Disclaimer : Probably one of the longest chapters as well. Because an important change will occur ;)

4 months later

It's been now weeks and weeks Princess Griddle stopped avoiding Sir Herman. In fact, the more the days passed, the more they spent time together, a friendship growing stronger and stronger. They had a lot in common, a lot of tastes and interest they would share, she discovered he was actually very sweet and gentlemanly, and he discovered she had a good heart under her bratty behaviour. Griddle sometimes taught her husband how to garden and he was very attentive, taking notes, and later doing the same, Griddle giving him thumb ups and pieces of advice ; sometimes in return he taught her about chivalry, but she wasn't very enthusiastic, only listening to be polite and to have a bit of culture. However, she happened to love his stories about his past quest he told with passion playing the roles and swaying his sword and his shield everywhere, listening with big curious attentive eyes like a child, and he purposely made suspense and tension grow, amused but the look on his wife's face as she grabbed popcorn not leaving her huge eyeballs from him. They tried their best to have those coffee parties in the garden at least once every week, chatting and even gossipping (what a luck to have an effeminate husband after all !), and he would make her dresses and she would fangirl as they would correspond to the latest trend. And in return, surprise from her, she made him a new cape as a surprise. He was very touched and it wasn't expected at all, and she surprised herself to like having made him happy. In fact, they often "fangirled" together when they talked about art and fashion, and often made themselves critics, reviewing together a new armor or a new paiting. Queen Mum was finding hope again and she was very happy of what was currently happening, and relieved for her daughter who was the same again. Maybe she wasn't wrong after all !

That morning, the two spouses were walking together on the verge of the cliffs, back from the market place.
"No but really", Herman pursued their conversation, "have you seen her shoes ? They were so 8th century. Incredible she wasn't ashamed of herself !"
"I know right ?" Griddle answered "Awful fashion sense should be illegal ! She must have no friend."
"Anyway, it reminds me your mother asked me to make her a new dress." he said with a disoriented look at the thought of the order. "Sure, she has good taste, but... She is 13 feet tall. It will take a loooot of time, plus all the silk that will be used !... Good thing we all are rich here, or I would be ruined."
"If you want, I can help you."
"That's very thoughtful, Griddle, but this is some sort of a quest. It's my duty, I must do it alone."
"Fiiine... But I can lend you the Golden Thimble of Theodora ! That plus your talent equal a very good work finished earlier."
"Hmmm... That's a good thought. OK, I accept. I'll do my best to give it back to you the soonest possible, though."
"Bah, it was a wedding gift. And as we're married, it's yours too, technically, I guess."
"Yes, but you need it more than me." he added with a little smile.
"I know..."
At this moment, a messenger ran toward the married friends, panting so much it sounded like his lungs would fall from his mouth.
"A... Me... Ssage... For... Sir... Her... Man..." he articulated with a letter in his hand before fainting.
Herman carefully took the message, leaving a golden coin instead, and read it out loud.
" 'Hi Herman, I am going to pay you a visit tomorrow. Get all fixed up for me ! Love, Crisptopher.' "
"Who ?" Griddle asked."
"You do not remember him ?" Herman asked in surprise "My brother, Sir Crisptopher, he was my best man at our wedding. He is the father of the little boy who held the wedding rings !"
"Well, I was too focued on other things back then, you know."
"Yeah, right-"
As he turnt, he found himself snout to snout with a dragon of the same size, with a bowl hat, a grey moustache and a monocle. Out of the surprise, he jumped with a girly screech.
"Haha, always the same effect !" Sir Crisptopher laughed.
"That's not funny !" Sir Herman snarled, hand on his heart.
"It is, actually." said Griddle, giggling.
"Ah, you married a dragoness with humour, brother ! My respects, your highness." he said, kissing her hand "You look much more beautiful without those tears you had on the wedding and with a smile."
"I thank you, milord." she answered, taking all the royal grace she could.
"Crisptopher", Sir Herman cut, "didn't you say you would come tomorrow ?"
"I actually sent this letter yesterday."
"Oh. I now understand the state of health of this poor fellow." said the knight, turning to the out of cold message boy, "So why are you here ?"
"Oh, just a visit, nothing more. Ah, do you know Gasflame wants to become a knight like his unca Herman ?"
"Really ? I am flattered. But... he has a very bad sight even despite his glasses, no glasses work for him. Do you think it's a good idea ?"
"Bah, don't worry. What does he risk ? Being eaten by a hog in the bog ? Nah, it will never happen."
Herman still looked unsure.
"So are you two going well as a couple ?"
"Oh, well, it's been only a few months we started to act as friends." Griddle explained.
"Yes, Mrs Griddle didn't want to tlak to me before." Herman teased.
"Hey, understand me !"
"Friends ?" Crisptopher repeated rising an eyebrow.
"Well", Griddle added, "step by step. We are good friends."
"Friends with benefits, eh ?" nudging his older brother.
At those words, the spouses blushed instantly and their eyes grew huge. Herman grabbed his younger brother by his shirt and turnt to Griddle with a big embarrassed smile.
"Hem... A-allow me to have a private talk with my brother."
"Uh... HUM yes of course !..." she embarrassingly answered, unsure where to look at.
The old knight brought his brother behind a bush, and the princess tip toed to it, spying on them.
"What was that ?!" he yelled in a whispering way, with an angry look betrayed by a tomato face.
"What what ?"
" 'Friends with benefits' ! That's so crude !"
"Yes, I know I should have used a better term, especially in front of a princess."
"Are you serious or what !?"
"I know, I know ! Geez, sorry I just couldn't help with my jokes, I know your sexual life is private !"
"She and I may be married, we are still friends, so don't make it awkward !"
He frowned in confusion.
"Friends ? As in... friends ?"
"What more definition do you need !?" Herman was losing patience.
"You mean you had not deflowered your own wife YET !?" Crisptopher exclaimed.
"Shhhhh ! Be quiet for God's sake !"
Griddle blushed again. It's true... She was still a virgin. And it's true... She and Herman were expected to- Oh God. It's funny, around beefcakes, she gets crazy and whistles, curious about sex and wanting to take advantage of her assets, but for one year, she preferred not to think of her and Herman in this situation, making her cry or giving her nausea. Then, for those 4 months, she completely forgot she was supposed to do that with him one day, she was way too focused on this growing friendship. But now that her brother-in-law brought it up... She wasn't disgusted again, but just... embarrassed. She touched her cheeks, they were burning.
"Herman ! Weddings are for that ! You really mean she is still a virgin after one year !?"
"SHE DIDN'T WANT !" Herman snapped, before realizing he did so "I would not have raped her, what do you think !"
"Aaaah !" Crisptopher's eyes showed a vicious glint "So it means that if she wanted you would have honoured her, eeeh ?"
Griddle giggled both in nervosity but because of the jawdrop Herman had, become even redder than she was.
"I... Well... Uh... She IS beautiful, and as you said weddings are for that so... OH I HATE YOU."
Griddle blushed more, so she was now as red as him. Oh, so... He would have... But still respected her. How gentlemanly. But still... Now she had mental images- Holy Hell !... Meanwhile, Herman himself was starting to have images in his head, before shaking off his nasty thouhts.
"Crisptopher !" Herman said "Just let us take our time. If it ever happens."
"It will."
"Don't rush me ! It could ruin our friendship ! We barely started to like each other."
"Well, you guys are married, it could be time to start to put your relationship in another level, and fall in love or at least feel desire."
"It's not that simple, we will just see what happens, ok ?"
"OK, OK..." he said with a cheeky smirk.
As they left the bush, she ran to another point, trying to look natural. Which means having her tail over her head and posing like a sterotyped Egyptian painting, a few meters away from them.
"My apologies, milady." said Crisptopher, taking her hand "Sometimes I can be very much of a ruffian and forget my education. Do not take it personally please."
"It's alright, Sir." she answered, with a forced grin showing all her fangs, with a slight blush.
"Anyway, I must go now, I think. So you could forget about that, and think of other things."
He said as he winked to Herman. Herman answered by sticking his tongue at him, red-faced.
"Good bye, brother ! A pleasure, you're highness." said he as he tipped his hat and left.
There was an awkward silence. The old husband and his young wife were awkwardly looking at each other not knowing what to add. They both bore a stupid teethy grin.
"I... Sorry for that..." he started "He has always been like that..."
"It's okay, at least you 2 are good siblings to each other, you have a great luck."
"Yeah, sure... But believe me, in cases like those, I want to strangle him."
Another silence.
"Herman... Do you want to get an icecream ? I'm hungry and it's sunny."
"Hmm... That's not a bad idea. Nothing better than a good treat to forget. Healthier than alcohol.
And they went back to the castle. Still they had some thoughts their brains were trying to brush away.

3 months later

Their friendship was growing stronger and stronger each second. Now, except when Herman was on quests, the married buddies were always seen together, going freely to one bedroom from another to waffle and other stuff that were of Griddle's age but not really of Herman's anymore ; he didn't care, he loved that. They even joked about anything and often laughed together, and when one found a fun or interesting event in the kingdom, (s)he would tell the other and they both would go together. The became besties.
Besties...
Actually... They both didn't know if it was after what happened that day with Sir Crisptopher, but something gradually changed. They were more shy when it came to physical contact and blushed at every compliment... and often felt the urge to compliment ! But hey, friends can do that. Yes... But... Was it normal their scents were flusterring them now ?!...

It was night, after the dinner. Queen Mum was signing up new official papers, her children and their respective spouses were surrounding her.
"...and 10 ! We sold 10 catapults to the kingdom of Camelhot !" she resumed after her counting "What a pleasure to do business with the Regent Leodragon."
"A richer kingdom we are, and a poorer kingdom they are, now they bought those." Prince Aglowvaien constated with a smirk "It would be great to attack them and mix their kingdom with ours, so my- I mean, your kingdom, mum, would be even greater !"
"Aglowvaine", Mum sighed, "being a monarch is not just making a kingdom bigger, but knowing how to keep it safe and keep good relationships with the neighbouring ones, so they could buy and help us. Tactics and strategies."
"Something 100 miles ahead your head, bro." Griddle smirked, making Herman try to prevent from laughing.
Aglowvaine growled at her, but Sloth's toddling to his leg stopped him when he wanted to go to her to start a physical fight, as instead he picked him up ; Princess Calida looked at her husband and her son, and she blushed in a shy way, as she was thinking of something.
"Sir Herman the Nearsighted", said Queen Mum, "do you remember that magical chauldron you brought back to the mountain village one week ago after it had been stolen by a troll ?"
"Yes, your majesty ?"
"Well, it seems like that troll cursed it, and now ghosts are haunting the inhabitants. I'm sorry, but tomorrow, you'll have to go back to see if you could do something."
He sighed in annoyance ; it felt like he had cleaned a floor and someone walked it with muddy shoes.
"Yes, your majesty..."
Prince Aglowvaine smirked again as he found an opportunity to defend himself after seeing Herman was trying to laugh earlier.
"Well well wellll, isn't our ol' knight losing his efficiency ? Should be time to retire and keep your days reading the newspaper after a soup Griddle would make to you and you both would go to bed at 7 o'clock."
Sir Herman, offended, was about to answer and opened his mouth but Griddle went in front of her husband in a defensive way, teeth gritted.
"He might be old, but it means his brain is older than yours, supposing yours wasn't stillborn !"
He growled, and handed Sloth to Calida.
"Honey", he said angrily, not leaving his sister with his eyes, "hold our son."
"Hum, honey..." Calida tried to say.
"Not now, I'm busy." he was snout to snout with his sister, both glowering at each other and showing gritted fangs.
"Bring it on !" Griddle growled, not leaving her eyes from him.
But both spouses pulled their one away from another by the tail, far frow each other out of the throne room, while the siblings were struggling to leave their grip. The queen just shrugged and put her papers aside.
"Good night, everyone." she sighed out.
Calida was strong to carry her baby and pullying her angry muscled husband by the tail. Probably what being a mother does to you. After she stopped in the corridors and let him go, he turnt to her.
"If you had not stopped me, the spare would have been needing spare teeth by now !" Aglowvaine reproached to his wife, the only reason he wasn't yelling being because he didn't want to scare the dragonlet.
"Aglowvaine... I'm pregnant." she simply said.
He paused, keeping the same pose and wide open mouth as he was interrupted, but his eyes grew big and bigger.
"You... Again ?..."
She just nodded, hugging Sloth, smiling sweetly.
"A little brother for our son. And ask me before finding a silly name, this time." she joked with a slight blush.
He stared at her a moment before gradually smiling more and more, and kissed her with glee, careful not to crush Sloth.

Meanwhile, Herman had dragged Griddle to the garden, in which he let her go.
"I WAS TRYING TO DEFEND YOU, I COULD HAVE WON !" she reproached her husband, no children around so she could let her rage being heard.
"This is very kind of you, dear Griddle, but I think I am old enough for that." he giggled "Also he's not worth a fight."
"Sure, you could have ended yourself, but I was there, and I hate him, so more reasons !"
"Hehe, good thing I am not one of those knights obsessed with manliness and honor, or I would have beat you up for you 'humiliated' me by defending me instead of letting myself doing it alone like a grown boy." he chuckled.
"If I only could, I would take his neck in my grasp..." she grumbled to herself, strangling an invisible being.
"I'm surprised to see you care so much about taking my defense, princess." he interrupted her with a cheeky smile, crossing his arms.
"Well, of course I do ! I care about you-"
Silence. She shut her mouth immediatly, almost swallowing her lips, her pupills frenetically looking around, blushing. Herman, he, expected her to say that she was her friend, and indeed this sentence could be perfectly interpreted this way... But out of context, it could be something else, and this mere idea gave him a blush as well.
"Ahem..." he made.
"Well, you're a very good person, Herman." she precised, rubbing her nape "You are a very good friend I spend great time friend, so hearing this mufflon making fun of you was the last straw for today, at least."
"Well..." he coughed and started his sentence again "Well, I had no idea you could react this way about other beside you as well, Griddle. If I am not wrong, you love yourself a lot."
"Who doesn't love me ?" she proudly asked, flipping her wig in a sassy wave of her hand.
"I certainly."
"What ?!"
"HEM !" he shook his head, realizing it sounded friendlier in his head "I mean the same thing you meant for me ! Ahem. Anyway, I was trying to say : in seven months you drastically changed. Before that, you only loved and thought about yourself. I am the only person you defended for now."
"Well... Now that I think about it... Yes." she caressed her chin "Well, I never had a fiend before. Must be what friendship feels like."
"No friend ?" he jokingly smiled "Why am I not surprised ?"
"Ha ha." she glared at him.
"Hehe, sorry. But thank you, trying to do so was kind. Does it feel good ?"
"Well, I don't know. I think however if you were sadder or angrier I would have left your grip and make him gobble his own muzzle."
"Then it did make quite an effect." he playfully concluded.
The night was beautiful and warm. They gazed at the stars, shining, contrasting with the dark place they were standing in.
"How about taking a walk along the beach ?" suggest the wife "Now we're outside and nobody would be here at this time of the day."
"This a lovely idea, I shall concur then." her husband nodded.

Once they were on the beach, Griddle miserably fell after 3 steps, because of her high heels she stubbornly kept wanting to wear despite the sand. Herman burst in hysterical laughter. She grunted.
"Oh yeah ?" she articulated between 2 sand spits.
As he kept laughing like a madman, she grabbed sand and threw it in his mouth. His face looked like it suddenly lost all faith in the world and he spit everything loudly, and now Griddle was the one to laugh, pointing at him in mockery ; her laughter doubled as he drank the sea and remembered too late it was salty. He glared at her, and, and grabbed her by the hand. She was confused, but he lifted her up in a second without any trouble despite his fragile appearance and he threw her in a wave. She came out of it, spitting out water and a fish, entirely wet, locks of her wigs covering her eyes.
"Now who's a silly dragon ?" he proudly said in a smirk."
"Us !" she said as she grabbed him by the collar and took him with her as she dived again.
Their heads came out of the water, spitting water and rubbing their eyes, Herman even spat a fish ! Thhey laughed at each other before trying to get up, but because of her heels, she fell again, splashing her friend and husband.
"You should take off your shoes." he told her, looking down at her as she was on her butt and hardly trying to get up "They are beautiful but not praticle with this environment."
She looked down at her feet pityfully. The old knight couldn't help but think she looked insanely cute with this pose, this look, and wet hair, all of that under the moonlight. Plus, her curves were inhanced by the wet dress- he slapped himself, which made Griddle looking up at him with surprise.
"Mosquitoes." he lied.
"I'm so used to wear them, they make me look taller, as 'am so small next to you, Aglowvaine and especially to mumsy. I feel naked without them on."
"Well, if it can make you more comfortable..."
And without telling more, he took off his lavender boots he always wore as well.
"Now we both have a lower style, but at least we're equal !" he declared.
Griddle smiled, touched. She took off hers, and he helped her getting up. But in the process, Herman's glasses fell.
"Pooh !" said he "I see absolutely nothing without these damn things ! Especially a nig-"
But he didn't see he tripped on a shell and he fell, head first, in the wet sand. The princess laughed and picked up his glasses. The knight's head, helmet and wig included, were full of sand again, he had to dive head first again in order to wash away before putting the glasses back on.
As they were wet and started to get cold, they looked for sticks and picked them up together, before lighting up a fire camp with their fire breath. They sat close to each other and tried to dry and warm themselfves up with the fire, laughing and jokingly mocking each other after what happened, their shoes next to them.
"This was surely a nice way to forget about bad things !" the young wife commented "If only there was food... If there were, it would have been a perfect night !"
"Bah, I think that aftet the dessert you had one hour ago you are full for the night !" the old husband laughed.
"Hey, this is MY stomach ! But maybe it would be good for my diet to focus on other things tonight."
"A diet ? You've started a diet ?"
"I haven't started it, I was born with it ! I am very carefull, but I still am bottom-heavy. Ugh, it must be my metabolism.
"And all the chocolate you put on your vegetables."
"It would be tasteless okay ?"
The wind blew, making the fire dance and its light swaying on the married pals' bodies, and also made them shiver.
"Brr, either the fire is not warm enough, or we got ourselved too wet !..." Herman complained.
But the wind also brought each other's scent to their nose. Oh God, not again. Griddle bit her lips closing her eyes as Herman shuddered humming the hair, as if their animal instinct were brought back to life again. Before dying immediatly afterward as their eyes met and they embarrasingly blushed and grinned goofily. Fortunately, to save the situation, the wing blew again, not mixing up their smell this time but only making them colder.
"I feel like the fire is going to die off !..." Griddle complained she too.
"Maybe we would need to move. We are getting colder because we are still."
"But I don't want to make spoooort..." she whined.
Sir Herman got an idea and smiled at her.
"Who said necessarily doing sport ?"
He got up, the young princess looking up at him with curiosity, especially when he gave her his hand.
"May I have this dance ?" he asked in a gentle tone with a gentle smile.
She didn't expect. Dancing ? It's true this is what married couples do, and they never did. She looked down at his hand, then at him again. Was it the moonlight, or ?... No, not the moonlight, the moonlight had not been always here for those past 2 weeks, yet it had been 2 weeks he looked less like an oldie to her, but more handsome, and looking as he aged well. She gave him back a smile and gave him her hand in a graceful motion.
"You may."
He helped her getting up, and they felt very embarrassed and good at the same time as theyr felt their bodies touching, hand in hand, her other hand on his shoulder and his other hand around her waist. They looked at each other, and they could bet they saw a sparkle inside their growing pupils. Both had secretely thought it would have been hard to waltz with no music and accepted just for the fun and to finally get to dance together, but it seemed like they didn't need any at all. They imagined the music, and apparently, the two of them imagined the same king of music as they waltzed on a perfectly synchronized rythm, slowly and beautifully. At first hesistant as well as shy, they quickly got used to the steps and the harmony of the movements fulfilling them with bliss, both laughing at each twirling and spinning, only smiling the other times. It was magical. At this moment, none of them would have been elsewhere even if given the choice. It lasted like that maybe one or two hours, they didn't noticed and frankly, didn't care. But it did seem to be short to them.
Still, they had to stop, both starting to get tired in their legs. They sat back where they were, reviving a bit the fire. They were now dry and warmer, even if the night was still cold.
"You are great dancer, Herman." Griddle complimented.
"You are as well." Herman answered "I did flirt with human women in my youth, so I did learn how to please them, and most of them loved to dance. I had to learn haha !"
"Well, you do goo-"
It was at this moment they noticed they had not let go their hands. They slowly looked up at each other, they pupils were big and shiny. They let go each other's hands, but very hesitantly, as if they knew those hands belonged there, and slowly, like a caress up to the fingertips. The dragons bashfully looked away with a little smile, Herman rubbing his nap and bending back, Griddle putting her hands on her crossd legs' knees and ajusting her sitting position.
"I loved it." the princess said in a sweet voice.
"The dance ?"
"Yes. But... Not just it. The whole evening. The jokes, the falling in the sea, the... The... The touches..."
He turnt to her.
"I... It's funny, for one whole year I couldn't stand you and didn't give you a chance. How wrong I was."
"Do you mean you agree with your mother ?" he calmly asked, playing with one of her locks, making her twitch a wing and smiling a bit more.
"I... I now understand I didn't mean a brainless macho just because he was sexy and muscular... I now understand that... you are an amazing husband... One wasted year. All the things we could have done together. We are so late in everything."
He leaned to her, and gently took her chin and made her look up at him, their snouts were very close. He was insanely blushing, but his hormones couldn't stand more.
"Well, let us catch up." he whispered.
Her irises grew sparklier, and without realizing it, they closed their eyes and softly kissed.

They came back to Camelhot, on their tiptoes and giggling while whispering to be quiet as it was very late, playfully alterning with pushing each other and chasing, until they arrived to Griddle's bedroom's door. She turnt to him, and smiled up at him with a very beautiful look on her face, and so did he with a tender look.
"Well, good night... my sweet." he whispered softly, as he took both of her hands.
"Good night... my dear." she whispered back, opening her door, and looking at him over her shoulder in a half-shy half-seductive way, before entering and shutting it.
In the corridor, Herman stood ther staring at the door like an idiot, before deciding himself to go back to his, walking like a drunk man with a lovestruck face, sometimes looking back behind him, which cause to bump on his bedroom's door.
In her room, Griddle was fangirling in silence, hugging her pillow, staring at the ceiling for a long moment, laying on her bed with a love struck look.

---

FINALLY, PART 4, and probably one of the longest if not THE longest of the chapters (I think I said that before) It took a lot of time because of its lenght but also because I didn't know how to manage to go to the point without being too quick and forced, it needed development and I had to think of details.
I GOT SHIPPY FEELS
WHY WILL HE DIE I'M GETTING MORE AND MORE ATTACHED TO THE SHIP IT BECAME NOW ONE OF MY SECONDARY OTPs FOR THE SHOW

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, Sir Crisptopher, the messenger, fanfiction, idea and theories © me