I don't own the Princess Bride in any way.

Blossom, Michael, Gabriel, Nettie, and Crazy Benjy however are my own characters.

(Excuse any mistakes you see. Thanks.)

Chapter 9

Traveling through the Weeping Weeds…

Fezzik trotted along through the weeping weeds. Now Inigo was his very best friend, he was more like a brother to him; but Inigo's cries were starting to get on his nerves. Luckily, Fezzik had one thing most giants don't. Patience.

"Inigo, we must keep moving."

"I want my daddy Fezzik."

"I know. You've been telling me that all morning. I miss my family too."

"You do? I thought you hated your family. Didn't they make you become a wrestler at twelve because you were big for your age? And you didn't want to do it because you thought you would kill someone. And you did. Remember?"

Fezzik didn't like his friend reminding him of this. Most of the time Fezzik couldn't even remember what happened in his past. He liked it that way. "Oh, yes Inigo." Fezzik replies, "I remember now."

Inigo actually takes a minute to think. "Why do I cry and you don't?"

"They say it's the weeds that make you want to cry."

"But why don't you cry?"

"I don't know Inigo. I guess I'm not bright enough to understand what they say."

This kept Inigo from crying just for a little while, but it wasn't too long before he was at it again. Inigo stops walking and falls to his knees, "Daddy! Why did you have to go?" He starts crying like a baby and refuses to move.

Fezzik had never seen his friend act so strangely before and he wasn't sure how to handle it. "It's alright Inigo. What do you want me to do?"

"Leave me here good friend. Save Blossom. I can't go any further."

"I can't do this on my own." Fezzik says helplessly, "I'm not smart enough."

Inigo continues to cry.

So Fezzik grabs the collar of his friend and drags him through the field. Inigo grabs hold of a weed and holds it steadfast. "No! No! Leave me! Let me rot in here!"

Fezzik pulls on the legs of his friend. "Would it help if we rhymed some, Inigo? Maybe that would cheer you up."

"No more rhymes for me my friend. Death is so near."

This saddens Fezzik. He really was in the mood for a good rhyme. That always seemed to make him feel better when he was confused or scared. So he decided to rhyme with himself. "Come friend, we need to find Blossom and soon."

"Daddy!"

Fezzik, with little effort, lifts Inigo onto his shoulder and begins to trot through the woods again. "We'll be out by the afternoon."

"I want my Daddy!"

"Don't cry. Look at the pretty sky."

"I want to die!"

Deeper in the Twisted Gallows…

Traveling through the muck our shoes talk to us.

Squish, Squash, Squish, and Squash.

Nettie was feeling much better at this point. She was still a little weak but she looked more like herself. Everything else was the same as it had been before. It was chilly and damp. The sun still didn't make it through the treetops so it was gloomy and dark even though we were quite sure it was daytime. There were no other sounds besides those of our shoes. The air was still very thick, but now there was an odd smell rising in the atmosphere. We couldn't tell what it was.

As usual Michael led the way. He had been taking very good care of us. I never got to ask him what he meant back in the weeping weeds, before we went to save Nettie. He said he believed his destiny was with me. We weren't able to discuss that further, but I wish we had. I don't know Michael that well, it's true, but I still would love to be apart of his destiny. I feel weird just by thinking about it. I'm too busy trying to run away to think about love. Still whenever he smiles I feel something tingle inside of me.

I try to keep my mind off him by thinking of something else. "Bandits, weeping weeds, biting bunnies, and severe storms." I say in my head, "That's what Michael's family told us to look out for. The weeping weeds were over with, that only left the bandits, biting bunnies, and severe storms. If we're lucky we won't see any of those things."

"Can we sit for awhile?" Nettie asks, taking me out of my thoughts.

"Feeling sick again?" Michael asks.

"No. I just lost my shoe in the mud again for the fourth time this morning. This is so frustrating. Can we stop before I lose my mind?"

"Absolutely."

We very well couldn't sit on the ground with all the mud. We find a fallen tree and sit on that. Nettie straps her shoes to her feet while Michael and I talk a bit.

"How far in the Twisted Gallows are we?"

"Let's see." Michael takes out the cloth map from one of his bags. He unrolls the map and slides closer to me. He holds one side of the map and I hold on to the other. "We are right here I think." He said. He points to spot on the map. It was hard to see in the darkness. I strain my eyes and I focus in on the spot. We weren't even half way through the Twisted Gallows.

"Are you sure that's where we are?"

"Pretty sure. I'll know for sure if we come across this special tree."

"What kind of special tree?"

"The tree of lights. It's supposed it be beautiful."

"I thought nothing good could ever survive the Gallows?"

"There are many beautiful people and things that aren't necessarily good Princess. But as far as I know there it nothing wrong with this tree."

"I'm ready now." Nettie says and we are once again up on our feet.

We walked for a while without much to say. Boredom was slowly starting to swallow us whole. Nettie and Michael took turns telling stories and jokes until we were all dying of laughter. We were laughing so hard we didn't even notice the changes in the atmosphere around us. We were giggling so intensely we didn't even see what was coming up ahead.

Back at the beginning of the Weeping Weeds…

Prince Humperdink and his men had just entered the Weeping Weeds. Prince Humperdink was very interested in the entertaining weeds. However, the butler remembered hearing tales about the weeds.

"Your highness?" the butler says in a quiet voice.

"Yes. What is it?"

"Maybe we should travel around the weeds. I remember hearing tales of people dying in these weeds."

Humperdink laughs in his stupidity. "Don't be daft man. I see nothing wrong with going straight through."

"Your highness, everything isn't always what it seems."

"I have to agree with the man." Newt Yellin says, " The weeping weeds are dangerous."

"You both are crazy. The sunshine will be good for me and the army."

"The men don't mind the darkness." The butler says, "Isn't that right men?"

All the men agreed. They had all heard stories about the weeds as well. They weren't sure if they were true or not. However, to be on the safe side they figured it best to go around the weeds as well.

"Who cares if they prefer the darkness? I can't go back there. Look at what it is doing to my hair?" Prince Humperdink pointed to his slightly frizzy hair. The damp hair was serving him some kind of injustice. "Tell me," He says to his butler, "That my hair isn't terrible since going through the damp forest."

Everyone looks at the butler. He could easily lie and then they would have to go around the field. The butler didn't like being put on the spot and wasn't sure of what to do. Could he lie to his prince, the future king? Sadly, the butler was an old man and honesty was his policy. "Your hair doesn't look that bad, your highness."

"You see this man speaks the truth. If we continue through that cold forest I'll catch my death. We shall go through the weeds."

Yellin was frustrated, "Prince Humperdink, you can't go through the dangerous weeping weeds just because you are scared of a little frizzy hair!"

"I kept warning you Yellin. Newt or not I'm still your Prince, your superiority. I know what I want and what I want is what my people want. Am I right?"

The rest of the men reluctantly agree.

"There you have it. Come men! Through the field we go!"

The men roll their eyes and march through the field. They sang Florin's official anthem as they walked. Prince Humperdink refused to sing. In his mind it was his loyal subjects duty to sing the song to him and he would not take any part of it. Instead he listened to the laughter of the weeds. So the men sang as their prince idiot laughed until he actually peed his pants.

Further ahead in the Twisted Gallows…

Michael was the first to stop laughing and pay attention to what lay ahead. He stopped in his tracks. Nettie and I unknowingly bumped right into him.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Nettie asks as she tries to control her laughing again.

"Princess?" he says not answering the question.

"Yes, Michael."

"I know where we are for sure now."

I look all around us and now I know what he means. Things had changed once again in the Twisted Gallows. The tall gloomy trees were once again gone. The dimness was lifted and air was much lighter. The trees were different now. They were much smaller which let in rays of the sun. There were actually flowers in bloom. There were birds chirping and squirrels scurrying across tree branches. It was as if some kind of garden had been placed in the middle of the Twisted Gallows.

Right ahead of us was what Michael and told me about before. In the middle of it all was a tall, thick tree. It was more magnificent than any other tree I had ever seen. Its branches were high and full of leaves. It was like one of trees you may hear about in fairy tales and bedtime stories. It glowed not from the sun but from something more magical than that. It looked too beautiful to be real.

My first thought was to run through the garden to the glowing tree. But I was much wiser than I was before. I remembered the weeds and was more cautious this time. I put my arm through his and I hold on tight. I've never been so scared of light in my life. "Do you think it's safe?" I ask him.

Michael was surprised by me doing this but he doesn't hesitate. He takes my hand, "I don't know Princess. It looks alright."

"What should we do?" Nettie asked.

"We better check it out."

Michael inched forward. I stuck to him like glue. He was very cautious of everything around him. The garden was filled with all sorts of familiar plants. There were small apple, peach, and lemon trees. From the ground sprouted watermelons, tomatoes, and pumpkins. There were flowers too. Roses, orchids, and pansies just to name a few. The flowers were every shade of the rainbow. The smell of everything was so sweet.

It wasn't long before we were in the center of the gorgeous garden. We stood at the base of the glowing tree that was set upon a small hill.

"It looks even better up close." Nettie commented.

"Come on."

Michael walks closer and touches the trunk of the tree. When everything seemed okay with him Nettie and I follow his example. The trunk was smooth and slick. Michael starts to climb the tree and I'm quick to follow.

"Do you need some help?" Michael asks willingly offering me a hand.

"Trust me. This isn't the first time I have climbed a tree in a dress." I climb the tree like a skilled cat. I see how impressed he is by this.

Nettie comes up and next and we take in the view. I could see the whole garden perfectly from where I sat. I could see the edge were the dimness stopped and light started. It was strange; at the end of darkness there was always some kind of lightness. The tree of light had the biggest and the greenest leaves I have ever seen. I could have stayed there forever but I was careful not to get too comfortable. I didn't want a repeat of what had happened in the weeping willows.

"Look at what I found." Michael calls.

Nettie and I climb to a closer branch. We sit on the same one since the branches were huge and sturdy. Michael plucks a round object wrapped in a nest of the tree's green leaves. After pulling the leaves away he reveals a pink oval shaped thing with specks of yellow and blue on it.

"What is that thing?" Nettie questions him.

"I think it's a type of fruit."

"I've never seen a fruit that looks like that before."

"If I'm correct this is the tree of light. There is not another tree on earth like this one. So hardly anyone has seen this fruit."

A stomach grumbles. It was mine. "Do you think we could eat it?" It was a bit odd, but it still looked good and I was really hungry.

Nettie takes out Crazy Benjy's book from her sack. She searched the book for a description of the fruit. It took forever but finally she shouts, "Yes finally! I got it! It says 'In the Twisted Gallows lives a wondrous tree that produces a pinkish fruit that resembles an Easter egg. It is quite delicious and one of the sweetest fruits on earth. The taste is a combination of many things. One bite will always be different than the next.'"

"So what do you think?" I say with hunger on my mind, "Should we try it?"

Michael plucks two more and we take the first bite together. The pinkish skin was waxy and smooth like the tree's trunk and branches. The flavor took a while to pop. At first I was chewing the waxy skin and flesh, then I taste a burst of blueberry. I spit it out quick.

"Yuck! That's nasty!"

"What are you talking about?" Nettie says, "This is good."

"It tastes like blueberries. I hate blueberries."

"Really? Mine taste like watermelon. What about you Michael?"

"Cherry." He says, "Would you want some of mine Princess?"

"Not really. Cherry isn't exactly my favorite either."

"Here." Nettie says as she hands over her fruit, "I'll switch with you. I don't mind blueberry."

I gladly trade. I taste the watermelon but then the flavor changes. Now it was a combination of watermelon and granny smith apples. I took another bite and now it's peaches. That's how it went. Bite after bite tasted like a different fruit. It was amazing.

"We should take some of these with us before we go." Michael suggests. We all make a mental note to pack our bags full of the fruit before we depart.

"Do you think we should stay a while?" Nettie inquires.

"Yeah." Michael says. "We can gather some more food while we still have the chance."

It was settled. We would spend the night then tomorrow we would be on our way again.

We climbed down from the tree of lights. We placed the rest of our things under the tree. Michael was still hungry and wanted to try some of the watermelon we spotted on the west side of the garden. Nettie thought she heard running water and desperately wanted a bath. We promised each other to be on guard at all times and not to wander too far. We would meet back at the tree of lights in a little while. We went on our separate ways. A part of me wanted to go with Michael so we could talk, but from the tree's branches I had spotted a path that looked intriguing. I knew I would kick myself later for not going with him, but as usual curiosity got the best of me.

The path led to the south end of the garden, the opposite direction of both Nettie and Michael. It was a small dirt path. Strawberries ran along side the trail. I walked and stopped every few steps to stuff my mouth with the fruit. I've never tasted anything so fresh.

The path led me to a hill of flowers. Orange spotted tiger lilies, white daisies, pink tulips, plum violets, and blue African lilies. They were all planted on the hill along with many other flowers. I was careful not to step on any of them. I walked to the top of the small hill and circled around. The view was very small. I couldn't see that far from where I stood.

I cleared a small spot on the hill and sat down. It was very peaceful. A breeze would pass by on occasion bringing the sweet smell of the fruit with it. I took off my shoes and let my feet enjoy the grass. A swarm of butterflies came and joined me. At first they simply rested on some of the flowers near by. Then one by one they started to land on me. A blue one landed on my right pinky. An orange and white butterfly landed on my left shoulder, then a yellow one on the side of my face. Before I knew it, twenty butterflies danced around me. Their wings tickled me though I tried my best not to move. If I wasn't careful I would kill them.

One at a time they got bored of me and started to leave. The blue one stayed around for a while. When it descended down the hill I had this urge to follow it. All the butterflies were going to the same place. I followed them through some bushes and past a few orange trees. The blue butterfly disappeared behind some vines. Pushing the vines away I see that it is a cave. I don't hesitate and I walk right through.

The cave was bright from all the shimmering crystals imbedded in the walls of the place. The butterflies were all crowded together fluttering around in circles. I still had no idea why they here. I sat down in the dirt and watched them fly for a while. The hum of their wings brushing together was sort of relaxing as it echoed in the cave. I find myself drifting into a very light, soft sleep.

When I awake I'm floating in mid air. I'm four feet off the ground. I scream, breaking my peaceful state, and I crash to the floor. I scare the butterflies who immediately leave the cave. I sit trying to think of what had just happened. I try to do it again, but I had no idea how. I close my eyes tight but nothing happened. After awhile I convince myself that it was just apart of a dream though that didn't explain why my backside was sore.

I left the cave and made my way back to the hill of flowers. I stop and pick blue African lilies to put in my hair. I also pick tiger lilies for Nettie. I take the path back to the tree of lights, stopping every once in a while for more strawberries. When I get back to the tree no one is there. I figure Nettie is still bathing and Michael was still at the watermelon patch.

I sigh and I start to walk to the west side of the garden. Michael wasn't too far off. He was sitting on a stone. When I found him he was cutting open a watermelon with the sword Crazy Benjy had given him.

"Hi Michael."

"Hello Princess. Where have you been?"

"I found a flower meadow. What have you been up to?"

Michael gestures to a pile of eaten watermelon.

"You ate all of that?" I exclaim.

"No, I wish. Every time I try to eat some bird, squirrel, or raccoon comes out of no where and starts picking at it."

"Those animals are usually afraid of humans."

"These aren't. I guess they figure it's their garden so they should get first dibs."

I laugh. Michael throws another open watermelon into the pile. Birds, raccoons, possums, and not to mention squirrels swarm the pile.

"That's remarkable."

"Here, have a seat. The next one will be ours." I take a seat on a stone close to him. He starts to crack the watermelon in half.

I had planned to ask him about his destiny and what it had to do with me. But I was slowly chickening out. I wasn't sure how to bring it up or what exactly to say. I just sat quietly as I watched his strong hands spilt the watermelon.

"Have you seen Nettie?"

"No I haven't actually. I picked some flowers for her though."

Michael looks up at me and smiles. He pulls out a handkerchief for me. "You've been eating a lot of strawberries too I see."

I touch my mouth and realize my lips were surrounded with smudges of strawberries. I quickly swipe my mouth feeling like such a fool.

"Were they good?" Michael asks.

"Delicious." I say blushing red.

Michael and I share the watermelon. It tasted like sweet water. I could eat it for days.

"Do you think this is what paradise is like?" I ask him after a while.

"One can only hope."

"Michael?"

"Yes Princess."

"Uh…well…I'm not sure how to say this. So I'll just say it."

Michael looks confused. "…Okay…"

"Umm…why do you feel that your destiny in connected with me?" The question was out of the blue. The moment it escaped my lips I started to wish I hadn't said it at all.

"Would you rather I didn't feel that way?"

"No! It… I didn't mean it like that. I want to be apart of your destiny-"

Michael looks at me curiously. What was I saying?

"I mean I don't mind being apart of your destiny I was just wandering why you felt that way."

Michael's green eyes look me over. I suddenly want to die.

There was an awkward silence.

"That's a good question." Michael tucks a brown curl behind his ear. "I guess it's just a feeling that I have. A feeling that I'm doing the right thing." He turns attention from the fruit to a plum tree up ahead. "I was taught to pay attention to the little feelings and hints. They can lead you to happiness you know."

"So I can bring you happiness? That's what you mean?"

Michael looks back at me and grins. "I think so. Don't you?"

I can only smile at this and nod my head a little. I didn't know what to say so I don't say anything at all. I didn't want to ruin anything. I just sit back and take calming breaths. He likes me. That's what he was hinting at. I feel something inside of me overload with happiness.

When we were both finished we just sat back for a moment.

"You ready to go?" Michael asks, "Nettie is probably looking for us now."

I didn't want to go, but I couldn't think of a good reason to stay either. I get up and walk over to where he stood.

"Watch out for the veins." He warns me, but it was much to late.

I trip on a watermelon vine. For a second everything is moving in slow motion. I'm preparing myself for the impact of the ground when Michael catches me in his arms.

"Are you alright Princess?"

Michael holds me tight in his arms. "Umm…yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Michael pulls me up and steadies me on my feet. "Oh you lost your flowers."

I felt so embarrassed. I bend down and scoop up Nettie's tiger lilies.

"Don't forget these." Michael places the blue African lilies back into my hair. His hand caresses the side of my face. I feel something spark though I'm not sure what it is. Our eyes are connected and neither of us moves at first. Something jumps inside of me. He brings me in closer.

"Michael! Blossom!" Nettie calls.

Reality hits us both and without a word we walk to Nettie. The dream was over.

"Where have you two been? I've been looking for you guys everywhere. I couldn't find the river. I must have been hearing things."

We don't say anything. I pray Nettie doesn't notice how red in the face I was.

"It'll be dark soon." Nettie informs us, "Shouldn't we be making camp?"

On a ship heading for Devons…

Westley is still upset at me for leaving Jatonia. We were finally safe and now I wanted to go right back in harms way. He tried to make a compromise. He would go and bring back Blossom, Inigo, and Fezzik. I would have to stay at the inn of course at Jatonia. I told him that I couldn't do that. Blossom was my little sister. I promised mother that I would look after her. Now she was a butterfly trapped in a jar. I was going to save her no matter what.

When Westley realized he couldn't change my mind he gave in. Now we are both on a merchant ship heading for Devons. When Inigo and Fezzik made the journey a few days earlier they had taken the road around the Twisted Gallows to Florin. Maybe that's what took them so long. Maybe that's why they didn't get to her in time. This time Westley and I would go through the Twisted Gallows to find Blossom.

Westley kept his eyes upon the sea. He was deriving some sort of plan, a scheme. I could tell. He was mad with me for now but I'm sure in the morning it would all be different. Hopefully he would be over it by then.

Back in the Garden…

Michael and I didn't speak anymore about our destiny together after Nettie found us. We explored the garden together and picked different fruits to have for dinner. We sat on the little hill, the base of the tree.

"It's beautiful here." She said, "And there are no talking weeds."

"It's a nice change isn't." I say.

"You're telling me. I have seen the cutest little baby foxes on the east side of the garden. They looked like a little puppies. I just wanted to kiss them all."

"You should be careful. Mothers are very protective of their babies." Michael comments.

"Not this mother. She let my come real close to her babies. She didn't mind. She was very laid back. Probably because she has never seen humans before."

My mind starts to drift back to my secret cave that I spent my afternoon in. I had been flying or floating at least. I couldn't deny that. I didn't know how it happened but I had this strong urge to try it again.

"I'll be back." I tell Nettie and Michael as I climb down the hill.

"Where are you going?" Michael asks.

"I left something in the flower meadow." I lie, "I'll be right back."

"Well okay. Hurry though. It will be nightfall soon."

R&R please.