Ugh, Valentino again?! I know.
Chapter 5: Valentino's Backfired Proposal
The next morning, Valentino and Vox hid behind the bushes to spy on Octavia's mansion. "Heh! Octavia's gonna get the surprise of her life, huh, Valentino?" Vox asked.
"Yep! This is her lucky day," Valentino replied. He was dressed in a dark red tuxedo with hints of pink. He let go of the branch, which ended up hitting inside Vox's mouth, filling it with green leaves.
Valentino set foot in the garden that consisted of food, drinks, flowers, decorations, and music. The demons assembled to celebrate Octavia's and Valentino's wedding. He cleared his throat to make an announcement and said, "I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I better go in there and propose to the girl!"
Several men laughed while Velvet, Dia, and Summer sobbed, disappointed that their love was going to marry Octavia, instead of one of them.
"And you, Vox," Valentino said, putting his finger on Vox's face, "When Octavia and I come out that door…"
"Oh, I know! I know!" Vox cut him off with a grin, "I strike up the band!" With that, he began to conduct the band to play Here Comes the Bride theme, but Valentino shoved the tuba in his face to quiet him down.
"Not yet, dumbass!" Valentino shouted, not wanting him to spoil the surprise.
"Sorry," Vox said.
…
Inside the mansion, Octavia was listening to music and reading until there was a knock on the door. She stopped what she was doing and went to see who it was in the peephole. She was hoping it was her father who came back, but to her disappointment, it was none other than Valentino smirking at her. The teenage owl slightly groaned and rolled her eyes.
The door opened and in came Valentino.
"Valentino," Octavia greeted with a fake smile, "What a pleasant surprise."
"Isn't it, though?" Valentino asked, "I'm just full of surprises. You know, Tavi. There's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes. This is the day…" He stopped to check his teeth with his tongue to see if they were clean. "Ah! This is the day your dreams come true."
"What do you know of my dreams, Valentino?" Octavia asked, backing away as he advanced.
"Plenty!" replied Valentino and began to sing:
You've been dreaming just one dream
Nearly all your life.
Hoping, scheming, just one theme:
Will you be a wife?
Will you be some he-man's property?
Good news! That he-man's me!
Octavia gazed at him, still as a statue, but Valentino continued singing.
This equation, girl plus man
Doesn't just help you.
On occasion, women can
Have their uses, too,
Mainly to extend the fam'ly tree.
Pumpkin, extend with me!
Octavia gasped in stunned silence as Valentino resumed his song.
We'll be raising sons galore!
The teenage owl composed herself.
Inconceivable!
Valentino: Each built six foot four!
Octavia: Unbelievable!
Valentino: Each one stuffed with ev'ry Valentino gene!
Octavia (with a scoff): I'm not hearing this!
Valentino: You'll be keeping house with pride!
Octavia: Just incredible!
Valentino: Each day gratified.
Octavia: So unweddable!
Valentino: That you are a part of this idyllic scene.
Valentino paused the song to speak, placing his feet on the table, taking off his boots, "Picture this: A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting over the fire, and my little wife massaging my feet, while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs." Octavia pinched her nose because of Valentino's smelly feet. Getting up and his face in Octavia's, he added, "Oh, we'll have six or seven!"
"Dogs?" Octavia asked innocently.
"No, Tavi. Strapping boys like me."
"Imagine that."
Valentino went on singing:
I can see that we will share
All that love implies.
We shall be a perfect pair
Rather like my thighs.
You are face to face with destiny!
All roads lead to...
The best things in life are...
All's well that ends with me!
He paused only to ask, "And you know who that little wife would be?"
"Let me think," Octavia said wide-eyed as she shelved her book.
Valentino cornered her. "YOU, Octavia!"
Escape me? There's no way
Certain as "Do, Re,"
Octavia, when you marry...
"Valentino, I'm...speechless," Octavia said, leaning against the door, pretending to be pleased and Valentino walked towards her, knocking over a rocking chair as she added, "I really don't know what to say."
"Say you'll marry me, bitch," Valentino said smugly as he cornered her once again and when Octavia didn't have the words, he continued, "So Octavia, what will it be? Is it 'yes' or is it 'oh, yes'?"
The girl owl finally found the words she needed to say. "I'm very sorry, Valentino, but…" she replied, holding the door knob and started to twist it, "I just don't deserve an asshole like you."
"Who does?" Then he almost kissed her when she finally opened the door and he sang the final note: ME!
He landed in the mud and Octavia smiled in satisfaction. "But thanks for asking." Seeing the wedding meant for her and Valentino, she threw his boots outside her door and closed it.
Vox turned to see his boss in the mud and stopped the band. Valentino resurfaced with a pig on his head and the pig slid down his back.
"So, how'd it go?" Vox asked.
Valentino clutched onto the collar of Vox's shirt to his level and replied in a threatening voice, "I'll have that prude, Octavia for my wife! Make no mistake about that!" He threw Vox inside the mud with the pig before storming off.
"Humph! Touchy! What a dick!" Vox scoffed and the pig agreed with him with a couple snorts.
Valentino wiped mud from his face in embarrassment as he walked home and the other demons noticed, so they also headed home.
…
Soon, Octavia poked her head out to see if the scene was safe. "Is he gone?" she asked.
The plants and flowers nodded.
"Can you imagine?" Octavia seethed, feeding the plants and flowers plant food, "He asked me to marry him! ME! The wife of that boorish, brainless…" Then she started to sing her song, batting her eyes:
Mrs. Valentino,
Can't you just see it?
She picked up a cloth and draped it on her head to make herself look docile and loyal.
Mrs. Valentino,
His little wife!
She kicked a pail and removed the cloth from her head, throwing it somewhere. "Ugh!" she growled and continued her song:
No sir! Not me!
I guarantee it!
I want much more than this provincial life!
Octavia ran through the garden and came to a hill to see a beautiful view of the sunset. The breeze of the wind blew around her, making her feel refreshed.
I want adventure in the great wide somewhere!
I want it more than I can tell!
She laid in the grass with dandelions and picked one up as if to make a wish. She longed for more than the town she grew up in and hoped someone would understand how she felt.
And for once it might be grand,
To have someone understand,
I want so much more than they've got planned.
The seeds flew away from the dandelion and Octavia heard a horse neigh in the distance. "Spindle?!" she cried, getting up and rushing toward the horse. "What are you doing here? Where's…" She gripped onto the reins to steady Spindle and she realized Stolas wasn't with him. "Where's Dad? Where is he, Spindle? What happened?" Octavia's worries increased. "Oh, we have to find him. You have to take me to him." Having said that, she unhooked the wagon, so she could ride him and little did she realize that soon something big was bound to happen.