The Crossing of Blades (FIOLEE)

Chapter Eighteen

"Freedom!" Olivia whooped as she ran down the gangplank.

"Do we have to leave so quickly?" Marshall sighed.

"Yes. We have to reach Middleground Island in time for me to catch my ship home. We would have had more time if you hadn't decided to be stubborn and ridden with angst. And I doubt the Duine would be so accommodating to the Shadow again."

"So this is all my fault?" Marshall asked him somewhat teasingly as the Shadow left port. Timothy adjusted his glasses. "Allow me to phrase it this way; this entire business started because you decided to kidnap the crown princess of Duine."

"So, yes."

"I find it better to not antagonize people who can chop my head off, so I refuse to answer that."

"I just... why would she marry him?" Marshall asked softly.

As the harbor faded into the distance, Timothy said, crossing his arms, "It irks me how you refuse to specify anything. The ones getting married are the Duine girl with the name of dessert and the one who speaks in Morse code."

Marshall stared at him. "Not Fionna?"

"When was the last time that I did not refer to Queen Fionna by name?" Timothy asked, his ire growing.

"And not Gumwad?"

"No. I refer to him as the pink one. Though when I was leaving, I saw Queen Fionna and the pink one embrace, so..." He shrugged, and Marshall stared at him. "Timothy, don't you think I should have had this information before we left the Duine port?!" His voice gradually rose, and Timothy rolled his eyes.

"How many times did I chastise you for not specifying the bride, nor the groom? If you're going to be an idiot, I refuse to lead you along. You'll have to survive out there in the real world one day."

"Timothy, you let me believe that the love of my life was getting married, and that there was nothing that I could do to stop it!"

"And I made it very clear that the issue was clarification." Timothy replied calmly. "Now stop being a baby about it."

"So help me Glob, I will keelhaul you!"

"Then Samuel would run the kingdom." Timothy replied smoothly. "Worse yet, your mother wouldn't receive the information about your beloved."

Marshall internally debated whether or not to strangle him, before stepping away. "At least accept some responsibility."

Timothy hesitated, before saying, "It was a bit cruel of me."

"Damn straight." Marshall agreed, stalking off towards the helm.

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Olivia ran into the Advisors' Chamber, huffing and puffing.

"Olivia?" Fionna asked, surprised.

"So the Shadow just sailed out of port." Olivia panted. "Can I get a drink of water...?"

Fionna raced to the window. "The Shadow was in port?!"

"Yeah. That's how Timothy got here. He hasn't mastered the power of teleportation yet, y'know."

"But... if the Shadow was in port, why didn't Marshall...?" Fionna began.

Olivia was busy drinking water, and no one paid attention to her ramblings anyway.

Cake went over and hugged Fionna.

"I just... did he find someone better? Was he busy somewhere else? Is he hurt? I don't... why wouldn't he come?" Fionna asked no one in particular.

"Right, not going through this mess again." Olivia sighed, beginning to drift towards the exit.

"Fionna, why don't you pick your advisors now?" Cake asked.

Fionna nodded and returned to her father's throne. "As Queen, I choose for my advisors Cake, lieutenant aboard the Silver Sword, Olivia, former advisor," She hesitated, before choosing two other names of people she could only hope were as wise as they seemed.

"Great. Now, if no one minds, I'm going to go get some rest in a place that is not a dingy cell. You... return to your relationship drama." Olivia waved her hand at Fionna, before exiting the room.

"I'm sure he had a good reason." Cake said, as servants scuttled to and fro. "If not, forget him. Or forget him anyway."

"Okay, okay, new topic." Fionna said as they walked back to her room. "It's going to drive me crazy if I keep thinking about this. Are you okay with the whole... marriage thing?"

"Yeah. MoChro's a good guy from what I've seen so far, and I really like him. I mean, it's a little fast, but I'm pretty sure that we'll be happy together."

Fionna smiled. "Well, at least you're gonna have about a month to get ready."

"Mm-hmm. And you're going to help me sew my dress."

Fionna shot her a long look. "Last time I tried to help you with sewing, it got all bunched up, and we decided that I should never do that again."

"Yeah... but I need to see the dress on another living creature, and I don't have a mannequin anyway."

"Cake..."

"Think of it as your wedding present." Cake replied. "Come on."

"Why not just edit my wedding dress? It's not like I'm gonna actually wear it."

Cake shot her a look. "Have some faith in your pirate."

"That's not what I... still, my point stands."

"...you're going to try to marry your pirate in uniform!"

"No! Well, maybe. It's not such a bad idea. I hate dresses, and he likes me the way I am, so—"

"Fionna, you sleep, eat, and breathe in that uniform. Once, just once, I'd like you to wear a dress."

"I wore a dress! To the ball, remember?"

"Yeah, 'cause you can't wear your uniform to balls either! But weddings are more important than that. You want it to be the most special day ever."

"...it'd be a lot more special if I didn't have to wear a dress."

"Oh, shush. I bet even the pirate would dress up for his wedding day." With that, Cake pulled Fionna down the hall to their respective rooms, not waiting for a reply.