae of the Fae Realm.

THE END