Disclaimer : this chapter is a bit longer than the others.

One year later

12 months have passed since the tournament. 12 months the atmosphere have been awkward. For those 12 months, Princess Griddle was practically always locked in her room embroidering, sewing with her wedding present her mother gave her, their magical family jewel itself, the Golden Thimble of Theodora, or reading magazines and books, going out only to go to the bathroom or to eat and going on walks and gardening a bit very discretely so to not having to talk to anyone. She was often lonely, sour and grumpy, Queen Mum feared depression. The princess avoided the most possible she could her husband -ugh, it hurt for her to admit he was hers. Sir Herman, he, kept acting as usual and going on quests and doing what he liked to as if nothing happened, at least to everybody's eyes. He actually hid his guilt for his young wife's gloomy mood. He wanted to talk to her to make up with her and at least becoming friends, but she either didn't open her bedroom's door or slammed it to his snout if she opened it and saw who it was, or when he tried to talk to her while she was already outside, she simply walked away, going "HMF !" with disdain. The poor dragon knight always sighed and shrugged, thinking it was desperate. It's useless to precise there was no mariage bed : the bride was still a virgin. Queen Mum often tried to make convince them to give her grandchildren, but Griddle always violently refused to open her legs to Herman and generally walked away after that kind of talk, and the latter said he would touch her with her consent only and nothing else.
As for Prince Aglowvaine, we could expect him to go and find the perfect occasion for him to mock and make cry his sister, but even if he did throw a mean remark from time to time, his mind was too focused on the egg that was laid on his sister's wedding night, immediatly adoring it and nursering it alterning with his wife. 3 months later, it hatched, it was a little dragon boy ! Aglowvaine was so excited and happy, and despite her disliking for her brother, Princess Griddle accepted Calida's offer to become the baby's godmother, wanting to make sure he would not become despiseful like his daddy. As Princess Calida's parents names were Lady Slimca and Lord Walloth, her husband decided to surprise everybody and mix their names together for the kid's, writing it immediatly on the official papers before his wife aknowledging it : Sloth. It was only when Griddle yelled at him "Sloth !? WHy not Wrath, Envy or Lust now you're at it !?" he realized his mistake. After a lot of arguments with everybody, mother and wife included, he just embarrassingly said the kid would change it later if he would like to. Nonetheless, he had to sleep on the couch for one week.

Queen Mum was drinking a cup of tea on her throne, concerned. The next day would be her daugther and son-in-law/friend's first anniversary, and she knew the tension would be very high. Which is why she didn't plan a party or something. She was just worrying for the 2 married dragons. She heard a noise and turnt on her right : Sir Herman just arrived in the throne room. She shook off her thoughts and smiled.
"Ah, Sir Herman the Nearsighted ! Back from your quest for the Lost Pearl of Earl Earl ?"
"I am, my queen." he bowed "But I admit it was kind of confusing to get the enigma I had to solve as it just couldn't stop mixing the noun "earl" and the name "Earl". Eiter way, I brought the object of the quest."
And he pulled out of his bag a pearl as big as an ostrich egg. Mum's eyes sparkled.
"Ooooooh", she emitted, "once again, you really are my best element, my dear Herman, another treasure to add to our kingdom's wealth."
"Actually, majesty", he cut reajusting his glasses, "I plan to give it to your daughter as a late birthday present. I heard she turnt 27 last week, but she wouldn't let me wish it to her. Maybe it could change her mind, especially as tomorrow will be our anniversary."
The queen frowned with curiosity when he started to talk, but ended up to sigh with exasperation.
"Sir Herman", she let out in a sigh, "to be fair... I do not know if she will ever accept. I thought she would lighten up with time, but she seems to be tougher than I were... It's been a year now. She doesn't want to talk to anyone, I am worried. Herman... I am sorry to have led you into this."
"Majesty..."
"I thougth I was doing good but she didn't even give you a chance and she is not like herself anymore. I think I made a mistake, I should have listened to you and to her. You have always been wiser than me, my friend."
He puffed his chest, determined.
"Queen Mum", he started, "I just never tried enough, so she would adapt by herself at her rythm. But I figured out only recently it wasn't the right thing to do apparently, seeing how it goes worse and worse. So I will insist for her to pull herself together, and start from the beginning. And a gift and an anniversary context is a great occasion."
The gigantic dragoness put down her normal-sized cup of tea aside on the ground.
"Well, try as you can, my friend." she said, taking off her glasses to rub her eyes. "I just wish it works and goes better after that. It's been one wasted year now."
He nodded awkwardly and put back the pearl in his bag, going in direction of the castle's private appartments section. Once arrived to Griddle's bedroom he knocked on her door.
"Who's there ?" she asked from inside.
"Griddle, I-"
"Go away Herman." she cut as she recognized his voice, her tone becoming sterner.
He sighed with exasperation, making a horse sound with his lips while rolling his eyes. Okay, he had compassion on the first months, but now it was childish. Until now, he would have immediatly left, but this time, not only he was determined, but he had something for her.
"Hem, actually", he kept talking, rubbing his head's back, "I wanted to apologize for having missed your birthday last week, I was on a quest. Happy late birthday."
From inside the room, Griddle was trying to ignore his talking, angrily reading through a fashion magazine on her bed.
"The thing is I was doing this quest in order to give you a unique gift in the world. The Lost Pearl of Earl Earl-"
"A pearl ?" she asked with shiny eyes while opening the door, having come in a flash at the mention of jewelry.
"Er, yes." he answered, a bit surprised. "I got it to try to make peace. And also, as I'm later for your birthday but early for our anniversary, consider it like a gift for both celebrations."
He opened his bag and handle the huge gem to her. She had never seen a pearl that big. She wanted to take it, almost drooling, but suddenly remembered who was holding it, and that he mentionned a dreaded date in particular. She went back to her grouchy attitude and crossed her arms, glaring at him.
"You do seriously want to celebrate the anniversary of my torture ?"
"Well this is what I'm wanting to talk abou-"
"Don't come back."
She was about to slam the door, but Herman threw his arm and prevented the door to shut. He's had enough of avoiding the main subject and his look was menacing, contrasting with his usual calm. Griddle's eyes widened in surprise, and she suddently felt very small next to him. Even more when he entered the room, not leaving her eyes. The young dragoness was afraid.
"I... I ask you to leave immediatly..." she said in a quivering voice, trying to look severe but too scared for that.
As she was stepping back, she fell on her bed chair.
"I will not." he said in a deadly calm tone with thunders coming out of his pupils. "I am your husband and I demand to have a real talk for the first time in our life."
"Is it the beginning of marriage domination ?" Griddle said with eyes that tried to look menacing but she was betrayed by her quavering voice.
"NO, it isn't." Herman said trying to remain calm "Marriage is about equality. For now, all I did was accepting to leave you alone, so YOU were the dominant one here, so I order you to listen to me now : we must start it all over, as if today was our first meeting."
"I didn't wish for that wedding." she snarled
"I DIDN'T EITHER !!!" he snapped, his glasses falling off, Griddle falling back on her chair with a freaked out face.
He breathed in and out, trying to relax himself. As they say, beware of the quiet ones. The usually calm and cheerful knigth happened to be explosive when angry. Griddle thought it was maybe part of those so-called common points her mother mentionned.
"Look", he said, rubbing his tamples, "you and I are victim of that. We had not asked to marry each other. You know your reasons and I understand them, as for mine, because you are too young for me and I'm not an old pervert as you probably thought I was -look, did I touch you in a depravated way !?- and because I never planned to marry, being a knight I'm having kind of a free, independant and adventurous job, settling down was not really an option."
"You still do what you always did before me."
"Yes" he nodded while putting back his glasses, "but knowing I have a wife gives me responsibilities, like an extra reason for not dying for not making a widow out of you at such a young age, or satisfying both of our families, or trying to make you happy. No, I didn't want to marry you, but there are marital responsabilities, surch as our mutual comfort, and we're obviously strangers to each other. It can't be forever !"
She looked away with crossed arms, not wanting to admit not to show she was actually listening with all her attention, out of pure pride.
"Listen, I would have preferred we were able to say "I don't" to the priest, but now that we are bounded anyway, we must learn to know each other, it's the most normal thing in a couple, whether they love each other or not. I don't know, it could be talking right now if you want, or talking tomorrow, anywhere you want, on a boat, on a walk, on a bar, in the kitchen, in the garden, I don't care, we must learn about each other."
It was obvious from her eyebrows she was considering what he was doing, but the pose and the mouth were the same. He rolled his eyes. Bratty pride. He presented her his hand, which gave her a surprised look.
"Let's make peace, please."
"Get out of my room." she said in a diva-like attitude.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME ?!" the old dragon snapped again making his voice crack "GAAAAH YOU LITTLE-"
He stomped to the door. But Griddle's pride had actually talked by itself, while she was thinking of something else. It hurt her, but he was right. She couldn't wait for him to die of old age, it would take so long, and she still had a youth to take care of. She wasted one year. And that last explosive reaction at her refusal was the effect of a punishing slap in her sould. She shook her head and althought it hurt her mouth :
"Herman !"
The old knight was about to leave the room, he turnt to her with bloody-veined eyeballs.
"WHAT ?"
"I... UGH, FINE, I accept to give you a chance." she let out in the most annoyed and disgusted way either.
He cooled down all of sudden.
"You do ?" he asked in his usual tone.
"Listen to me, old man." she said shaking her finger at him, getting up and pressing her snout to his while pressing on his chest with the same finger, her other hand on her hip, teeth gritted and muzzled and forehead wrinkled by the menacing look "But only one coffee in the garden and nothing more !"
The knight genuinely looked surprised. Oh, she could make proof of good sense, after all. There was a chance she could mature up at last. That's the problem with spoiled monarch's kids. But maybe... He actually smiled as brightfully as he's know for in the court, and took that hand that was pointing at him to her biggest surprise and enthusiastically shook it.
"Thank you a lot for that, Griddle ! A princess does need to listen to other people than her sometimes, I'm proud of you !"
He was shaking her very rapidly so she couldn't answer. He stopped at last, so brutally she almost fell. He was much stronger than his weak appearance made think so.
"Let us say tomorrow, so this could start a whole new year, as it will be one year exactly we are married. It will be new, and will start a new cycle ! Also... Do you want he pearl today or tomorrow ?"
He pulled out the legendary pearl again. She looked down at it with a visibly neutral look. But she quickly took it, quickly hiding behind her back.
"Let's say it's my b-day present." she said, trying to remain severe "I don't want to waste such a beautiful gift for a so boring day that tomorrow will be."
"Ah !" he smiled showing his fangs "So you like my first husband-wife present, that's a start !"
He winked and left. Griddle was baffled. He could change mood so brutally, that was scary. She looked at the gorgeous gigantic pearl, and back to the direction her spouse had gone by.

The next day

Griddle was grumpily waiting at the table usually used for tea parties with a set of coffee all ready. 2 cups, a coffee pot, a milk pot, spoons and a bowl of sugar. She was impatiently tapping her claws one the table. Then she saw him coming. She didn't know if she should be relieved for not having to be bored and waiting anymore or if the boring part was starting now. He looked calm, with a small encouraging smile.
"May I sit ?" he pointed at the free chair.
"Do." she waved her hand.
He sat all smiley, taking the coffee pot.
"Do you want a cup ?" he asked.
"If I suggested a coffee party, it's not to say no. With 2 sugar cubes and milk, please."
"Milk and sugar ?" he titled his head "Would not it be a bit too sweet ?"
"I said what I wanted." she growled, food was a precious matter to her, even if went down her thighs.
"Fine, fine."
He poured her a cup and gave it to her. She looked bored and had her head on her hand, elbow resting on the table, and was looking away. She still took the cup and nodded before tossing with her spoon.
Herman saw she was not willing, but he had to remain positive. As he said the day before, they couldn't stay like that forever. And there was progress, as they had their first talk, are now having their first meeting, and she even accepted his first gif. He was hopeful ! But all they needed now was a subject of discussion. An awkward silence, only broken from time to time by the tweeting of a bird, had taken over. He thought some minutes before finding something to ask.
"So, do you like knights and chivalry stuff ?" he tried.
Princess Griddle wanted to ignore him, but her conscience told her not to, after what happened the day before. She sighed in annoyance.
"Not that much. All I like in them is how brave, strong and sexy they generally are, and what they bring from their quests. That aside, I don't care."
"Oh, well." he looked a bit embarassed "As you can see, I love to be one, serving your mother and our kingdom, going on adventures, helping others..."
But he noticed she was entirely disinterrested. So he stopped and took a sip, before his face wrinkled in disgust.
"Oh pooh, I forgot to put sugar."
And he did so. Griddle chuckled a bit in a mocking way before expiring loudly and losing herself in her thoughts again. Herman looked around him, and thought he needed to talk about girly stuff. He looked at all the beautiful flowers surrounding them.
"Er the garden is very beautiful, the flowers bloomed so perfectly !"
She turnt her eyes to him, with the same expression though.
"Thanks, I guess. Most of them are mine."
"Oh, you know how to garden ?" he said in an almost fanboying voice "I wish I would, I just love flowers and gardens !"
She frowned in surprise.
"You do ? You don't say it just for going on my good side, right ?" she asked with mefiance.
"No no, I truly do ! Do you remember what my shield looks like ? There is a bird, a sewing needle, and a flower ! And not any flower : a clover, my favorite !"
"A clover !? They... They are my second favorites !" Griddle straightened up, with a baffled look.
"Really ? Knowing you -no offense please-, I thought you would love something more... pompous ?"
"I do, technically, my number one favorites are roses, but my second are clovers. They are so pretty in their simplicity !"
"Oh, what a coincidence !"
"Indeed... But... It's rare to see a man loving flowers. In fact, they are more of the feminine register. And generally, knights, belonging to the manliest nobility rank, focus on virile stuff ! And you and my borther always noticed you were effeminate..."
"I am effeminate, but I do love women, it's not because I like girly things I am gay." he giggled.
"Oh. At least, one my existancial question just has been answered. But, isn't it hard for a knight to assume his girly tastes ?"
"Well, not me. Yeah, I am a knight. But why should I pretend to like stuff and not others just to be accepted by others ? Sure, your mother's knights make fun of me from time to time, but in a friendly way and muuuch less than at the beginning, when they were even kind of mean. But you see, I was determined to make myself respected. Only one week after I got knigthed, I took the challenge to go on a dangerous battle, the Queen thought I would not survive as I was only recently knighted and had not much experience. But look, I am here. I actually repelled the enemy. Since then, I got respect from the others, so I could show them a knight can be different but none the less strong and brave."
He proudly puffed his chest and examined his claws. Griddle was not really interested in chivalry stuff but still nodded.
"Yeah yeah ok, I believe you." she said "But out of curiosity, if the clover on your shield means you love flowers and gardens, what do the sewing needle and the bird mean ?"
"Well", he started, "the bird is because I love music. In fact, I love every form of art, it's just I didn't want to show the cliché of a painting brush for symbolizing art ; a bird sings, is cute and its flight inspires poets, so it looks, sounds and thinks like art, not just looks !"
"Ooh, incredible." the young princess said, with surprised eyes "I had no idea you had the soul of an artist. I do like art. I like looking at paintings and statues, and since my mother gave me as a marriage present the Golden Thimble of Theodora, I, who sucked a sewing, finally managed to make, as a hobby all this year, some pretty embroidments and dresses I'm kind of proud of."
"Oh great ! So you now happen to like sewing !" the old knight exclaimed "The needle on my shield means I love sewing. Remember the tuxedo I had on our wedding ? I made it myself, and without the help of a magical thimble !"
"You know how to sew ?!" she almost spit her sip of coffee.
"I know and I love to ! I love fashion, so I sometimes allow myself to make my own clothes corresponding to the recent trend. I just to feel pretty."
Griddle couldn't believe her earholes. Sir Herman was a fashion addict ? Like herself !?
"I... Well... I have fashion magazines, if you want." she said, still baffled.
He looked surprised. Oh, she was starting to open up at last ?
"Oh ? Er, that is kind of you, but I probably have them already." he chuckled "However, some time, we could sew stuff together !"
"Why not ?" she answered, shrugging "I have nothing more to do. Plus it's an opportunity, now I finally have the possibility to embroid and stuff, thanks to the thimble."
"It must have been hard for a damsel to not know this kind of thing, no ?"
"Yeah..." she sighed in an annoyed tone "Aglowvaine would always make fun of me for that. He even once said that that plus my deep voice sometimes sounding more like a male voice made him doubt about what was between legs."
She had smoke going through her nostrils at the memory. Herman shook his head.
"Tsk tsk tsk", said he, "ignore him, he's an idiot."
"I always ignore him, what could I do mor- wait." she stopped with big eyes "Did you just call him an idiot ?"
"Why, I did. He is mean with everyone, frankly I wish for him to not be able to take the throne one day or it would be anarchy."
The princess's eyes grew bigger and sparkled, and a huge grin full of fangs appeared.
"FINALLY ! FINALLY SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT ME CALL HIM THIS WAY !!!"
"Oh, believe me, all the knights do, but discretly. I always kept it secret, but... As you do think the same, why would I not confess it to you ?"
Talking about the devil, Prince Aglowvaine was passing by, with his wife and their son in her arms. They were chatting sweetly, but as soon the corner of his eyes noticed his sister and his brother-in-law, a mischievous look drew itself on his face.
"Oh, Aglowvaine, please, no." Calidea sighed out, rolling her eyes.
"Aaw, let me having fun, honey", he hissed, "I had not the occasion for months as they never were seen together."
He approached with a proud walk and a toothy smile. Griddle noticed him and her smile faded.
"Uuuugh, not him..."
Herman turnt and got snout to snout with the hunk prince.
"Good afternoon, "lovebirds"", the latter taunted, "I see you finally found the courage to show yourselves in public. That's brave."
Griddle growled, clawing the table.
"Mind your business." she snarled.
"I see you finally talk to each other. I guess you must be desperate and you, Griddle, see you will have never more than an old gramps. How miserable you are, my poor sister." he pursued, with a fake pityful tone.
Griddle was about to say something, but Herman got up, facing the dragon. They were of the same size. Aglowaine was surprised of the dark look on the knight's eyes through his glasses.
"To be fair, your highness", Herman said in a menacing tone, "in what is she miserable ? She is currently having a good time. While you are obviously playing on your wife's nerves -I do not know what she is doing with you-, and at least, your sister, or the "spare" as you always call her, has nothing to lose, as she has no kingdom for her in the future, while YOU do, and it's never too late for your mother, as she is still alive at an age you could become king, to change her will if she sees your popularity with people you treat as trash is low. It's generally on the prince years you must make your proofs."
Calida was listening from afar. Sloth started to emit little reptile noises while nomming on her finger, so she opened her blouse and breastfed him. Meanwhile, Griddle was surprised, and Aglowvaine, at first astonished, made the same expression she had whe he arrived.
"How dare you calling out your prince, you simple knight ?" he growled, crossing his arms.
"Well, not only I am your mother's favorite knight and friend and she always listens to my advices, but as I am now your brother-in-law, we are now equals... Aglowvaine."
Aglowvaine and Griddle jawdropped ; Griddle's expression slowly turnt into a smile, while Aglowvaine wanted to answer something, but didn't find anything.
"I... You... You little... You two... Argh ! Come Calida, come Sloth !" and he walked away, fists tightened and fangs gritted.
Calida was in love with Aglowvaine, but still giggled and gave a thumb up at her siblings-in-law before following him. Sir Herman proudly turnt back to his young wife and rubbed his hands together, than putting his fists on his hips.
"I... Thank you ! You are the first person I met who called him out, and even took my defense face to him !" she smiled enthusiastically.
"At your service. I always wanted to do that ; mayhe having married you was good, as I finally can, now."
"Well, maybe... Oh, if we knew, I would have given you a chance for friendship earlier, and we would have laughed for months and months until now !"
"Well", he smiled with a soft giggle, "consider my answer to him as our anniversary's gift, if you want."
"Why not !" she playfully answered "OK, sit back, my good man, our coffees are gonna get cold again."
"With pleasure", he answered, sitting back and taking a sip.

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A bit late, sorry, but it is either THE or ONE OF THE longest chapter(s). Character development and key moments need details and time, you see ?

Blazing Dragons, Queen Griddle, Sir Herman and Queen Mum (and Cousin Sloth, even if he's never seen and mentionned only once in a cutscene) © Terry Jones
Prince Aglowvaine, Princess Calida, fanfiction, idea and theories © me