Thanks to. . .
rainkisser – Hey, I was only 13 and kind of thought boys had cooties. I was still funny, which was nice. (grabs chocolate chip bagel smothered in butter and cream cheese) Yum. Thanks, Mia. Here, have an onion bagel. Have two! My mom just bought, like, 75 bagels. I have more than enough.
Miss Piratess – I can do cute. I do cute very well. Probably because you can't see me. (laughs) That's me, the anti-romantic! Except, not anymore.
Sirenic Griffin – Boo, computers. Frigid extremely cold. Except, it isn't anymore. I'm wearing short sleeves! (does happy little short sleeves dance) Yum, a cookie. Yes, bagels are VERY good. Here, have one and see for yourself! I hope the internet doesn't make it stale. No, not the end!
Aerinha – Unfortunately, most crushes are more futile than what the literary world would have us believe.
Tiger Lily21 – Well, I was only thirteen. Now I'm – older. (coughs) Nope, it's not over YET.
mythicalmemory – Yes, spring break does that kind of thing to me, too.
WARNING: This is more of a little tack-on, not really a chapter. But, guaranteed to make you go, "Aw!" And maybe, laugh a little.
Summary: She's a doctor's daughter under a spell of an evil queen. He's a prince with nowhere to rule and the worst luck of all. Even with the sometimes useful interference of two fairies with nothing better to do and the constant companionship of six giants, a runaway dog, and a girl who was once a fly, how will the Frog Prince and Sleeping Beauty ever hook up? Many fairy tales rolled into one silly, very mixed-up one.
THIS FAIRY TALE IS ABOUT: Curses and Kisses
THIS CHAPTER IS ABOUT: Happy Endings
Mera looked at Menon. "I think I should go to see my family. It's been five years. They probably think I'm dead! I want to go tell them I'm okay. And they need to meet you!"
Toli and Koplu had had two children, Mitza and Khela. Shana had married Gossai. Ruza was betrothed to Sir Bythe. They hadn't really forgotten Mera, but when someone is missing for five years, you guess that they're dead. Doc was not any different, but I find that fathers never really change.
Mera looked worried. "I couldn't find my way back home before." She turned to Yhpar. "Will you help me?"
"Sure!" cried Yhpar. "Follow me everyone!" Yhpar walked into the dense forest, with all of them at her heels except Wa-kod-if and Kokie, who had gone back 'home' to tell Fa-sud the wonderful news about Mera and Menon (and themselves).
In the town of Stoke-Smack, er, Smoke-Stack, Ruza was sitting on her bed, reading her book. Doc was treating a lady, who has absolutely nothing to do with this story except that Doc was treating her, who had fallen off her horse and broke her leg. Quite suddenly, there was a loud BANG! Ruza placed her spot and, telling her father she would go see 'what the matter is,' went outside.
There was nothing unusual, except that the barn door was open. It was a rather blustery day, so Ruza wasn't too alarmed. She walked to the big red building and was about to shut the monstrously cumbersome door when she saw, or at least thought she saw, people in the barn! She took another look and there were indeed people there. She stepped into the barn to tell them off, thinking they were drifters (that had happened before). She was shocked when the girl, who had been petting Pine, ran up to her and hugged her.
"Um," started Ruza.
"Ruza! It's me! Mera!" the girl said.
"Wh-wh-what!" cried Ruza.
"It's true! I was under a spell for the last five years. Here, come here, meet my friends. Menon, this is Ruza. Eg, Yhpar, this is my younger sister."
"Hi," greeted Ruza warmly. "Oh, I can't believe you're home! Come on inside, tell Doc!" Ruza grabbed her hand and pulled her from the big barn to the cottage beside it.
Menon and the fairies followed close behind the two sisters. By the time Eg got in the small house (she was the last in), Doc and Mera were hugging hard. Doc sat down and let Mera tell him the whole story (with Eg, Yhpar and Menon telling parts, too). The lady who broke her leg was listening, too. Doc liked Menon a lot and said he would be proud to have him as a son-in-law. He took them to Toli and Shana, who were as happy as he was. Mera saw Hoyv, her best friend, who was elated to see her. Then, after a month there, they told them all they had to be on their way to find Menon's family. They were all sad to see Mera and Menon go, but they promised to write.
"Did I ever tell you I owned a flying dragon?" Menon queried.
"No! Are we going to ride him to Goho?" Mera said.
"Yeah, I think it's a good idea. Goho is very far away," Menon took a small silver whistle out of his pocket and played three short notes and a long note followed by two high short notes. A huge, green dragon flew down right before them. "Azy, this is Mera."
"Hello," Azy said politely. "Going for a ride home, I suppose?" He said, letting them onto his back. "Hold on!"
Flying on a dragon is really a very splendid thing. It's really too bad they're extinct. Once they got there, they thanked Azy and walked into a huge gray and gold castle. Menon chuckled. Mera looked at him strangely and said:
"Why are you laughing? Is there something so amusing to you about returning home?"
"Oh, nothing really, I was just thinking about what my parents will say."
"Won't they be very glad to see you?"
"They never liked me very much; I was the oldest of nine and I had 'failed' them by running away. I doubt they even remember me!"
"Oh, no, this cannot be! All parents are so pleased with their children that it's almost silly! No, no, you are mistaken; they will have to be very glad."
Menon shrugged and said, "I suppose, only you do not know my parents, and I stand firm on the fact that they have quite forgotten all about me!"
"We shall see," said Mera, as the herald opened the large church-like doors, revealing a big hall with at least 1,000 candles on the walls.
"This way," pointed the herald. Mera and Menon walked into an absolutely huge throne room. The herald inspected the duo. "And how shall I announce you?"
"P-p-prince Me-menon and -uh- Mera," stuttered Menon.
"Prince?" asked the herald, disinterestedly. "Prince of what?"
"Uh, Goho, I mean, I'm their son, their oldest son."
"Are you now. Well, Prince Menon of Goho and Mara!" the herald cried.
"If you please, sir, Mera, not Mara, sir," said Mera. The herald shut the throne room door without a word. "Oh, never mind!"
King Tusury and Queen Zemare sat on their thrones looking regal and royal. "Dear, what's the boy's name?" asked the king.
"Neon, darling. And the lady's name's Mary."
"Neon and Mary? What's he prince of?"
"Go-oh."
"Well, they must've traveled a long time because " Tusury was interrupted by Menon.
"Uh, hello, I – well, I am your – ah – son, um, and, um, this is my – um, uh – fiancée – ah – Mera, not Mary, and, um, ah, well. . ."
The king bellowed, "Speak up now! I cannot hear a word!"
"I'm your son!" screamed Menon, at the top of his lungs.
"No, no, no, that cannot be true, look here, firstly, contractions are very non-royal and persons of royal blood never, ever, scream at the top of their lungs. Besides, we do not HAVE a son named Neon," Zemare said. "Now, Neon, kindly leave, and take Mary with you."
"But – but –" stammered Mera. "But, he is your son! He is! And he's name is NOT Neon, it's Menon! I can't believe you – he is your son!"
Menon took Mera's elbow. "Some things aren't meant to be," he whispered in her ear. "Let's go, I don't mind, really, Mera, we're much happier without them. . ." But a far off look came into his eyes. "They never cared, why should I? But I do." Then, the look left and he said, "No. I'm not a child. Let's go, Mera." He reached out his hand.
Mera looked at the king and queen with tears in her eyes. "It's not fair that you should have such parents, it's not fair. . ." she drifted off, but eventually took Menon's hand and together, they walked out of the grandiloquent throne room.
Now, you may want Tusury, or maybe Zemare, to shout out, "Wait, we love you!" or words to that effect. But, I can only repeat Menon: Some things aren't meant to be. And that is the end of that.
Menon and Mera were married in Smoke-Stack and lived there and had their family there until ten years later, when Tusury and Zemare both died, and they moved to Goho and King Menon and Queen Mera took the throne.
And, to the best of my knowledge, all their endings were happy ones.
Yay. The end. Actually, it's kind of sad. . .I'll miss you! (wipes away tear)
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