Happy To Know You, Grumpy

Just Thinking

Lord Starchbottom entered the biggest room in the castle: the front entrance. There stood the Queen's elegant throne with flags on the side and back walls. The floors were still glittering and everything seemed normal, but Bashful and Lord Starchbottom were trying to be sly so that Hilda wouldn't catch them.

"So this is the throne room, aka the entrance room... there's a lot of name's for this room. This is where the Queen would sit and eat pickles with Sir Yipsalot..." Lord Starchbottom started reminiscing of all the good times as he smiled sadly at the golden throne with red puffy cushions. "She would read the royal mail... we would... would stand tall and strong together by this chair."

Bashful stood next to Lord Starchbottom and laid a hand on his jacket sleeve. They continued staring at the throne, thinking of all the great times they had with the Queen and just with each other.

"You know Starchy..." Bashful continued, "...this is weird to say out loud, but it's important and it's been digging up inside me for some time now... so.... I'm jealous of you..."

Lord Starchbottom turned to face Bashful. "H-w- what??"

"Well... Yeah. You get to spend your entire life with Queen Delightful. She really really values you. I only get to see her when she rings the Bing-Bong Bell, and even then it's not really a lot of times..." Bashful sighs.

"...it just seems like... Well, since I'm so timid and easily freaks out by things... it seems like Queen Delightful doesn't like me the same way I do for her... And since you practically live with her... She probably...-"

Lord Starchbottom cut him off. "Are you joking? The Queen LOVES you! She is constantly wondering what you're doing in the mornings and then later in the day, when she rings the Bing-Bong Bell, she hopes you'll be there. She values you even MORE than me." Lord Starchbottom paused. "So... I guess... you could say I'm jealous of you too." He admitted as well.

Bashful and Starchy just stood in silence.

Bashful was impressed Lord Starchbottom was this honest. He always thought that Lord Starchbottom was hiding things from him and the rest of the 7D, so seeing this sudden change of tone calmed Bashful. Bashful smiled tenderly at Starchy.

"I've always had mixed emotions about you Starchy... But now that I've gotten to know you... you really aren't that bad of a guy." Bashful told Starchbottom. Starchbottom smiled down at Bashful with hopeful eyes, happy and proud that one of the 7D trusted him.

"Same goes for you, Bash."

Suddenly, loud and very arupt clanking sounds echoed through the halls. Bashful and Lord Starchbottom peeked behind their shoulder to see an irritated Hilda stomping her way over to the throne room.

"We gotta hide!" Bashful squeaked and ran away from Lord Starchbottom, finding a place to hide.

Starchbottom, however, was transfixed, confused on where to go. Eventually, right as Hildy entered the room, Bashful pushed Starchbottom into a hiding place, leaving him out in the open.

"YOU!" Hilda pointed a finger at Bashful. She rushed up to him and effortlessly picked him up. He squeaked in discomfort and started kicking her, but Hilda wouldn't let him go. Starchbottom watched in horror as Bashful was taken out of his sight.

"No, no, Let me go!" Bashful screeched.

Lord Starchbottom peeked out from his hiding spot to notice Hilda trapping Bashful in the dungeon below them only to hear... was that Queen Delightful's voice?

"Stay there with little Bo Beenie Delightful!" Starchbottom heard Hilda say, and that's when he knew exactly where they were hidden.

I HAVE to find Doc and the 6D. They'll know how to help me!