The next two weeks passed by in a very routine manner. She got up, peppermint maid dressed her in one of her new gowns, and she went to breakfast. She would then spend time with J.R. until lunch, eat, then be forced to spend more time with him again till dinner. After dinner she would claim to be tired from all of the day's activities and retire early. These were the times that she looked forward to the most because that was when she got to spend time with Peppermint Maid. These were the times that she got to relax and be herself.

Isis was shocked to find out that the peppermint maid was actually named Peppermint Maid. However, the name was too long for Isis, so she soon shortened it to Pepper. At first Pepper had put up quite a fuss. She was very old fashioned and insisted on being called by her proper title, just like she insisted that she must call Isis 'Your Highness.' With a little persuasion, and eventually just giving an order, Pepper gave in and did what she was told.

Like every night, Pepper helped her out of her day gown and into her night gown. They then settled by the fireplace in her room and talked. Isis was surprised at how easily they bonded. Soon they were sharing more than just stories. They began to share secrets. Before long, Isis was telling her how she hated how inferior her brother made her feel, how she wasn't really in love with J.R., and how badly she wanted to be Queen.

"Well why couldn't you be Queen?" Pepper asked, genuinely curious. "Queen Lolli was able to become Queen all on her own since she was the Princess of the Candy Kingdom." Isis let out a groan, the envy clear in her expression.

"Things are so different here! At the Ice Kingdom, everything is about tradition. I couldn't become Queen because I was a girl, and I was the youngest." She put her face in her hands and groaned again. Why did she have to be stuck here? Where her only pleasure in life was riding her horse and talking to a maid and a stable boy? Isis paused in her thinking. Honestly, her life wasn't much different compared to the Ice Kingdom. That only made her feel worse and sent her even deeper into her chasm of self-pity. All the while Pepper had remained silent, watching her soon-to-be-Queen, before finally piping up.

"Now that I think about it, Queen Lolli had an older brother too. They were twins, so it was only by a couple minutes, and the Queen was very similar to you in that way. She had no desire to be Queen though. However, the brother, when they were very young, fell sick and died, and Queen Lolli was the only heir left to the throne. So, she had to be the next ruler of the Kingdom because there was no one else." Throughout the story, Isis had slowly lifted her head to stare at Peppermint Maid. Her brother had died so she got the throne? Isis felt the wheels begin to turn in her head. If Luke was taken out of the picture then she could become Queen! Of course, she had thought of something as simple like this before, but never seriously. Luke was too healthy to suddenly fall sick and die, now if there was some sort of tragedy…

"Why do I feel like I gave you an idea?" Pepper sounded grim and Isis grinned at her. Pepper never liked her ideas. Of course, it was her opinion that women should only speak when spoken to.

"Because, my dear Pepper, you just did."

xxXXxx

Isis never dreamed that she would dread her wedding day. Pepper and a whole horde of maids were fussing over her snow white gown. It had the longest train she had ever seen and embroidered so much that it bordered gaudy. Why was she wearing this thing? She had had no input on the design. The Kings had argued over what the wedding gown would like it, each wanting her to wear their wives' gown, and decided to combine both of them. Isis had never seen an uglier dress, but did she have an opinion today? Of course not. Pepper patted her hand consolingly and Isis smiled at her little friend.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

"Ready to get this over with," was her bitter answer as Isis lifted the heavy fabric of the wedding dress off the floor. She could barely walk, but at least the wedding would be over with soon. It would be taking place outside in the gardens she had visited nearly two weeks ago. However, instead of getting the final touches of the dress done a few doors down from the gardens, the final touches had taken place in her room. On the other side of the castle.

"Remind me why we had to do this here?"

"Because it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her gown before the ceremony!" One of the maids whispered slyly. It made Isis wonder if that maid had fooled around with her fiancé on her wedding day.

"I see. But we could have easily done this in a room near the gardens."

"Too risky." The same made replied and Isis growled but fell silent. There was nothing she could do about it now, so she might as well deal with it. When the maids were done, they hurried to pick up the train of her dress as Isis walked through the castle. By the time she reached the gardens Isis felt like she was a sweaty mess, but the maids insisted that she looked absolutely beautiful. As they neared the doorway, Isis heard a pair of footsteps behind her and looked over her shoulder to see Luke rushing over to her. Startled, Isis stopped walking only to have her brother plow right into her. They almost toppled to the ground but Luke regained his balance and steadied her.

"Hey sis! Ready to get married?" Isis glared at him and snatched her arm away from his grasp.

"Of course not. What are you doing here?"

"To see my lovely sister get married of course!" Isis rolled her eyes and peered over her shoulder to try and find the person that did matter to her.

"Where's dad?" She asked, too busy looking for her father to see Luke's face fall.

"Doesn't it matter that I'm here?" He asked in a small voice and Isis turned her attention back to Luke, her face already forming into a sneer.

"Of course not. Why would I care that you're here? You've ignored me my whole life, and when you did actually look my way, you only mocked me. Not to mention you always rubbed it in my face that you were going to become King while I got married off to some geezer." Memories flooded her vision, only adding fuel to her fire. Luke walking past her like she didn't exist, Luke making her play the servant when he pretended to be King, Luke throwing away the present she had painstakingly made for him. All throughout her life he had treated her like dirt, yet when she finally had enough, he had the audacity to be hurt about it? She couldn't believe him!

Luke flinched like she had slapped him. Isis gave a snort of disgust before turning away to storm off. Her brother grabbed her arm and stopped her in her tracks. "That's not true!" Isis stared at him, bewildered. Was he really going to try and tell otherwise? Seeing her face, Luke seemed to decide to change tactic. "Okay, maybe it is, but the real truth is…I know I was mean to you all the time, but…when you left for the Candy Kingdom, I realized that I was going to miss you and that things weren't going be the same between us. I want to try and make up for being mean to you all those years and be your big brother for a change." Isis continued to stare, her bewilderment building.

Gag.

Was she reading some cheesy family novel? He was apologizing for all those years of mistreatment? Really? Like that would change anything? Isis snatched her arm away again, her lip curling in disgust. "Don't bother. I don't need your charity." She snapped before her father came into view. Her snarl instantly disappeared into a relieved smile. "Daddy!" She shouted and ran to her dad. The maids immediately started fussing and tried to keep her wedding dress train from tangling up as she leaped into her father's arms. The King laughed and twirled his daughter around before finally settling her back on the ground, smoothing down her hair with the care that only a parent would show.

"Oh my little snowflake, how I have missed you."

"Oh father! There's so much I want to tell you—"

"I'm afraid we can't talk now, snowflake. The ceremony's about to start and I have to walk you down the aisle." Isis's smile slowly melted off her face and she stared at her hands, disappointed, as her father looked at Luke. "Luke? What are you still doing back here? Go sit down!" That was all the attention the King gave his son before turning back to his daughter, cupping her face in his hands. "Oh Isis, you look so beautiful. Just like your mother." The King looked like he was about to tear up and Isis gave him a shaky smile, touched by the love in his eyes. The only time she had seen him look at someone with so much love was when her father gazed at her mother in paintings. He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs and Isis closed her eyes, not wanting this moment to end. Throughout her entire life she had wanted the Ice King to show just a fraction of the love he had shown Luke. It was sad that she had to be given away to someone else to finally be appreciated.

A soft knock echoed in the room and Pepper poked her head in. "I'm sorry your Highness, but the ceremony is about to start. Please be ready in a minute." With her message given, she opened the door wide to let the other maids in. Isis glanced behind her to see that no one was there holding her train. She had no idea when they left the room, but they had been so discreet that she hadn't even noticed. The maids quickly took their positions and her father kissed her lightly on the forehead before letting go, holding out his arm for her to take. "Ready?" He asked with a soft smile. Isis, even though she wanted to be anywhere else, smiled back.

"Ready." The lie came easily, but it soothed her father. He straightened as she took his arm. The doors opened wide and they strolled through the doorway as the music began. The pace was horribly slow but she eventually reached the altar. She kept her gaze averted as the ceremony proceeded. Isis spoke when she needed to and only lifted her head when it was time for the dreaded kiss. J.R. lifted her veil and she looked up. What she saw shocked her to her very core.

"…Gumball!?"