Let Me Lean On You-
Ishtar arrived at the breakfast table. As usual, Duzell was with her. They had just taken their places when Sir Keld walked up to her. Ishtar groaned.
"Alright, what is it?" she said.
"Today, your lessons shall be cancelled," Sir Keld announced.
Ishtar narrowed her eyes. "Why? What's the occasion? We goin' anywhere today?" she asked.
"No, Your Highness. Today, we will be discussing your marriage arrangements with Darres. Now -." Sir Keld didn't finish, because Ishtar had just burst out laughing.
"What? Me? Marry Darres? You gotta be kidding me! Why the hell would I marry him?" she said, wiping tears of laughter from her face.
"We haven't been able to find a suitor fit for you, and as Darres has been looking after you for ten years, I thought it quite a good idea to have you marry him," said Sir Keld.
"Yeah, right! No way I'm gonna marry that lunk. C'mon, Duzie. Let's get outta here," she said, getting up from her untouched plate of food. She scooped Duzell into her arms and walked out of the dining room.
~Meanwhile~ Darres was standing near Ishtar's room. Jill and Krai were giving him a hard time about the marriage.
"And he expects you to marry her?" Krai was saying.
"Oh man, talk about punishment! What did you to deserve this? I pity you, Captain," said Jill in mock sympathy.
"Don't ask me. I bet he thinks we look cute together or something. Or it could be the fact that I spent ten years babysitting her. Who knows? All I know is I don't care how long I've been with her, she's still a stuck-up, obnoxious spoiled little brat. Now if she were actually pretty, then I might be able to handle all that," said Darres.
They heard footsteps and turned around. To their horror and embarrassment, Ishtar was standing there holding Duzell. She seemed to be fighting back something; her eyes were dark, her hands were clenched, and she was biting her lip.
"Uh, good morning, Your Highness. Nice day, isn't it?" said Darres quickly.
"Don't play innocent with me, Darres. I heard everything you said. So, I'm a stuck-up, obnoxious, spoiled little brat who's not pretty, huh? Well, you're not a stud either. And what gives you right to talk shit about me? I mean, yeah, I may act bitchy sometimes, but so what?" she said, trying not to shout.
"No, Your Highness, you don't understand-," Darres began.
Ishtar cut him off. "What do you mean, I don't understand? I understand plenty! You think I'm just some girl who needs to be controlled. I've heard you say that about a million times! You just want me to disappear, don't you? Well, I'm gonna take care of that for you!"
Ishtar stormed into her room and slammed the door in Darres's face. She let go of Duzell, then she threw herself onto the bed and began to cry. Duzell leapt onto the bed and transformed himself. He threw a sheet across his lap and sat down next to Ishtar. Ishtar pushed herself up into a sitting position. Duzell did the only thing he could think of, and embraced her.
"Oh, Duzell. H-How could he just say something l-like that? I-I mean, I know I give him a hard time and everything, but I didn't know he hated me that much. And to think I loved him! What am I gonna do? I know Sir Keld'll still want the marriage to be held. But I don't wanna marry him now. I won't marry him. Not after what he did," said Ishtar, trying to stop crying.
"Shhh.Don't worry, Ishtar. Everything's going to be okay. I'll think of something," said Duzell, running his fingers through her hair. "Really? You'll help me?" asked Ishtar, breaking away to look at him. "Of course. You've helped me, right? Now it's my turn to return the favor," he said. "Thanks.Duzie." Ishtar fell back onto the bed and fell asleep. Duzell looked at her for a moment, then turned back into a kyawl. He curled up beside her and went to sleep.
Ishtar arrived at the breakfast table. As usual, Duzell was with her. They had just taken their places when Sir Keld walked up to her. Ishtar groaned.
"Alright, what is it?" she said.
"Today, your lessons shall be cancelled," Sir Keld announced.
Ishtar narrowed her eyes. "Why? What's the occasion? We goin' anywhere today?" she asked.
"No, Your Highness. Today, we will be discussing your marriage arrangements with Darres. Now -." Sir Keld didn't finish, because Ishtar had just burst out laughing.
"What? Me? Marry Darres? You gotta be kidding me! Why the hell would I marry him?" she said, wiping tears of laughter from her face.
"We haven't been able to find a suitor fit for you, and as Darres has been looking after you for ten years, I thought it quite a good idea to have you marry him," said Sir Keld.
"Yeah, right! No way I'm gonna marry that lunk. C'mon, Duzie. Let's get outta here," she said, getting up from her untouched plate of food. She scooped Duzell into her arms and walked out of the dining room.
~Meanwhile~ Darres was standing near Ishtar's room. Jill and Krai were giving him a hard time about the marriage.
"And he expects you to marry her?" Krai was saying.
"Oh man, talk about punishment! What did you to deserve this? I pity you, Captain," said Jill in mock sympathy.
"Don't ask me. I bet he thinks we look cute together or something. Or it could be the fact that I spent ten years babysitting her. Who knows? All I know is I don't care how long I've been with her, she's still a stuck-up, obnoxious spoiled little brat. Now if she were actually pretty, then I might be able to handle all that," said Darres.
They heard footsteps and turned around. To their horror and embarrassment, Ishtar was standing there holding Duzell. She seemed to be fighting back something; her eyes were dark, her hands were clenched, and she was biting her lip.
"Uh, good morning, Your Highness. Nice day, isn't it?" said Darres quickly.
"Don't play innocent with me, Darres. I heard everything you said. So, I'm a stuck-up, obnoxious, spoiled little brat who's not pretty, huh? Well, you're not a stud either. And what gives you right to talk shit about me? I mean, yeah, I may act bitchy sometimes, but so what?" she said, trying not to shout.
"No, Your Highness, you don't understand-," Darres began.
Ishtar cut him off. "What do you mean, I don't understand? I understand plenty! You think I'm just some girl who needs to be controlled. I've heard you say that about a million times! You just want me to disappear, don't you? Well, I'm gonna take care of that for you!"
Ishtar stormed into her room and slammed the door in Darres's face. She let go of Duzell, then she threw herself onto the bed and began to cry. Duzell leapt onto the bed and transformed himself. He threw a sheet across his lap and sat down next to Ishtar. Ishtar pushed herself up into a sitting position. Duzell did the only thing he could think of, and embraced her.
"Oh, Duzell. H-How could he just say something l-like that? I-I mean, I know I give him a hard time and everything, but I didn't know he hated me that much. And to think I loved him! What am I gonna do? I know Sir Keld'll still want the marriage to be held. But I don't wanna marry him now. I won't marry him. Not after what he did," said Ishtar, trying to stop crying.
"Shhh.Don't worry, Ishtar. Everything's going to be okay. I'll think of something," said Duzell, running his fingers through her hair. "Really? You'll help me?" asked Ishtar, breaking away to look at him. "Of course. You've helped me, right? Now it's my turn to return the favor," he said. "Thanks.Duzie." Ishtar fell back onto the bed and fell asleep. Duzell looked at her for a moment, then turned back into a kyawl. He curled up beside her and went to sleep.