Proposal

"Yawn"

Dynobe wakes up. He looks out the window near his bed and sees the moon is halfway down; it will be morning in two or three hours, he thinks to himself. He leaves his bed and runs water to be able to soak for a second in the warm water. He fights the sleep and leaves the wooden tub in time, goes and puts on his uniform for school. He picks up his sword and places it in the scabbard on his back.

He goes down the staircase and prepares breakfast for him and his grandmother. After he finishes that, he goes and hand-washes the rest of his and his grandmother's clothing he couldn't finish yesterday. He sets them outside to dry as well as puts the carpet on a different hanger. He goes back inside into their kitchen to make his breakfast and her food for the day. When he finishes making their food, he starts to make his grandmother's lunch as well and stores it in the cellar attached to their home. Then he starts to dust with a clump of dove feathers he had made recently. After this is done, he grabs the broom and starts to sweep both upstairs and downstairs. When he finishes, he starts to open the curtains in the house so light can come in when the sun eventually comes up.

He then walks outside and gets the clothing that has dried by now thanks to the incredibly hot night that was just had. He puts them down into a container far away from the carpet, then he starts to whack it with the carpet whacker. Once he finishes, he goes inside and puts the carpet back where it's supposed to be and puts his grandmother's freshly washed clothes on an elevated spot next to their wooden tub.

While going up the stairs to get something he had forgotten, he trips and slams his face into the stairs. He starts bleeding from the root of his nose. Instead of whining in pain, he just gets back up, puts a bandage on the injury, and goes to clean the blood he spilled on the spot. He goes and grabs the bit of money he had in his room and burn cream he had bought. He goes to his grandmother's room, as she still blissfully sleeps, and puts it next to her on her counter.

He then finally leaves the house with a coffee in his hand as well as starts to water the plants outside before he leaves. As he walks through the city heading to the bus stop, a woman asks if he could help her. She says, "Oh Dynobe, thank God it's you. Could you please help? My cat has gone under my balcony."

Dynobe says, "Yes, ma'am, of course I will."

As he goes crouched down, he doesn't even need to call the cat. As he puts his hand out, it just walks towards him and his warm smile. After he gives the cat back, the woman says, "Oh my, she never approaches those she doesn't know. Have you met my kitten before?"

Dynobe responds, "No, madam, this is the first time I've seen this adorable thing. I hope you have a good day. I'm in a bit of a rush."

As Dynobe leaves, he is called by a shop owner who is screaming, "HELP! HELP! A THIEF HAS TAKEN ONE OF MY BOXES!"

When Dynobe hears this, he drops his stuff and starts sprinting after the thief. When the thief notices, he decides to try and backflip over Dynobe. Although he grabs him by the loose hoodie and slams him down into the ground in front of him. As the thief lies there grunting, Dynobe says frantically, "Oh my, I'm so sorry. I would have gone softer, but I'm in a rush and I need to catch the bus, so I needed to make sure you were immobilized. But in an effort to do that, I, um, I accidentally put you on the floor too hard, so I, um... DON'T BE A CRIMINAL. BYE."

Dynobe rushes off after he goes and gets his stuff back and starts to rush towards the transport that is supposed to take him to his school, Logios Academy. As he gets close to the carry cabin on the side of the flying lemonade whale, it starts flying off without him. But before it gets too far, his arm is grabbed by his girlfriend, Cressida LihnRour. She grabs his arm as she looks at him with the most beautiful smile. She says, "You know the knights would have just gotten him themselves. You didn't need to interfere, dear."

Dynobe scatteredly says, "Well, I acted on instinct and wasn't thinking much. I hope he's okay and I didn't slam him down too hard. Also, sweetie, could you pull me up now? My grip is slipping."

Cressida jokingly says, "Hahaha, I still haven't pulled you up, now have I? What if I just let you go, baby?"

Dynobe worriedly says, "Well, some poor cleaner would have to clean me up afterward."

Cressida complains, "Really? That's your first thought? Not how you would die, but how someone would have to clean what's left of you?"

Dynobe explains, "Well, yeah. I don't want to inconvenience that cleaner's day. They've got everything else to clean up around the kingdom."

Cressida calmly says, "Sigh. Darling, I love you, but you really need to think more about your own needs."

Dynobe calmly exclaims, "Well, my needs come when they come. I can worry about that later."

Cressida adds, "Well, talking about your needs, the bandage on your nose is leaking blood. Let me take care of that at least."

So Cressida now finally pulls him up and places her thumb on the part of his nose that is still bleeding. An orange glow starts to shine from her thumb, and the cut itself starts to seal itself. With some blood still on his nose, Cressida exclaims jokingly, "MAGIC! Hahahaha."

Dynobe replies, "Magic isn't real. You just used your power to seal the atoms on my nose."

Cressida jokingly says, "You think I don't know that? Just a little fun I'm having, that's all, Babe."

Dynobe, in a groggy voice, states, "Well, I'm gonna sit down. I'm so tired, dear. I'm gonna take a nap on the way there."

Cressida smiles while releasing her left wing, trying not to make much of a scene, and softly wraps the white feathers around Dynobe. She sings a song softly into his ear, allowing him to drift off easier as she knows how much he does every morning. She grabs his hand and looks at the calluses on them. She thinks they look painful and, just like the wound on his nose, she places her thumb on them and heals them. His hand looks brand new, she thinks as she smiles softly. As quick as her smile came, it leaves as well as she then gains a bothered face as she looks out the side of the carry area they are in.

As the whale flies closer to the school, as if on instinct, Dynobe starts to wake up again. Upon seeing his face, her smile flies right back as if what she was thinking had never happened. She grabs his hand as they go and walk down the steps to leave the whale. When they get down, she hears a voice and instantly launches a feather near where the voice came from. As she looks where the voice is from, she sees the prince of the Hebi Kingdom. The feather had bounced off part of his hard, scaly skin as he was a Snakion—a half-human, half-snake. He retracts the skin back off his face as it was only there since he knew she was going to do that.

The prince scoffs, saying, "Why, hello there, Princess. Didn't think I would see you so early in the morning. Watching how you behave... wouldn't want anything to happen because of it. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, no?"

With a cheerful smile but pure anger in her eyes, Cressida says, "Oh, don't worry about me. I'll be sure to be on my best behavior. Wouldn't want to anger my potential future husband, now would I?"

He scolds Cressida, saying, "Well, you should let go of the hand of that peasant. You look like a harlot. It's unprofessional to be in a relationship with your own knight. Your mother and uncle are both disgraces."

Cressida, in a sarcastically cheerful way, says, "Oh, don't worry. I won't make the same mistake, I swear. Come on, we'll be late to class."

They go their own ways, Cressida now holding Dynobe's hand even tighter. She says, "You know, love, I wouldn't have gotten angry if you threw your sword through his scaly face. Might have made it look better, too."

Dynobe states, "You know I can't do that, Cress."

Cressida responds, "I know, I know. My mom would have killed us... if she had the time to even care. Hahaha. Sigh. "

Her face drops and she starts to look down at the ground and just has a little giggle to herself. She lets go of Dynobe's hand, saying, "Well, I have to get to class now, and so do you. I love you, Babe. See you at the end of the day."

Dynobe, slightly worried, replies, "Love you too, Dear. Have a good day."

The day passes like normal, Cressida going on like nothing happened, although this morning's event still stays at the back of Dynobe's head. Katty, a friend he had grown up with, notices and at one point during the day she pops from the ceiling and stays stuck up there upside down. As she pops down, the flower crown on her head her boyfriend had made her falls, and Dynobe catches it for her.

He says, "Katty, um, just what and why?"

Katty states, "Well, thanks for catching that. But hey, I see ya thinkin' of somethin'. What's wrong?"

Dynobe explains, "Cressida has an arranged marriage meeting tomorrow. Don't exactly know what to do. She hates the man, the man hates me, and I think she would rather die than go through with it."

Katty responds, "Well, if the Lizard's cousin was my husband-to-be, suddenly the next day it seems my face is on the other side of a milk carton. My dad would probably get them recalled so no one would look for me. Haha."

Dynobe states, "Don't say that, Katty. I'm sure he'll talk to you again eventually."

Katty states, "Well, it's been a few years. Whenever he does see me, the burn scar just gives him a disgusted face. Sigh. Haha, oh well. You know whatcha gonna do? Snake face is still here, right? There's a shovel in my apartment. I'm sure we cou—"

Dynobe refutes, "No, Katty. Cressida suggested the same. We are not making the man disappear."

Katty states, "Well, that man is a snake, literally. He's got fangs even. Imagine kissing that. You'd end up dead if the poison leaked. You think he can smell the flowers on my head when he sticks his tongue out? I wonder if he can still smell Luner on them. Can he smell the love I have for my boyfriend on them? Ooh, ooh, I wonder, I wonder. Because they smell with their tongues, do you think things smell different to them?"

Dynobe responds, "Pfft. Hahaha. Hahahaha. Sigh. Never change, Katty."

Katty chuckles. "Sure. Pretty sure the version I changed into, my Dad still wouldn't love. I wonder if my baby sister would recognize me if I did change."

As she says that, she grabs a bouncy ball from her pocket and lets it drop. Before it hits the ground, she swaps places with it and catches it as it falls down. She hugs Dynobe and smacks him behind the head, reassuring him everything will be okay. If it's not, there's always the shovel.

The day eventually ends and Dynobe reconnects with Cressida at the end of the day. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and grabs his hand as they go to walk back onto the Lemonade whale. She doesn't look like she is bothered by anything at the moment, so Dynobe decides not to bring the topic up. Although midway through the ride, she seems to grab his hand harder, even though no other reaction seems to happen.

Once the whale stops by their stop, they both come off. Instead of going with her servants home, Cressida decides to stay with Dynobe. Even through all the resistance they had, she doesn't listen.

Cressida states, "I don't know why you care so much for me to go home. It's not like someone is waiting for me. I won't be missed. Haha. I might as well not come back. See how long till they come looking, you know?"

Dynobe notices she has tightly grabbed onto the side of her royal dress as she says that, even though she has the face of someone who is as cheerful as can be.

Once they finally leave, both Cressida and Dynobe go for Dynobe's weekly shopping in their local plaza. So many different species everywhere: Slime people, Dragon people, half-goat people, and even those who have fox and wolf ears and tails, each one living in harmony. As they go shopping, lots of people go and stop by in an attempt to talk to the princess. Lots of kids and parents wanting her attention, asking about things and wanting an autograph from the daughter of the great queen.

In an attempt to escape, she manifests a cloak around herself and leaves a clone behind where she is, and is finally able to walk around in peace. They are finally able to go shopping in peace. They go back to the lady that was robbed this morning; her stand is up and running well. They stop by and grab some food. Cressida refuses to allow Dynobe to pay for anything while they are shopping. So even when he has bought all he needs, Cressida also goes around buying things she knows he just likes. She buys him a bracelet with a dove on it that has an orange strip on the wing. She already has one on her wrist and puts the other one she had bought on his arm.

By the time the shopping has finished, the sun is starting to set. Cressida decides to suddenly grab Dynobe and, as she lets out her snow-white wings, they shoot up into the sky. While up there, she sees the clone she had left behind and no one noticed the real her had even left. She makes the clone dissipate and laughs at the people's startled reactions. Dynobe suddenly grips onto her strongly as her laughing makes it so he starts to slip. She giggles and stays there for a second as they look at the sunset.

Instead of going back down, she decides to fly them to his home. She has a large smile on her face as the wind flows through her hair and feathers. As they go down, any light and loose object starts to flutter about, being carried around by the wind.

They drop down and enter the house as his grandmother is sound asleep. Although all the food Dynobe had made for her has been eaten, and she has made a bit of a mess. On the table, a note is left that says: "Hey darling, I knitted a few orange covers for the talons that come out of the wings for Cressida. I hope she likes them. Don't lose her. Haha. P.S. Love you."

Cressida grabs the covers and puts them on, telling Dynobe to thank his grandmother when he can. Cressida tells Dynobe to go up and take a nap so that she'll deal with the mess inside. Even though he refuses several times, she manages to convince him to rest. So she gets to work.

By the time he wakes up, it is well... somewhat clean. She has attempted to prepare it for how he normally leaves it in the morning, but it is not done very well. Including the food, which she somehow made from fresh ingredients inedible while he was asleep. She just sits in the middle of all this, feeling defeated without an ounce of emotion on her face. Dynobe isn't bothered or angry; he just laughs and says, "Hey, luckily we got more food than we needed, so no harm, no foul. Now come on, I'll help do the rest."

As he helps her get up from where she is sitting, they start to clean the rest she has left, as well as help her remake the inedible food she has created. She, although, still feels bothered at how badly she did everything by herself. By the time they have finished, they have some food as it is late, and while they are eating what they had made together, Cressida asks if it is okay for Dynobe to come with her for the night as they have no school tomorrow. Dynobe agrees.

So once again, Cressida princess-carries Dynobe and they shoot back up into the air. This time, the moonlight shines upon them as they go flying towards the castle Cressida lives in. While in the air, she decides to do tricks such as loopty-loops and barrel rolls in the air, happy to hear the laughter and joy coming from Dynobe. While in the air, Cressida flies to a group of flying chocolate swans flying in formation, placing herself behind the one at the front as they all fly in the sky, everything just covered by the moonlight.

The town and forest below are just bustling with life even this late at night. Cressida looks down and sees kids with their mothers and fathers, spending time with their families, and their parents looking happy as can be. Even if they don't have the most money or most things, they still seem to fill moonlight. Dynobe looks up and sees her smile fade for a second before regaining it again before she looks down at him.

As they get closer to her window, she slows down and attempts to slow down the flapping of her wings the best she can to not make a mess of her room. Although her attempts fail and everything goes everywhere. She places Dynobe down and tells him to turn around as she walks towards her closet. She chooses her nightgown, and when she grabs it, the clothing she had on turns into dust—a shiny orange dust—and appears on a spare hanger, and her nightgown appears on her. She tells Dynobe he can turn around again. His cheeks are slightly blushed as he turns around, and Cressida has a little chuckle to herself.

She grabs her guitar as she climbs onto her canopy bed and goes towards the backboard. She states, "Hey, Darling. Come on, get over here." As she says this, she is also gesturing towards him with her finger. As he also reaches the backboard of the bed, she sits down on him and he wraps his arms around her stomach softly and lays his head on her shoulder.

She claps her hands and the lights turn off, and particles that give off a soft firefly shine start to fall down, turning into the only light source in the room. She starts to play the guitar softly and starts to sing into his ear as well. Their heartbeats slow down and end up synchronizing. As she continues to sing, he struggles to keep his eyelids open and eventually falls asleep.

She eventually starts to fall asleep herself, but before she can, one of her attendants comes into her room and it wakes her up. Before he speaks, Cressida taps Dynobe's ears and a white light appears, temporarily deafening him.

The attendant asks, "What in heavens are you doing, Cressida? You have a marriage proposal tomorrow. Why are you still around that boy? You are lucky he was allowed to be your knight. Do not push your luck, girl."

Cressida exclaims, "Ugh! Piss off! Leave me alone, why don't you? Why do you always want to go above and beyond in your job? Let me live. I'm not marrying that disgusting thing. Damn fangs would go through my lips anyway."

The attendant explains, "Cressida, understand my words. You have no choice. What's been decided is decided. Stop thinking about yourself for a moment and think of your people. You do not need to decide anything right now."

Cressida, holding back a scream, says, "Like I've ever had a damn decision in my life. Perfect princess Cressida. Don't do this, don't do that. Smile here, smile there. Don't show this, don't show that. Act this way, act that way. I don't even choose what I wear in the damn morning. Of course I can't even decide who I should marry, too. Perfect little princess, that's who Cressida is."

The attendant responds, "Little girl, your mother and your grandmother both failed in helping make better relations through marriage. You are not a little village girl. Your actions matter. What's best for them is what should be done. What you want does not matter. Stop being so selfish and just calmly listen for once in your life."

Cressida, with tears starting to build up in her eyes, points her finger towards the attendant. A ball of glowing energy starts to glow at the point of her finger.

Seeing this, the attendant responds, "Sigh. Look, I'm sorry, but you must understand. You are only one compared to the entire kingdom. Your grandmother laid groundwork, and your mother is struggling to keep it stable after everything that has happened. The residents need stability. I'm sorry, but if one needs to suffer, then so be it."

He closes the door. Cressida puts her hand down. She looks down at a still-sleeping Dynobe and taps him. He starts to glow and disappears; she teleports him to his own bed in his own home. She grabs one of the pillows on her bed and digs a ring out of it. It's nothing fancy, but she had managed to make it herself. As she looks at it, she buries her face into the pillow to muffle her sobbing. As the night goes on, she eventually falls asleep.

It is afternoon of the next day. In a nearly white room, the whole LihnRour royal family is seated at one side of a long table. Those there are Star LihnRour, the Queen; Marshall LihnRour, the King; Cressida Dove LihnRour, the Princess; her Knight, Dynobe Rey Crescent; Comet LuRuKo LihnRour, the Prince and older brother of the Queen; his wife, Bridget Marie LihnRour; and their children: Princess Solara Elin LihnRour and her Knight, Wayne Anadi Knight; and Prince Luner and his Knight, Katty Kay Keira.

When it seems they are all settled, someone yells out, stating, "WELL, HELLO EVERYONE! I hope your days have all gone well and that you are ready. We all know why we are here. Well, it is the great day that we shall officiate the marriages of the wonderful first-born princess of the Luminarion Kingdom and the first-born prince of the Hebi Kingdom. Would any of you like to say anything?"

Cressida stays seated and drinks the water in the wine glass that was provided for her. She notices Dynobe's hand tremble and he nearly breaks the glass in his hand but has restraint. The prince decides to speak and says, "Well, I see you're better than you were yesterday. I appreciate that you fixed yourself for this grandiose day. Your figure sure is pleasing. I hope you are honored to help me build the future leader of my kingdom."

Cressida leans forward and states, "Anything else?"

The prince replies, "Haha, what do you mean, anything else? There's nothing else needed."

Cressida responds, "My name? My likes? What do I want? What do I care about? I've known you for three years and nothing, really?"

The prince explains, "There will be nothing else I need from you, so what's the point of even figuring those things out? Just stand next to me with a smile and all will be well."

At that moment, the water in the wine glass Cressida holds starts to steam, bubble, and boil. Before anyone reacts, she throws this scorching hot water into the prince's face, shatters the glass on the table, and starts screaming and threatening him with it as she starts to climb the table. As she is in an emotional state, she screams in her native language, Spanish, as her father is from Mexico on Earth. Before she manages to climb over the table, Dynobe grabs her and she starts screaming, "¡DEJA ME IR! ¡QUÍTATE DE MI! ¡LO JURO A DIOS VOY A ENSEÑARLE UNA FIGURA BUENO DESPUES QUE LO HAGO UNA NUEVA BOLSA DE SU PIEL!!! ¡MI UTERO ESO ES TODO QUE QUIERES?!?! ¡LO QUITARÉS Y TELO LO DARÉ SI ESO ES TODO QUE TE IMPORTA, MALDITA SEA!!!!" (Translation: "LET ME GO! GET OFF OF ME! I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL SHOW HIM A GOOD FIGURE WHEN I SKIN HIM AND MAKE A BAG OUT OF IT!!!! MY UTERUS, THAT'S ALL YOU WANT?!?! I'LL TAKE IT OUT AND GIVE IT TO YOU IF THAT'S ALL YOU WANT, DAMN IT!")

As she yells all this out, other guards start to approach her and she releases her wings. With Dynobe still attached to her, she flies up, through the roof, and into the distance. Everyone there is flabbergasted, and when others who can fly try to chase after her, Comet points two fingers towards them calmly and their movements suddenly stop. They can no longer move and no one else besides Comet and his family knows why.

Star exclaims, "What the hell are you doing? Let me go."

Comet asks, "What are you gonna do?"

Star states, "Bring her back, of course. What do you think I'm gonna do?"

Comet asks, "Why are you gonna bring her back? For what reason?"

Star asks, "The hell do you mean 'for what reason?' I need her back to finish this."

Comet exclaims, "Star, you can't be serious."

Star yells, "THE HELL DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T BE SERIOUS? YOU THINK I WANT TO DO THIS? IT'S NECESSARY. I DON'T NEED CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER DAMN KINGDOM."

Comet says, "Sigh. When was the last time you spoke to that girl before today? Reactions like that don't just pop out of nowhere."

Star explains with anger, "I am the Queen of an entire Kingdom, a country for heaven's sakes. I do not have time to do anything except my responsibilities. The last time I let my guard down, the entire place nearly burned down."

Comet explains, "Sigh. You think I don't know that? I was there. Got the damn scars to prove it, too. Through all my own responsibilities like you, I never have time for a thing. I'm never home. I'm still a father, though. I make time somewhere. I don't know where, but it happens. Unlike you, I don't have people to temporarily do my job when I'm gone. You can take a break, not just for yourself but for her. Don't think I'm counting you out, Marshall. You're part of this."

The king of the Hebi Kingdom says, "I don't care what's happening between the lot of you. If you don't fix this, the marriage arrangement is over and you don't want the consequences of that."

At that very moment those words are spoken, Comet lets Star go as she flies out the hole Cressida made in the roof and leaves. Then he looks into the eyes of the king who had said that, not stating a word but looking at him unflinchingly. He takes a lollipop out of his pocket and just starts to look around the room aimlessly like nothing had happened.

Solara says, "Um, Dad, should we leave or...?"

Comet responds, "I think we should stay here for a bit longer in case they come back."

Solara asks, "Dad, will I be marr—"

Comet states, "I would never allow that to happen. Don't worry, Wayne."

Both Wayne and Solara start blushing and state, "Wah— Wah— What was that about?"

Comet responds by putting the lollipop in his mouth. "Hahaha, oh nothing. Don't stress yourself about it. Might cause your wounds to heal slower. You kids, all of you, scurry off. Katty, Wayne, keep them safe."

Both Katty and Wayne put their fist to their chest and bow as they say, "Yes, Your Royal Highness."

The prince of the Hebi kingdom, still there with boiling water just covering him, screams, "IS NO ONE GONNA PAY ATTENTION TO ME?! THE HARLOT THREW BOILING WATER ON MY PRISTINE SKIN! HEEEELP, IT BURNS!"

Cressida is now flying aimlessly through the sky, not processing her surroundings. Dynobe's screaming is starting to get through, but by the time she notices, his grip has slipped and he is now falling into the thick forest behind his home. Cressida manages to notice and dives down instantly. As she grabs him, they both go crashing through tree branches as they hit the ground hard. Dynobe is on the ground quietly and Cressida is on the ground grunting in pain.

She gets back up first, sees him, and rushes towards him trying to help him up as she states while in tears, "Oh my god. Oh my God. Oh my God. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorryyy. Uh, um, where does it hurt? Is anything broken? Please be okay."

As she is now shaking him, he starts to grunt and rolls himself over and starts to lift up the upper half of his body. As he comes to his senses, he looks up and sees tears trickling down a worried Cressida's face as well as several streaks of blood coming from a wound on her head she gained from crashing through the ceiling.

She suddenly lunges towards him, buries her face into his chest, and starts to sob and wraps her arms around him. She tries to say something but it is drowned out by her sobbing. When she finally starts to calm down and pulls herself away from him and tries to wipe her tears, Dynobe grabs a cloth from his pocket and wipes the blood that is still on her face as well as the other dirt and grime that appeared because of the fall.

Dynobe tries to comfort her, telling her it will be alright, but she rebuttals, "No, Dynobe. It won't be alright. Tomorrow will have the same thing happen when I go home. The arrangement will just be done again. I can't do anything about it. I can't do a damn thing in general. I cannot cook. I can't take care of myself. I barely know how money works. I don't know how to clean. I was bathed by a damn maid till I was thirteen. I can go down a list longer than the population of this country of things I can't do. I'm more inept than a newborn. Taught nothing else than how to be the perfect princess, how to be a perfect symbol, preparing me to be a Queen. I don't want any of this. All they want are all these damn robotic actions from me. If they don't want me, why don't they just get a robot or a clone or something that will just obey their every command? People on the street insulting me and seeing me as just a title, begging to be in a position like mine. 'Oh, how blessed must the princess of this great country be.' 'Oh, how badly do I wish I could be her.' I... I just want to be allowed to be myself for once. I don't want to be the princess of this country anymore. I just want to be me. Why am I not allowed to just be me? I want to learn. I want to fail. If something goes wrong, for it to at least be on my terms. I feel trapped, as if I was put in the body of a perfect person and I just watch as she lives her day to day. I don't want this anymore. I wish I could have parents like a regular person, not one just trapped in a room every day and night. Ones that talked to me. Ones that at least pretended to care about me, care about what I think, what I want, what I feel. I'm sorry, I, um, went on for a second there, didn't I?"

Dynobe looks her in the eyes with a smile and kisses her forehead and says, "I never liked that pristine little perfect princess anyway. I love you, not her."

Cressida starts to burst into laughter with tears still in her eyes while stating, "Pffft. You can't be serious. After all that... you can still say you love me, Dynobe? Look at me. I'm a mess, figuratively and literally. This dress is ruined and my makeup is everywhere. Yet you still say that, boy. Please have some standards. Haha. Sigh. I love you, Dynobe. Not that scaly monster of a boy. If this all goes well, I have something I want to show you."

Dynobe responds, "Well, luckily we fell a couple hundred feet from my house. I can run you a bath when we get there and figure out what to do next."

Dynobe grabs Cressida's hand as they go and walk towards his home, where his grandmother is currently up and awake. Unsurprised, she welcomes them both in. She sees the mess they are in and asks if they want to have a bath run for them, together or separate. While blushing, they both blurt out, "Separate!!!"

Dynobe's grandma stands there laughing at their reaction and goes to run Cressida a bath first. While she's in there, Dynobe explains to his grandmother what is happening and why. While Cressida is in the bath, thoughts start to spiral through her mind of everything she had just done, as well as how she had just gone against everything she had been taught to do. She starts thinking if she might have to skip town to not have to deal with her mother or the prince in the future. Just a general feeling of discomfort and unease.

Cressida, after some time, comes out of the bath his grandmother ran in a towel, and then Dynobe goes inside himself as she leaves. His grandmother starts to talk to Cressida and asks her, "Well, hey dear. I'm sorry, but my own clothing would just fall off of you. The only clothes that would fit at all would be Dynobe's. Is that okay?"

Cressida responds with a slight blush, "Um, yes, that w-would be fine, Mrs. Crescent. Thank you."

As Dynobe leaves the bath, he goes up the stairs and changes. As he's walking down the stairs, he sees Cressida in a shirt of his. He is surprised that the shirt reached her knees, as he didn't think it was that big. She walks up and hugs him when she sees him, and as that happens, they hear a knock on the door.

A voice is heard coming from the other side, and it is Star, Cressida's mother. Cressida walks up to the door, stops when she reaches it, and sits down in front of it. Star hears someone walking up but doesn't hear anyone talking. Guessing who it is behind the door, she sits in front of it as well and says, "Hey, dear. Are you okay? The roof was really strong."

Cressida states, "Get to the point."

Star states, "Harsh. But deserved. You know, Cressida, I'm sorry."

Cressida asks, "Sorry about what, Mom?"

Star responds, "Don't make me explain further, Dear."

Cressida says, "No. I want you to."

Star says, "The marriage is over. By... your terms. I'll tell them that tomorrow as we do still need to go back to officiate its cancellation. Anything else?"

Cressida answers, "Take a break. Please. Both you and Dad. Neither of you have seen sunlight even till today for months. Leaving me to be the public's little perfect princess. I feel like a tool."

Star responds, "Sigh. Okay, it's done. We will... take a break. I am still a person, after all. We all need them. Haha."

Cressida asks, "Mom, what's my favorite color? How good am I at doing well, really anything?"

Star responds, "Umm, well you, uh... Sigh. I haven't spent any time with you at all for the past few years, have I?"

Cressida states, "Not even a short conversation. This is the longest one we have had since I was seven. I'm sixteen now, Mom. It's been a while. Couldn't make time in all those nine years? Neither you nor Dad. I haven't been allowed to do a thing myself those past few years, either. I can't do a damn thing myself anymore that doesn't have to do with royalty anymore, Mom."

Star says, "I will stop saying sorry. I have failed you as a mother and I do not deserve forgiveness. Instead, I ask for a chance. Allow me to make it up to you today forward. Just please come back."

After such is stated, Cressida opens the door and rushes at her mother with tears in her eyes, hugging her, saying, "I'm sorry for running away."

Star, with tears building, says, "I'm sorry for making you feel you had to."

They stay like that for a second, and when they step away from each other, Star asks, "Um, Dear, whose shirt is that? Also, why did you go to the house of your personal knight of all places?"

Cressida answers, "Well, the shirt is his. Also, I never got the chance to tell you, did I? He's my boyfriend as well."

Star says, "Ooh, so you're the boy who wants to marry my daughter. That's why she rejected the marriage proposal. Okay, I see now."

Dynobe stands there silent, not denying a word Star says, and Cressida just walks towards him with a smile and gives him a kiss. Star just stands there with a smile and says, "Hey, Madam Crescent. I would like to apologize to you as well, in case my daughter has caused you any trouble."

Mrs. Crescent answers, "Oh, hahaha. Just as long as the girl doesn't break my grandson's heart, we're golden, Darling. Don't worry about it. She can stay here as long as she likes."

Star bows and says, "Thank you so much. Allow me to repay you."

Mrs. Crescent responds, "Oh dear, you give me too much respect, Your Majesty. Don't you think you might give this poor old woman a heart attack doing all this?"

They all have a chuckle at what Mrs. Crescent says, and Star and her mother leave after collecting Cressida's clothing. She forgot to give Dynobe back his shirt; he has a feeling he'll probably never see it again, though. It is quite late at night at this point, so everyone has now gone to bed. Cressida falls asleep in Dynobe's shirt his grandmother gave her.

It is now the next day, in the afternoon once again. They are all seated where they were yesterday, and it seems no one in the Hebi kingdom is in a good mood. Then the prince exclaims, "Well, harlot? Are you not going to at least beg for my forgiveness for that horrendous showing you did yesterday? You better be happy I've allowed you to have a second chance and not just gotten my father to hold you captive the second you walked through those doors."

As a response, Cressida just points her finger out. A bubble appears at the end of it, and she has it float over to him. It pops in his face; it is full of capsaicin, and now the prince's eyes are burning. Cressida says, "Oh my. Am I that hot that your eyes are burning? Too bad you can't see this wonderful figure anymore, you bastard."

Star responds, "Cressida, enough. That was not necessary. Can someone please go clean his eyes? Sigh. But I did want to say that we are here today to make an announcement. The marriage proposal is over. That child is not getting near mine, and that is final."

The King shoots up from his chair, ready to grab the weapon on his side. Then he looks Comet in the eyes again as he is scanning the room. Suddenly, it feels as if the world has turned black and only him and Comet are there. It feels as if all reality is spinning and an immense pressure comes over the King of the Hebi kingdom.

Comet says while tilting his head down but still looking the King in his eyes, "Come on. Weren't you gonna do something? What's stopping you?"

Pure, unrivaled terror enters every inch of the King's body as his hand starts to violently shake and sweat drips down his face. He decides to sit back down and accept the verdict out of sheer fear of the power coming from the man that sits near him. Solara runs up and hugs Cressida as they celebrate, the prince in his chair shouting abuse towards Cressida while still having capsaicin in his eyes. Both the girls just start to laugh at him as everyone gets up to leave.

Cressida grabs Dynobe's hand and kisses him on the cheek, making sure the prince is watching as they leave the room. She has an ear-to-ear grin as she looks at the boy, as she is fully satisfied with her actions.

Everyone goes home that day. Even with the problems that may arise, everyone except the royalty of the Hebi kingdom is satisfied with how everything went down.

It is now late at night, and some birds are still flying through the night, with the stars and moonlight shining upon them. The bustling town below is still up and lively late at night. It's said even from outer space, if you tried hard enough, you could still hear the laughing and joy from the civilians of the Luminion Kingdom. Within their joy, you could hear one new sound: the joy of Cressida LihnRour and her boyfriend Dynobe as they lay in her room in their pajamas as she gets ready to ask a question.

Cressida says, "Hey, Dynobe. Do you remember the question my mom asked yesterday when she saw you?"

Dynobe answers, "Who's shirt it was you were wearing?"

Cressida answers, "No, fool. Haha. She didn't ask anything; she said something. She said you wanted to marry me, and you had not denied it. So... do you wanna marry me?"

Dynobe hesitantly says nothing and just stares Cressida in the eyes.

Cressida says, "Cat got your tongue? Haha. Well, I do know the answer from my side, at least."

Cressida digs from the inside of her pillow and pulls out a homemade ring with a rose quartz surrounding a diamond in the middle. It has rough edges and its form is not the best, but it is the hardest Cressida has ever tried to do something, and this was the best she could do. Dynobe is stunned at what he is seeing, and Cressida's arms are shaking as she says, "W-Wi-Will y-you m-marry m-me?"

Dynobe tries his best to stay calm and states, "Before I answer... w-why me? W-why now?"

Cressida gathers her thoughts and says, "Because I love you. And... and you are the only one who's always there. All those years ago, when the world basically shut down, with everything you were left to do... you still were there for me when I might as well have been forgotten. Still making me laugh, still spending time with me, still listening to my music. It was like you were the only person I knew, the only person who cared about me. You are so kind, so sweet, so hardworking, even through everything that's happened. When everything felt cold and distant, you were warm and welcoming. I don't mean to be cheesy, but I love you because you showed me what being loved felt like. I don't want to lose that. I want to be a little selfish and keep you for myself. I want no one else. I know you deserve better than the mess I am, but... I want to ask again. Will you marry me?"

As she finishes talking, she lifts the ring she had made and re-presents it to him, still slightly shaking. His response? He taps the ring and it duplicates. He grabs the original ring and puts it on, as well as puts the duplicated version on Cressida's finger. She's still waiting for him to answer. Before he says anything, he leans in and passionately kisses Cressida while caressing her face slowly. As it finishes, Cressida feels as if she's melting. She releases her wings and wraps both her arms and wings around Dynobe, and he wraps his arms around her.

Cressida says, "I still wanna hear you say it, darling."

Dynobe responds lovingly, "Yes. I will marry you, Cressida."

Cressida giggles as she allows herself to melt into Dynobe's chest. She is as happy as she has ever been. She allows herself to enjoy the moment for a bit before she gets up and travels to her open window and is on the ledge, grabbing her guitar on the way. Dynobe thinks of how high the drop would be because of how high up her room in the castle is.

Cressida looks at Dynobe and exclaims, "Watch this."

As she swan-dives out of her window, Dynobe runs up to the window and sees a giant orange bird fly up carrying Cressida, who's nearly slipping off but climbs back up. She tells Dynobe to get on, and that's exactly what he does. They start to fly under the shine of the stars and the moonlight, with the air rushing through Cressida's long brown hair. Cressida tells Dynobe to lay his head on her lap. As he does this, she duplicates herself and the clone appears at the end of the bird with the guitar in its hand.

As they fly through the sky, Cressida starts to sing for Dynobe, with her clone on the other side of the bird playing her guitar. Such music that just causes pure joy to whoever hears. As they fly through the air, Cressida stops singing and looks into Dynobe's eyes. As they both say, "I love you so much," they fly into the night.