Every Rose Has It's Thorns

Chapter 7: An Unfortunate Wedding part 1

"Where did things go wrong?" Goosewing sighed, plopping himself down on the couch in the reading room. Something glinted in the light, catching his attention. Reaching into the couch cushions, he pulled out a strand of red hair. Unbidden, a smile rose to his beak.

"Duck loved his wigs," he reminded himself. The goose glanced up, and for a moment, he was sure that he saw Duck sitting next to him, dressed in his red wig, ivory blouse, and flower-covered skirt. The young man smiled kindly at him, and then seemed to fade away.

"I have been cooped up in the dirigible for too long. Part of me is starting to wonder if I am the one who is overreacting." Goosewing sighed heavily, cradling his head in his hands. What if everything his uncles ever taught him was wrong? Or perhaps Duckula truly was the exception to the rule?

"Could it be that Duckula really is a vegetarian? Perhaps he is able to behave normally if he is not under the influence of blood." The smiling face of his emerald feathered lover came to mind again. There was no ill-intent when they danced, night after night. Not a single sign of malice when they dined at the restaurant, or when they took long walks in the garden. Duck had even visited his home, and left without any sign of an attack.

"My vampire hunting equipment gave him quite a scare that day. And he did end up breaking mein mirror. Now that I think of it, he must have known he would cast no reflection. Oh, but he was so upset after it happened, and he did offer to replace the glass..." Goosewing let out a chuckle. "Igor... Of course. He kept forgetting his uncle and aunt's names, because they aren't his uncle and aunt, at all." But the way Duck had spoken of the two, it was as if they'd raised him. And perhaps they had.

"Then what happened that night might have been an accident. The monster only came out after tasting mein blood!" Goosewing stated firmly. Count Duckula was innocent. "Oh, mein love. What is an old vampire hunter to do when faced with such a dilemma?"

The clock on the wall read 10:54pm. If he hurried, he might be able to make it to the castle before midnight. "But what if Duck is sleeping? For a vampire, he is unusually active during the day." Goosewing nearly gave in to the thought of approaching Duckula the next day, but his conscience would not allow it.

"Nein! You are a gentleman, Otto von Goosewing, and you have hurt the man you love. It is up to you to make things right, even if it is late in the evening. Just you wait, mein Duck - I will be there soon!"

"Oh, I just hope I am not too late to be forgiven."

Nanny carefully brushed the count's purple-streaked hair, her eyes downcast. "Oh, Duckie-boo. I've always wanted to see you get married... but not like this."

Duckula stared ahead, his eyes glazed over from Count Vlad's hypnotism. Nanny's words were like individual raindrops during a storm - impossible to decipher amidst the cacophony of the wind and rain and booming thunder.

"I have to agree with you, Nanny," Igor sighed, gazing at them from his seat in the chair nearby. "I had no idea Count Vlad would resort to this. Still, he is more powerful than any of us. Best to just go along with it. If we're lucky, he'll return Count Duckula to the castle once he's a proper vampire."

"I suppose. Still, our poor Duckie-boo has been heartbroken, and now this..."

"Hah! The thought of him being in love with a vampire hunter is absolutely preposterous. Clearly it was Dr. Goosewing who seduced him, and then ran away when he realized he'd romanced a vampire."

"And he put on this lovely dress, thinkin' he was going to meet his love," said the woman, easily ignoring the butler's words. "Now he'll be married in it, but to another man."