The Crossing of Blades (FIOLEE)

Chapter Seventeen

"So... it's agreed?" Timothy asked.

Fionna nodded, and Gumball sighed, before signaling his approval.

"Queen Honoria will definitely be surprised to hear this." Timothy said.

"I don't doubt it." Gumball agreed.

Timothy hastily made his exit, and Fionna moved closer to Gumball. "Hey, it's nothing personal, okay?"

"I know, it's just... part of the reason that I fought so hard for it was because I'm lonely... and I can't marry below my station, and I just... I want someone who will always be there." He sighed, before shaking his head. "But you don't want to hear about my troubles. I wish you and Marshall Lee every happiness."

"Thanks. And I'm sure your special person is out there somewhere." Fionna offered.

Gumball smiled softly. "Ah, well. I wish I was as optimistic as you." He hesitated, before asking, "May I do something... forward?"

"Um... sure?" Fionna answered uncertainly.

Gumball drew her to him, hugging her tightly. "Thank you for believing in me."

"No problem." Fionna replied. "Friends?"

She drew back, extending her hand. Gumball looked at it for a minute before nodding. "Friends."

"Do you want to come with me when I tell them?"

"Please." Gumball began to leave the room, Fionna right behind him.

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Timothy walked up the gangplank of the Shadow, which was drawing quite a lot of attention from the Duine in town.

He headed into the captain's quarters, where he discarded his hat and gloves. The room's occupant glared at him balefully, before struggling one more time, as futile as it was.

"Don't be like that." Timothy sighed. "It was your mother's idea, not mine. You're not supposed to see the Duine girl, and we both know it. We both also know that words such as 'not supposed to' seem to have no effect on you, so extreme measures had to be taken."

Marshall's glare somehow intensified as he jerked against the ropes binding him to the foot of his bed.

"If you promise not to bite me somehow in the process, I'll rid you of your gag."

Marshall didn't answer, so Timothy knelt next to him. As soon as the gag was gone, every curse that Marshall knew was unleashed.

Timothy regarded him coolly. "Are you done?"

"Your father was a rat, and your mother a drunkard." Marshall growled.

"Alright then. Do you want to hear what happened, or are you thinking up more creative insults?"

"Is she okay?" Marshall asked eagerly, his surly mood disappearing at the thought of Fionna.

"She's healthy in the physical sense, if that's what you mean. I believe your mother would like her, though that remains to be seen. I'll send her my notes soon. Fionna misses you— she was disappointed that I was not you."

"Damn you for not letting me see her!" Marshall began thrashing as much as he could again in blind hope of loosening the rope, but Timothy continued. "She also shot the pink one down when he started insulting your character, which was refreshing to see, and she proposed a marriage between your kingdom and hers for an alliance."

"What did you say?" Marshall asked warily. "Did you say yes?"

"I said that it was impossible for us to have such an alliance at the moment. What I did not say is the reason is that Honoria would never allow such a thing with her current view of Queen Fionna's character."

Marshall came up with some more choice swearwords, writhing once more against the ropes that held him.

Timothy watched him until he finished, then he continued. "The matter ended with a marriage agreement between Duine and Dulce, much like the one that Queen Fionna proposed for our two countries."

Marshall's eyes widened. "She...? She's marrying him?"

"I refuse to play the pronoun game, so yes. A female from Duine is marrying a male from Dulce."

"Who proposed this?" Marshall said quietly.

"I think Queen Fionna is the one who came up with the current version of the treaty." Timothy told him.

"Let me go." Marshall said quietly. "I promise I'll behave."

"And you will turn the ship around, heading for Middleground?" Timothy prompted.

"Middleground?" Marshall asked bleakly. "What's on Middleground?"

"Well, for one thing, my return ship. After you drop me off on Middleground, you're free to go wherever you choose."

"It doesn't... it's so much bleaker without her. Damn it! I thought that she wasn't going to renew the treaty!" Marshall snapped at nothing in particular.

Timothy frowned. "You jump to conclusions too easily."

"It's my Fi, it has to be. Nothing else would work so well for a treaty."

Timothy narrowed his eyes. "Do you just wish to lounge about in your room, full of angst? You have no clarification that your beloved is indeed the girl getting married, though you only knew the girl herself for about a month. Honestly, I feel like you are going out of your way to make this entire situation more difficult for yourself."

"Timothy, just leave me and my feelings alone. You don't understand!"

"Oh, of course I don't. This has long been established. But you just assume the worst automatically. Even if this was all a cover for your pride so that you could return to the pink one without feeling like you gave in for once in your life, the result would likely be the same."

Marshall glared at him. "The only thing I feel when I look at Gumwad is annoyance, not that you're much better."

"Hmm." Timothy pulled out an ivory pipe, some tobacco, and a match. Soon he was puffing away. "Believe me, my liege, your behavior annoys me at times as well. Especially this entire business with Queen Fionna."

"You've never been in love like this! How could you understand?!"

"Yes. I have never been so in love that I automatically assume my beloved is marrying another every time someone opens their mouth." Timothy agreed. "Quite honestly, I refuse to deal with you when you're like this."

Marshall scoffed, and Timothy changed the subject. "Where is the crazy Duine woman? We don't want to have to cart her back to Middleground."

"Oh, right. Her." Marshall agreed. Timothy untied him, and together they proceeded down to the brig.