Ride Destiny!
Here again posting the 2nd chapter of my Edward/Nancy fic!
Title: Through the manhole to happiness-the story of Nancy & Edward
Author:
chobit001
Rating: PG, for this chapter...slight innuendo I hope is not too out of character...
Characters/Pairings: Prince Edward/Nancy, Pip
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine...just the story. Also the laughing place song is definitely not mine and I know a cheap rip-off...
Summary: Nancy spends her second day in Andalasia with Prince Edward. An argument with Pip brews, and thoughts of home remain ever present in Nancy's mind.
“Would you care to try this outfit on madam?” a woman with a large stout nose and grey hair asked.
“Or perhaps you’d like to try this dress…you know that pink is fashionably in this season!” a much taller woman, whose eyebrows were connected into a unibrow, had interrupted.
“That’s awfully kind of the both of you.” Nancy replied, “But I think I’d much prefer to wear that dress!” she decided, pointing to a sheer baby blue dress with pearls adorning the shoulders and bow around the waistline.
“Very well then! If you need any further assistance madam, give us a ring!” the two dissimilar ladies said in unison. They shut the door behind them to give Nancy some privacy. Nancy inspected the dress from top to bottom and smiled. Being a fashion designer herself she knew what to look for in a dress; it was unfortunate that what the other two women offered was nothing short of puke on the runway. How could they not know style? The blue dress she had eyed was hanging solitary in an open wardrobe located in the middle of Nancy’s bedroom. The two ladies, summoned by Prince Edward to help Nancy find a change of clothing; merely had brought in a rack of various dresses for Nancy to try, but they didn’t stand a chance against the blue dress. Nancy sighed, understanding that they just wanted to spruce her up in the most “elegant” gown possible. The blue dress wasn’t elegant in the sense of princess fashion, but it was exquisite in every other way imaginable.
Nancy smiled as she took the dress from the wardrobe to get changed. She was still getting used to the fact everything was animated. She had also decided to give Prince Edward another chance, to get to know him, and, decide if the world of Andalasia was meant for her.
“My intuition’s always right…” Nancy thought enjoyably. She began waltzing in the dress as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror.
“Boy, what I wouldn’t give for a curling iron right now…” Nancy wished aloud, mildly upset that the usual amenities were not available in Andalasia.
“What’s a curling iron?” a voice said that startled Nancy.
“Holy crap!” Nancy shrieked. She turned around only to find that same chipmunk from the day before on her bed.
“Oh! It’s you again.” Nancy said, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Yeah, it’s me! And get my name straight, it’s Pip!” Pip snapped.
“Well alright Pip. My name is Nancy.” Nancy introduced as she curtsied.
“Yeah, yeah, pleasure to meet you and all that…” Pip stated indifferently before pointing at Nancy, “Now where’s Giselle? What did you do to her?”
“What do you mean what did I do to her? She chose to stay in New York…I thought you would’ve noticed that…”
“Look lady, I bested that no-good-two-timing-twisted Queen Narissa dragon because I knew that Giselle was in trouble. I saw that a friend of hers was also in trouble, but I was too late to save him from falling due to that cursed rain! I saw Giselle catch this other guy and they began falling. It was dark and slippery outside by the time I finally found my footing and was able to crawl down the tower.”
“You certainly had no problems climbing the tower in the rain.” Nancy pointed out.
“It’s always easier to go up than down sweetheart!” Pip retaliated, “Anyways I didn’t see where they fell! I ended up scurrying back down to the bottom floor in hopes of finding her. When I saw Prince Edward running off, far in the distance…and certainly not with the person I hoped to have rescued, let’s say I was more than shocked!”
“Pfft,” Nancy said gritting her teeth, “Ya know… if you’re so upset, why don’t ya go back down the well?” Nancy advised in irritation, “I’m sure she’ll be happy to see a crazy talking animal again. God knows there aren’t any in New York City.”
“Now wait just a minute! I am NOT going back there! Ya hear me? There is no way I’m going back to that place! Do you think I’m crazy? I almost got myself killed with the fact I wasn’t going to speak…” Pip explained as he tore at fur on his head in aggravation.
“Perhaps you could write a book on it…” Nancy suggested indifferently.
Pip was about to counter Nancy’s argument when his expression all of a sudden became dumbfounded. It was like he was struck with a brand-new idea. He looked inquisitively at Nancy, “A book?” he asked.
“Yeah you know…books…those hard cover things filled with paper and words! You live in a fairytale world…shouldn’t you at LEAST have books?” Nancy asked. Pip clearly had a blank look on his face. Nancy cleared her voice, “Never mind…I was trying to be funny but perhaps that’s not considered “happily ever after here” isn’t it? Geez, you were much better when you couldn’t talk.” Nancy responded harshly. She turned to look back into the mirror, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m getting ready for a date with this Prince Edward and I don’t want to be late.”
Pip clenched his buck teeth, wagged his tail and jumped to the only open window sill in the bedroom. “Who do you think you are? Heartless! Well obviously you don’t care what happens to Robert then do ya! I might as well jump off a balcony since you wouldn’t care anyway!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Nancy said, not turning her head. Pip looked outside at the castle grounds below. If he jumped he’d be nothing but flat-pipcakes.
“I mean it! I’ll jump!” Pip threatened.
“Why are you being so overdramatic? It’s obvious that your precious Giselle wanted to stay in New York.” Nancy pointed out, changing her tone of voice to prove to Pip that she wasn’t heartless. “You don’t want to take away her only chance for happiness do you?”
“No but…” Pip began, feeling his tough exterior melt away, “She was really in love with the Prince…and so was he!”
“People change Pip…” Nancy stated, ruminating how her relationship with Robert changed. “I clearly wasn’t meant for Robert…but…I don’t begrudge him…”
“You…” Pip began, realizing, “You still love him do you?”
Nancy let out a laugh. “Look, if you’re trying to make me feel bad about my decision it ain’t working ya hear!”
Pip’s ears lowered in disappointment, “Well…I’m going to miss her.”
Nancy was touched by Pip’s acknowledgement of missing her. She walked over to the window sill and gently grabbed Pip in an embrace. She hardly knew this chipmunk, and in real life, she would never attempt to pick up such an animal; but something about this world already moved her to compassion of furry creatures. Nancy had pets back home, yet she never felt about them the way she now felt towards this little chipmunk. It probably had to do with the fact that he talked to her the way any normal “human” friend would talk.
“There, there, Pip. “Nancy said soothingly as she cuddled the chipmunk. But Pip wasn’t into all that lovey-dovey stuff with someone he didn’t know. He bit Nancy on the shoulder, and all thoughts of mushy cuddliness vanished from Nancy’s mind. She dropped the chipmunk on the bedroom floor in anger.
“You stupid…STUPID chipmunk! Be angry for all I care!” Nancy yelled as she left the room, slamming the door. Nancy ran down the corridor, furious that she was not off to a good start. Perhaps this happily ever after world was not so different from the real world…
After breathing deeply a few times to calm herself, she took a few steps forward towards an indoor balcony. She peered over to discover a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, glittering with diamonds and other precious gems. It appeared that the inside of the castle was made up of opposing stairways that wove around the castle. From far off in a distant corridor she saw Prince Edward running down the hall. She laughed, thinking it was cute that he had to dash wherever he went. She sat on the rail of the balcony as she admired all the paintings that adorned the walls of the castle.
Nancy almost felt at peace being surrounded by nothing but pure beauty. She knew that Prince Edward was closing in on her, but she didn’t want this moment of solace to end. She didn’t want to think or hear about Giselle and Robert. She wanted to start with a fresh face and a new outlook on life. That was mostly the reason why she found it acceptable to run away with Prince Edward.
For a moment her thoughts lingered to her cell phone that she realized she had left in the room. She dismissed it quickly, thinking that the phone probably wouldn’t have worked. As she dismissed those thoughts, Prince Edward arrived. He began to sing at the top of his lungs:
“The morning is bright, merrily with delight! I’ve woken to the sounds of distant humming, and the rhythm of bees just-a-buzzing! Yet I truly awake to find the fairest maid in all the land! My dearest Nancy won’t you….take my hand!”
Nancy giggled. The song was not the best song in the world, but his voice was rich and full; like a tenor’s at the Metropolitan Opera, that she couldn’t help but forgive him a few corny lyrics. “Why…I…” Nancy stuttered.
“Come!” Prince Edward beckoned as he stopped singing. “I want to show you my kingdom. I believe you need a proper tour! And a proper tour includes a horseback ride!”
“Wow!” Nancy said, “I’m impressed! Though I’ve actually never rode horseback before.”
“Well don’t worry Nancy! You will ride with me!” Prince Edward reassured.
And ride with him she did. She held on close to him because his horse Destiny was super fast.
“Is there anyway to go slower?” Nancy pleaded, as the wind whipped her lips crazily. Edward didn’t seem to hear her as they both dashed at lightning speed throughout the village. She didn’t even have time to look at the village since they were going so fast.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up…” Nancy said nauseatingly, her face literally turning green. Edward didn’t notice but Destiny did: Destiny reared its hind legs up and neighed really high, causing Prince Edward and Nancy to fall of his back. Nancy, however, landed carefully in Prince Edward’s lap while he landed in a nearby hay stack. An old man who was racking the hay yelled at them to watch it before realizing who had landed in the hay.
“Many apologies your majesty I did not realize that…”
“Never fear peasant!” Prince Edward declared, “I am taking the lovely lady for a stroll, but it appears she has fainted in my presence!”
He turned her over to make sure she was alright and was taken aback when he saw that her face was still green. He also finally noticed the puke mess on his outfit. He pursed his lips in revulsion, “Well now… this is a predicament isn’t it…”
After a few minutes of calming Nancy by massaging and patting her on the back, her face flushed back to its natural color.
“Thank you…I feel a bit better...”
“What made you so sick my love?” Prince Edward asked with concern.
“Oh just…the horse…he was going so…so fast…”
“Oh my dearest! My most humble apologies! Destiny is one of the fastest horses in the kingdom. I dare say that Destiny doesn’t take well to riding slower than he knows he is worth.”
“Well maybe we could walk around the village then?” Nancy implored.
“But of course!” Prince Edward agreed. He whistled with his fingers in-between his mouth, summoning Destiny’s presence. “Destiny, please head back to the palace to await our arrival.” The horse blew air in disapproval. “I know, I know old friend, you did your best. Now do as I command.” Prince Edward ordered. Destiny grunted as he trotted away at a much slower pace. Nancy was a bit irritated that the horse only then decided to travel at a slower speed.
“So what would you like to see my love? Name it! Name anything and it shall be done!” Prince Edward offered.
Nancy couldn’t help but smile. If anything she definitely appreciated the man. He was the ultimate stereotype of girl’s romantic fantasies, even if he was slightly missing a few common-sense brain cells. She forgave his denseness in favor of these romantic emotions.
“Well, what’s the most happening place here?”
“Happening place?”
“Ya know…the coolest thing to do around here! The most lively place! Where everyone gets together to have a party? Ya know! A happening place!”
Prince Edward stroked his chin in thought, taken by the thought of a “happening place.” Then, as if a light bulb went off, he snapped his fingers.
“Ahah! You’re referring to what we call a ‘laughing place’ aren’t you?” Prince Edward asked animatedly.
Nancy shrugged, “Well, if that’s what you call it around here. What exactly do you do at a laughing place?”
As if on cue Prince Edward dropped to his knees in song:
“Everybody's got a laughing place!
A laughing place to go…
Take a frown, turn it upside down,
And you'll find yours I know…”
Nancy interrupted him, “So I take it we’ll have fun at this laughing place?”
But Prince Edward continued the song:
“Honey! Fun is what the place brings!
Boy are we in luck
We'll visit a laughing place! Cause
everybody's got a laughing place,
A laughing place to go!
I’ve found one that’s filled with fun
And you'll find yours too I know!”
Nancy sighed apathetically, not entirely charmed by the song. “Ok handsome… lead the way.
Prince Edward enthusiastically grabbed Nancy’s hand and with her skipped merrily down the cobblestone path of the village. He continued his outrageous song while Nancy focused on keeping up the pace with him. Soon they stopped at a huge barnyard shaped house that had a wooden placard on the door. The inscription on the sign read: “A laughing place.”
“You weren’t kidding were you?” Nancy muttered, somewhat exasperated that things in this world were taken too literally. “As long as there are fun things to do here in Andalasia, I might as well give it a try.” she considered silently.
“Well here we are!” Prince Edward announced. He offered his arm to Nancy, “May I have the pleasure?”
Nancy’s irritation melted away into that gooey romantic fluff she had always wanted. She linked her arm with his as they walked into the “laughing place.” The inside reminded Nancy of those cartoon saloons she’s occasionally see pop up on Warner Brother cartoons. This particular “cantina” boasted a 2-ft stage in the center that had two solid wooden stools. Two very different people were sitting on the stools: one was playing a lute while the other was reciting limericks. People of all shapes and sizes were crowded around the stage, listening to the limericks and laughing to their hearts content. In the far right corner of the building was a makeshift bar. There were barrels and barrels loaded with different types of drinks. Most people sat at the bar and were telling jokes to one another and fascinating each other with ludicrously made-up stories.
“No wonder this is a laughing place.” Nancy said with a laugh.
“It certainly is! May I get you some refreshment?” Prince Edward offered.
“Heck yes!” Nancy responded eagerly. As Prince Edward walked over to the bar, she took a seat on a table close to the stage. She was interested in hearing their limericks. Most of them were so-so, which made her wonder why people laughed so hard. But then she was taken by surprise by one limerick:
“There once was chipmunk called Pip
Who gave everyone the stiff-upper lip!
All he could do was whine
His complaints were made of rhyme
We unfortunately thought he’s a jip.”
Nancy laughed real hard. Most of the other tavern goers didn’t laugh as much but Nancy was overcome with laughter. She felt like yelling “booyah” in response to the limerick and also to the face of that chipmunk, if she ever saw it again. All of a sudden she was startled when she felt a light tapping on her shoulder.
“Your drink madam!” Prince Edward said as he presented her a glass filled with a green liquid. Nancy looked on in disgust, “Umm what is that supposed to be?”
Prince Edward scoffed, “Why it’s Green Juice! Don’t you have these where you come from?”
“Looks more like fermented apple juice to me…” Nancy observed. Prince Edward guffawed, “Oh you should try it! It’s delicious!”
Nancy stared at the drink cautiously. She looked back at Prince Edward who was edginge her on to try it. She sighed, took the glass in her hands and drunk it down in one gulp. Prince Edward was amazed.
“That was marvelous my love! How did you enjoy it?”
Nancy licked her lips, sort of shocked at how good it tasted. It had enough sweetness and minty flavor to remind her of a mojito back from home.
“This was so good!” Nancy exclaimed.
“I told you!” Prince Edward said with his ultra goofy smile. “Would you care for another one?”
“Of course!” Nancy agreed and so Prince Edward went to the server to grab another glass of Green Juice. She chugged it down as quickly as the first and asked for a few more drinks. As Prince Edward kept bringing her drink after drink, the reciting limerick duo eventually left the stage and a band of some sorts started to setup on the stage. The band consisted of another lute player, a man on a washboard bass, and woman playing what resembled a renaissance fiddle. The lute player began singing, to Nancy’s acquiescent surprise, and the rest of the house started singing. Nancy wondered how anyone knew the lyrics right off the bat, but she found herself singing along with them, hooting and hollering, and kicking her heels up to boot!
“Nancy,” Prince Edward interrupted.
“Come on Edward!” Nancy yelled abrasively as she slapped him on the back, “Join in on the fun!”
Prince Edward laughed nervously, “Oh Nancy but I am having fun!”
“Oh no you’re not!” Nancy slurred as she grabbed Prince Edward into a dance. Other people inside the saloon were laughing and dancing as the music gradually rose in volume and sped up in tempo. While Nancy was dancing a bit drunkenly, Prince Edward managed to dance quite calmly. Thirty minutes passed of intense dancing and roof-rising fun when suddenly Nancy blacked out.
When she awoke she found herself in the arms of Prince Edward, who was sitting outside the “Laughing place.” The music continued to play on and the merriment of voices ceased to fade...
“It’s you…” Nancy inaudibly muttered.
“Yes it’s me…” Prince Edward nodded. “You feeling ok?”
“Oh I’ve never felt better!” Nancy replied with a stretch, however, she felt her head throbbing. “A little fun does ya good sometime…it’s so good…good to...you know… be able to party hardy here too!”
“I’m so glad you had a good time! But you passed out! Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’m fine Edward…really…” Nancy said, still in a bit of a stupor. She buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply. “You smell nice.”
Prince Edward blushed as he brushed a strand of hair away from Nancy’s face. “Do you feel up to more sightseeing? It’s only the middle of the afternoon. We have plenty of time.”
Nancy looked up at the sky to verify that he was right. All the fun she had in the Laughing Place reminded her of some good nights out with friends from back home. It seemed almost unbelievable that she just experienced fun during an early afternoon.
Then a thought dawned upon Nancy. “My friends,” she found herself saying. She rose to her feet unexpectedly that Prince Edward fell backwards. “I have to contact my friends and family! I gotta let them know I’m safe!” Nancy started to walk off but Prince Edward stopped her from doing so.
“Nancy, please don’t go! It has been such a lovely…such a lovely…d-d-date with you! I would be honored to spend more time with you! And…” he stopped abruptly, placing her hands on his heart, “I really do believe you’re the perfect fit for me! Please, just give me one more day to prove my worth!”
Nancy stared deep into his cartoonish stare, amazed already that the toonish people and landscapes started to look and feel natural. There was something in the way Prince Edward stared, perhaps a look of desperation, but something about his expression made Nancy reconsider.
“I wasn’t going to leave yet…” Nancy said, “Honestly! I promise! I just wanted to contact them via my cell phone! It’s that black box I left back in my room!”
Prince Edward breathed a sigh of relief, “Then it shall be done.” He put his forefingers between his teeth to whistle and out of nowhere came Destiny. “We shall make haste with my horse!”
Nancy almost refused if it weren’t for the fact that Prince Edward grabbed her onto the horse and placed her in front of him. It terrified her and simultaneously relieved Nancy of her drunken state. She turned quickly, facing the other direction and wrapped her arms around his waist. It was an unconventional way to ride a horse…but now Nancy was more terrified of falling off scared of getting sick again.
Now Destiny surely did make haste because they reached the castle within five minutes. Prince Edward helped her off the horse and she immediately bolted through the doors of the castle gates, up the stairs into the castle and followed the windy stairs all the way back to her floor. She burst through the door of her bedroom and looked towards the nightstand. She gasped in horror. Prince Edward was not too far behind and he was sincerely alarmed.
“What’s wrong? What is the matter Nancy?”
“My cell-phone…it’s gone…”
TO BE CONTINUED
Title: Through the manhole to happiness-the story of Nancy & Edward
Author:
chobit001
Rating: PG, for this chapter...slight innuendo I hope is not too out of character...
Characters/Pairings: Prince Edward/Nancy, Pip
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine...just the story. Also the laughing place song is definitely not mine and I know a cheap rip-off...
Summary: Nancy spends her second day in Andalasia with Prince Edward. An argument with Pip brews, and thoughts of home remain ever present in Nancy's mind.
“Would you care to try this outfit on madam?” a woman with a large stout nose and grey hair asked.
“Or perhaps you’d like to try this dress…you know that pink is fashionably in this season!” a much taller woman, whose eyebrows were connected into a unibrow, had interrupted.
“That’s awfully kind of the both of you.” Nancy replied, “But I think I’d much prefer to wear that dress!” she decided, pointing to a sheer baby blue dress with pearls adorning the shoulders and bow around the waistline.
“Very well then! If you need any further assistance madam, give us a ring!” the two dissimilar ladies said in unison. They shut the door behind them to give Nancy some privacy. Nancy inspected the dress from top to bottom and smiled. Being a fashion designer herself she knew what to look for in a dress; it was unfortunate that what the other two women offered was nothing short of puke on the runway. How could they not know style? The blue dress she had eyed was hanging solitary in an open wardrobe located in the middle of Nancy’s bedroom. The two ladies, summoned by Prince Edward to help Nancy find a change of clothing; merely had brought in a rack of various dresses for Nancy to try, but they didn’t stand a chance against the blue dress. Nancy sighed, understanding that they just wanted to spruce her up in the most “elegant” gown possible. The blue dress wasn’t elegant in the sense of princess fashion, but it was exquisite in every other way imaginable.
Nancy smiled as she took the dress from the wardrobe to get changed. She was still getting used to the fact everything was animated. She had also decided to give Prince Edward another chance, to get to know him, and, decide if the world of Andalasia was meant for her.
“My intuition’s always right…” Nancy thought enjoyably. She began waltzing in the dress as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror.
“Boy, what I wouldn’t give for a curling iron right now…” Nancy wished aloud, mildly upset that the usual amenities were not available in Andalasia.
“What’s a curling iron?” a voice said that startled Nancy.
“Holy crap!” Nancy shrieked. She turned around only to find that same chipmunk from the day before on her bed.
“Oh! It’s you again.” Nancy said, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Yeah, it’s me! And get my name straight, it’s Pip!” Pip snapped.
“Well alright Pip. My name is Nancy.” Nancy introduced as she curtsied.
“Yeah, yeah, pleasure to meet you and all that…” Pip stated indifferently before pointing at Nancy, “Now where’s Giselle? What did you do to her?”
“What do you mean what did I do to her? She chose to stay in New York…I thought you would’ve noticed that…”
“Look lady, I bested that no-good-two-timing-twisted Queen Narissa dragon because I knew that Giselle was in trouble. I saw that a friend of hers was also in trouble, but I was too late to save him from falling due to that cursed rain! I saw Giselle catch this other guy and they began falling. It was dark and slippery outside by the time I finally found my footing and was able to crawl down the tower.”
“You certainly had no problems climbing the tower in the rain.” Nancy pointed out.
“It’s always easier to go up than down sweetheart!” Pip retaliated, “Anyways I didn’t see where they fell! I ended up scurrying back down to the bottom floor in hopes of finding her. When I saw Prince Edward running off, far in the distance…and certainly not with the person I hoped to have rescued, let’s say I was more than shocked!”
“Pfft,” Nancy said gritting her teeth, “Ya know… if you’re so upset, why don’t ya go back down the well?” Nancy advised in irritation, “I’m sure she’ll be happy to see a crazy talking animal again. God knows there aren’t any in New York City.”
“Now wait just a minute! I am NOT going back there! Ya hear me? There is no way I’m going back to that place! Do you think I’m crazy? I almost got myself killed with the fact I wasn’t going to speak…” Pip explained as he tore at fur on his head in aggravation.
“Perhaps you could write a book on it…” Nancy suggested indifferently.
Pip was about to counter Nancy’s argument when his expression all of a sudden became dumbfounded. It was like he was struck with a brand-new idea. He looked inquisitively at Nancy, “A book?” he asked.
“Yeah you know…books…those hard cover things filled with paper and words! You live in a fairytale world…shouldn’t you at LEAST have books?” Nancy asked. Pip clearly had a blank look on his face. Nancy cleared her voice, “Never mind…I was trying to be funny but perhaps that’s not considered “happily ever after here” isn’t it? Geez, you were much better when you couldn’t talk.” Nancy responded harshly. She turned to look back into the mirror, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m getting ready for a date with this Prince Edward and I don’t want to be late.”
Pip clenched his buck teeth, wagged his tail and jumped to the only open window sill in the bedroom. “Who do you think you are? Heartless! Well obviously you don’t care what happens to Robert then do ya! I might as well jump off a balcony since you wouldn’t care anyway!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Nancy said, not turning her head. Pip looked outside at the castle grounds below. If he jumped he’d be nothing but flat-pipcakes.
“I mean it! I’ll jump!” Pip threatened.
“Why are you being so overdramatic? It’s obvious that your precious Giselle wanted to stay in New York.” Nancy pointed out, changing her tone of voice to prove to Pip that she wasn’t heartless. “You don’t want to take away her only chance for happiness do you?”
“No but…” Pip began, feeling his tough exterior melt away, “She was really in love with the Prince…and so was he!”
“People change Pip…” Nancy stated, ruminating how her relationship with Robert changed. “I clearly wasn’t meant for Robert…but…I don’t begrudge him…”
“You…” Pip began, realizing, “You still love him do you?”
Nancy let out a laugh. “Look, if you’re trying to make me feel bad about my decision it ain’t working ya hear!”
Pip’s ears lowered in disappointment, “Well…I’m going to miss her.”
Nancy was touched by Pip’s acknowledgement of missing her. She walked over to the window sill and gently grabbed Pip in an embrace. She hardly knew this chipmunk, and in real life, she would never attempt to pick up such an animal; but something about this world already moved her to compassion of furry creatures. Nancy had pets back home, yet she never felt about them the way she now felt towards this little chipmunk. It probably had to do with the fact that he talked to her the way any normal “human” friend would talk.
“There, there, Pip. “Nancy said soothingly as she cuddled the chipmunk. But Pip wasn’t into all that lovey-dovey stuff with someone he didn’t know. He bit Nancy on the shoulder, and all thoughts of mushy cuddliness vanished from Nancy’s mind. She dropped the chipmunk on the bedroom floor in anger.
“You stupid…STUPID chipmunk! Be angry for all I care!” Nancy yelled as she left the room, slamming the door. Nancy ran down the corridor, furious that she was not off to a good start. Perhaps this happily ever after world was not so different from the real world…
After breathing deeply a few times to calm herself, she took a few steps forward towards an indoor balcony. She peered over to discover a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, glittering with diamonds and other precious gems. It appeared that the inside of the castle was made up of opposing stairways that wove around the castle. From far off in a distant corridor she saw Prince Edward running down the hall. She laughed, thinking it was cute that he had to dash wherever he went. She sat on the rail of the balcony as she admired all the paintings that adorned the walls of the castle.
Nancy almost felt at peace being surrounded by nothing but pure beauty. She knew that Prince Edward was closing in on her, but she didn’t want this moment of solace to end. She didn’t want to think or hear about Giselle and Robert. She wanted to start with a fresh face and a new outlook on life. That was mostly the reason why she found it acceptable to run away with Prince Edward.
For a moment her thoughts lingered to her cell phone that she realized she had left in the room. She dismissed it quickly, thinking that the phone probably wouldn’t have worked. As she dismissed those thoughts, Prince Edward arrived. He began to sing at the top of his lungs:
“The morning is bright, merrily with delight! I’ve woken to the sounds of distant humming, and the rhythm of bees just-a-buzzing! Yet I truly awake to find the fairest maid in all the land! My dearest Nancy won’t you….take my hand!”
Nancy giggled. The song was not the best song in the world, but his voice was rich and full; like a tenor’s at the Metropolitan Opera, that she couldn’t help but forgive him a few corny lyrics. “Why…I…” Nancy stuttered.
“Come!” Prince Edward beckoned as he stopped singing. “I want to show you my kingdom. I believe you need a proper tour! And a proper tour includes a horseback ride!”
“Wow!” Nancy said, “I’m impressed! Though I’ve actually never rode horseback before.”
“Well don’t worry Nancy! You will ride with me!” Prince Edward reassured.
And ride with him she did. She held on close to him because his horse Destiny was super fast.
“Is there anyway to go slower?” Nancy pleaded, as the wind whipped her lips crazily. Edward didn’t seem to hear her as they both dashed at lightning speed throughout the village. She didn’t even have time to look at the village since they were going so fast.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up…” Nancy said nauseatingly, her face literally turning green. Edward didn’t notice but Destiny did: Destiny reared its hind legs up and neighed really high, causing Prince Edward and Nancy to fall of his back. Nancy, however, landed carefully in Prince Edward’s lap while he landed in a nearby hay stack. An old man who was racking the hay yelled at them to watch it before realizing who had landed in the hay.
“Many apologies your majesty I did not realize that…”
“Never fear peasant!” Prince Edward declared, “I am taking the lovely lady for a stroll, but it appears she has fainted in my presence!”
He turned her over to make sure she was alright and was taken aback when he saw that her face was still green. He also finally noticed the puke mess on his outfit. He pursed his lips in revulsion, “Well now… this is a predicament isn’t it…”
After a few minutes of calming Nancy by massaging and patting her on the back, her face flushed back to its natural color.
“Thank you…I feel a bit better...”
“What made you so sick my love?” Prince Edward asked with concern.
“Oh just…the horse…he was going so…so fast…”
“Oh my dearest! My most humble apologies! Destiny is one of the fastest horses in the kingdom. I dare say that Destiny doesn’t take well to riding slower than he knows he is worth.”
“Well maybe we could walk around the village then?” Nancy implored.
“But of course!” Prince Edward agreed. He whistled with his fingers in-between his mouth, summoning Destiny’s presence. “Destiny, please head back to the palace to await our arrival.” The horse blew air in disapproval. “I know, I know old friend, you did your best. Now do as I command.” Prince Edward ordered. Destiny grunted as he trotted away at a much slower pace. Nancy was a bit irritated that the horse only then decided to travel at a slower speed.
“So what would you like to see my love? Name it! Name anything and it shall be done!” Prince Edward offered.
Nancy couldn’t help but smile. If anything she definitely appreciated the man. He was the ultimate stereotype of girl’s romantic fantasies, even if he was slightly missing a few common-sense brain cells. She forgave his denseness in favor of these romantic emotions.
“Well, what’s the most happening place here?”
“Happening place?”
“Ya know…the coolest thing to do around here! The most lively place! Where everyone gets together to have a party? Ya know! A happening place!”
Prince Edward stroked his chin in thought, taken by the thought of a “happening place.” Then, as if a light bulb went off, he snapped his fingers.
“Ahah! You’re referring to what we call a ‘laughing place’ aren’t you?” Prince Edward asked animatedly.
Nancy shrugged, “Well, if that’s what you call it around here. What exactly do you do at a laughing place?”
As if on cue Prince Edward dropped to his knees in song:
“Everybody's got a laughing place!
A laughing place to go…
Take a frown, turn it upside down,
And you'll find yours I know…”
Nancy interrupted him, “So I take it we’ll have fun at this laughing place?”
But Prince Edward continued the song:
“Honey! Fun is what the place brings!
Boy are we in luck
We'll visit a laughing place! Cause
everybody's got a laughing place,
A laughing place to go!
I’ve found one that’s filled with fun
And you'll find yours too I know!”
Nancy sighed apathetically, not entirely charmed by the song. “Ok handsome… lead the way.
Prince Edward enthusiastically grabbed Nancy’s hand and with her skipped merrily down the cobblestone path of the village. He continued his outrageous song while Nancy focused on keeping up the pace with him. Soon they stopped at a huge barnyard shaped house that had a wooden placard on the door. The inscription on the sign read: “A laughing place.”
“You weren’t kidding were you?” Nancy muttered, somewhat exasperated that things in this world were taken too literally. “As long as there are fun things to do here in Andalasia, I might as well give it a try.” she considered silently.
“Well here we are!” Prince Edward announced. He offered his arm to Nancy, “May I have the pleasure?”
Nancy’s irritation melted away into that gooey romantic fluff she had always wanted. She linked her arm with his as they walked into the “laughing place.” The inside reminded Nancy of those cartoon saloons she’s occasionally see pop up on Warner Brother cartoons. This particular “cantina” boasted a 2-ft stage in the center that had two solid wooden stools. Two very different people were sitting on the stools: one was playing a lute while the other was reciting limericks. People of all shapes and sizes were crowded around the stage, listening to the limericks and laughing to their hearts content. In the far right corner of the building was a makeshift bar. There were barrels and barrels loaded with different types of drinks. Most people sat at the bar and were telling jokes to one another and fascinating each other with ludicrously made-up stories.
“No wonder this is a laughing place.” Nancy said with a laugh.
“It certainly is! May I get you some refreshment?” Prince Edward offered.
“Heck yes!” Nancy responded eagerly. As Prince Edward walked over to the bar, she took a seat on a table close to the stage. She was interested in hearing their limericks. Most of them were so-so, which made her wonder why people laughed so hard. But then she was taken by surprise by one limerick:
“There once was chipmunk called Pip
Who gave everyone the stiff-upper lip!
All he could do was whine
His complaints were made of rhyme
We unfortunately thought he’s a jip.”
Nancy laughed real hard. Most of the other tavern goers didn’t laugh as much but Nancy was overcome with laughter. She felt like yelling “booyah” in response to the limerick and also to the face of that chipmunk, if she ever saw it again. All of a sudden she was startled when she felt a light tapping on her shoulder.
“Your drink madam!” Prince Edward said as he presented her a glass filled with a green liquid. Nancy looked on in disgust, “Umm what is that supposed to be?”
Prince Edward scoffed, “Why it’s Green Juice! Don’t you have these where you come from?”
“Looks more like fermented apple juice to me…” Nancy observed. Prince Edward guffawed, “Oh you should try it! It’s delicious!”
Nancy stared at the drink cautiously. She looked back at Prince Edward who was edginge her on to try it. She sighed, took the glass in her hands and drunk it down in one gulp. Prince Edward was amazed.
“That was marvelous my love! How did you enjoy it?”
Nancy licked her lips, sort of shocked at how good it tasted. It had enough sweetness and minty flavor to remind her of a mojito back from home.
“This was so good!” Nancy exclaimed.
“I told you!” Prince Edward said with his ultra goofy smile. “Would you care for another one?”
“Of course!” Nancy agreed and so Prince Edward went to the server to grab another glass of Green Juice. She chugged it down as quickly as the first and asked for a few more drinks. As Prince Edward kept bringing her drink after drink, the reciting limerick duo eventually left the stage and a band of some sorts started to setup on the stage. The band consisted of another lute player, a man on a washboard bass, and woman playing what resembled a renaissance fiddle. The lute player began singing, to Nancy’s acquiescent surprise, and the rest of the house started singing. Nancy wondered how anyone knew the lyrics right off the bat, but she found herself singing along with them, hooting and hollering, and kicking her heels up to boot!
“Nancy,” Prince Edward interrupted.
“Come on Edward!” Nancy yelled abrasively as she slapped him on the back, “Join in on the fun!”
Prince Edward laughed nervously, “Oh Nancy but I am having fun!”
“Oh no you’re not!” Nancy slurred as she grabbed Prince Edward into a dance. Other people inside the saloon were laughing and dancing as the music gradually rose in volume and sped up in tempo. While Nancy was dancing a bit drunkenly, Prince Edward managed to dance quite calmly. Thirty minutes passed of intense dancing and roof-rising fun when suddenly Nancy blacked out.
When she awoke she found herself in the arms of Prince Edward, who was sitting outside the “Laughing place.” The music continued to play on and the merriment of voices ceased to fade...
“It’s you…” Nancy inaudibly muttered.
“Yes it’s me…” Prince Edward nodded. “You feeling ok?”
“Oh I’ve never felt better!” Nancy replied with a stretch, however, she felt her head throbbing. “A little fun does ya good sometime…it’s so good…good to...you know… be able to party hardy here too!”
“I’m so glad you had a good time! But you passed out! Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’m fine Edward…really…” Nancy said, still in a bit of a stupor. She buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply. “You smell nice.”
Prince Edward blushed as he brushed a strand of hair away from Nancy’s face. “Do you feel up to more sightseeing? It’s only the middle of the afternoon. We have plenty of time.”
Nancy looked up at the sky to verify that he was right. All the fun she had in the Laughing Place reminded her of some good nights out with friends from back home. It seemed almost unbelievable that she just experienced fun during an early afternoon.
Then a thought dawned upon Nancy. “My friends,” she found herself saying. She rose to her feet unexpectedly that Prince Edward fell backwards. “I have to contact my friends and family! I gotta let them know I’m safe!” Nancy started to walk off but Prince Edward stopped her from doing so.
“Nancy, please don’t go! It has been such a lovely…such a lovely…d-d-date with you! I would be honored to spend more time with you! And…” he stopped abruptly, placing her hands on his heart, “I really do believe you’re the perfect fit for me! Please, just give me one more day to prove my worth!”
Nancy stared deep into his cartoonish stare, amazed already that the toonish people and landscapes started to look and feel natural. There was something in the way Prince Edward stared, perhaps a look of desperation, but something about his expression made Nancy reconsider.
“I wasn’t going to leave yet…” Nancy said, “Honestly! I promise! I just wanted to contact them via my cell phone! It’s that black box I left back in my room!”
Prince Edward breathed a sigh of relief, “Then it shall be done.” He put his forefingers between his teeth to whistle and out of nowhere came Destiny. “We shall make haste with my horse!”
Nancy almost refused if it weren’t for the fact that Prince Edward grabbed her onto the horse and placed her in front of him. It terrified her and simultaneously relieved Nancy of her drunken state. She turned quickly, facing the other direction and wrapped her arms around his waist. It was an unconventional way to ride a horse…but now Nancy was more terrified of falling off scared of getting sick again.
Now Destiny surely did make haste because they reached the castle within five minutes. Prince Edward helped her off the horse and she immediately bolted through the doors of the castle gates, up the stairs into the castle and followed the windy stairs all the way back to her floor. She burst through the door of her bedroom and looked towards the nightstand. She gasped in horror. Prince Edward was not too far behind and he was sincerely alarmed.
“What’s wrong? What is the matter Nancy?”
“My cell-phone…it’s gone…”
TO BE CONTINUED