(Disclaimer: I do not own Strange Magic or any of its characters)
(Authors Note: Greetings dear readers, I hope you are enjoying the story thus far. I intend to add onto it, but note that if I do not post another chapter right away it's because I have other projects to attend to. I plan to add more to this story as I enjoy writing it as much as I hope you all enjoy reading it. Until next time, keep safe and keep reading.)
*badump, badump, badump, badump*
Marianne awoke to the soothing rhythm of Bog's heartbeat as she found herself lying against his chitin-plated chest. Her arms were wrapped around his waist and she noticed that she was practically lying on top of him while his arms were wrapped around her smaller form, protecting her from any harm that might befall her. It was rather touching and sweet. As her eyes adjusted to the soft crystal lighting overhead, she suddenly felt her hair being stroked, to which she looked up and saw Bog smiling down at her.
"Goodmorning, my beautiful princess."
"And goodmorning to you, my handsome king."
The two of them shared a long, passionate kiss before Marianne felt her cheeks heat up at her current position: she was right on top of him, in his bed, in the privacy of his room. 'Steady yourself, Marianne. This isn't the time for 'that' just yet. Not now. Not until after marriage. That's how it should be.' Granted, she wasn't exactly traditional or the most proper princess the Fairy Kingdom had ever seen, but that was one principal she was hoping to stick to. Besides, she and Bog had only been courting for about a month now and it was way too soon to be thinking such lustful thoughts. Then again…
"Marianne? Are you alright?"
"Hmm? Sorry, I spaced out for a moment. What did you say?"
He fondly smiled at her, "I asked if you slept well."
She gave him a nod, "I did. Thank you for letting me spend the night in here with you and helping me take my mind off the storm."
"Yer welcome. I'm glad you were able to get some sleep."
"Well, I just hope I didn't wake you up."
He shook his head and chuckled, "No, my bonny lass, ye didn't wake me. As a matter of fact, last night was probably the best sleep I've had in a long time."
"Really?"
"Aye. With you beside me, I just felt more relaxed and comfortable than I did when I was alone. So I have you to thank for my restful sleep."
"Anytime, my dearest Bog King."
XXXXX
Marianne and Bog soon headed down to the kitchen for a simple and private breakfast together while everyone else ate in the main dining room. As they were enjoying their blackberry oatmeal, Thang suddenly entered the kitchen and spoke up, "News from the mushrooms: The hairy bean is asking about the pine essences."
The Bog King gave him a look of utter confusion before waving him off. "I'll inquire about the message in a moment. Just...go," he rubbed his temple and shook his head. Thang headed off, to which Marianne finally emitted the chuckle she had been suppressing.
"I see he still can't understand the mushrooms."
*sigh* "Apparently not. I'm sorry my dear, but would you excuse me while I hear what they have to say."
"Only if you give me a goodbye kiss first," she smiled as he emitted a slight chuckle.
"I won't be gone long, but I'll gladly give you a kiss," he then leaned in and kissed her before reluctantly parting and headed outside.
Upon reaching the mushrooms, Bog received the message: 'The fairy king is asking about the princesses.' He spoke to the closest mushroom, "I want you to send a message to the King. Tell him that the princesses are safe and will return before sundown."
The mushroom gave him a nod and passed the message to the next mushroom, who passed it to the next one and so on down the line. Bog then headed back inside and over to the kitchen where he had left Marianne, only to find it empty. "Now where has she gone?" He asked himself before suddenly feeling a pair of arms wrap around his waist.
"I never left," she purred and kissed the middle of his back, making him shudder in pleasure.
"Oh Marianne…"
She smirked and moved to his front where she fluttered her beautiful violet wings and kissed his chitin-plated chest. "Bog...why are you so irresistible this morning?"
"I could say the same about you, my pretty fairy princess," he cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply, earning him a moan from the enchanting fairy. As much as he wanted to continue this exchange, he had to inform her about the message. "Yer Father was asking about you and yer sister."
She groaned, "Let me guess, he wants us home right away?"
He gently rubbed his thumb across her cheek and smiled, "I sent a message saying that you both were fine and that you'd be home by sundown." His face then took on a saddened look as he gazed into her amber brown eyes, "As much as I want ye to stay another night, I don't want to upset your Father or jeopardize the alliance between our kingdoms."
Marianne gave an understanding nod and hugged him, "I know...I just wish I could see you all the time. It's getting harder to go without seeing you."
"I know. I want you to stay here as well, but for the time being, we'll have to continue living apart and seeing one another whenever we find the time."
"Like now," she winked.
"Exactly," he smiled and tenderly kissed her lips.
The two of them sat back down and finished their breakfast before heading into the tunnels to oversee and help with the construction. Among the goblins working and digging away layers of dirt, the elves and fairies were helping them clear away loosened soil and debris. Even Dawn had offered her assistance, seeing as how she wasn't wearing one of her pretty dresses like she usually does. When she left the Fairy Kingdom with Marianne, Sunny and the others in the caravan, she specifically wore an outfit that she could work in and dirty up. Though no such outfit existed in her wardrobe, she had borrowed one of her sister's casual attires.
A small smirk appeared across Marianne's face as she watched her sister move about in one of her outfits. It was amusing to see her wearing something other than fancy clothes and getting dirty when she was always against it. Since confessing her true feelings for Sunny, Dawn had started to participate in some of his daily work activities as a way to bond with him further. She actually found herself enjoying some of the tasks she normally would never participate in. Like gardening. Dawn had discovered that she was actually really good at it and would often be seen among the elves and worker fairies tending to the various flowers and berry bushes that grew around the kingdom.
At the moment, Dawn was shoveling dirt into a wagon to haul out of the tunnel when she spotted her sister and the Bog King approach, "Oh, good morning Marianne, Bog. How did you sleep?" She gave a knowing wink.
A smile crossed the elder fairy's face as she felt Bog gently interlace his fingers with hers, "We slept very well, thank you for asking. How about you?"
"Like a rock," she smirked.
Marianne couldn't help but chuckle at her statement. It was true that Dawn could sleep through just about anything, while she on the other hand, couldn't sleep at all because of the storm. But when she slept alongside Bog, she didn't even notice the heavy sound of raindrops or the thunder clashes that would otherwise keep her awake. "Well, I'm glad to know you slept soundly. By the way, Dad sent a message through the mushroom line. He was inquiring about us, so Bog replied saying we were fine and that we'd be home before sundown."
"Well we should get plenty of work done before then. I just hope by the time we get back, I won't be too tired to take a bath. I'm gonna need it when we get home."
She laughed and joined her sister in shoveling some of the dirt while Bog grabbed a picaxe and assisted the elves, fairies and his fellow goblins with digging. While he wanted to spend all his time with Marianne, he needed to help his subjects. His hope was to finish the tunnels before the end of summer so he and his fellow goblins could focus on stalking up their food supply before winter. He also made it a personal goal to propose and marry Marianne before the first frost so they wouldn't have to spend winter apart (provided of course, that the alliance between their kingdoms was further strengthened and he had her father's blessing). A fall wedding sounded rather appealing to him and he already knew his Mother would be on board with the idea.
XXXXX
Throughout the day the goblins, elves and fairies worked to dig out a network of tunnels that would serve as food storage and lodging for the winter months. Right now there were only eight major tunnels that were completely dug out, shaped and sectioned with several corridors and rooms in each one, but that number would increase in the coming weeks.
At the moment, Dawn was helping Sunny load up some supplies to take back to the Fairy Kingdom. Yesterday, they had brought over some building materials that the goblins didn't have readily available in the Dark Forest, as well as a variety of nuts, berries and grains. In return, the goblins were sending them back with some morel mushrooms, moss, tree sap and syrup. During lunch, Bog and Marianne had discussed the notion of opening a trade route between their kingdoms and agreed that it would benefit everyone. But she would still have to discuss it with her father when she returned home; however, she had a feeling he'd be up to the idea of a trade route. If nothing else, it would further strengthen their alliance and add to their winter stores.
Marianne was currently atop a nearby tree with Bog as they oversaw the caravan of elves and fairies preparing to depart the Dark Forest and make their journey back to the Fairy Kingdom before sundown. The two of them wanted to spend a little more time together before having to part ways once more. At the moment they were hidden among the boughs and leaves, enjoying a private moment that mainly consisted of kissing and finding each other's pleasure spots. Bog was currently nipping Marianne's neck and shoulder, which caused her to moan and rake her nails along his back, which she knew was a pleasure spot for him. "Oh Bog…"
"Marianne…," he gasped as she softly kissed his chitin-plated chest. He gently tilted her chin up so their eyes met, "I love you."
"I love you too," she smiled and pulled him down for a kiss which he happily accepted. They embraced one another and felt their hearts race before a sinking feeling settled in as the sound of a horn caught their attention, signaling that the caravan was ready to depart.
"Marianne, it's time to go. Where are you?" Dawn hollered from below.
With a heavy heart, the elder princess flew down from the tree with the Bog King at her side. "I'm here. We were just saying goodbye."
"Okay, we're going to head for home now…," seeing the saddened look on their faces, she asked, "Do you want to catch up in a little while? It'll be slow moving with the carts and it won't take long for you to fly home should you lose track of time."
As much as she wanted to stay with Bog, Marianne knew if they ran into any sort of trouble, she'd be the only one to save them because she was the only one in the caravan of elves and fairies that knew how to use a sword and fight. Then again, they also had Lizzy who was basically their best defense should any danger arise or if they needed the path cleared of debris. She considered this but reluctantly shook her head, "As much as I want to stay longer, I need to ensure the safety of the group. As your sister and firstborn princess of the Fairy Kingdom, it's my duty to make sure you and our people are safe as we make our way back home."
"Oh Marianne, you don't need to worry so much. We'll be fine if you stayed behind for a bit longer. Besides, we're capable of taking care of ourselves."
"Exactly," Sunny chimed in with a smile, "You two hadn't seen each other in almost a week, so you need this time together. Besides, who knows how busy you both will be in the next few days. I say, go out and stretch your wings. You can catch up in a little while, Marianne."
She smiled and addressed the both of them, "Thank you."
Dawn waved it off with a smirk, "Of course. Now, just remember not to stay out too late."
"I shall personally escort her home if needed," Bog reassured.
"Careful, she just might want that," she giggled, earning her a blush from her elder sister. Dawn then flew up to join Sunny on Lizzy's back while Pear sat atop her head. "See you in a little while, sis. By Boggy Woggy."
At the use of that pet name, both Marianne and Bog emitted a groan, making her laugh. They watched as the caravan headed west and disappeared through the dense forest. Afterwards, they flew off together hand in hand.
XXXXX
Taking Sunny's advice and stretching their wings, Bog and Marianne decided to have a romantic flight together. He showed her some more of his realm and even presented her with a beautiful blue flower just like the one he gave her on their first flight. She was still upset that she had lost it because it was the first one he ever gave her and symbolized the feelings they had for one another, even if they didn't realize it at the time. With a blushing smile, Marianne leaned into his touch as he placed it in her hair and caressed her cheek.
Who would have thought a goblin could be so gentle?
Bog was currently sitting atop a large tree branch with Marianne in his lap. They were actually near the border and could see the outline of the Fairy Kingdom through the trees. This particular tree also overlooked the pathway the caravan would be traveling on, so all they had to do was wait for them to appear below and then Marianne could travel with them for the remainder of the journey. Of course they had spotted them prior to arriving at this particular tree and saw they were making decent progress on the road with little to no obstacles in the way. At least none that were a major concern other than an occasional twig or branch along the path as a result of last night's storm.
Marianne lightly traced her slender fingers across Bog's chest as she listened to the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat. Meanwhile, he was gently caressing her wings, feeling the faint pulsing of her blood running through the sensitive membranes. His eyes glanced down at her divine form before settling on the junction between her neck and shoulder where he nipped her earlier: it was slightly pink, but thankfully, her skin wasn't torn or punctured which made him internally sigh with relief. While he wanted to mark her, he didn't want to harm her, nor did he want her father to accuse him of taking advantage of her. He lightly ran his fingers through her soft brown hair and smiled when she looked up at him with those beautiful amber brown eyes of hers.
"What are you thinking about," she asked with a smile.
Bog gently caressed her cheek and replied, "I was just admiring how beautiful you are and how lucky I am to have you in my life."
Touched at his sincerity, Marianne blushed as she gazed into his eyes, "Oh Bog, I love you so much."
"And I love you, my dearest Marianne," he leaned in and tenderly kissed her, to which she flitted her wings and emitted a contented sigh. As their kiss deepened, they suddenly heard distant singing, indicating that the caravan was approaching their location.
Marianne's face took on a saddened expression, "I guess this is where we must part for the time being."
He emitted a sigh but gave her a reassuring look, "Aye, but we'll see each other again soon. I have no intention of depriving myself of your presence for another week, so 'll send you a message tomorrow around noon and let you know when I'm available."
She gave him a nod and pulled him in for a long, departing kiss, savoring the feeling of having him so close to her, yet regretting having to leave his side once more.
XXXXX
Marianne was currently walking alongside the caravan as they entered the Fairy Kingdom. Looking up in the sky, she noticed the sun was slowly starting to set. With that in mind, she turned her attention back onto the road with a saddened sigh. Dawn and Sunny took notice of her current demeanor: her pace was slow, her arms limply hung at her sides, her eyes had no light in them and were cast downward, and her wings were slightly dragging along behind her. They didn't even have to ask why she felt this way because the answer was as plain as the frown on her face: she missed Bog. Dawn vowed to cheer her up when they got home, but for now she knew to give her sister some space. When she was upset, she usually trained with her sword or would flee to her room to be alone (with the exception of the pixie handmaidens). Right now, she could do neither, so she just walked silently alongside Lizzy and occasionally looked back towards the Dark Forest, hoping to see her Bog King once more.
Upon reaching the elf village, everyone began unloading the wagons and removing the cargo off of Lizzy's back before taking it down to the underground storage/distribution centers. Dawn said her temporary goodbyes to Sunny before flying to the castle with Marianne and the other fairies, to which they entered and were welcomed home by their father.
"Ah, my little girls, I'm so glad you're alright!" He hugged them both and asked, "How was your stay in the Dark Forest? Were the goblins hospitable?"
Marianne gave her father a small smile, "Yes Dad, Bog and his subjects were very welcoming to all of us. We shared a nice dinner with them and his mother, Griselda, even made up the guest rooms for us to spend the night. The next day we had breakfast and helped them with some construction on the tunnel system."
"Which, by the way, I'm still filthy," Dawn pointed out and gestured to her (Marianne's) dirty outfit.
He chuckled at his youngest daughter, "Well then, go have the pixies draw you out a bath before dinner." Without hesitation, she flew off, to which he then looked over at his firstborn, "Marianne, you should clean up as well. It's not proper for a princess to attend the evening meal in dirty clothes."
She playfully rolled her eyes, "I know, Dad…" Her tone was quiet and her eyes were dim. It was clear that she was feeling depressed.
"Marianne, what's wrong?"
She avoided his gaze but she answered in a saddened tone, "I just...I miss Bog. I know it hasn't been that long since we departed from one another, but I'm worried I won't see him again for another week or even longer."
His gaze softened as he gently turned her head to face him, "Now my dear, don't let this minor setback get you down. You'll see him again soon."
"I know…," she sighed before turning away and slowly flying off to the washroom to clean herself off and freshen up for dinner.
When she entered, Marianne saw the pixies were already drawing out baths for her and Dawn, who was currently behind the partition and removing her clothes. She poked her head around the corner to see who entered, "Oh, Marianne, I hope you don't mind but I asked Bergenia, Aubrieta, and Verbena (the pixies) to prepare your bath as well."
"Thanks sis," she faintly smiled before stepping behind the adjacent partition and removing her clothes and her flower from her hair before lovingly setting it aside on the basin countertop. Once the baths were ready, both Marianne and Dawn slipped into their separate tubs and began cleaning themselves off while the pixies momentarily left to retrieve clean clothes for their mistresses.
As she scrubbed, Dawn glanced over at her sister and spoke in a caring tone, "Don't worry Marianne, you'll see Bog again soon."
She nodded and emitted a sigh, "I know...I'm sorry for acting so disheartened during our trip home and even now."
"It's fine. Just remember that I'm here for you if you need to talk."
"Thank you," she gave her a smile before returning to her scrubbing and hair washing. Seconds later, the pixies returned with a set of clothes for both princesses and draped them over the sides of the dressing partitions.
XXXXX
Marianne and Dawn soon stepped out of the washroom completely refreshed and rejuvenated. Both were wearing knee-length dresses, leggings and boots as they made their way down the hall. Dawn's attire was sunshine yellow in color while Marianne's was burgundy, seeing as how she preferred darker colors. While she wasn't a huge fan of dresses, she tolerated them to an extent, so long as the fabric didn't hinder her movements. A fond smile appeared across her face as she lightly touched the flower that the pixies had placed back in her hair. Knowing Bog was the one who gifted her with the beautiful flora made it all the more special to her.
As the two of them entered the private dining room, both Marianne and Dawn were greeted by the loving face of their father. "Ah, there's my darling girls. You two look much better now that you've tidied up."
"Well, I certainly feel better now that I'm clean and dirt free," Dawn happily beamed as she sat on his left side while Marianne took her seat on the right.
Once dinner was served and the three of them began to eat, Marianne finally spoke, "So Dad, I wanted to ask if you'd be interested in establishing a permanent trade route between the Fairy Kingdom and the Dark Forest. Bog and I discussed it earlier and we think it would be beneficial to everyone in the long run. Not only would it strengthen our alliance with the goblins and vice versa, but it would also provide both sides with a wider variety of goods and increase our winter stocks and supplies."
The king glanced at his firstborn and replied, "I see you both had put some thought into this proposal. I'll gladly consider a trade route between our kingdom and the Dark Forest, on the condition that Bog is here to discuss the details further. Being the ruler of his realm, this is a political matter that he should be present for. Of course, you and Dawn are also welcomed to sit in and voice your opinions and contribute to the discussion." He then gently took a hold of her hand and gave it a loving squeeze, "You're becoming a stronger ruler by the day, my dear. I'm proud of you."
She genuinely smiled at his compliment, "Thanks Dad." Marianne glanced over at the door for a moment before asking, "May I be excused so I can send Bog a message? I want to let him know that you wish to discuss the trade proposal in person. What day would work best for you to meet with him?"
He thought for a moment before replying, "I can meet with him tomorrow at noon or any time next week. However, you should finish your dinner first before you message him."
With a sigh, she did as told and ate her dinner before quickly flying off to the study room and began writing a letter to Bog, seeing as how she had a long message to send to him and didn't want to overwhelm the mushrooms. Nor did she want Thang to misinterpret the message and cause confusion, seeing as how he would likely be the one to deliver it to Bog.
My Dearest Bog,
I just wanted to thank you again for allowing my subjects, sister and I to stay the night inside your castle as we waited out the storm. I am beyond happy to have spent all that time with you and I hope to see you more often as time progresses.
To the matter at hand, I am sending you this letter in hopes that it reaches you safely and soon. I just spoke to my Father about the trade proposal we talked about earlier and he wishes to discuss the subject further with you in person. He is available to meet with you tomorrow after noon or anytime this next week provided if your schedule is open for a visit to the Fairy Kingdom.
That being said, I look forward to seeing you again, my handsome Bog King. Until I am in your arms once more, I shall fondly look back on my memories spent with you.
Love, Marianne
With her letter complete, Marianne folded it up and placed it inside an envelope before taking out a stick of red-colored beeswax and holding it up to the flame that was emitting from a nearby candle. Once the wax began to melt, she held it over the envelope fold, allowing it to drip until she had a decent amount. Afterwards, she took out the royal seal and pressed it into the wax, signaling that it was a royal message and meant for Bog's eyes only.
Blowing out the candle, and taking the sealed letter in hand, Marianne flew out of the palace and made her way over to the border where she approached the nearest mushroom and presented the letter to him, "Would you all see that the Bog King receives this message?"
He nodded and passed the envelope over to the next mushroom and informed him to pass it down the line towards the goblin castle.
XXXXX
Bog was currently sitting on his (recently recovered) throne when Stuff ran into the throne room carrying an envelope in her hand. "Sire, a letter came for you from the Fairy Kingdom." She presented it to him, which he took notice of the seal and stated:
"Thank you, Stuff. You may return to your duties."
Once she left, he broke the seal and removed the letter from the envelope. A fond smile appeared along his face as he read the letter from Marianne.
"I see you got mail," Griselda entered the throne room with a smile. "By the look on your face, I'm guessing it's from Marianne?"
He glanced up from the parchment and gave a nod, "Aye. She spoke with her father about opening a trade route between the Fairy Kingdom and the Dark Forest. Apparently he's available for an audience with me tomorrow or anytime next week. As far as I know, I don't have anything planned yet."
"Nope. Just overseeing the tunnels and assisting me with making this place more hospitable. But you can do that when you get back." A smile crossed her face as she looked up at her son, "Sooo, are you also going to also ask the fairy king for permission to marry Marianne?"
He emitted a sigh, "Mother, I want to strengthen the alliance between our kingdoms and prove to him that I'm worthy of her hand first."
"Oh my precious boy, you needn't worry so much. You're already a strong and diligent ruler like your Father was, so you shouldn't fret about not being a good suitor or husband. Besides, it's obvious you two are in lofe with one another. Surely,even the fairy king can see that you two care for one another and make each other happy."
Bog rubbed his temple as her words sank in, "I know...but I still want to do things right by her and her Father. His approval is important to me and I would feel more at ease knowing that I had his blessing before I decide to propose to Marianne."
"Aww, you're such a gentleman. Just like your Father." She cupped his cheek and smiled, "You're becoming more and more like him with each passing day. He'd be so proud of you."
He emitted a slight 'hmm' sound, but a small smile appeared across his face at her comment. "I should respond to Marianne's letter before it gets too late." He then got up from his throne and headed off to the study to write her a reply.
Dearest Marianne,
Upon receiving your letter I have decided to stop by tomorrow afternoon to seek an audience with your Father and discuss trade between our kingdoms. I thank you for bringing this topic to his attention and I hope it will further strengthen our kingdoms' alliance.
On a different note, I'm glad you enjoyed your stay last night and I hope you will consider visiting the castle again soon. I miss seeing your beautiful face and hearing your voice. My heart longs to be next to you, but until the fates allow us to see one another again, I shall continue to fondly think of the times we've spent together thus far.
Until we meet again, tough girl, I will remain forever yours.
Love, Bog
With a satisfied smile, Bog rolled up the parchment and sealed it with wax before flying out of the castle and off towards the Fairy Kingdom. Knowing the likelihood of someone waiting at the end of the mushroom trail to deliver his letter to Marianne was slim to none, he decided to take it upon himself to deliver it. Granted, he wouldn't be able to bring it to Marianne as he was not expected at the castle at this hour, but perhaps he could find someone within the Fairy Kingdom who could deliver it to her.
XXXXX
Nearly an hour after leaving his castle, Bog found himself in the Fairy Kingdom. As he approached the elf village, he spotted a familiar white creature scampering along nearby.
The Imp. Of course!
Landing across from the small creature, Bog held up his hand, signaling he meant no harm. "You know who I am, correct?"
The creature gave a nod and squeaked at him.
"Do ye know the fairy princess, Marianne?"
He nodded and hopped up and down.
"Could you deliver this message to her for me? I'm not expected at the castle at this hour and I don't want to raise alarms among the fairies and elves. This message is to reach her right away, understood?"
Again, it squeaked and gave him a nod before accepting the sealed parchment and scampering off towards the castle. With that, Bog then headed back to the border and returned to his realm.