Arranged But Not Wanted

Chapter 1

(Dipper pov)

I sit at the desk in my room reading a book when I hear a sharp knock on my door. I put my bookmark in my book, closing the book and setting it down before I turn in my chair. "Come in."

The door opens and Ford walks into the room holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"Ford, is something wrong?"

"No, nothing like that. I just heard back from the Northwest family, and they have agreed with all terms of our proposal agreement."

"That's great. Does Mabel know?"

"Not yet. I thought she would like you to be the one to tell her."

"Yeah sure thing. She's probably just out in the garden again."

"Just make sure you two don't stay out there two long. The sun is going to be setting soon."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure we're in before it gets dark."

He leaves the room heading back to the throne room. I get up leaving my room. I head down the stairs and out towards the garden in the back.

I wander through the garden, keeping an eye out for her, until I see a head of brown hair sitting not to far away. I go over to her, seeing that Mabel was sitting amongst the flowers with a flower crown on her head. I take a seat next to her watching her making a flower bracelet.

"How long have you been out here, Mabel?"

She simply shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. I got tired of the dancing lessons and Madam dumbass doesn't look for me out here." I laugh slightly at the nickname she came up with for her dancing instructor. "Hold out your wrist." I hold out my wrist and she slips a flower bracelet on my wrist. "Do you like it?"

"I love it."

"Good......" She starts searching the ground around her for something. "Where did I put it? I made a flower bracelet for you but I can't find it."

I gently put a hand on her arm. "Mable, you just gave it to me."

"I did? Crap." She hits her palm to her forehead. "I'm sorry, my brain was all stupid again."

"It's okay." I gently brush some hair behind her ear, spotting the scar on her temple. I softly kiss it trying to make her feel better. "Ford heard back from the Northwest. They agreed to the marriage proposal."

"They did?"

"Yeah. They really did."

She smiles as she picks up a purple flower and carefully makes it into a ring. "Do you think she'll like this?"

"I think that she will absolutely love it."

"What if she gets mad at my brain being all stupid? What if I have one of my forgetful moments at the wedding or in front of her parents or something and everyone gets really really mad?"

"It will be okay, Mabel. Forgetting something isn't the end of the world. And just remember those tricks we've worked on to help your brain remember something."

"Find something your brain can associate with, then that will lead me to remembering what I forgot."

"Exactly."

"......am I going to always be like this?"

"The doctors said it would get better with time."

"They also said it was nothing to worry about when I first complained of my head hurting."

"Well, I promise that no matter what I'll always be here to help you, no matter what."

We both look up hearing trumpets from the gates. The guards only blow trumpets when another royal family comes to visit.

"Is Pacifica here?"

"No, her family wouldn't come after just sending us the letter. Come on, let's go inside and see what is going on."

I take her hand pulling her up to her feet. We head back into the castle to the throne room. We take out seats in the throne room, her sitting in her seat next to Ford with her hands folded in her lap while I sit in mine next to Stan.

The main doors open and in walks King Bill Cipher, of the Nightmare Kingdom. What is he doing here? We have a pretty unsteady agreement with his kingdom. Not really an alliance, just if he doesn't attack us then we won't attack him.

He walks into the center of the room and bows briefly. "Your highnesses." Ford clears his throat slightly as Bill stands up straight.

"Cipher. What brings you here? We weren't aware of your arrival."

"I thought it best to make my visit a surprise. Don't worry, if all goes as I hope then I won't be staying long."

"What can we do for you?"

"Well as you know I am unwedded, and I know that the princess here is also unwedded. So I came here in person to ask for her hand in marriage. With your family's blessing of course."

"I....I beg your pardon?"

"Oh don't worry, we can always figure out the exact terms at a later date."

"There will be no later date. While it is true that Mable is unwedded, she is betrothed to someone else."

"So what? Break off her engagement. I am the wealthiest kingdom by far, I can provide more than whoever else wants her. What did they give you in exchange for her hand, a pig? I can give you a hundred of the fattest pigs if that is what it takes."

"Cipher, the terms of the engagement are for this family only. Wealth has nothing to do with her engagement. But she is happy with the engagement, so is our family, and so is her fiance's family. I will not break it off just because you came too late. And even if she was available to you, I would not let you marry her. I would never let her be married off to practically a stranger."

Bill turns his attention to Mabel. "Shooting Star, did you learn about the last war that was fought, over 30 years ago, that involved both of our kingdoms?"

"Cipher-"

"I am not talking to you, old man, I am talking to the princess."

Everyone's eyes turn to Mabel. I watch her close her eyes for a few minutes. She does this when she's really trying to remember something.

"Your kingdom fought alongside ours. And won."

"That is correct. And while our kingdoms didn't agree to any offical treaty terms, they agreed to some that were unspoken of. Your parents made a promise to my father. That our family would be paid back in any way that we saw fit no matter how long it took. My father didn't see any way for them to pay us back at the time. But that time is now. Would you please honor your parents promise to pay back my family?"

She fidgets with her hands nervously before looking over at me. I give her a small reassuring smile before she looks at Bill.

"I am sorry, sir, but I can't. Maybe our family can find any other way to pay you back, but I can't forfeit my engagement for that."

He snarls slightly seeing that this wasn't going how he wanted. "Fine. One way or another I will have what is owed to me. If you won't let me have her hand in marriage, then accept this as my kingdom now offically going to war with yours."

He turns walking out of the throne room, the doors slamming behind him.