"What the heck is going on here?!" Buttercup's eyes fluttered open as she heard that oddly familiar voice.
"What the- put that dagger away, girl! What's wrong with ye?" A tanned, callused hand shot out from her left and snatched the dagger away. "My God, girl, what are ye on?"
Buttercup's mouth dropped open in shock. A tall, muscular man with graying brown hair stood in front of her frowning, one hand placed on his hips, the other clutching the dagger. Dark, azure eyes blazed out at her, surrounded by an endless ring of dark circles. She gazed in wonder at the same chin she had inherited; rounded perfectly, except her father had a small, almost unnoticeable cleft on the right side.
"Father," she breathed, "What are you doing here?"
"Is that the greeting you give your da after a 10 year hiatus?! 'What are you doing here?', he mimicked, "Why not ask, 'Why am I still breathing' while you're at it!" His fists shook and he threw the dagger disgustedly on the table. "Besides, I should be the one asking all the questions here!"
"I'm just so surprised," Buttercup, however shocked she was, was not a fool. She rose from her seat as quickly as she could and shut her door. "I thought you were still locked up at the asylum," she whispered.
"Asylum?" He ran his hand through his hair, "Is that what they told ye? Ha! I've been in debtor's prison the last 10 years. Luckily for me, cousin Art finally got my letter and bailed me out. But I come home and guess what?! No one there! Horses gone, secret money stash gone, food gone, daughter gone." He glared at his daughter. "I had to live on grass and tree bark for two days. That stupid stable boy was gone too-" Here, he stopped and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "No, I'll get to that later."
Buttercup sighed shakily and gathered her father into a warm hug, "I'm sorry, I've just missed you. So much has happened since you left," she buried her face into his jacket, inhaling the strong scent of sweat and beef jerky, "-so much. You have no idea how much I've missed you."
Her father patted her head awkwardly, "Yea, well, I guess I missed ye too." He hugged her back briefly, and then pushed her away to wipe away her tear stained face. "Don't think I've been sitting on my behind in debtor's prison knitting or anything. In fact, all those years I was planning revenge and," he gently hit her chin with his thumb, "missing my baby girl. 'O course, now, ye ain't such a baby anymore." He sighed heavily and shook his head, taking in his surroundings and finally letting out a long, low whistle, "I've heard tons of stories about how ye ended up here, and let me tell ye, not many of them are the kind you discuss with civilized folk." He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the chair next to him. "So, why don't ye tell me what I've been missing, startin' with the day I left."
Buttercup wiped away a few stray tears, and smiled affectionately at her father. She took the seat beside him and began her tale; her newfound love for Wesley, his supposed death, Prince Humperdink, her kidnapping, and Wesley's return. During her whole story, her eyes never left her father's face. Less than twenty minutes ago she had felt like she was alone in the world. Now her father was sitting across from her, his head bowed sympathetically, and an attentive ear open. She had a family again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prince Humperdink raced through the halls, "The wedding will take place tonight and no one will stop me!" he cried. He approached Buttercup's door and knocked fiercely, "Open the door!" He heard hurried movement on the other side, and what sounded like heavy boots scutter across the room.
Humperdink's heart pounded. So, it was true; Wesley was still alive. His servants had come to him minutes before, out of breath and terror stricken. They had found the albino torturer unconscious on the ground, and Wesley's dead body MIA. Humperdink had been incredulous, after watching Wesley scream in agony and draw his last breath right before his eyes, his hand being responsible for his death. It couldn't really be true that he had risen from the dead. What kind of man was this?
"Buttercup! Open the door now or I swear I will break it down!" He heard the door click, and saw the knob turn. Before Buttercup even completely opened the door, Humperdink charged through with his naked sword before him. "Where is he?" He raced over to her bed and drew the curtains that surrounded it, "Where are you hiding him?" Finding no one, he thought of another possible hiding spot and sprinted across the room.
Buttercup rushed in front of him, blocking his way. Her clear blue eyes blazed fiercely, "Where am I hiding whom, your highness?"
"You know who I mean!" He uttered through gritted teeth.
Buttercup rose her chin defiantly and straightened her already straight shoulders. "How dare you barge into my room and search through it without reason." She stared him squarely in the eye, challenging him. "I demand an explanation, your highness. If you don't have one, then I suggest you leave now."
Humperdink glared at her. His hand itched to rise and smack that defiant expression right off her face. "Don't you pretend with me. You know exactly who I mean and you are hiding him. Now move!" he shoved her off to the side, but before he could take another step, Buttercup resumed her post blocking him, her face flushed with fierce anger and her eyes flashing red.
"Leave my chamber immediately, or I will be forced to take this up with your father, the king. He will not be pleased with your behavior toward me," she paused, and added, "- nor will the rest of the kingdom.
"You miserable wench," he growled. "Step aside now! I will find that filthy scum myself!" When she refused to move, he held up his hand in warning. He was about to strike when another indignant voice broke through,
"Who ye callin' filthy scum?!" Humperdink started and glanced wildly around the room, waving his sword foolishly about.
A dark hand emerged from underneath Buttercup's bed, followed by a gigantic body. A man well into his late thirties towered above Prince Humperdink at six feet tall. His bronze face was masked with ferocity and his shocking blue eyes glinted dangerously. Deep frown lines brimmed his forehead, adding to his daunting personage. His hands were clenched up in a fist, and his muscle bulged menacingly through his tattered rags. He narrowed his eyes threateningly at Humperdink's raised hand. "Lower yer hand," he growled.
Prince Humperdink swallowed a large lump that had just formed in his throat and obeyed; this was a man to be feared.
"Now, sit down." the man commanded, joining Buttercup and clasping her hand in his.
Prince Humperdink sat, dropping his sword absentmindedly, his eyes intent on his fear. "Who are you?" he whispered in a small, mousy voice.
Buttercup grinned savagely at Humperdink, "Your highness, allow me to introduce my father, Iberis Greenfeld."
"What the- put that dagger away, girl! What's wrong with ye?" A tanned, callused hand shot out from her left and snatched the dagger away. "My God, girl, what are ye on?"
Buttercup's mouth dropped open in shock. A tall, muscular man with graying brown hair stood in front of her frowning, one hand placed on his hips, the other clutching the dagger. Dark, azure eyes blazed out at her, surrounded by an endless ring of dark circles. She gazed in wonder at the same chin she had inherited; rounded perfectly, except her father had a small, almost unnoticeable cleft on the right side.
"Father," she breathed, "What are you doing here?"
"Is that the greeting you give your da after a 10 year hiatus?! 'What are you doing here?', he mimicked, "Why not ask, 'Why am I still breathing' while you're at it!" His fists shook and he threw the dagger disgustedly on the table. "Besides, I should be the one asking all the questions here!"
"I'm just so surprised," Buttercup, however shocked she was, was not a fool. She rose from her seat as quickly as she could and shut her door. "I thought you were still locked up at the asylum," she whispered.
"Asylum?" He ran his hand through his hair, "Is that what they told ye? Ha! I've been in debtor's prison the last 10 years. Luckily for me, cousin Art finally got my letter and bailed me out. But I come home and guess what?! No one there! Horses gone, secret money stash gone, food gone, daughter gone." He glared at his daughter. "I had to live on grass and tree bark for two days. That stupid stable boy was gone too-" Here, he stopped and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "No, I'll get to that later."
Buttercup sighed shakily and gathered her father into a warm hug, "I'm sorry, I've just missed you. So much has happened since you left," she buried her face into his jacket, inhaling the strong scent of sweat and beef jerky, "-so much. You have no idea how much I've missed you."
Her father patted her head awkwardly, "Yea, well, I guess I missed ye too." He hugged her back briefly, and then pushed her away to wipe away her tear stained face. "Don't think I've been sitting on my behind in debtor's prison knitting or anything. In fact, all those years I was planning revenge and," he gently hit her chin with his thumb, "missing my baby girl. 'O course, now, ye ain't such a baby anymore." He sighed heavily and shook his head, taking in his surroundings and finally letting out a long, low whistle, "I've heard tons of stories about how ye ended up here, and let me tell ye, not many of them are the kind you discuss with civilized folk." He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the chair next to him. "So, why don't ye tell me what I've been missing, startin' with the day I left."
Buttercup wiped away a few stray tears, and smiled affectionately at her father. She took the seat beside him and began her tale; her newfound love for Wesley, his supposed death, Prince Humperdink, her kidnapping, and Wesley's return. During her whole story, her eyes never left her father's face. Less than twenty minutes ago she had felt like she was alone in the world. Now her father was sitting across from her, his head bowed sympathetically, and an attentive ear open. She had a family again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prince Humperdink raced through the halls, "The wedding will take place tonight and no one will stop me!" he cried. He approached Buttercup's door and knocked fiercely, "Open the door!" He heard hurried movement on the other side, and what sounded like heavy boots scutter across the room.
Humperdink's heart pounded. So, it was true; Wesley was still alive. His servants had come to him minutes before, out of breath and terror stricken. They had found the albino torturer unconscious on the ground, and Wesley's dead body MIA. Humperdink had been incredulous, after watching Wesley scream in agony and draw his last breath right before his eyes, his hand being responsible for his death. It couldn't really be true that he had risen from the dead. What kind of man was this?
"Buttercup! Open the door now or I swear I will break it down!" He heard the door click, and saw the knob turn. Before Buttercup even completely opened the door, Humperdink charged through with his naked sword before him. "Where is he?" He raced over to her bed and drew the curtains that surrounded it, "Where are you hiding him?" Finding no one, he thought of another possible hiding spot and sprinted across the room.
Buttercup rushed in front of him, blocking his way. Her clear blue eyes blazed fiercely, "Where am I hiding whom, your highness?"
"You know who I mean!" He uttered through gritted teeth.
Buttercup rose her chin defiantly and straightened her already straight shoulders. "How dare you barge into my room and search through it without reason." She stared him squarely in the eye, challenging him. "I demand an explanation, your highness. If you don't have one, then I suggest you leave now."
Humperdink glared at her. His hand itched to rise and smack that defiant expression right off her face. "Don't you pretend with me. You know exactly who I mean and you are hiding him. Now move!" he shoved her off to the side, but before he could take another step, Buttercup resumed her post blocking him, her face flushed with fierce anger and her eyes flashing red.
"Leave my chamber immediately, or I will be forced to take this up with your father, the king. He will not be pleased with your behavior toward me," she paused, and added, "- nor will the rest of the kingdom.
"You miserable wench," he growled. "Step aside now! I will find that filthy scum myself!" When she refused to move, he held up his hand in warning. He was about to strike when another indignant voice broke through,
"Who ye callin' filthy scum?!" Humperdink started and glanced wildly around the room, waving his sword foolishly about.
A dark hand emerged from underneath Buttercup's bed, followed by a gigantic body. A man well into his late thirties towered above Prince Humperdink at six feet tall. His bronze face was masked with ferocity and his shocking blue eyes glinted dangerously. Deep frown lines brimmed his forehead, adding to his daunting personage. His hands were clenched up in a fist, and his muscle bulged menacingly through his tattered rags. He narrowed his eyes threateningly at Humperdink's raised hand. "Lower yer hand," he growled.
Prince Humperdink swallowed a large lump that had just formed in his throat and obeyed; this was a man to be feared.
"Now, sit down." the man commanded, joining Buttercup and clasping her hand in his.
Prince Humperdink sat, dropping his sword absentmindedly, his eyes intent on his fear. "Who are you?" he whispered in a small, mousy voice.
Buttercup grinned savagely at Humperdink, "Your highness, allow me to introduce my father, Iberis Greenfeld."