A Better Tomorrow

Chapter One: A Suite of Suitors

By: Queen Beryl

Ficathon Round II

Challenge #9:
Genre: Doesn’t matter.
Rating: Doesn’t matter.
Likes: Something funny and witty, romance, kooky characters, description (don't go overboard), most importantly...a plot!
Dislikes: Sappy “I can’t live without you” romance, really bad clichés, and predictability.

Words/phrases to use: “Watermelon is yum.”; “But I’m exotic...so is the Asian bird flu.”; “Overwhelmed by air.” (Credit to Gilmore Girls.)

“Princess, please, you must come out! Your suitor is here!” One of the princess’s ladies-in-waiting pleaded from the other side of the bedroom door.

“No, I don’t feel well.”

“You haven’t felt well for a couple months now. You’ve got to come out to meet your suitor; he’s waiting for you!”

“I don’t want a suitor.” Princess Armida folded her plump, white arms. She was sitting at the edge of her bed, scowling at the door. She hated suitors because it was pointless to find one that actually liked her. They just wanted her kingdom and wealth; she could see it in their faces. It was a pointless endeavor to search for someone who wanted her.

Armida was as unprincess-like as one could get, which is probably why no suitors actually wanted her. She considered herself undesirable; she was plumper than all of the other boney princesses she knew, she took no pleasure in wearing fine jewels and make-up, and she enjoyed reading intellectual books. Not only was this highly unusual, but it was abnormal.

“I don’t care who you want, Princess. The Queen is going to ring my neck if you’re not out there.”

“Fine.” Armida rolled her eyes and crossed the vast room to the door and flung it open. “Have it your way.”

“Don’t forget your crown!” The lady-in-waiting pressed the golden circlet onto the princess’s head as they strode down the extremely long corridor.

“Ah, there is the lovely princess I’ve been dying to-”

“Your name?” Armida interrupted. The prince looked offended and taken by surprise.

“Prince Mic-”

“Hobby?”

“Skiin-”

“Date of birth?” Armida fired away. She wasn’t sure this tactic would work, but not allowing him to complete his answers would at least irritate him to death.

“Novem-”

“Mother’s maiden name?”

“What are you trying to get at here, Princess?” The affronted prince demanded, his face taking on an angry red hue.

“That’s quite a long last name. No wonder she got married.”

“Are you always this insufferable?” The prince demanded.

“How dare you insult me in my own throne room? Out! Get out, you filthy prince!” Armida pointed to the door, narrowing her eyes, hoping to look intimidating. The prince went rigid and harrumphed, exiting the room, leaving behind a rose he was going to present to the princess but was now all forgotten. Armida tactfully waited until the door slammed behind him before she burst into laughter.

“Princess Armida!” One of the ladies-in-waiting entered the room. “The prince left in such a rush… what did you say to him this time?”

“Nothing. I didn’t even touch him.” Armida smiled lightly and headed toward the outer garden, desperate to escape an inquisition. Her lady-in-waiting chased after her, but Armida was faster and hid.

“Princess! Princess Armida! Oh, please, where are you?” She called, but to no avail. She eventually gave up and reentered the castle. Armida breathed a sigh of relief and exited her hiding place.

“There you are.” A small timid voice said from behind Armida. She froze and whipped around to face her best friend, the first lady-in-waiting. She was a perfect contrast to Armida. Whilst Armida was tall with black hair and blue eyes, Gren, her friend, was short with blonde hair and brown eyes. Their personalities, however, were perfectly compatible.

“Don’t do that.” Armida relaxed, slinging her arm around her friend’s shoulders. Gren rolled her eyes.

“Emma was looking for you. I heard you chased off another suitor.” Gren reprimanded.

“I didn’t chase him off. I just asked him questions and he got fed up with it.”

“Armida, he was your fourteenth one this week.”

“Fifteenth.” Armida corrected sheepishly. Gren sighed.

“That’s precisely my point, Armida. You’re eighteen. It’s about time you settled down. Your mother is getting old.”

“She’s only forty-seven!” Armida protested. Gren sent Armida a significant look. Armida gave in.

“Alright, I’ll stop driving them all away on purpose.”

“I’m so proud of you. Hurry up and get ready; dinner’s ready and waiting.” Gren went ahead of Armida back into the castle.

Dinner was uneventful until Armida’s mother and father decided to give their two-cents about her getting married. Armida left the table in a huff, not looking back. She ran to her room and slammed the door shut.

“If they can’t accept that I’m not ready to get married to someone who just wants my land and money, then I’ll have to take some drastic measures.” Armida said to her mirror. She picked up an old cloak from the back of her closet, and her peasant dress that she’d bought a few months back without anyone noticing. She quickly changed and when she was finished, gazed at herself in the mirror.

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the grungiest one of all?” Armida twirled around, her skirt flaring. “I don’t look like a princess at all! Now, if I could only escape without the guards noticing….”

Armida went to her balcony window, threw it open, and stepped out. She was met with a fierce rush of wind. She shivered.

“Ugh… overwhelmed by air.” Armida rubbed her arms and looked around for a way to get down to the ground. It was hard living in a tall, gothic-style castle.

The wind swept her long dark hair in front of her face, not helping the situation very much. She tied it back in a quick, reckless ponytail, using a stray ribbon. Armida frowned. Should I bring something along with me? She thought.

“Nah.” She countered aloud. It was pointless. She’d only be gone for a couple days. Armida climbed upon the balcony railing and peered down. She kept her balance by holding onto the conjoined wall and kept searching for something to help her down.

The wind picked up faster, throwing Armida off balance. She wobbled, slipped, and began to plummet toward the ground below. Luckily, she caught onto a thick vine that trailed up the castle wall. Of course, it couldn’t hold her overbearing weight, but it at least prevented her from falling at such a fast rate.

“Oof.” Armida muttered as she collapsed on a dead rosebush. Thorns pricked her bare arms and face. So much for falling with style.

She climbed out of the tangled mess, faring a few scratches and probably a huge bruise on her backside, but nothing broken. She hobbled away from the castle and turned back once. No lights were on. Everyone was probably asleep. She’d escaped without social mishap… for now. Armida rushed off, knowing sentinels would be nearby. Her castle, instead of being surrounded by a moat, had a thick forest; this made travel for Armida easier, considering she knew the woods like the back of her hands.

Or so she thought.

“Now where am I?” She questioned the trees, spinning around for the twentieth time. “I must have been traveling for miles now!”

A castle, much like her own, but larger, suddenly came into view as Armida accidentally stumbled out of the forest. She swore she’d never do that again. The stumbling as well as the forest walk.

Armida was so surprised she’d made it out alive, she almost kissed the ground. Her first real adventure outside of the castle was traumatizing. She headed straight for the castle, wondering who it belonged to. Armida crept along in the darkness until a sudden thud and a curse forced her to freeze.

"Blasted cat." A low, crude voice whispered as a cat hissed loudly. A sudden darker shadow appeared and crashed into her. They both toppled to the ground. Armida, squished beneath the mass, opened her eyes and discovered an older, handsome man.

"Shoot." He muttered and stood up, not even offering to help Armida to her feet. Armida scowled and stood up.

"It's you!" The man suddenly cried.

"Do I know you?" Armida asked, trying to recognize his face.

"No."

"Then why-"

"Hurry, he went this way!" A sleepy-sounding male voice commanded, coming closer.

"There you are!" Another voice exclaimed. "Ah, an accomplice, eh? We'll take care of the pretty little lady, too."

Armida shot a disgusted look at the guards that had just come into the light; then she turned to the man who had slammed into her.

"What have you done?"

"You were there." The man lied. Armida gasped and narrowed her eyes. The wind picked up for a moment, as if on queue.

"I was not."

"Was too."

"I'm not going to argue with you, you scoundrel. I was most certainly not with you when you were doing… whatever it was." Armida tilted her chin toward the night sky.

"Yes you were!" The man exclaimed, suddenly lurching out and punching one guard and quickly kicking the other in the chest. Both guards fell to the floor, wind knocked out of them and completely stunned. The man grabbed Armida's hand and took off at a dead run.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

"You're gonna get us both arrested if you don't hurry it up, girl." The man's grip was tightened as they swept through the hillside, heading toward the forest that surrounded the entire castle; of course, in the exact opposite direction Armida had come.

"Arrested for what?" Armida demanded, a lump now forming in her stomach. What was he doing in the castle?

"Thieving, what else?" The villain turned his head and winked at her.

“I knew it!”

“Then why did you ask if you already knew?” The thief stopped suddenly, pulling Armida with him behind a tree.

“Look, I-” The thief covered Armida’s mouth and pushed her against the tree. He scooted forward, so he was pressed against her. They both remained silent, although Armida was ready to beat him senseless if his hands wandered anywhere.

The guards panted past them, shouting into the trees at each other. The man pulled Armida perpendicular to them, toward the edge of the forest. The race for freedom seemed quite long and strenuous to Armida. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged into the clearing, just outside the forest. The thief dropped the princess’s hand and allowed her to catch her breath while he did the same.

“Who… are you?” Armida managed between breaths. The fumbling thief straightened proudly, as though he’d been dying for her to ask that question.

“I, my lady, am William A. Van Yellan, villain and criminal mastermind. You can call me Wavy.” The thief bowed slightly.

Armida burst into laughter. William scowled.

“Wuh… way… Wavy?” Armida demanded, wiping under her eyes with her finger.

“Yes.” Wavy stated proudly. “William, W; A… A, of course; Van, V; and Yellan… that’s where you get the Y.”

“What does the A. stand for?”

“If I told you, you’d end up suffering a horrible, torturous death. So, I’d rather not.” Wavy grinned and looked around. Armida deadpanned and glared after composing herself.

“Well, as charming as this introduction is, I’d better be on my way.” Armida smiled thinly and made for the forest’s edge.

“Whoa, whoa there, kitty. First, you didn’t tell me your name; second, you can’t leave just yet.”

“And why ever not?” Armida crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“You know who I am and that I am a thief. I can’t let you go back to that castle and snitch on me.”

“I’m not going to ‘snitch’ on you, Wavy. Just let’s part our merry ways and never see each other again. That sounds good.” Armida responded, turning her nose up at the word snitch.

“Sorry, sweetheart, I simply can’t allow that.”

“Just let the girl go, Wavy.” A low male voice commanded.

“What? Who’s there?” Wavy grabbed Armida’s arm and twisted around, searching for the owner of the voice. Armida tripped at the sudden movement and toppled onto the ground. Wavy followed directly after, landing on top of his bag of loot.

“Ow!” All three voices chimed. Wavy sat up and shoved his bag viciously away from him. Some of the contents spilt out onto the forest floor. Among them was-

“A frog?” Armida chuckled. “You stole a frog from the castle? Tell me she at least has magical properties.”

“But I didn’t take her.” Wavy protested.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’m not a girl. Frogs can be males, too, you know.” The frog said.

“What in the name of the Grand King?” Armida demanded, scooting away.

“I’m gonna kill it.” Wavy unsheathed a short blade halfway before the frog leapt at him. It landed awkwardly on Wavy’s head and fell into Armida’s lap.

“Sorry ‘bout that. It’s difficult trying to get used to these legs.” The frog apologized.

“‘Getting used to…’ but you’re a frog.” Armida scooped the green amphibian into her hands.

“Not really. My half-aunt, who’s an evil sorceress, changed me into a frog so she could rule my kingdom.”

“Wait, your kingdom? That makes you…” Wavy trailed off.

“A prince, yes.” The frog appeared to bow. Out of instinct, Armida bowed from her sitting position.

“You’re royalty, too.” The frog prince observed. Armida blushed and nodded.

“I’m with a princess and a prince? I’ve also got valuable items to hock? Talk about luck.”

“I’m not staying with you.” Armida announced, standing up. Wavy arose as well, picking up his bag of loot and its spilled contents.

“Nor am I. I simply used you as an escape from the castle.” The frog prince then croaked from Armida’s arms.

“I now claim you as both mine. I shall hold you both for ransom!” Wavy proclaimed darkly, a sneer on his face.

“Like we both couldn’t just escape. Besides, I’ve run away on purpose.”

“And there’s no way my half-aunt would pay my ransom. She might pay you to keep me, though.”

“I’ll take you away with me, still. Both parties may change their minds.” Wavy nodded, speaking more to himself than anyone else. His eyes glowed with greed.

“There’s no way you can make me go with you.” Armida stated defiantly.

“Over here!” One of the soldiers’ voices called. “I’ve found them!”

“Bloody heck!” Wavy cried, grabbing Armida’s arm and racing off through the trees, minding to keep a tight grip on his bag of loot as well.

“Hey, get back here, you two!” The guard called. Leaves crunched over his approaching footsteps as he followed Armida, Wavy, and the frog prince.

“Three!” The frog prince called out indignantly. Armida tightened her grip on the frog and raced awkwardly with Wavy.

“Hush, you!” Wavy called over his shoulder. “They can follow the sound of your voice!”

“They can follow the sound of your footsteps, too, jerk.” The green frog retorted. Armida squealed in laughter before quickly quieting down.

“Over there!” The growingly distant voice of one of the sentinels bellowed. Various shouts of, “hurry!” and “come on, men!” soon followed.

Armida was sweating profusely. She was beginning to lose her grip on the little prince. Wavy tightened his grip on Armida’s forearm and pushed forward.

“Wavy… I… can’t breathe. We need to slow down.” Armida complained.

“I can.” The prince replied. Armida squeezed him extra hard, causing him to ribbit.

“Just go a little further. If we slow down now, they’ll catch us. Just push on a little further, Princess, then you can rest.” Wavy advised. So they did, panting and legs burning. Except for the frog.

Suddenly, Wavy halted, forcing Armida to collide into his back, squishing the frog between them.

“Why did you stop?” Armida demanded. Wavy pulled her around in front of him and pushed her forward a little, so she faced the ground. The ground that sloped steeply downward about three feet in front of them. Downward into darkness.

“That’s why, Princess.” Wavy announced.

“That’s quite a drop.” The prince commented, gulping loudly.

“And we may just have to take it.” Armida said, glancing behind her. The guards were still afar off, but their cries were loud and approaching.

“You’ve gotta be joking.” Wavy glowered at Armida.

“I wish I was. They’d lose track of us, and even if they didn’t, there’s no way they’d follow us.” Armida explained.

“Amazing logic, there.” The prince commented dryly. “I’m gonna end up completely squished.”

“That’s okay; you’re fat anyway.” Wavy retorted nastily. The frog looked fiercely and shot his tongue out.

“Double or nothing.” Armida grabbed Wavy’s arm and suddenly tugged him forward with just enough force to send them all tumbling and screaming down the hill.

Much to his surprise and happiness, the frog did not get squished. However, Armida was pinned to the forest floor by the thief.

“Get off me! Off, you bulky oaf!” She cried. He rolled over unceremoniously with a grunt.

“That hurt!” Wavy complained.

“Hello! Who landed on whom?” Armida cried indignantly. “Shh, I think I hear them. If we keep quiet, I think its dark enough to escape detection.”

“But there’s a full moo-” Wavy began before Armida promptly covered his mouth with a loud clap.

“Where’d they go?”

“They went this way!”

“Come on, men! Over here!” The voices were fading now, much to the heap of human’s relief. The frog, too.

“We’ll stay here for about fifteen minutes before moving on.” The frog pronounced.

“Good plan, Toad.” Wavy said, sitting up.

“I’m a frog.” He corrected airily.

“Whatever. Do you even have a name?”

“Of course! I am Prince Aynaire of the kingdom you just stole from.” He replied, practically sniffing. “And I’ve already heard your name, so don’t waste your breath.”

Wavy frowned and turned to Armida.

“I still don’t know your name, Princess.”

“Princess Armida of Frothe.” She answered.

“Great, now we’re all acquainted.” Aynaire croaked. “Pardon. It’s a bad habit.”

“Apparently.” Wavy rolled his eyes. “Can we start running yet?”

“I said fifteen minutes!” Aynaire glared. “It’s only been five.”

“And you know because you have a watch, right?” Wavy questioned smugly. Aynaire narrowed his eyes and ribbited hotly.

“Stop, you two.” Armida pulled Aynaire away from Wavy and stood up. Wavy followed suit, picking up his bag of loot.

“Let’s just hurry up. The forest at night is a frightening place.”

“Ha. And you’re supposed to be a hardened criminal.” Prince Aynaire rolled his eyes.

“At least I’m not green.” Wavy sneered.

“Oh, yeah, because I’d much rather be yellow.” Aynaire shot back, catching Wavy off-guard.

“I should have stayed home.” Armida shook her head as they headed away in the opposite direction the guards took.