Clovis was all dressed up as he peered at Padme's cottage through the bushes.
"Padme is getting the surprise of her life." said Dod.
"Indeed she is." Clovis said, fixing his tie. "It is her lucky day."
Clovis approached a group of people who were setting some things up for a wedding. A beautiful cake, an archway of flowers, a band, and there was already a preacher ready to go.
"I'd like to thank all of you for coming to my wedding." said Clovis, pulling out a ring. "But first, I'd better go in and... propose to the lady."
The guys laughed, but Clovis' three admirers all cried as they believed Clovis would soon be officially off the market.
"Now, Lok Dod. Remember, when Padme and I come out the door, strike up the band." Clovis said.
"You can count on it." said Dod.
Meanwhile, Padme was inside reading a book. And she wasn't alone. Today, Caroline was visiting, helping Padme look after the home while her parents were away. In part because she was being a good friend, but also to have an excuse to get away from yet another man trying to woo her. Between the two, some have called Caroline the second most beautiful girl in the village.
Caroline never complained though, no girl was truly second best in her eyes. She was the best in her own right because she was her, and Padme was her best for the same reason.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"If that's my father, tell him I'm not here." Caroline said, going deeper into the house to hide.
Padme went to the door and checked through the peephole to see Clovis outside.
Padme rolled her eyes with a sigh as she opened the door, Clovis coming in.
"Clovis...what a pleasant surprise." said Padme, trying to sound polite.
"Isn't it, though?" Clovis brushed back his hair. He cleared his throat. "Padme, today shall be the day all your dreams come true."
"What do you know of my dreams?" Padme asked, picking up her book.
Clovis took a seat.
"Picture this, a rustic manor, supper roasting over the fire. My little wife here by my side in my arms, resting her head on my shoulder while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs." He said, imagining the scenario. "We'll have six or seven."
"Dogs?" said Padme, sounding uncomfortable.
"Pfft! Of course not. I mean six or seven boys and girls." Clovis said. "Six or seven perfect, wonderful children created by me and my perfect wife. And do you know who that wife will be?"
Padme did not like where this was going, and neither did Caroline when she overheard what was happening.
"Let me think..." said Padme, her look of disgust turned away from Clovis, and she looked at him as he got down on one knee and presented her with a ring.
"You, Padme." Clovis said.
"Oh, Clovis. I'm... speechless."
"Of course you are." said Clovis, approaching, attempting to take Padme's hand to put the ring on.
"Clovis, I really don't know what to say." said Padme, getting her back against the door.
"Say you'll marry me." said Clovis, approaching Padme, leaning forward in an attempt to kiss her.
"I'm sorry, Clovis. I just don't deserve you."
And Padme opened the door, letting Clovis fall out into a pit of mud as the band played the bridal chorus.
Dod saw and stopped the music.
"I take it she said no?" said Dod more as a statement than a question.
Clovis pulled himself out from the mud and shook it off.
"I will have Padme for my wife." Clovis growled. "Make no mistake."
"What some men won't do to get a woman." said Caroline as she helped Padme with some outside chores in the backyard. "I've seen animals treat the females with better respect than that."
"I can't believe he would go so far as to ask me to marry him! Can you imagine?" Padme grumbled. "Me, the wife of that boorish, brainless..."
Padme: Madame Clovis
Can't you just see it?
Madame Clovis
Caroline put a towel over her head like a bonnet or something and tried to imagine Padme as Mrs. Rush Clovis, but found it to be an utterly revolting image.
Caroline: His little wife, ugh
Padme: No, sir! Not me!
I guarantee it
I want much more than
this provincial life!
Padme ran out into a grassy field and felt the wind through her hair as she imagined life outside the provincial life of her quaint little village.
I want adventure in the
great wide somewhere
I want it more than I can tell
And for once it might be grand
To have someone understand
I want so much more than
they've got planned...
Padme and Caroline picked dandelions and watched as the fluffs flew with the breeze, headed to wherever the wind would take them.
"I know how you feel, Padme." Caroline said. "How amazing would it be to find someplace new?"
"Some new folks who are more understanding," said Padme. "And appreciate us for something more than outer beauty?"
"Exactly."
As much as the girls didn't require men taking care of them, neither strayed from finding the idea of meeting that special man for each of them wonderful. Someone meant just for each of them to care for, love, cherish, and have a family with someday. But such a dream, just like any dream, was never easy to achieve, especially with so many closed-minded men in their village.
But before the girls could even begin to imagine what their dream men would be like, they were greeted by the sound of a loud whinny and a familiar voice shouting, "Padme!"
Padme looked in the direction of the voice to see...
"Armorous?" Padme was immediately concerned, seeing the panic in Armorous' face. "What's the matter?"
And then she got even more worried when she saw the horse alone.
"Where are Mom and Dad?"
"They've been lost in the dark of the woods!" Armorous panicked. "I can't find them, and they could be in danger!"
Padme knew there was no time to get anyone else; she knew what she had to do. She climbed onto Armorous and said...
"Take me where you last saw them." Padme said.
"I'm coming with you." Caroline said.
Padme didn't argue. She took Caroline by the hand and had her ride behind her on Armorous' back, and together they raced back into the forest to find Padme's parents.
