prologue 2/6
Greta flopped down next to Victoria on their bed. "I just don't know what I'm going to do with Urie. He keeps trying to woo me." She sighed in frustration. "Seriously, if he confronts me one more time about how we are 'meant to be' I swear, I will punch him in his pretty little face."
Victoria laughed as she kissed Greta's cheek. "I'm pretty sure if you did that he would only like you more." She tucked an arm over Greta's shoulder, resting her cheek on top of her head. "He strikes me as the kind of boy who might like that," she grinned wickedly. "Have you talked to Patrick or Ashlee or Pete about it yet?"
"Yes." Greta fumed. "Patrick says he'll get over it eventually, and Pete and Ashlee just laugh. I really wish he'd cut it out. It gets old."
"You should talk to Pete again. Or Patrick. Maybe they could send Brendon on some kind of quest or something? Maybe he'll meet somebody and we can get him out of our hair."
Greta sat up at that. "That m'dear," she said placing a smacking kiss on Victoria's lips. "Is an excellent idea." She sprang up to go tell Pete and Patrick and Ashlee just how great an idea it was when Vicky grabbed her arm.
"Urm... you might want to wait till tomorrow, it's kind of late."
"What do you..."Greta started to ask, but Victoria just cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh right." She replied sheepishly. "I try not to think about that too much. Patrick is my cousin after all. It's... weird."
Victoria laughed. "I'm sure I can find a way to distract you." she murmured, kissing Greta's neck.
"Oh really?" Greta asked, with a smirk on her face.
~*~*~
The next morning at breakfast Greta presented the idea to Pete, Patrick and Ashlee.
"Finally!" Pete said with a huge grin on his face. "I thought you would never get tired of Brendon's attention." Patrick looked at Pete suspiciously. "And I've got the perfect places for him to go. Just dangerous enough, and he'll be gone long enough to knock some sense into him. Maybe even find some someone else." He grinned slyly.
It was Ashlee's turn to look over at Pete. "You haven't seen anything have you?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing too important. Just enough to know he comes back alive eventually." And with three very cute boys in tow, but he thought he'd leave that to himself for now. "Now Greta m'dear, have you thought about where you'd like to send our young Knight? I hear there are some very nice golden apples at the base of Mount Downpour..." Pete slung an arm across Greta and Victoria's shoulders and led them off to the map room.
Patrick and Ashlee exchanged a look, and Patrick sighed, rubbing his temples. "I wonder what he's up to this time."
Before Ashlee could answer Brendon bounced into the kitchen, full of his usual morning cheer. "Wonder what who's up to? And where's Greta? Isn't she usually here by now?"
Ashlee just moved her plate away and let her forehead hit the table as she felt Patrick's hand rub circles on the small of her back.
~*~*~
A few days later Brendon was called in for an audience with the Kings, the Queen, Princess Greta and Lady Victoria.
"Sir Urie," Pete began. "You have been brought here today because you wish to earn my cousin, the Princess Salpeter of Chicago's hand in marriage, is this true?"
"Urm..." Brendon cleared his throat. "Well, yes, my liege."
Then Ashlee spoke up. "Even though she has repeatedly rebuffed you, and is promised to the Lady Asher of Jersey?"
Brendon's face pinked a bit at that. "Yes, milady."
It was Patrick's turn to speak. "Well then, if you must continue with this course of action, I believe my cousin has some tasks for you to complete in order to win her hand from the Lady Asher."
Brendon looked up at his words. Greta stepped forward to speak. "Brendon. Since you insist, I have chosen three tasks for you to complete. All three have been deemed by scholars to be impossible by regular men. If you have not died or changed your mind by the completion of these three tasks, you will have earned the opportunity to court me for my hand. Do you agree to these terms?"
Brendon gulped at the idea of actually dying, but he remained stalwart in the idea Greta was the only girl for him. They had been best friends since the tender age of six, and gradually Brendon had fallen in love with the idea of marrying his best friend.
"Yes," he replied looking up at the people before him, voice steady. "Yes. I agree."
The reactions were varied, from Pete's insane grin, the one he (frequently) got when he knew something nobody else did, to Greta's fallen face, glum with disappointment. "Bren, you know you don't have to do this," she whispered. "Stay here, find somebody nice to settle down with. VickyT's cousin Cash is visiting again next month."
"Yeah, but he only has eyes for that Alex kid who works in the kitchen." Brendon took her hands. "This is just something I have to do, I think. Not just for you, but for myself too. Don't worry," he kissed her cheek. "I'll come back. So what's my first task?" he asked, dropping Greta's hands and turning towards Pete.
