As You Wish Chapter Ten: A Kissing Book
This is chapter ten! To start reading from the beginning, check out Chapter One: True Love
Summary:
Warlock rarely got sick, all illnesses passing him by as though he was wholly immune, but today he felt surprisingly ill. Since his parents are at work and Nanny is on her honeymoon it’s up to his Nana Agnes to stay with him. Much more interested in video games than books, he is surprised to find himself enthralled in the book she has decided to read aloud.
—
Do you not know? True love is ineffable. Death cannot stop it, only delay it for a while.
A classic tale of true love, ineffability, adventure, and miracles. You might think you know the story, but there is more to this edition of The Princess Bride than meets the eye.
Chapter Preview:
“What? What?” Warlock demanded.
“It’s kissing again, you don’t want to hear it.” Agnes replied dismissively, going to close the book. She realized that the sky had gone dark, they had been reading for the entire day.
Before she could fully close the book however, she noted how Warlock had leaned forward, placing his hand on hers.
“I don’t mind so much.” He admitted quietly, gesturing for Agnes to continue reading.
Author’s Note:
I was re-reading the last chapter of this fic and I realized that it was actually shorter than I remembered it being, and I’ve been having a tough week so I’m giving myself (and my readers) a lil treat and posting the last chapter today as well. So if you just got these notifications back to back, make sure you also read chapter nine before diving into this one. 😘😘
Many thanks again to TinyMoonDrops, skullfragments, sososomebody, and Nate for being my cheerreading squad as I worked on this fic, and special thanks to sososomebody for the AMAZING art of Aziraphale and Crowley as Buttercup and Westley.
Chapter Ten: A Kissing Book
Aziraphale darted away from Gabriel, who had tried to grab her again, instead running for Crowley and throwing herself into his arms, kissing them with an enthusiasm that was downright indecent, especially considering the fact that Crowley was interrupting her wedding to someone else.
Crowley was still feeling incredibly weak, but still he managed to return the kiss softly, his arms raising weakly but with certainty to wrap around Aziraphale. A delicate cough interrupted them, and, suddenly remembering where they were, Aziraphale and Crowley broke apart. The entire room was staring at them, the majority of them staring in shock, with the exception of Muriel who had bounded over joyfully.
“Ah, you must be the Crowley I have heard so much about!” They said cheerfully, reaching out their hand. “I’m Muriel.”
Crowley looked at Aziraphale with no small amount of uncertainty, but at Aziraphale’s encouraging nod, Crowley simply smiled at Muriel, taking their hand and kissing it briefly before responding. “Antonia Crowley, at your service.”
As Crowley looked up, her eyes trained on Gabriel, flashing in the light of the many candles of the chapel, and several things clicked into place.
Judging by the way that the King had suddenly stood and begun walking quickly towards Crowley, they had for him as well.
Crowley knew better than to raise his sword toward the King, especially while still feeling so weak, and so tried not to make it obvious how much he was leaning on Aziraphale.
“Your name is Antonia?” The King’s statement was both a demand and a question and had much more clarity than the people had come to expect from him in recent years.
“Well, I typically go by Crowley, but yes, my given name is Antonia.” Crowley replied stiffly before catching herself. “Your majesty.”
“What were your parents’ names?” He asked with narrow eyes.
Crowley knew that if he was ever going to be able to escape with Aziraphale, it was not until they had answered all of the King’s questions.
“I was raised by a couple named Lesley and Maud. The story they told me was that my mother came to them when I was only a toddler. She and my father had been attacked, and he was slain. My mother, fearful for both of our lives, left me with Lesley and Maud, promising to come back soon. She never did. According to those who raised me, my parents were named Samuel and Lillian.”
The King took a sharp step back, eyes wide and steps unsteady. “Would I be correct in thinking that you are seven and twenty?”
Crowley’s brow furrowed. “Good guess, your majesty. Most tend to think I am younger than that. How did you know?”
“Because,” Gabriel spoke, and Crowley and Aziraphale were both startled at how close he was. “You have your mother’s hair and your grandmother’s eyes.”
Crowley opened her mouth briefly before closing it again, staring in wonder at Gabriel, who had gone from angry to stricken with grief.
“This is preposterous!” Uriel exclaimed. “Princess Antonia is dead. They all are. You’re wishing into existence a fantasy!”
“I’m sorry, princess?” Crowley sputtered. “You can’t, I, what?”
“Father,” Gabriel squared his shoulders, standing before the King. “I would like to abdicate my position as Crown Prince of Florin.” The crowd gasped and some looked as though they would protest before Gabriel pushed through. “I realize it is only by some kind of fortune or miracle that Antonia was saved from my actions. Knowing what I have almost done… I can hardly live with myself at this time.”
Michael nodded slowly in acceptance, his brain now catching up to the fact that Gabriel had evidently attempted to kill Antonia, only to fail.
“Absolutely not!” Uriel shrieked. “This is not happening! I did not kill my sister only for you to refuse to be King!”
The hall went silent, with the exception of two rather chatterbox nuns that had stumbled into the wedding quite by mistake and felt too awkward to leave.
“Do you have any idea what’s going on here?” Sister Mary hissed to Sister Teresa.
“Honestly, I haven’t got a single clue.” Sister Teresa hissed back.
“Still, the buffet spread looks good, when do you think we’ll be able to eat?”
—
Three weeks later, the chapel was filled once again with members of the court and the public, getting ready to attend yet another wedding, this one ending in an actual marriage.
This wedding could not have been more different, as the room was filled with the energy of love, of true love, rather than the death and despair of the previous. Crowley was fully healed and adjusting to the idea that she was now living life as a Princess instead of a pirate. She did miss the sea, but she knew that The Revenge would be in good hands with Nina, the fourth iteration of the Dread Pirate Lucifer, along with Maggie, her first mate.
Aziraphale and Crowley finally got the chance to speak their vows to one another, free at last to embrace their love. A wave of love and safety swept over them, and they reached for each other—
—
“What? What?” Warlock demanded.
“It’s kissing again, you don’t want to hear it.” Agnes replied dismissively, going to close the book. She realized that the sky had gone dark, they had been reading for the entire day.
Before she could fully close the book however, she noted how Warlock had leaned forward, placing his hand on hers.
“I don’t mind so much.” He admitted quietly, gesturing for Agnes to continue reading.
“Okay.” Agnes smiled, opening the book again. “Since the invention of the kiss, there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure.” She paused for a moment, smiling. “This one left them all behind. The end.”
Snapping the book closed, Agnes stood up, kissing Warlock on the cheek. “Now, I think you ought to go to sleep.”
“Okay,” Warlock yawned.
Agnes placed the book on Warlock’s beside table and began walking toward the door.
“Nana?” Warlock called out, just as Agnes was about to exit. She turned to him, a questioning look on her face as he continued in a small, hopeful voice. “Maybe you could come over and read it to me again tomorrow?”
Agnes paused before she issued him a wink. “As you wish.”
She clicked off the light as she left. Warlock paused for a moment, listening to the sounds of her goodbyes with his parents before opening his bedside drawer and grabbing his favorite flashlight. Turning it on, he reached quickly for the book and pulled the covers over his head, making a kind of tent as he opened the book to its first page.
Aziraphale was raised on a small farm in the country of Florin. Her favorite pastimes were riding her horse, reading books, and tormenting the girl who worked on their farm. Her name was Crowley, but Aziraphale never called her that…
Endnotes:
I’m so emotional about this finally being done 😭 I hope y’all enjoyed the ride!