(Disclaimer: I do not own Strange Magic; just my OC's that occasionally pop up in Bog and Marianne's dreams :))

(Authors Note: Hello dear readers/fellow writers and fans, I am so, so glad to be posting another chapter for all of you to enjoy! I love the positive feedback this story has received so far and I hope is has brought smiles to your faces and good vibes to your day :) I can't wait to write more and add onto the story, but know that if it takes me a little while to update, I haven't forgotten to do so: I'm just trying to give all of my creations some attention and have been working on other hobbies in my spare time. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the latest chapter and feel free to comment if you'd like. Your positivity is always appreciated and inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to read this story and until next time, stay safe, stay sane and stay awesome!)

"English/Common"

"Memories/Dreams"

XXXXX

-Later-

After nearly two hours of slow and careful shaping and polishing, Bog finally had the amethyst ready for crafting. Placing it beside the amber pieces for comparison, it was about twice their size and would make a perfect center inlay for Marianne's ring. Now that the gems were ready, all that was left to do was to make the band and assemble it all together before midsummer's eve. An achievable goal, except Bog needed to figure out Marianne's ring size. But how? How would he find out her ring size without her knowing?

Of course! Dawn!

She would know what size Marianne's finger was. With that, he placed the flawless gemstones back inside the drawer and was about to pull out a piece of parchment to write a message to Dawn, but decided against it. He couldn't risk Marianne finding the letter and discovering his plan. No. He would just have to go to the Fairy Kingdom and speak to the younger princess in person. It was for the better anyway. Besides, while there he'd see Marianne again and that in itself was well worth the trip.

With his mind set, he was about to fly over to the Fairy Kingdom but stopped when he realized it was now dusk. There was no way he'd make it there before nightfall and even so, what then? It wasn't like he could just enter the castle unannounced. No. He'd just have to go in the morning.

XXXXX

As the dust settled from the castle wreckage, Marianne knelt beside the abyss where the Bog King had fallen following his self-sacrifice to save her and her sister, from the collapse. Hoping to save him, she flew down into the deep canyon and came upon the wolf skull that previously had him trapped within its jaws: It was now lying on its side with its jaws parted and a familiar figure lying partially buried beside it.

"Bog!" She rushed to his side and started clearing away some of the rubble that had him trapped. Once he was free, she noticed that he was still alive!

He weakly opened his blue eyes and stared up at the beautiful fairy before him, "...M-Marianne?"

"...Yes, it's me...I'm so sorry for everything that's happened…"

"...Maybe...it's better this way…"

"No, don't talk like that. You'll be alright...We're together now. Everything will be just fine…"

He reached up and gently caressed her cheek, "...At least...I got to see you...one last time…" Drawing his last breath, Bog closed his eyes, never to open them again.

"NOOO!" Marianne shot out of bed trembling while tears flowed down her cheeks. Her scream had alerted Dawn who immediately entered her room and approached the bed:

"Marianne?! What's wrong?!"

"Bog...Where's Bog?!"

"He's back at his castle. Why?"

"...I dreamt of 'that day' and he didn't survive the collapse…"

"Oh Marianne," she sat beside her sister and wrapped her arms around her in a soothing hug. "Come on, I'll make you some tea," she then led her out of the bedroom and down the hall where they eventually made their way into the kitchen. Upon entering, Dawn encouraged her to sit down by the fire while she began brewing some herbal tea.

*sigh* "Thanks for coming in to check on me. I'm just sorry you had to see me in such a pitiful state."

"Oh Marianne, you should know that I would never find you pitiful. Stubborn and overprotective, maybe. But not pitiful," she stated as she pulled out a pair of teacups and saucers. "By the way, Sunny told me yesterday that a small caravan of elves and worker fairies will be heading over to the Dark Forest this morning to deliver some supplies and offer assistance in finishing the hibernation tunnels. If you'd like to go with them, I'd gladly cover for you."

"Really?" She asked with a sparkle in her eyes, to which Dawn nodded and poured her some tea:

"Of course. If I was in your situation, I know you'd do the same for me. Besides, after the nightmare you had I think it would be best if you went to see Bog."

"Thanks Sis."

"You're welcome."

XXXXX

-Morning-

While Marianne was currently traveling through the Dark Forest with the caravan, Bog was on his way to the Fairy Kingdom. However, he didn't fly his usual route or else he would have seen his beloved fairy princess. No. This time he took a more scenic route as a means to clear his mind and figure out how he planned to propose to Marianne. Of course he still had a week to prepare, but in the meantime he needed to ask Dawn if she knew her sister's ring size.

A small smirk crossed his face as he finally entered the large meadow and made his way over to the construction site where he spotted a familiar fairy princess among the elves, brownies and worker fairies. Before he could speak, Dawn approached with a cheerful smile, "Bog, it's so good to see you again! What brings you over here so unexpectedly?"

He offered a small smirk and answered, "I actually stopped by because I had a question to ask ya."

"Oh, then by all means, ask away."

He motioned for her to follow him over beside one of the buildings, to which she did and upon making sure the coast was clear, he spoke in a hushed tone, "I was wondering if ye knew yer sister's ring size? I'm in the process of crafting her an engagement ring and I need to make sure it'll fit her."

Dawn had to keep herself from squealing out of excitement. With a nod, she said, "I can help with that. There's actually a ring you can use as a reference to her finger size. She and I wear the same size rings, so I'll go fetch you one from my jewelry box and you can take it back with you."

"I appreciate it. Thank you."

"No problem. By the way, did you happen to see Marianne on your flight over here?"

He shook his head, "I took a different route this time. Why? Is she alright?"

She nodded, "Oh yea, she's fine. She left this morning with a caravan of fairies and elves on their way to your castle. They're delivering another portion of your winter supply order and were going to help your goblins down in the tunnels."

At the prospect of seeing her, he smiled, "I'll be sure to see her when I return."

"I doubt she let you leave her side once you do. Anyways, I'll go fetch that ring for you, but in the meantime feel free to have a look around." She then flew off towards the castle, leaving Bog to casually inspect the building progress. He had to admit that while fairies, elves and brownies weren't as strong as goblins, they were pretty crafty when it came to construction.

Dawn returned shortly afterwards and handed him a small parcel, "Here you are Bog, this should give you an adequate size of Marianne's finger. I didn't want to risk you accidentally losing it, so I sealed it in an envelope. Plus, it's more discreet that way," she winked.

He graciously accepted the small, sealed envelope and gave a slight bow of his head, "Thank ye Dawn. Ye've been a great help to me and I...well, we, both thank ye."

"I'm glad I was able to assist you. Now you get back to your castle and don't let Marianne catch you with that parcel or else she might suspect something."

At that, he chuckled, "Trust me, I won't let her see what I've been working on until I present it to her myself. Now, I must be on my way; but I will see you again soon."

"Alrighty; take care," she then watched as he took off and flew back into the Dark Forest where her sister was likely waiting for him at his castle.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, Marianne followed Griselda down into the tunnels and was amazed at how far along they had come since she had been here last: there was at least a dozen main tunnel routes that branched off into smaller corridors that led into large storehouses, bunkers, pantries, and various other rooms and facilities. 'Wow, goblins sure work fast,' she mentally told herself. Of course it helped that most goblins were nocturnal, so Bog had several work crews altering shifts between day and night to constantly work on the construction. It was clear that they were all determined to finish before the harvest season so they could focus on foraging, gathering, and storing food for the winter months.

After touring through the tunnels, the two of them headed back up to the main level of the castle and into the kitchen for some tea. As they sat at the small breakfast table, Marianne asked Griselda, "Has Bog mentioned the Midsummer Gala to you yet? I sent an invitation to him recently and informed him that the invitation is extended to everyone within his realm."

She smiled and gave a nod, "He informed his subjects and I about it this morning and we've drawn up a list of those who wish to attend. Now, I don't want to alarm you, but there's at least fifty names on that list."

Marianne waved it off and lightly shook her head, "That's perfectly fine. Seeing as how the event is going to be held outdoors, there'll be plenty of room for everyone to mingle. We'll just be sure to add a few more long tables for everyone to sit at when it's time for the feast."

"Speaking of, would you like us to bring something to contribute? I could whip up some non-meat dishes to bring if you'd like. I'd just need a day or two to gather and prepare everything before the gala starts."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea Griselda. Anything you bring will be well received. Thank you so much for offering."

"Of course dearie."

XXXXX

-An hour later-

Bog arrived at his castle and quickly made his way upstairs to his room to hide the parcel containing the ring he intended to use as a model for Marianne's engagement ring. Yes he wanted to see his beloved fairy princess, but he couldn't risk her discovering his project. He intended it as a surprise. Placing the sealed envelope within his desk drawer, Bog returned downstairs to find his dear Marianne sitting in the kitchen and conversing with his Mother. A small smirk crossed his face at their exchange for he knew they'd get along great together.

Marianne suddenly noticed him casually leaning against the doorway, to which she blushed and smiled over at him, "...Hi. I'm sorry for coming over unannounced, but I wanted to surprise you."

"And ye did," he smirked and approached, to which he then leaned down and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips.

Meanwhile, Griselda observed their exchange with a smile on her face, "Aw, you two are just the cutest couple." At the annoyed look her son was giving, she chuckled, "Yes, yes, I'll leave you two alone for the moment, but you better behave yourselves while I'm gone."

He was about to say something when he felt Marianne's fingers gently touch his forearm. "We'll be good," she assured her. "Thank you for the tea and conversation. I hope we can do that again soon."

"Of course dearie," she warmly replied before heading out of the kitchen. 'She'll make a great Queen for my boy,' she mentally stated with a smile.

XXXXX

-Later-

Despite the day starting off sunny and pleasant, the weather changed dramatically. At the moment, the sky was darkening and the wind had picked up immensely. So much so that Bog had ordered all of his subjects to stay indoors and take shelter for the time being. Upon hearing a massive crash of thunder erupt from the sky, Marianne practically jumped into Bog's arms as they walked down the hallway.

Holding her close, he could feel her heart rapidly beating within her chest as she worked to calm her nerves. He knew she hated thunderstorms as it was an instinctual fear for fairies, but in no way did that make her appear weak. On the contrary, she was quite brave to admit to her fear whereas others would try to deny it when confronted. Another thunder crash caused her to wrap her arms around him, to which he gently rubbed the space between her wings and planted a kiss atop her head:

"I'm here my love. I'll be right here beside ye for as long as ye like."

"...Thank you," she quietly replied before planting a soft kiss to his chitin-plated chest.

He gave her a nod and led her upstairs, knowing she'd want to remain in his embrace for a while as she felt safest in his arms.

Upon entering the study/library, Bog sat in his desk chair and held Marianne in his lap while she distracted herself from the outside storm by studying the map that was in front of her: "You've been to Blackstone Mountain?"

"Once, but it's a long and dangerous journey to get there. Within the bowels of the mountain lies a place known as the Black Chasm, which is said to be completely untouched by the sun and is home to dangerous creatures."

"What sort of creatures?"

He shrugged, "Nobody knows; but then again the Black Chasm hasn't really been explored by outsiders before. It's generally an area everyone tries to avoid out of fear and superstition. There have been stories of goblins who've tried exploring its depths and have never returned or one survives and is left completely maddened by the experience."

She shuddered, "I can't imagine wandering through a place that's completely untouched by the sun or any sort of light." Marianne shivered slightly, to which Bog gently picked her up and carried her over to the fireplace where he then sat in one of the armchairs and held her in his lap.

At her amused look, he shrugged, "What? You seemed cold so I brought you over here to warm up for a while."

A fond smile lined her face as she kissed his cheek, "Thank you."

"Of course."

XXXXX

Deciding the weather was too severe for Marianne and the other Fairy Kingdom residents to return home, several guest rooms were prepared after dinner. Of course Bog knew Marianne would likely end up in his room because she wouldn't be able to sleep while the storm raged on.

And he was right.

Nearly an hour after turning in for the night, Bog heard a soft knocking at his chamber door, to which he opened it to find his beloved fairy princess standing before him. Being the King and gentleman that he was, he offered her to come inside and stay with him which she willingly agreed.

The two of them were currently lying on top of his large, moss bed and cuddling one another as the storm continued to rage on outside. Of course they had shared a passionate moment together, but they had to stop themselves before it got out of control. As much as they desired to give into their baser instincts, they remained chaste and vowed to wait until they were married...whenever that might be.

'Spirits, it's becoming more and more difficult to resist her,' Bog told himself as he gently stroked the space between her wings. 'But I must wait until our wedding night. I will not tarnish her purity by marking her as my mate just yet,' he softly kissed her forehead which brought a smile to her beautiful face:

"Oh Bog, what did I ever do to deserve someone as amazing and wonderful as you?"

"Just being yourself, my beautiful tough girl."

"As yes, because cowering from a thunderstorm makes me tough," she teased.

He emitted a slight chuckle and caressed her cheek, "No...but confronting me and fighting me inside my own castle while attempting to rescue your sister certainly helped."

At that, she playfully rolled her eyes, "Say what you want, but you enjoyed that fight as much as I did."

"Aye, that I did," he softly growled and slid his hand down to her waist before gently nipping her neck while being mindful of his sharp teeth. "And I'd like to spar with you again sometime if you'd be up to the challenge?"

Marianne emitted a slight gasp as he nipped her neck, "Mmm, Bog...I gladly accept your challenge, but you should know that just because we're dating now doesn't mean I'll be holding back on you."

"I never expected you to," he replied with a smirk.

XXXXX

"Mama, ill (will) I ow (grow) up ta (to) be as pwetty (pretty) as you?" Aislinn asked her Mother while she gently ran a brush through her ebony hair.

Marianne fondly smiled down at her little girl, "I think you'll be even prettier, my little wing. You're already the most beautiful Princess in the kingdom."

"Ut (But) Mama, I'm ta onwy Pwincess (the only Princess)…," she pouted, to which Marianne leaned next to her and gave her a hug:

"You're the only Princess 'so far'," she corrected with a smile. "Remember that you're going to have a little brother or sister next year."

"Oh eah (yea)," she smiled and hugged her Mother's waist. "Hi baby brover or sisser (brother_sister), I'm er ig sisser (yer big sister) Aislinn. I wuv ou (love you)."

Marianne fluttered her eyes open and smiled before her gaze shifted up to Bog: he was peacefully sleeping while keeping a gentle hold on her. With a contented sigh, she rested her head back down on his chest and began to listen to his heartbeat:

*badump, badump, badump*

To her, it was the most beautiful sound in the world for it meant that the Spirits didn't take him away from her on 'that day' and that she'd get to spend more time with him. It also meant that all of this was real and not just another one of her dreams. No. This was definitely real. Placing a kiss over his heart, Marianne closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep while a fond smile lined Bog's face.