Princess Griddle slammed open the door to her room, running to her closet, openining it in a hurry, panicked. She took all of her dresses at once, and opened a suitcase. She shoved all of them in it, before putting her makeups, perfumes and jewelries, and tries to close the suitcase which is impossible even for this world with few physical logic.
"Come on come on close !"
"Griddle ?" Mum's voice echoed from the corridor "Are you here ?"
Griddle turnt to the door, and in a second kicked the suitcase under her bed. When her mother entered the room, she just sat on the bed, looking innocent.
"Hello mum !" she said "Do you want to tell me you cancelled the wedding ?"
"I did not." Queen Mum sighed "It is tradition. Look, Griddle, you agreed for this tournament."
"BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME I WOULD MARRY A HOT HUNK OF MY AGE !!!" Griddle yelled slamming fist on her bed.
"Dear, I didn't promise you, it was just a probability !"
"WHY DID YOU INVITE HIM TO PARTICIPATE ?" she shouted, getting up.
Queen mum crossed her arms.
"Griddle", she started, "I didn't like your father either. He won the tournament, so I married him. You wouldn't be there."
"But it's not the saaaaame", Griddle whined, "he had your age and was still muscled according to his portraits !"
"Yes, but we got Aglowvaine and you, and he was a very caring father, as I was more focused on my queendom than your brother and you, as I knew your father was taking care of you, but we would often argue about that, he often called me out as an uncaring mother ; I understood that when he died and I was alone to raise you since then. How sad you were a toddler when he died, you would have loved him."
"Do you think it was your subconscious that made you roll over him ?..." grunted Griddle with crossed arms while pouting.
The queen slapped her, causing her to go right to the wall and fall on the floor.
"I DO NOT ALLOW YOU TO PAY SO MUCH IRRESPECT TOWARD YOUR PARENTS, YOUNG LADY !"
The princess slowly got up, rubbing her cheek and her back because of the shock. She looked gloomy. Her mother sighed and breathed in.
"Griddle... Do you remember what I told you ? Marriage is not love. It's for politics and money. You are a princess."
"What's the big deal ? I'm not even the future queen." she hid her face in her knees.
"You are still my daughter, so you still are a royal."
"I REFUSE TO MARRY A MAN WHO COULD BE MY DAD !" Griddle shouted, her eyes becoming teary.
"Griddle", Mum said, "he is a very kind man, I've been knowing him for years, and you do have common tastes, and he is very understanding with females which is rare from those usually mysoginistic knights, and-"
"IF YOU WANTED ME TO MARRY HIM, WHY DID YOU MADE ME HOPE WITH THIS TOURNAMENT ???" Griddle cut, a tear running on her right cheek.
"Because... Yes, I want you to marry him, but I wanted to play fair and follow the tradition of the tournament, and the winner would have won you. It was pure fate."
"A luck for you... A curse for me..." tears running down.
Mum looked worried, but she was sure she was doing the right thing.
"Well... The wedding will be tomorrow... I... I am going to make you a wonderful dress with the Golden Thimble of Theodora. You have all the night to recover... Good niight, my little tiny Griddle kid."
Griddle didn't answer as her mother left the room and closed the door behind her. Griddle was desperate. She looked in direction of the bed, thinking of the suitcase, but... Where would she go ? She would lose everything, she couldn't become a peasant. She had no choice. She had to stay. And submit. She shook in sobs and layed on the floor.

As Mum was going back to her appartments, Sir Herman ran to her.
"My queen ! My queen !" he called.
"Hm ? Oh good evening, Sir Herman ! Aren't you preparing for tomorrow ?"
"This is actually what I am wanting to talk about, your majesty..." he said in an embarrassed tone.
"Oh ? Let me guess... You do not want to marry my daughter ?" her smile faded.
"Why... Exactly ! She is too young, and it's not fair, I didn't really win, they all got KO by themselves, shouldn't you just organise another tournament ?"
"My dear Herman, I've already cancelled a tournament 2 years ago, it would be too repetitive for the court and the clock would be tickling, she would become a spinster and not being able to have kids anymore ; heck, I was her age when she hatched and when Prince Aglowvaine was 2 !"
"But it isn't fair for the participants ! Plus, they were willing, I only did it because you asked me so kindly ! I must confess, I planned to lose on purpose !"
"Yeah, but once again, lack of time."
"Goodness gracious..." he put his hand on his front, disoriented "But she is too young for me ! I am an old man, from the older generat- hem, don't take it personally... But she is from the new generation, she needs someone of her age with the same hope, the same potential ! We will not be happy together, she never talked to me before and will even less now !"
"Oh, believe me", she said winking, "you will get along, you have common tastes I noticed through years. Also, I know her, she will enlight up, she just needs her time. As for you, I know and trust you, you are a very respectful and honest man, and rich and famous with that, she couldn't dream better !"
Sir Herman looked unsure. The queen put her hand on his shoulder.
"Sir Herman..." she said with a smile "Please... Promise me to take care of my little Griddle."
He looked up at her, lost and unsure, but as he said earlier : his duty was to make people happy and serve his queen.
"I promise..." he sighed out.
"Excellent !" she clapped her hands together "Hold on, I am going to sew you a great suit for the occas-"
"No need, thank you. I can sew it myself." he cut, before leaving, hands behind his back and head down.
Queen Mum scratched her head. Why were they both being so complicated about it ? Marriages are only contracts.
Herman locked himself up in his bedroom, and as he closed, the door, he stood a moment, back leaning on it and eyes staring at nothing, and slowly sat. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Was this really happening ? Was he really going to marry ? At hsi age ? With such a beautiful, yes she was, but bratty and too young woman ? What a nightmare. Now he would be chained forever, and have more contraints, he was free. And he was also going to feel like chaining someone to him, and he knew their feelings were mutual : they didn't want that wedding. But he just made a promise now... And saying no to the priest on the wedding would be dangerous for him and humiliating for the royal family. He couldn't step back anymore.
"My poor Herman", he said to himself, "in what kind of crap did you get into again..."
He hardly got up, and took his sewing kit, with the biggest lack of motivation possible.

The next day

Big was the crowd rushing to the borders of the royal garden, and numerous were the special guests invited to the ceremony, all sitting on their seats. On the wedding altar was the priest, settling everything, a little kid named Gasflame with huge glasses holding 2 engagement rings on a pillow, his father and Sir Herman's first man and brother Sir Crisptopher, and the bride groom in question, very nervous, pale, and sweating. His brother patted his back.
"It's okay, brother", said he, "you know, you could always neglect her. If you give a good excuse, you can get away with it !"
"Thank you Crisptopher, but women deserve more respect, furthermore I made a promise. And she's a princess..."
Queen Mum, all happy and wearing too much makeup, hopped with joy in direction of the wedding alter.
"Good afternoon, Sir Herman ! Oooh, what a beautiful tuxedo you made for yourself ! How much time did it take you ?"
He was still wearing his lavender wig and his helmet, but wore a pink tuxedo instead of his usual light red tunic and lavender boots. He shyly twiddled his sleeve.
"Th-thank you, your masjesty... Hem, one hour ?"
"Oooooh, only one hour, how fantastic ! It would have taken you only a few minutes with the Golden Thimble of Theodora, but still ! It's impressive to see you can manage to be relatively that fast without it ! You sure are exceptional !"
He answered nothing, too focused on what was supposed to happen in minutes, as she was gazing at and cleaning a bit the magical thimble in question.
Meanwhile, Prince Aglowvaine was sitting, with an amused smile. His wife Princess Calida was sitting next to him, her two hands on her big belly. She was 6-months-pregnant, she would soon lay her egg, and 3 more months later, it would hatch.
"Man", Aglowvaine started, "there really is a lot of people to see my stupid sister marrying this old fag."
"Aglowvaine darling", Calida calmy said, "be nice."
"Hey, he is a fag it's obvious ! He is super effeminate and loves girly things like flowers and fashion, he freaking made his tuxedo himself ! Did it even occur to you ?"
"It means nothing and you know it", she said rolling her eyes, "you just want to find an excuse to be mean again to your sister and any person who is or will be in her relations."
"As I once told you, if something happens to me, she would be the queen. You gotta tame the spare to teach it to remain in its place."
"You will never change, will you ?" she said looking at him with unamused eyes.
"And that's why you love me." teasingly kissed her horn.
After some minutes, trumpets were heard, announcing the arrival of the bride. Everybody sat, the queen making everything shake as she sat with too much violence due to excitement, except the little girls who were there as the bride maids and the guys on the wedding alter. The organ started to play the wedding march, as everybody turnt to Princess Griddle who arrived and slowly started to walk in direction of her groom, each step being slowand hesitant. She was beautiful, with a slight touch of red lipstick, a bouquet of red, white and pink roses and fleurs de lys in her hands, a white and fluffy curly wig replacing her usual pink one, a gorgeous poofy white dress with lace and poofy sleeves, and a very long veil hold by a servant behind her, another veil covering her face, but transparent enough to see tired eyes, as she couldn't sleep on the night before. Herman gulped and instinctively looked around as if his survival instinct told him to run for his life, Griddle had her head down with a sangry face, Queen Mum was wiping away her tears of joy, Prince Aglowvaine was looking at his sister with a mocking and sadistic smirk on his lips, and a dog was pissing on a tree ? What ? It's nature.
Griddle stopped on the alter, and both turnt to the priest. One could say from their face they were not happy at all.
"You... Hem... Look beautiful, your highness..." said Herman hesitantly, trying to enlight the mood.
"Please, do not talk to me." she harshly answered.
The priest opened his ceremonial book.
"Ladies and Gentlemen", he started, "God is gathering us today to unite under the sacred bond of Marriage those two beings on this celebration of love."
The two fiancés hissed in disgust at the last word. He kept giving his peech, with the huge Biblical talk, while Herman pityfully looked at his broken-looking bride. She was staring at nothing, her eyes were teary but her expression was angry.
"If anyone opposes this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."
"Anyone ?!" Princess Griddle cut loudly and looked around.
"Griddle !..." the queen facepalmed.
In the middle of the ceremony, Calida tapped on Aglowvaine's shoulder.
"Hem, darling ?..." she whispered in an uncomfortable voice "I think we must go discretely..."
"Aw why, wait for the kiss scene, this will be so funny !"
"I... I think the water broke..." she kept whispering, lifting a bit of her dress, showing water-like liquid running down her ankles.
Aglowvaine's eyes grew as big as plates and he opened his mouth to shout before remembering people were around and clapped his mouth shut with his hand. He looked around quickly, and took her under his arm, as quiet and discret as possible.
"Let's go !" he whispered in a panicked way "Come on, love, be strong !"
And they left, nobody, not even the queen, noticed.
"Sir Herman the Nearsighted", the priest pursued, "will you have Princess Griddle of Coalmeliard as your wife and be faithful to her ? Comfort her and cherish her until death do you part ?"
Herman looked at the priest, looked at the sad Griddle, looked at his brother, looked at Mum, looked at the priest again, and gulped.
"I-I do..." he gulped in a squeacky voice.
"And you, Princess Griddle of Coalmeliard, will you have Sir Herman the Nearsighted as your husband and be faithful to him ? Comfort him and cherish him until death do you part ?"
She truly wanted to yell no, throw her bouquet at her groom's face and run away. But she couldn't. What would be the consequences if so ?
"I... I..."
She tried to look angry and tough all the ceremony. But she cracked, and a tear ran down. She looked down.
"I... I do..." she sniffed.
The 2 fiancés exchanged wedding rings with very slow and hesitant hands and patheitic looks.
"I now pronounce you wife and husband." the priest announced "You may now kiss the bride."
The 2 grew horrified at that. They looked at each other, appalled, closed eyes with disgust, and approached their heads, giving a quick little peck on the lips before turning away. Ew.
The crew got up and clapped hands and cheered, Queen Mum fangirling with tears of joy, the organ played again.
"May the party start !" she announced happily.
"WITHOUT ME !" Griddle yelled.
Everybody went silent. She shoved her bouquet violently in a guest's face and rushed to the castle, ripping off her veil and throwing away her wig, revealing her 2 tiny horns, holding her poofy dress. The hosts were astonished, and gasped even more when Sir Herman said in a stern voice :
"If you please, I will lock myself in my appartments."
And he walked to the castle as well.
As he entered appartments session of the castle, determined to go to his room to change his mind, he noticed his bri- his wife (oh gosh it would be hard to get used to it) curled up arond herself, head in her knees, wings and tail wrapped around her. He did feel guilty. He needed to reassure her about his attentions and make her understand he would not abuse of the situation. He breathed in and approached her.
"Hem... Griddle, I..."
She got up in a flash.
"HOW DARE YOU CALLING YOUR PRINCESS BY HER NAME ?!?" she roared, tears of sanger all over her face.
"Well..." he stepped back, a bit scared "We are married now... We are now... Equals..."
"...Fine. Then, Herman, STAY AWAY FROM ME !"
"Look." he calmed said "I did not wish to marry you, and I understand your anger. You are young and I was not your choice at all. But listen. I will not touch you if you do not want to. We can keep our distances as much as you want. Papers do say we are married, but we do not have to act like a married couple. What do you say ?"
She pondered, looking away.
"Fine by me. But believe me : it will take forever."
She walked to her door.
"Also, "husband", let me sleep in my room and sleep in yours. I do not wish to have your dirty hands over me."
"I would not touch you if you do not w-"
"HA-HA !" she pointed at him "IT MEANS YOU DID THINK OF IT !"
"What ?!" he exclaimed, outraged "I did not ! It's just what people are expecting from a wedding night !"
"GOOD NIGHT, YOU OLD PERVERT !" she shouted.
She slammed shut her door behind her. Sir Herman remained uncredulous in front of it. But she opened again.
"And farewell, as I don't want to see you ever again !"
And she slammed it again.

---

Part 2 ! The thing is I planned a big part of part 1, but I had to improvise and reimagine again, it came out better than I thought.
Aaah, poor Griddle and Herman. Fortunately, they will end up to fall in love, you will see how.

Blazing Dragons, Queen Griddle, Sir Herman and Queen Mum (and Sir Gasflame, even if he's never seen) © Terry Jones
Prince Aglowvaine, Princess Calida, the priest, Sir Criptopher, the bridemaids fanfiction, idea and theories © me