Always Be Appreciative of Opposable Thumbs

Chapter Forty-Eight: And They All Lived

 "Are you sure you want to take care of my sisters?" Willow asked Inez, eyeing the geese sitting a few feet away from the pumpkin carriage. "They can be quite a handful."

Inez smirked and raised her eyebrows. "Oh, I think I can manage. We can't just let them roam around on their own. Without one of them being human, they're bound to become an entrée. Besides, my boys might like a few pets."

Her mice-sons perched on her shoulder squeaked excitedly at the suggestion.

"Are they going to be all right with it?" Hugo asked, nodding at the goose sisters.

Willow shrugged. "They really don't have a choice at this point. I mean, if they want to take their lives into their own wings, they're free to go right ahead. What do you think, sisters?"

None of the twelve geese responded. They'd gone into something of a depressive state after the bonnet was destroyed. Ailsa dragged them to Inez's shop in a butterfly net earlier that morning. Even now they were still wallowing in self-pity.

"You're sure you don't want us to stay and help with the rest of the freed creatures?" Jyoji asked as he finished hitching Okami up to the carriage.

Ailsa shook her head. "Thank you, honey, but we'll be fine. Inez has offered to assist me, and I'm sure once her boys are human again, they'll be happy to lend a hand. You just make your way back to that queen in Galinyth and see if you can't convince her to take on Elaric in addition to her own kingdom."

Hugo smiled. "I'm pretty sure it won't take too much convincing. She's a very kind-hearted person."

Cocking an eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips, Inez said,"A kind-hearted ruler? Seems like a bit of a contradiction. You sure she's capable?"

"I believe Lana's capable of more than people give her credit for. She'll be a splendid queen. I promise."

After agreeing to get in touch with them as soon as they reached Galinyth, Willow, Hugo, and Sera climbed inside the carriage while Jyoji settled into the driver's seat. "Safe travels," Ailsa said, waving goodbye.

Willow waved back as Sera closed the door and Jyoji urged Okami forward. She watched out the window as Ailsa and Inez grew smaller and smaller until they were only specks in the distance. Sitting back in her seat, she let out a long sigh.

"That was quite the adventure," she said.

"Well-worth it in my opinion, " Hugo said, lacing his fingers with her own and giving her hand a squeeze.

Smiling up at him, she rested her head against his shoulder. "I agree. I mean, all's well that ends well, right?"

The corner of Hugo's lips quirked up into a smile. "Exactly."

Sera made an awful face and stuck her tongue out. "Bleh, you guys are disgusting. I gotta get outta here before I puke."

Willow opened her mouth to apologize, but Sera had already pulled down the window and was climbing outside, making her way towards the driver's seat where Jyoji was singing very loudly and very off-key.

"Dang, Jojo, you couldn't have wished for a better voice?" Willow heard her say.

Laughing, Willow cuddled up closer to Hugo, relishing the feel of his hand in her own. "You really don't think those two are in love?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I think they love each other. I just don't think they're in love. Maybe in friend-love. Or something like that."

He grinned at her. "Well, I suppose there was only room for one great love story in this tale anyhow."

A smile spread across her face. "Yes, I suppose we do like to hog the limelight, don't we?"

"Willow?"

"Yes, Hugo?"

"I have a proposition."

Her heart leapt into her throat. "A proposition?"

"Yes."

"And what would that proposition be?"

Her pulse pounded in her ears as she anticipated his reply. Instead of a response, though, he held his hand out to her, as if waiting for her to shake it. She furrowed her brow and met his eyes. His expression was dead-serious.

"I declare a thumb war," he said.

There was a slight pause before she burst into laughter. "Very well," she said, releasing his other hand and taking the one he had offered to her. "Challenge accepted."

His fingers curled around her own. "Winner chooses what sort of meat pasties to serve at the wedding."

Again, her heart skipped a beat. "Wedding? Is that a—"

He kept his eyes fixed on their clasped hands. "Yes. It is."

Her breath nearly fled her. "So you want to—"

"Yes."

Willow could not smother her smile. "Does that mean you're waiting for an answer?"

Swallowing, Hugo nodded slowly.

She took a moment to think, humming softly to herself. "I sort of had my heart set on stuffed cabbages."

A smile flickered across Hugo's face. "We could arrange that. I might know a guy."

Leaning forward, Willow gave him a quick peck on the lips and whispered, "I would like nothing more than to marry you and dine on stuffed cabbages and meat pasties at our wedding, Hugo."

He pulled her a little closer. "Then let this battle be for who will be in charge of keeping Sera and Marisol away from the wine."

They both sat back and concentrated on their hands. "Oh, I will not be losing this one," Willow said. "Ready?"

Hugo smiled. "Would you care to do the honors?"

Grinning, she moved her thumb back and forth as he did the same. "One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war . . ."