Chapter Eleven - An Unwanted Marriage

It was getting nigh to evening as Binks Vizzini gave the order for them to pull up and set up camp. As soon as his tent was set up, he rolled a map of Elenaesia out on the table and studied it carefully. His chief and primary goal was to find the quickest route to Ge’irdae, without being seen by the lookouts in Minelido. If he, and his battalion, were seen by anyone in Minelido, or on their way to the city, then they were done for. Word would be sent immediately to Aiulindale, and Minelido’s force would come to meet them. They could defeat everything Minelido had to send against them, but that would weaken them before the assault on Ge’irdae.

Binks could not afford for even the smallest of their number to be lost before Ge’irdae, otherwise the assault would not go as planned, nor would he have as many when he went to meet the Duke of the Seventeens in Minelido. So far, all went accordingly with the plan. But the slightest mishap could wreck all. He strode over to the doorway of his tent and looked out.

“Vladisk!” he bawled out into the dark of the night. “Vladisk! I need you in here! NOW!”

Then he went back into his tent, and sat down, shuffling other, smaller maps as he sat in his chair. He didn’t want to go to close to the mountains, but he didn’t want to be to close to Minelido. That left somewhere in the middle, closer to Minelido then the mountains, he preferred, as the acceptable path.

Binks looked up from his maps as a tall burly man entered. The man, Vladisk by name, had a brown beard and mustache, and seemed to almost be too big for his clothes.

“Come here, Vladisk,” Binks said without a pause. “Sit down. We need to discuss our route past Minelido.”
“Yes, General Vizzini,” Vladisk said in a deep husky voice.
“Not Vizzini. Never Vizzini. That name reminds me and links me to much to my ancestor. Instead Binks. General Binks.”
“Yes, General Binks,” Vladisk replied without question or comment.
“Now. Look here. See this spot? That’s Minelido. We are approximately . . .” he did some quick measuring, “here. We need to get past Minelido, but not go too far towards the mountains.”
“And at the same time stay away from Minelido, correct General Binks?” Vladisk asked.
“Yes, Vladisk. The problem at hand however, is how close to Minelido can we get, without being seen by any lookouts or spies they might have.”
“That would seem to be the problem, General Binks.”
“STOP agreeing with me, and start fixing the problem Vladisk!”
“Yes, General Binks. My apologies, General Binks.”
“Now, what is your opinion on the matter, Vladisk? Where do you think would be a good path?”
“Whatever you see best, General Binks.”
“NO! I will NOT stand for this any longer! Answer my question in your honest truthful opinion, or I shall leave you in the mountains for the Pegasi to feed upon!”
“Yes, General Binks. My apologies, General Binks.”
“Stop apologizing, and start brainstorming. We need to find a path.”
“Yes, General Binks. Perhaps if you were approximately here, General Binks, then we could possibly get by, if you think it would work, of course, General Binks.”
“I don’t care what you think about my thinking, I want to know if you think it will work.”
“Yes, General Binks. It would work. However, you must do this . . .”

“My name is Ashley. We Bears are of a quite old race, always have inhabited the Amandu Mountains. We have lived here long before any of your race has dared step foot in these hallowed hills. We are a group, a small, group of these Bears. We are the Bachelor Bears. We are not accustomed to others daring to set foot in our territory. As a result, we must take you before the House of Commons, to be tried. If they find you guilty, you must go before the House of Lords. It is our way. But now, let us at least eat. I see that you have already eaten. You do not mind, do you?”
“Help yourself,” Edmund said with a sigh of defeat. But one glance into his eyes assured Jessica he had no intention of giving up any time soon. “I hope you are enjoying yourself.”
“Rather,” Ashley said with a small smile.

The Bears began to help themselves to the food that was left over from the others meal. As the Bears ate the rabbits, Edmund turned to Kathryn, hoping to comfort her if she was worried. But he soon realized that despite her blindness, she had more courage than he would have expected.

“Are you alright, Lady Kathryn?” he asked in a whisper.
“I am not afraid, if that is what you mean, Edmund,” she responded.
“You are not afraid?” Edmund said in surprise.
“The ability to see does not necessarily give one courage, and the lack of sight does not imply the lack of courage thereof. I may not be able to see what has attacked or captured us, but that is no reason to fear them. How can you fear that which you do not see?” she finished with a small smile.
“Yes, I suppose, that is true. I had not thought about that.”
“Sometimes it is wise to look at other perspectives before forming an opinion, Edmund. But do not worry about it. None are harmed, and it is an honest question. Nothing to worry about.”

The talk amongst the prisoners died down as the night wore on. The Bears had finished their supper, and were now deciding who would go on guard duty first. All the company had fallen asleep, save for Yoran. He stayed up and jabbered the night away with the guard on duty, and when shift time came, he continued to jabber away with the next one.

“‘ello, squirrel,” Robert said. “Are ye ‘aving a nice toime, mite?”
“Why imprison strangers, do you?” Yoran asked. “An answer to your question I will give. A better time I would have, if free the ladies were.”
“Well, Oi say,” said Robert. “Ye do ‘ave a thing for them lidies, don’t ye?”

Orlando DiCaprio, Duke of the Seventeens, and styling himself as King of Elenaesia, turned over in his bed. He had not slept well for several days, and this night was like all the rest of them. Finally, as a cat taking over a mouse, sleep overtook him, and he fell into its grasp, letting it wrap its dark hand around him. And then he slept. Until the dream began. It was worse than any he could ever have imagined.

The bells in the church sang out as the young bell boy pulled at the ropes with all his might. The choir burst into song, sounding as if all the angels had gathered there. The paintings of the saints such as Saint Ophelia and Saint Leo shone in the candlelight. And there he stood, at the altar. White lilacs and blue liliocks were scattered around the church, their petals strewn all across the aisle. The music swelled, the choir sang, and the entire congregation stood. He turned towards the door, and with a great crescendo, the door opened. A short, pink hedgehog appeared, decked out in bridal wear, her white satin dress hung like a potato sack, and her prickles poked through the thin veil upon her head. She walked mincingly down the aisle, in perfect time to the music, her head held high, and her eyes shining like stars.

As she reached the Duke, the bishop placed her hand in his, and began reciting the ceremony. The hedgehog gazed up at the tall Duke, her eyes filled with love and tears of happiness. He on the other hand did not seem joyful or happy or even loving.

“Do you, Orlando DiCaprio, take this hedgehog, Little Cindy Lou Who, to be your lawfully wedded wife til death do you part?”
DiCaprio stared at the bishop in shock. Only now did full understanding flood over him, and he realized what exactly was happening. “I do?” he asked confused, and angry.

The bishop interpreted that as the answer he was looking for. He then turned to the pink hedgehog standing beside DiCaprio, and he smiled gently down at her.

“Do you, Little Cindy Lou Who, take this man, Orlando DiCaprio, to be your lawfully wedded husband til death do you part?”
“I do!” she squealed up at him, her face shining with rapture and excitement.

The bishop then turned his attention to the congregation gathered there in the church that day. A he smile lit up his face as he whispered for Orlando and Little Cindy Lou DiCaprio to turn around and face the crowd of witnesses.

“May I present, Mr. and Mrs. Orlando and Little Cindy Lou DiCaprio!” he cried.

The bells pealed more loud and clear and the congregation once again stood. Loud cheers sprang from the witnesses, the organ once more added its voice to the others. Flowers were thrown, and well wishes were wished. The people of Elenaesia were happy for DiCaprio, and for his lovely pink hedgehog of a wife.