Chapter 3: Holly's Vow
Artemis was sitting in his study like always. The thoughts of the Argon Clinic long behind him. He was sitting alone thinking of his next plan to earn millions.
Hmm, if I take nuclear power and harness it as a micro-cell battery I could replace the common everyday battery of the world! Was along the lines of his thoughts.
Butler walked in just then and flipped his monitor to the thing Artemis was most trying to avoid. The video feed of Holly's wedding.
"Butler, you know I do not wish to see such an atrocity," Artemis complained coldly.
"I wish to see it though, she is one of our greatest friends. We should be happy that she has found someone she loves." Butler replied.
Artemis scanned the screen just as the traditional fairy wedding march song began playing. Trouble Kelp was standing as the groom with Foaly as his best man, Caballine as the Maid of Honor, and Foaly and Caballine's children Foaly Jr. and Holly as the ring bearer and flower girl.
"Why would she marry such an despicable man?" Artemis growled.
"She loves him Artemis. Just like you love her." Butler replied offhandedly.
"Ah, but if I had realized it sooner." Artemis said solemnly.
"Then it would have been you up there instead of Trouble Kelp, and what a beautiful wedding that would have been," Butler cooed.
"Since when are you acting like Juliet, Domovoi my old friend?" Artemis kidded him.
"Well, she refuses to be around you after what you did to her and Holly, so I guess in my missing her I started acting more like her." Butler replied dreadfully.
Artemis then began watching the screen as the most beautiful woman in all the world started walking down the aisle. Her auburn hair much longer then it used to be since she retired from the LEP due to his actions. It had taken a lot of hacking on his part to even be allowed to view this feed as Foaly agreed with her decision to keep him out of her life along with the other fairies among the People. Only Mulch was left who would talk to him which is how he had learned that Holly was marrying this despicable man.
It was at this point that Holly made it to the alter in front of the warlock standing there to wed them. As an even heavier dagger to Artemis this warlock just happened to be one whom Artemis had risked his life to save. N°1 was standing there to wed the woman he loved to Trouble Kelp of all people.
That should be me! Not that blasted Trouble Kelp!
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together these two in holy matrimony. Are there any here who would raise a reason why these two should not be wed?" At this N°1 paused holding his breath along with everyone else who suspected Artemis to show up and ruin this joyous day. "Then let us continue, I believe the Bride and Groom have prepared their own vows today."
"Holly," Trouble began as did the trembling in Artemis' hands. "I vow to always love you as I always have, to hold you close when you are afraid or sad. To protect you from anyone who would do you harm above or below ground. I have known this day would come for so long, and I promise it will be many centuries before I will part from you on my death bed."
"Trouble," Holly began with tears in her eyes. "I have loved you for as long as I can remember, it just took me a while to drop all of the things that were distracting me to realize that you are my one true soul mate. I vow to be there for you when you have had a tough day at work. To always love you, and never to part from your side. You complete me."
It was at this point that Artemis broke down in sobs realizing the only person he has ever loved was mere seconds from marrying someone else and he was powerless to stop it.
"Trouble Kelp," N°1 decreed, "do you take Holly Short to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"Yes, of course I do!" Trouble replied ecstaticly.
"Holly Short," N°1 continued, "do you take Trouble Kelp to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," Holly replied with tears of joy in her eyes.
"Then you may now kiss the bride," N°1 decreed happily.
"Holly NOOOOOO!" Artemis screamed from behind his screen.
"ARTEMIS, Artemis, Artemis." butler said from what sounded like a tunnel.
"Artemis!" Butler said from beside Artemis' bed while shaking his young principle awake.
"Butler, why did she marry him of all people!" Artemis howled through his tears.
"Who marry whom?" Butler replied perplexed.
"Holly, why did she marry Commander Kelp instead of me?" Artemis replied with severe deliria obvious on his face.
"Artemis, Holly is still single and I am pretty sure she would never marry her commanding officer," Butler replied with a small twinkle of knowing in his eyes.
"But I saw it! I was watching the marriage in my study on my computer!" Artemis replied still groggily.
"That was just a dream Artemis, your still in the clinic, calm down or you might cause your Complex to come back much worse." Butler stated trying to calm his principle.
"I'm what?" Artemis replied as he got a hold of his surroundings. "Oh thank god it wasn't real!'