I forgot to mention this last chapter, but I have a cover for this one now! What do you guys think? I know... it's not great. All I had was the Paint program though :( That won't stop me from making awesome covers though! I will find a way! Anyway, here's the third chapter. We get to see Penelope get all lovesick. Enjoy :D
Chapter 3: One True Love
Not so far away from the janitors' laundry room and the musketeers training hall was a great palace (which looked a good deal like a ginormous mansion). In this great palace was a princess by the name of Penelope. She sat on her throne, picking petals off of a flower. "He loves me," she said, sighing happily. "He loves me a lot." She blew the petal away daintily and went for another petal. "He loves me." Another petal gets blown away. "He loves me even more." Another petal is daintily blown away. "He loves me." All these petals were being blown onto the head of an unfortunate lady-in-waiting. The lady-in-waiting, Isabella, was a great friend to the princess, but this was crossing a line: her annoyance line.
"Pardon me, your highness," said Isabella, blowing the petals from off of her head. "You're kinda mangling that flower, who's the, uh, lucky guy?" She asked, coming closer to the princess's side.
"My one true love," said Penelope dreamily, still holding the flower in her hands. She sighed happily. "I'll find him some day. He's out there, I just know it!"
"This fantasy man- do you happen to know if he's royalty?" Isabella nodded her head as if trying to make the princess subconsciously agree with her.
"Does it matter?" asked Penelope, rocking in her throne restlessly.
"Well, as you know, someone of your royal stature must be courted by a gentleman of royal blood." Penelope drooped in her throne, un-amused at having her dreams crushed by realism.
"What a royal pain," said Penelope, rising from her throne and heading away. Isabella followed her.
"Your highness, you're gonna have to pick someone sooner or later. I mean, ticktock, huh?" She emphasized. It was true, platypuses didn't live long and, in order for her family to stay on the throne, she would need a husband so that they could make heirs. The two walked down the hallway outside the throne room. If they continued this way, they'd reach the door to the gardens.
"Izzy, I can't marry someone I'm not in love with," Penelope said in an almost reprimanding tone.
"You want love? Buy a dog. Besides, the perfect guy isn't gonna just walk through the door and even if he does, how are you gonna know he's the one?"
Penelope giggled girlishly. "Oh, I'll know. Just imagine: He'll stride into the room, a light will glow from him, I'll hear music, he'll bring me flowers, he'll sweep me off my feet..." Penelope began twirling Isabella around, their hands joined. "...And I'll know he's the one when he makes me laugh." They stopped spinning and Isabella giggled.
"Your majesty, oh, forgive me for saying so, but that sounds..." She might have said "ridiculous" or "foolish," but Penelope's eyes were gleaming purple. They only gleamed that color when she was especially emotional. The smile on her beak was one of great hope. She was lovestruck by a guy she hadn't even met yet! Isabella couldn't bring herself to crush the princess's dreams though. "...Just lovely." Penelope put the flower in a vase and headed for the door to the gardens.
"Trust me, Izzy, I'll know him when I see him." She left out the garden door, just as the second to last petal fell. The flower had a teal petal on top and an orange middle. Anyone looking at it would recognize them as the colors of a male platypus.
Penelope, meanwhile, was in the palace gardens. She twirled around in her light turquoise gown as she went toward a pink rose-bush. She gingerly picked one, careful of the thorns, and made her way down the steps gracefully. As she went down, she passed by Terry, who was playing his lute the whole while. He sat atop the railing at the bottom of the stairs. He took off his hat in greeting to her. "Why, bonjour," she said, curtsying to him in reply.
Terry sighed as Penelope walked away. "A romantic princess deserves a romantic song, I think," he said. He played a new tune on his lute. He began, "Just around the corner seeking you, puppy love is tripping lightly into view. Hiding in the hedgerows, sneaking up on tip-toes, love's first kiss is blissfully about to capture you..." Penelope made her way through the garden. She passed by the gardener, Reginald, who greeted her the same way Terry did by taking off his hat. Only he bowed as well. Penelope curtsied in reply. The gardener watched his princess as she moved on to another part of the garden.
Penelope passed by one of the fountains and soon came up to two blue birds fluttering by. They fluttered near her and danced with her through the garden, one holding her dress and another holding her hand. Terry's song continued, "Just around the corner wafting close. Love is creeping nearer than you might suppose. So, sit still and wait now, let love choose your fate now. Take a pause, don't run, because it's right behind you, let love find you." As the song was being sung, three guys in brown robes, black clothes, and black masks wandered in the bushes, dragging a safe with them. Penelope didn't notice them.
Terry's song continued, "Young love! It's love, love, love, love, love, love so lovely. What can you say to love but love?" Penelope made her way further into the garden. She stood behind some rose bushes, looking beyond them to see the gardener and his wife, Winifred. She gave him a cup of tea and they both sat down together, holding each other closely. Penelope smiled, happy for them. She went on.
Penelope was on her way back to the palace, having had her fill of the glorious garden for the day. Unbeknownst to her, the three men in dark clothing were right behind her. They dragged the safe with them, malicious looks on their faces, and made their way further on. Penelope went back to the steps into the palace and sat down on them, rose still in hand. Terry's song continued, "Maybe on the rooftops climbing high. Somewhere just above you love is hovering by. Love is in a rush to smear you, smash you, smush you, love will crush you into mush when you're the bulls-eye, you'll get hit by young love! Your first, your only love. Love so lovely, how can you stand it so..."
All the while the last part of the song was being sung, the three men in dark clothing were on a balcony above Penelope, safe in hand. They were gonna drop it on her! All this was going on and Penelope was oblivious to it. She looked at the beautiful surroundings and saw the blue birds return, merely fluttering by this time. She looked on at all the beauty in bliss. Isabella called from inside, "Excuse me, your grace?" Penelope got up to go inside to see what Isabella wanted just as the song ended and the safe fell onto the steps! Penelope recoiled quickly, letting out a startled scream.
Isabella came out to see what made Penelope scream. "Your highness!" The two girls looked at the safe. Someone had tried to kill the princess! Above, one of the men hit the short one in the head, causing the little man to let out a groan of pain. He fell and the other two realized the noise might attract the attention of the women below, so they hid from view just in time for Penelope and Isabella to look up at the balcony. They saw no one there, but it was obvious someone had been. The evidence was right there in front of them! Penelope's countenance changed to one of angry determination. She'd make sure her life didn't become so endangered ever again.
Meanwhile, the three men had already made their escape into the underground. They ran down the hallways and stairs of the dungeon-like place. They were arguing all the while. "Who's gonna tell the boss the bad news?" asked Rodney one of the tall ones.
"Don't look at me, I ain't sayin' nothin,' " said Dr. Bloodpudding the other tall one. "You tell him."
"Me?! I told him last time, you silly twit, and I don't believe in doing it twice." Then, just as they were in front of the door to where they had to go, they ran into the short one, Dr. Diminutive, and Rodney was struck with an idea. "Here's an idea, shortie, you tell him." He pointed to the door.
Dr. Diminutive looked to the door, then looked back to Rodney, confused. "Tell him what?" he asked.
"That we- you know- botched the job?" Dr. Bloodpudding whispered the last part.
Dr. Diminutive gulped. "He's not going to like that," he said nervously. The other two waited behind while he opened the door to the lair of their boss. Their boss, the Enigma, was sitting in a chair, looking every bit like he was in command... and every bit like he was angry. He glared at the little doctor. "Uh, hello there," Dr. Diminutive said, walking in further. The Enigma got up with a struggle, his wooden leg and crutch slowing his progress. He continued nonetheless.
"It doesn't look good when only one shows up. Does it, small fry?" he emphasized the last two words, making Dr. Diminutive all the more intimidated. He closed the door and began pacing around the man.
Outside, the other two were at the door. Rodney was listening closely, but he couldn't hear much. "I can't hear anything except step, clop, clop, step, clop, clop," he said.
Inside, the Enigma heard their voices at the door and ceased his pacing. Dr. Bloodpudding had been looking at the keyhole then. "Have a look at the monster's better side," he said with a laugh. Rodney shivered at the thought, but went to look anyway, his curiosity getting the better of him. When he looked, he didn't see "the better side," as it were, he saw the bad side. The Enigma's one red eye glowed angrily though the keyhole. The Enigma punched through the door, causing the two to scream, but before they could react further, the Enigma dragged them through the newly made hole. Once they were in the room, he dropped them and the two immediately stood up beside their smaller compatriot. They looked at each other and, decision made, said their word.
"He has something to tell you, boss," they said in unison, pointing to Dr. Diminutive.
"It better be good news," the Enigma said, his red eye glowing angrily. The two tall ones backed up and Dr. Diminutive was left to give his testimony.
"Well, we did exactly what you said to do and dropped a safe on the princess!" Dr. Diminutive said. The Enigma was smiling in the first half, since it sounded like good news. Minions doing as they're told? Great! The second half sent him into panic though.
"You what?!" he exclaimed. He picked up Dr. Diminutive by his hood and said, "I didn't say drop a safe, you dolt, I said, 'Keep her safe'!"
"Well, that's good, 'cause we missed her," said Dr. Bloodpudding.
The Enigma threw down Dr. Diminutive angrily. "Now listen, you mutts," he said. He pointed to his eye as he said the first part of: "I've got a plan and it isn't to kill the princess. It's to kidnap her."
The three bumblers all let out a confused, "Huh?"
"The opera? It's tomorrow night?" he said, pointing to a poster. A chorus sang a song at the sight of the poster. It appeared to be a pirate opera, possibly The Pirates of Penzance. The Enigma continued after the short song ended. "The princess has got to be gone by then or I can't become king!"
"Oh!" the three bumblers said. They looked to each other, then Dr. Diminutive spoke.
"I don't get it," he said.
The Enigma slapped his hand on his face, exasperated at dealing with their stupidity. "Lieutenant Silver Viper!" he called.
The Silver Viper appeared in a flash. "Oui, oui, mon capitaine. You bellowed?" she asked, pleased to be of service, yet aware of the Enigma's demanding nature.
"Throw these blighters into The Pit!" the Enigma said, getting up on his wooden leg and crutch and pointing at the "blighters" as he spoke.
"Oui, oui, La Pit!" the Silver Viper said excitedly.
"No, no," said the three.
"Anything but La Pit!" said Dr. Diminutive.
"Bon voyage, losers," said the Silver Viper, hissing with her tongue before pulling a lever on the wall. The ground beneath the three collapsed from under them and dropped them into a deep, dark pit... that Dr. Diminutive could stand up and see out of.
"Oh, not so bad," said Dr. Diminutive.
After the dolts were put into the pit, the phone rang. The Silver Viper picked it up and answered it. "Bonjour, Enigma's secret lair, Silver Viper speaking," she said. There was a muttering on the end and the Silver Viper recoiled in shock. "The princess?!" She ran to the other side of the room where a big red button was. She punched it with her fist, causing an alarm to blare and a light in the shape of a crown to flash. The Enigma was already having enough of a bad day as it was with having to deal with idiots, now he would have to deal with the wrath of Princess Penelope.
Okay, so... still pretty basic. I can totally imagine Penelope getting all lovestruck like she was in the beginning XD Enigma's not having a good day, huh? I think Enigma deserves the fullness of the princess's wrath. The song in this chapter is "Love So Lovely" and I don't own the rights to it. So, with that said, please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)