Thirty: Happily Ever After
At Libralia's grand palace, a reception was held for Bethylasia and Andrew's wedding. Everyone enjoyed a hearty feast of shrimp cocktails, roasted prime rib, roasted potatoes, vegetables, several kinds of bread, cheeses, and a sweet chocolate-strawberry wedding cake with seven tiers. After everyone ate their fill, Mystery tapped on a champagne glass with his spoon. "Attention, everyone!" he announced with a smile, "Before we decide to dance, Science Fiction and I would like to make a toast, as well as a special announcement. Sci-Fi, why don't you start?"
Sci-Fi smiled as she stood up from her chair and cleared her throat. "First of all," she said, "I'd like to honor our beautiful bride." Bethylasia smiled with a blush as Sci-Fi said, "Your highness, I don't know what I'd do without you. If you hadn't returned to this kingdom from a ten-year hiatus, much of your family would still be under Malaria's wicked spell – still stone statues – and literature and happiness would already be dead. And two years ago, you saved your family after your grandfather sacrificed himself to protect us. Bethylasia, you are the kindest, bravest, and most loyal princess I have ever met in my life."
Mirabelle and Natalia looked at Sci-Fi, and the book simply winked at them as she continued, "That is a trait living in all the members of your family. Now that you're a young lady, you deserve to have a happy life with a man like Prince Andrew. I know that you two will enjoy going through life together and helping each other when needed. You two were truly meant for each other, and we are all very happy to see you in this milestone!"
Everyone clapped and cheered at Sci-Fi's toast, then Mystery rose his hand. "And now it's my turn to give special news. It has nothing to do with a wedding, but I thought everyone should know on this happy occasion." Everyone smiled as Mystery cleared his throat and explained, "You see, yesterday, Sci-Fi was feeling sick. She almost decided to take the day off from participating in this wedding, but I managed to find a doctor to look at her. As it turns out, my wife, Science Fiction… is pregnant with our first child!"
Everyone clapped and cheered as Sci-Fi shed a tear of happiness, excited to become a mother within a few months. "That's why I had to kindly reject some champagne," she chuckled.
"Congratulations, Sci-Fi!" Bethylasia called over to her friend.
Andrew then lifted his glass of champagne up and announced with a grin, "Here's a toast to my marriage to beautiful Bethylasia! And a toast to all our family members and friends who attended and supported us!"
"Cheers!" everyone said with grins as they held up their glasses of champagne. Then, they all took a sip (except Sci-Fi, who had water instead).
Matthias looked over at a band of musicians and smiled at them. Then, he announced to the guests and wedding party, "The bride and groom will now share their first dance as husband and wife. This song is about the magic of love and imagination coming together to create the perfect fairy tale – fit for my daughter and her Prince Charming!"
As the musicians began to play music, Andrew led Bethylasia to the dance floor, and then the two of them shared a slow dance as Sci-Fi and Mystery each took a microphone. Mystery began singing:
When this world
The real-life world
You're living in
Just gets too much
For you to take
Sci-Fi sweetly smiled as she watched the bride and groom, and sang into her microphone:
When you find
Too many troubles
On your mind
And feel just like
There's no escape
Both: And it seems your heart's
Forgotten how to believe
Sci-Fi: (pulls out one of her pages) Turn a page in your soul
Mystery: (folds the page into a heart) There's a place you can go!
Both: Close your eyes and let your heart fly free!
Bethylasia and Andrew picked their dancing up a little bit, and then the prince twirled his bride before letting her come back to him. The two of them smiled lovingly as they danced, and Sci-Fi and Mystery sang together:
Dream away, dream away
Let imagination light your way
Taking you as far as your heart can see
Dream away, dream away
To a place where hope is shining
Find your silver lining
Everything you need
Is just a dream away!
The bride and groom gazed into each other's eyes, and Andrew said to Bethylasia lovingly, "Bethylasia, I've seen many girls from different fairy tales and stories across my kingdom – and the borders of your family's – and not one of them had as much spirit, courage, and kindness as you do. I'm glad I'm here with you today."
"Oh, Andrew!" Bethylasia sighed dreamily, "I'm so happy, too!"
The two of them were so engrossed in looking at each other, that the princess accidentally stepped on the prince's foot. "Ouch!" Andrew said with a bit of pain, "My foot!"
"Oh, my goodness!" Bethylasia gasped, "Andrew, I'm sorry!"
"No, no, it's alright," Andrew said to her, "Our minds were too busy on love and less on dancing." He and his bride both giggled at the little mishap before they focused on dancing again.
Sci-Fi: Remember when
A dream could take you
Anywhere
Just a wish
Anything could be
Sci-Fi and Mystery: When the farthest star
Was one more star
You could reach
Sci-Fi: Take a look in your heart
Mystery: Cause that's where dreams are where it starts!
Both: Anything is real if you just believe!
Dream away, dream away
Let imagination light your way
Taking you as far as your heart can see
Dream away, dream away
To a place where hope is shining
Find your silver lining
Everything you need
Is just a dream away!
Andrew twirled Bethylasia a few more times, making all the wedding party and guests cheer, and then the groom brought his bride close to him as their dancing became slower and slower. Finally, Andrew put his hands around Bethylasia's waist, and then lifted her up in the air before he spun her around a few times.
Sci-Fi and Mystery: All it takes is faith
To make your dreams come true
And somewhere in this world
There's somebody who'll
Share your dreams with you!
Andrew brought his bride back down, and then they shared a passionate kiss before dancing again.
Sci-Fi and Mystery: Dream away, dream away
Let imagination light your way
Taking you as far as your heart can see
Dream away, dream away
To a place where hope is shining
Find your silver lining
Everything you need
Is just a dream (2x)
Away!
Bethylasia and Andrew's dancing came to a very slow stop as Sci-Fi and Mystery finished their song. Finally, the bride and groom looked at each other with loving smiles, and Bethylasia whispered, "I love you, Andy."
"I love you, too," Andrew softly said to her before finishing with a sly grin, "Becca." Then, he kissed her on the forehead.
Everyone watching released contented and loving sighs, while outside from a window, the spirits of the original Pagemaster and Pagemistress watched with happiness at seeing their heroine developing her future with her new husband.
Back in the real world, Sheila the cat purred on top of Becca's bed, while her mistress smiled lovingly in her sleep. As the sunrise crept into the room through the window, Becca slowly opened her eyes and looked around. "Oh, snap," she mumbled with disappointment, "It was only a dream." But her disappointment turned to a grin when she looked at the sunrise and sighed happily, "But it was a lovely dream. If Anthony and I ever get married in this real world, I want our wedding to be just like the one from the dream world." She looked over at Sheila, who was still sleeping and purring, and then thought of a song in her head.
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams, and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true!
The girl then laid back down, preparing to sleep in some more, and thought to herself, Someday, soon… my fairy tale will come true. Maybe I'll write a story about my adventures in Libralia?
And this story, my friends, along with a few other tales of the Pagemaster's kingdom of books, is what you have just read.
THE END
Author's Note: The song "Dream Away" is from the original Pagemaster movie ((c) 20th Century Fox). The song "A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes" is from Cinderella ((c) Disney).