The Third Wedding

Chapter 13: Indoor Picnic

Garth and Rosalina seemed happy, they'd been together since her birthday. Sondra was glad her sister found someone and tried to give them their space, but the Leo situation...she needed to tell Rosalina.

She knocked on her sister's door, glancing in the pink room. She wasn't there, where could she be?

"Have you seen Rosa?" She asked Maisey as she passed in the hallway.

"She's preparing a picnic for Garth today," Maisey smiled.

"Awe! I'll go look in the gardens! That's going to be so special, Rosa loves flowers and the beautiful gardens!" Sondra beamed.

"Actually, he asked her if they could eat inside, I guess the outside makes him uncomfortable. He said something about having bad reactions to diet." Maisey laughed, "I think he prefers to stay in clean places."

Sondra winced, "okay? Strange, but everyone has quirks!" She smiled.

Maisey rolled her eyes, "I don't know about him..." she said.

"Well, then it's a good thing you're already married." Sondra winked at her friend who gave her a laugh.

Sondra looked around the inside, eventually she found them having a meal inside the dining room. Not exactly a picnic but it was a quaint little lunch. They looked happy, Sonny couldn't interrupt that, she gently tried to close the door hoping they hadn't seen her.

"Sonny?" She heard her sister call.

She sidestepped back into the room awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I was just leaving!"

Rosa laughed, "I just wanted you to formally meet Garth." She smiled over at him.

Sondra gave a small wave, "hey, um Rosa I'd love to talk to you in the evening when you're free, I'll get out of your hair."

"Nonsense, you can talk freely in front of both of us," Garth insisted with a loud friendly laugh.

Sondra smiled softly and sat down, "I've been worried about Leo," she told them sinking into her chair. "He's been all over the place and I just feel like something bad could happen."

"Leo?" Garth asked.

"Leonardo, our brother," Rosa said.

"Ah, I wouldn't know I haven't met him yet," Garth laughed, "I have to wonder if he's avoiding me."

"To be frank he's kind of avoiding everyone." Sondra said a little uncomfortably.

"Yes but I'm the only one he hasn't met yet." Garth said plainly, taking another bite of food.

"And Rosa hasn't met Victoria yet, I don't exactly understand your point?" Sondra said a little awkwardly.

Rosa laughed at her sister, "don't be rude, it's not like we're avoiding her."

Sondra shook her head, this conversation had gotten uncomfortable? "Look, Rosa...do you know of anyone that dad may have granted immunity to? Someone dangerous?"

Rosa laughed, "well I don't know about dangerous, but he did grant immunity to Dorothy."

"The fairy-godmother who gave us our gifts?" Sondra asked, piecing it together in her mind.

"Well of course," Rosalina ate her last bite happily.

"I never had a fairy godmother, I guess some of us were just destined to have a harder time," Garth teased and stood to offer his hand to Rosalina.

She blushed and took it, "we're going to take a stroll, you can join if you would like." She said.

"I, thank you, but I think I have to pass." Sondra smiled.

Dorthy...Dorthy...
Dorthy was the one who blessed them, there had to be more going on than met the eye right?

She walked along the corridor finally making her way to her room where she sat to contemplate. There was a letter sitting on her desk and it brought a smile to her face.

My Sonny Day,

Magic is complicated. I don't know much of it but I know there's such a thing as mad power.
Once you start on your path of gaining magic, if you don't learn self control, can lead to a hungry greed for more and more, slowly consuming your sanity.
I don't know what you've gotten into, but I request that you are safe. I need you in my life always.

Forever Yours, Ashton

She smiled and put the letter down, her heart allowed it to sink in that she was of value to him. She was grateful for that. She held the letter to her heart before she glanced down at the sword.

Was her quest to learn more of magic making her greedy? She shook off the thought, no it couldn't be.

She heard a knock making her jump, "oh hello," she saw the shorter man in the doorway.

Garth had a dopey smile that made him come across as non-threatening.

"I was just um," she began before realizing Rosa wasn't with him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask a favor," Garth asked.

"Um sure," Sondra stood and put her letter back into a pocket.

"Next week is the Lantern Festival," he said with a smile, "Rosalina told me about your plan to propose to Ashton."

Sondra smiled, "oh yes, I'm quite excited, we've been together about a year, friends for much longer."

"That's nice, it's a beautiful event, a royal event nonetheless," Garth mused.

"Okay?" She asked wondering what he was getting at.

"I want to propose to Rosalina!" He told her, "at the event, after you have of course."

Hadn't they just met? She couldn't keep the event all to herself there were bound to be other proposals there! But she's been planning this for 4 months, why did they have to copy her plans?

But Rosalina was the most deserving kindhearted person Sondra knew. If anyone deserved a proper engagement it was her.

"I think she'd love that." Sondra said softly.

"Oh perfect," Garth smiled, "I do have one more favor, I don't exactly have the funds to give a princess a proper ring, can you help me?" He said with wide eyes.

Sondra again thought of Rosa, "I'll do what I can, she's my sister, my closest friend..." but somewhere inside she felt a little sad.