Ginger looked around at her surroundings. She appeared to be in some large tent or maybe a hut.
She was laying on some type of bed with light blue satin sheets and a warm cotton blanket.
There were four women around her to looked to be preparing for something. They each had different colored garments in their hands. "What am doing here?" asked Ginger.
One of the women who had long dark black hair walked over to her and spoke. "It is okay your highness. You are safe now." She said placing a hand on Ginger's shoulder.
"Safe now? Your highness?"Ginger asked bewildered.
"Yes." One of the other women who had shoulder length brown hair replied walking over. "We were so happy to find out you are alive." She smiled.
"Alive?"
"We had believed you were lost at sea. It was heartbreaking. But the gods have smiled upon us and returned you back home." The dark haired woman explained with a smile.
Ginger was confused as what they were talking about. Why were they calling her your highness? She started to get up but the dark haired woman put out her hand stopping her.
"Please your highness…you must rest. We need to prepare you for your wedding."
Ginger's eyes went wide. "Wedding?"
"It will be such a joyful occasion!" The dark haired woman said. "Kawan is a good man. You will be very happy."
"Kawan?" Ginger said in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"
"Princess Rose…please….do not get too excited." said the brown haired woman. "You have a big day tomorrow. You are to be Kawan's bride."
Ginger was shocked. Bride? She was going to be someone's bride? Who was this Kawan person? Why was she supposed to marry him? Were these women crazy?
"You will make a good wife to him. As promised by his grandfather Kimmo."
Ginger was trying to process it all in. "Uh…I…Listen…I think there has been some mistake. I'm not a princess. My name is not Rose. I'm Ginger…"
"Hush now." said the dark haired woman. "You rest your highness. We will prepare the ceremony. Will bring you different attire chose from."
"You don't understand….I uh.." Ginger said trying to think of something to get her out of this. "I'm….I'm…already set to marry another….He is uh…He's a Professor."
"Professor?" The dark haired woman smiled looked at the brown haired woman. "Did you hear that? A Professor."
The brown haired woman smiled. "The gods are truly pleased with us." She said clasping her hands together. "Grandfather said that I would be united with a man of great science."
The hell you are lady! Ginger fumed to herself. She tried again to plea with them. "No…Please listen….I'm Ginger…Ginger Grant. I'm not Princess Rose."
"Your highness please…you are not feeling well. Of course you are Princess Rose."
The other woman went over and picked up a picture. She showed it to Ginger.
Ginger couldn't believe it. The woman in the picture looked just like her. The resemblance was uncanny.
They all thought she was their long lost princess. But that wasn't the worst part.
Not only were they trying to make her marry some man she never met….they were going to try to marry this other woman off to her professor!
"No…you don't understand." Ginger said desperately. "I'm going to marry the Professor. We are very happy and very much in love."
The dark haired woman shook her head. "No your highness. You are in love with Kawan. You are going to be his bride. Kianna here is to marry this professor."
That's what you think bitch. Ginger fumed to herself.
The two women left and tears began weld up in Ginger's eyes. This could not be happening to her. There had to be a way out of this. Surely the Professor would think of something. He had to. He was the only one who could save her.
Back at the camp area
"Okay." said the Professor. "Everyone know their part?"
Mr. Howell spoke. "Yes…Lovey and I enter their camp and ask to speak with the head tribesman."
"Once he meets with us." continued Mrs. Howell. "We explain to him that Ginger is our daughter and that we have already picked out a match for her. We explain how excited Ginger to be marrying you and it would break her heart to marry anyone else."
"Right." nodded the Professor who inside was wishing that would be true.
"Gilligan and I are to stand guard in case there is any trouble." said the Skipper.
"Correct." said the Professor.
"I go and talk to tribal women." said Mary Ann. " I try to appeal to them stating how in love Ginger is with you and she was so happy when the king and queen arranged the marriage to you. Tell them how much Ginger loved you since she was a young girl and how her parents made her dreams come true by arranging your match."
"Perfect." said the Professor. "In the meantime, I will meet with this Kawan to advise him that Ginger belongs to me and that I will never allow another man to take her away."
They all nodded hoping that this plan worked.
"This may be our only chance to get Ginger out of there. They don't appear to be a war like tribe so I think we may be able to persuade them" stated the Professor.
"I hope so." said Mary Ann. "I couldn't imagine poor Ginger being forced into a marriage to someone she doesn't love just because they are mistaking her for some princess. I would be horrified."
The thought of one of those tribal men trying make her their bride petrified her. It sent a shiver down her spine.
The thought of another man…She glanced over at Gilligan and then turned back to the others.
"It's so rude." agreed Mrs. Howell. "I would be devastated if someone had tried to make me marry someone other than my Thurston."
"Would never allow that my dear!" He declared kissing his wife on the cheek.
Mary Ann wondered if what Gilligan would do if it was her. Would he step in and stop it?
"Alright." said the Professor. "Let's go. Hopefully we can stop all this madness before it is too late."
Tribal camp
Ginger sat in the guarded hut with tears in her eyes. She had no way out. The tribe was watching her too closely.
She couldn't run anywhere. This could not be happening. She could not be forced into some marriage.
It was repulsive. It was…inhumane. Forced to marry some strange man.
Oh where was the Professor? He had to be searching for her. He had to be. To never see him again….the thought killed her.
Something else occurred to her. That woman said Kianna was to marry the Professor. How was she going to stop that? This was a nightmare that she wished she could wake up from. Forced marriage. This Kianna woman thinking she could marry her professor.
It gave her a headache. It was too much to think anymore. Ginger laid back down on the soft blankets closing her eyes giving into the darkness.