Beauties and the Frogs, Part 6

The next few months passed quietly. Leia and the girls continued to have dreams, though not as many as they had in the summer and fall...then, they fell off all together. Perhaps it was just as well, Leia decided. Han remained silent in the dream world. Every time she would lean over to kiss him, or get a closer look, he vanished into thin air.

Besides, she was almost starting to enjoy her time here. Under his prickly hide, Harold hid a soft and gentle heart. The girls had begun to think of him almost as a spiny second father. He used his spines to help Rey clip the last of the roses. He helped Jessika and Poe mend much of the broken furnishings, and even clean the mucky basement. Kaydel and Snap were highly amused by his croaking to their favorite tunes.

Christmas was one of the most pleasant Leia had known in years. The young people spent over a month making them small gifts from bits and pieces found around the house and grounds. Chewbacca made them a massive feast of roasted quail sausage, apple biscuits, and nuts from the trees on the edge of the gardens. The boys and girls brought in garlands of greenery and a yule log from the edge of the property, along with a small pine tree they decorated with nuts and cookies.

The most surprising gifts came from Harold. He spent much of the month sequestered in his room, barely coming out for meals. He barely even saw Leia in the library. She knew he was up to something. His bulging eyes showed with delight every time he went downstairs, and his webbed hands were always covered in ink.

Along with their wrapped presents, there were eight rolled-up papers sitting in a pile on the floor by their tree on Christmas morning, each tied with a different color ribbon. Leia took her blue one as Harold stumbled into the living room. “Oh, it's a poem.” She squeezed his slimy hand. “Did you write these yourself?”

“Yes, I did.” Harold turned holly berry red under his spines. “I've always enjoyed it. I didn't know what I was going to give all of you until I thought of writing. I'm just a dumb frog, but this is something I can do.”

“I don't think you're dumb at all. This is so sweet!” Rey gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I didn't know you knew so many flower names.”

“I told him.” Finn grinned. “He asked me about a month ago. I thought there was a reason besides 'I'm just interested.'”

Kaydel smiled. “I think I could turn mine into a song.”

“I have instructions to make a new chair.” Jessika grinned. “I'll start it tomorrow.”

“Thank you, dear.” Leia smiled and tucked her poem into her pocket. “I'll keep mine here, where I can always reach it.” She hugged him as well as she could with his spines.

“You're welcome.” He managed as big of a slimy smile as a toad could have. “Sweetheart.”

Winter proved to be quiet and cozy. Harold and Leia spent their days in the library, arguing over books, periodicals, and the latest news from Alderaan. They laughed until their sides ached as they watched the girls and frogs, all dressed in their warmest clothes, chase each other in the snow and throw snowballs and make snow angels.

Sometimes, they'd even join them. Harold taught the girls how to make snowmen that never fell over and snowballs that wouldn't break until they hit their target. His servant knew where all the best spots in the lake were to go ice fishing. He threw snowballs down Leia's back, to her annoyance and the delight of their wards.

Only two persistent worries marred Leia's happiness. The first was her duties in Alderaan. The letters that came from the Millennium Palace were full of frustration and sadness. Luke reported that the barricades were still in place, and that Snoke refused to relent in the First Order Clan burning villages. The villages of Hosnia and Jakku had been burned to the very ground, with most of the adults left for dead and the children and few remaining adults taken as slaves.

The other was Harold. He continued to ask her to sleep with him every night the entire winter long. She couldn't. Not only because he wasn't her species, or because of his spines. She'd long ceased to even really think of him as an amphibian. She couldn't because he wasn't her husband. He wasn't Han. Sleeping with another man would be betraying him, especially now that she knew he was alive.

She was, however, beginning to wonder about Harold. He could still be prickly, keeping to his bedroom for days. Most of the time, he was charming and kind. His observations weren't brilliant, but they were sensible. All six of the children admired him. He helped Rey shovel snow, listened to Kaydel's piano playing, laughed at Snap's jokes, comforted Finn when he was frightened, and helped Jess and Poe repair simple objects.

“I'm really worried about Harold,” Finn observed one afternoon in late February. It was unusually warm for the time of year. The snow had begun to melt, revealing the tiny heads of the first crocus popping out of the damp earth. “He's been trying so hard to woo Miss Leia, but he's been so angry, they've been arguing more than usual.”

“He has been cranky lately, even for him.” Rey shoveled old vegetable peelings onto the earth. “I guess it's because we'll be leaving in a few weeks.” She sighed. “I'm going to miss this place.”

“Do you have to leave?” Finn's pouted as well as a toad could. “I love having you here. You and your sisters and Miss Leia.” The brown skin around his lips turned a little red. “Especially you. Your so nice. You've taught me so much about gardens! I just...I wish...”

“I like you too, Finn,” she said softly, taking his hand. “I think...I think you're wonderful. You're the nicest, sweetest boy I've ever met.”

“Boy?” Finn's bugling eyes got even wider. “But I'm a toad. I know I'm ugly. You can't even touch me without wiping your hands off, I spend a lot of time eating flies and keeping my skin moist, and I'm really, really ugly. I mean, I like you too. I even love you....”

Rey put a finger on her mouth, her own eyes surprised. “You...love me?” He nodded once. “I think I love you, too. I don't care what you look like. And you know, I don't think my sisters do, either. I've heard Jess talking about staying here and helping Poe with the horses, and Kaydel and I are trying to figure out more about this spell.”

“But that's just it!” Finn was jumping up and down with agitation, looking more and more like a jumpy toad. “If Harold doesn't sleep with a human woman by the time the first spring flower blooms, we'll be half-frogs like this forever! S...he...” he stumbled over his words. “He'll...make...us...s...slaves...”

“He? He who?” Finn shook his head. “You probably can't tell us that, either. Why is it so important that Mother sleeps with Harold?”

“That's part of the spell.” Finn was jumping all over the garden now. “He has to eat with a human woman for a year, then sleep with her, then kiss her. She has to do it herself, too, without being forced.”

Rey shook her head. “She's still in love with her husband, but we haven't had those dreams for months.” She sighed. “I guess they really were just dreams. They seemed so real! And Finn...he was so sweet...” She looked up at him. “Finn. Your name is Finn. The top of your head...” She ran her hand over the black markings on his head. “Like his hair. There's just something about you. Harold, too. And Snap, and Poe.”

“Thank you, for calling me a prince.” Finn smiled at her. “Maybe you'll...kiss me? Would you, if you were the prince in your dream?”

“I don't know.” Now Rey was the one who couldn't help blushing. She dug her shovel into the compost pile. “Why don't we work on the flowers? Might help us think of a way to bring Mother and Harold together.”

Finn nodded. “Right.” He hopped over to the shed, but he felt like his heart was breaking. We don't have much time. The Master has to get Miss Leia into bed with him, but he'll never do it if he was making her too angry to see the truth.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was early March, about two weeks later, when the six young people sat down in the living room to luncheon. They'd invited the hairy servant to join them. They needed his input on Harold.

“Here ye, here ye.” Poe banged a meat mallet on the table. “This meeting of the Deckard Manor Improvement Society will now come to order.”

Finn raised a webbed hand. “Poe,” he said, “I think we ought to do something special to celebrate the ladies having lived here for almost a year. Maybe a big party, with a fancy dinner and dancing and new outfits.”

“There's lots of pretty fabric and fancy old clothes in the attic.” Kaydel beamed excitedly. “I could make those over into ball costumes.”

“And we could play the music.” Snap waved a webbed hand at Kaydel. “We've been practicing.”

“Poe and I could decorate,” Jessika added. “Chewie, you could help. You're the tallest.” Chewbacca roared his agreement.

“We'll dance and let Leia and Harold have a fancy dinner.” Poe grinned. “Kay, Snap, and I could play for them. It'll be really intimate and romantic. We'll get Harold spiffed up and everything.”

“If you can get Harold cleaned up, we'll make the fanciest dress we can for Mother.” Kaydel grinned. “She'll be so beautiful, she'll blow him away.”

“And he'll be so handsome,” Poe added, “she'll forget his spines and grumpiness and see him as someone she can love.”

“And sleep with.” Jessika sighed. “I almost wish Mother would fall in love with him. We don't know if the men in those dreams are real or not. The look in her eyes every time her husband disappears in her dreams...”

Kaydel nodded. “If she had Master Harold, maybe she wouldn't be so sad.”

“They could take care of each other.” Rey grinned and patted Finn's back before wiping the mucus off her fingers. “And the spell will be broken.”

“And the Master loves her.” Finn sighed. “He's told me often enough. I think it breaks his heart that she only sees him as a friend. He badly wants it to be more.”

“Then it's settled.” Poe hit the mallet on the table again. “We'll make it a week from today, the day before you girls are scheduled to leave. And we have to keep it secret from the Master and Miss Leia. Don't let on what you're doing. Not even you, Chewbacca,” he added, pointing his mallet at the towering furry creature. It nodded its head, managing a smile under the russet fur.

“In that case, let's get going.” Rey jumped out of her chair. “Come on, Jess. Let's go figure out where the decorations are going to go.”

Kaydel headed towards the stairs to the attic. “I'll start working on the dresses.”

Finn frowned as the boys stood. “Do you think this will work, Poe? If the Master can't get her into bed with him...”

“It has to.” Poe rubbed the side of his slimy green head. “I wish that spell over us wasn't so strong. If only we could tell her who he really is...”

“But we can't. We've tried.” Finn rubbed his friend's back. “We can only help them along. Every time we try to tell them, the black magic stops us.”

“It'll be all right.” Snap grinned. “They're smart girls, and Miss Leia loves the Master. She'll figure it out, and we'll be as we were.”

Poe sighed. “I hope so.” He managed to give them a shaky grin. “Well, what are we all standing around here for? We have a party to plan!”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia knew their charges had something planned to celebrate their first year at the manor. Every time one of them passed her or Harold, they'd giggle or snicker and hurry along. Rey and Finn's arms were always filled with flowers Rey had nurtured in the tiny greenhouse on the edge of the manor property. Jessika and Poe's arms were always filled with silk streamers, ropes of ivy and pine, and piles of old planks and tools. Kaydel's arms were filled with old gowns and jackets and bits of lace, ribbon, and shiny trim. When Snap wasn't acting as a dressmaker's dummy for her, he was in the music room, pounding away at some song or the other.

Harold had no idea what they were doing, either. “Let them alone,” he insisted when Leia tried to peek in the ballroom. “It's keeping them out of trouble.”

“It's very vexing that they won't tell me what's going on,” she huffed. “Even Chewbacca seems to be in on it. I've seen him out hunting game in the woods in the back of the property and trying to hide his kill when he thinks I'm looking.”

“As long as they're not hurting anyone, there could be no harm in it.” Harold chuckled. “Let them have their fun. Come on, let's have our tea in the library.” He took her hand. “I'll miss our chats over tea and books. You make even me sound smart, sweetheart.”

Leia shook her head. “You're smarter than you think. You're practical and plain-spoken, if a bit of a grouch. That's no crime. There are kings and noblemen I know who don't possess half your kindness or noble heart.”

“Yeah, well,” Harold took her hand quickly, “that tea won't drink itself. Let's go.” Even as he pulled her into the library, two froggy guffaws and two human giggles could be heard from the door to the ballroom down the hall.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A week later, Leia was wearily climbing the stairs to her room. She really needed to finish packing the small trunk she was sharing with the girls. Harold told them they could keep the dresses Kaydel had repaired or made from the older fabric, along with some of the older antiques that could be sold or bartered for things they needed at home.

There was a light flickering in her room when she trudged through the door. She wondered who left it on. It wasn't her. She'd been downstairs all day, helping Harold pack the antiques. Giggles floated down the hall as a fluttering bit of pale blue fabric ducked into a closet.

The candle illuminated the most beautiful old gown she'd ever seen. Though it had the standing lace collar and puffed lace sleeves of a century ago, the gold embroidery and wide forest green velvet skirt were more recent. There was a lacy petticoat, a tiara trimmed with tiny diamonds, a gold and crystal bead necklace, and even green shoes with golden buckles.

“Surprise!” The girls, all of them in fine gowns of ecru and soft pink and pale blue, burst into the room.

“Oh...oh girls...did you make this for me?” Her fingers trailed down the jade beads on the bodice. “It's exquisite!”

“I did the most on it.” Kaydel beamed. “Rey helped me with the embroidery, and Jess found the shoes and jewelry in a closet upstairs.”

“Girls, I don't know what to say.” Leia put her arms around all her daughters. “This is the nicest present anyone has ever given me.”

Kaydel leaned into her adopted parent's embrace. “You're welcome, Mother.”

“Well, what are we standing around here for?” Rey lead her mother to the lacquered changing screen from Japan. “We have to make Mother into the most beautiful queen in all the land!”

~*~*~*~*~*~

The boys escorted them to the ballroom at 6 PM sharp. The ragged trousers and shirts they sported to cover their sensitive skin in the winter had been replaced with the finest brocade and velvet suits they could pull out of the attic. She knew Kaydel's work instantly in the older wide sleeves and doublets that had been lengthened to be made more fashionable and to fit the frogs more easily. Poe was resplendent in deep orange, Snap in navy blue, and Finn in a thick chocolate brown velvet.

Harold stood and waited for her at the top of the staircase. She bowed before him. “You look so handsome, my liege.” His heavy black brocade vest and trousers were made thick enough for the spines to not poke through. Someone even found him a crown. Bulging hazel eyes shown with amusement. “My queen.” He kissed her hand. “You look...you're pretty tonight.”

She laughed. “Now you remind me of my Han. He was never much good at compliments. I don't think he'd had many women in his life before he met me.” She dropped a sweeping curtsy. “You look every bit as much of a king as he is.”

He managed to bow deeply. “Thank you, Your Worship.” Chewbacca lead them to a small table, richly dressed in purple satin. Spring flowers from the greenhouse, violets and crocus and spicy-scented hyacinth, decorated their table and were tucked into ivy and pine ropes. Poe and Jessika set it with their very best china plates and freshly-polished silver.

“This is lovely.” Harold pulled out the heavy oak chair for Leia. “Thank you.” She settled down, then let him settle down as Chewbacca and Jessika brought them their first course, a rich vegetable soup with cream taken from the old cow in the barn. There was a rabbit roasted in the fire, potatoes and carrots pulled up from the cellar and seasoned with herbs from the greenhouse, and a delicious cake flavored with the jellies Leia and Rey had jarred in the fall.

As they were finishing the cake, Poe bowed before them. “And now, Miss Leia, Master, we give you, a dance recital.”

As Kaydel sat at the old harpsichord, Leia was surprised to see Poe pick up a lute. He had a clear, rich voice under that croak that went well with the vibrant old stringed instrument. They played a lively tune as the other four performed the steps. It was clear they'd practiced, maybe for weeks. Only Snap was any kind of dancer, but the others didn't stumble too badly, and indeed, looked like they were having the time of their lives.

Leia sipped a full-bodied red wine that Chewbacca had brought up from the cellar. “This is wonderful.” She smiled at Harold. “Did you plan this?”

“Not at all, sweetheart.” He gave her the laziest grin a horned toad could manage. “This is all the young people's doing. I was as in the dark as you were.”

“Sweetheart.” Leia looked straight into his eyes. “Han used to call me sweetheart. My husband. Before he...before he vanshed.”

Harold's smirk disappeared in an instant. “I can call you something else, Leia...”

“Oh, no. I like it.” She sighed. “I miss my husband...” Her eyes flicked over from the youngsters' dances. “But it's nice to have someone call me names again.” Her tender, pale hand went over the smooth side of his webbed one. “Harold,” she said softly, “I agree to sleep with you tonight.”

His hazel orbs bulged even wider than usual. “You...you do? You will?”

“Yes.” Her gentle smile was brighter than even the newly-dusted crystal chandelier over their heads. “It couldn't hurt. We only have a few days left. I really do like you. You're funny and gentle, and so much more intelligent than you give yourself credit for.”

“I'm not that smart.” The wide grin that spread across his spiked face was no longer grotesque to her. In fact, she found it rather endearing. “But thank you for saying so. I...maybe you'll give me a wake-up kiss tomorrow morning?”

“We'll see.” She stood as Kaydel and Poe moved into one of the plaintive old folk tunes from his native Yavin. “Would you like to dance, Master?”

He bowed and took her hand. “I don't know how good I'd be on these webbed feet, Your Worship, but I'll try.”

“As Luke's old tutor Yoda used to say, do, or do not. There is no try.” She took his hand. “I'll help you.”

The young women and frog and toad who were already dancing gave Harold and Leia room, moving in their own worlds.

“We'll be free by sunup, Rey!” Finn exclaimed. “And then you can see how gorgeous we are.”

Rey laughed. “You're already beautiful to me.” Finn remained as red as a beet for the rest of the dance.

~*~*~*~*~*~

They agreed that Harold would sleep in her bed, rather than her climbing all the way to the tower. Leia had just gotten into her night shift and ruffled cap when she heard the knock on the door. “Your Worship? You ready for bed?”

“Yes, I am.” She swung open the door, revealing a pair of spiny, thick frog legs hidden behind woolly blankets. “What's all this for?”

He dropped the blankets on the bed. “It's been cold the last few nights. I thought we might need the extra warmth.”

“That's very thoughtful of you, Harold.” He felt his knees wobble when she smiled at him. “Shall we turn in?”

“Uh, yes.” Harold scrambled under the covers. “I don't know about you, but I'm tired. It's been quite a day. I have to hand it to our children. The party was the most fun I've had in years.”

“Me too.” Leia slid in next to him. “Is there any way you could sleep on your side, with your stomach facing me? I would prefer not to be stabbed in the middle of the night.”

Harold did what she'd asked, turning on his side. “How's this, Your Worship?”

“Very good.” She leaned over and fell asleep, plunging the room into darkness.

She hadn't slept so well in months. It was nice to have another warm body in bed with her, even if it was a toad. His chest was smooth and surprisingly dry, like new leather boots. She didn't want to awaken when she heard an urgent voice yelling out their window.

Her eyes flickered open...to discover a spiny arm wrapped around her. Wisps of iron gray hair under her night cap clung to the skin of his belly. He looked so content for a toad, she was almost reluctant to dislodge him.

“Your Majesty!” Arthur, the diminutive squire of her brother Sir Luke, stood under her window on a stout pony. “We need you back at the castle right away. The Knights of Ren have laid siege to the Millennium Palace. They may already have taken Sir Skywalker.”

“What?!” Leia hurried to the window. “Arthur, is this true?” She barely noticed Harold coming up behind her, rubbing at his eyes. She could hear the voices of the girls and frog-youths grumbling in their rooms, complaining about the noise and wondering why someone was yelling so early in the morning.

“I'm afraid it is true, Your Majesty.” Arthur himself was in sore shape, his blue cloak and white tunic and trousers in tatters, his face covered in soot. “I barely escaped meself. Clarence is still with my master. I don't know how much longer we can hold on.”

“I'll be there in a few hours, Arthur.” She turned to Harold. “I'm sorry we have to leave early, but...”

“That's all right.” Harold quickly yanked a ring off a chain around his neck. “All you have to do is rub this, and it'll take you and the girls home. It used to belong to a...a very powerful family. Now, it belongs to you.”

Leia turned the ring over in her hand. “This is a ring of the royal family of Alderaan. It's one of the special rings Mother had our old magician Obi-Wan make for her and Father so they could court secretly. How did you get this?”

The horned toad shook his head. “I can't tell you that now. Just...know that I'll be thinking of you.” He took her hands in his.

“And I you.” She gave him her gentle smile that warmed him from his head to his warty toes. “Thank you, Harold!”

“You're welcome, Leia,” he said to her retreating back. He'd just collapsed into the bed when Finn pushed past her.

“Master? Master, are you all right?” Finn sat next to him. “What happened? Did you and Miss Leia have a fight? Why did she take off in such a hurry? Are you all right? You don't look so good.”

Harold's croak was weary. “Leia had to go home early. The First Order Clan is invading her kingdom. They need her.”

“She's leaving?” Finn nearly leaped out of his seat. “You have to stop her! Go kiss her before she leaves! We need her, too! You need her!”

“I do need her.” Harold's drooping throat trembled. “But her kingdom needs her more. She's a queen. What's she doing amongst toads and frogs?” His long toad legs managed to hop up to the bare wood floor. “When Snoke comes for us, he'll find me in the tower.”

“But...” Finn didn't have the time to respond before Harold slammed out the door.