News Flash #2: Beauty Queen and the Frog King

 

 Note: Me=Purple Queen Red=Red King Froggie=Green

Good day folks, this is Sima Simpson, the world’s number one best reporter, reporting from the Center Kingdom in the Land of Stories. Today I have the privilege of interviewing Queen Red Riding Hood and her husband, King Charlie Charming, also known as Froggie.

Good morning your majesties! It’s such an honor to meet you!

It’s an honor to have you!

So, let’s get down to business. Red, lets start with you. How did you feel after losing your kingdom to Bo Peep?

Possibly the worst month of my life. First, I lose my palace, my servants, my kingdom, and my home to that bonnet wearing, staff holding hobo. Then the Fairy Godmother fell ill, and the whole fairy palace was full of sadness and fear, THEN the masked man showed up and all the royals, me, Charlie, and Conner’s friends had to go on a never ending road trip. AND I WAS STUCK IN A CARRIAGE WITH BO PEEP. Then, Alex’s boyfriend, what was his name? Book? Cook?

I believe it was Rook, Darling.

Ah, yes, Rook, well, he gave away the location of the secret path we were riding on, so the Masked Man’s army, the Grande Armay, or whatever it was called, found us, us they tried to burn us at stake! Even me and Charlie, even though we weren’t royals anymore! Talk about merciless. Luckily the twins saved us. Bo Peep wasn’t so lucky though. Not that I’m complaining. The kingdom elected Charlie king, which was wonderful, because it meant I would be queen again after our marriage!

I still don’t remember agreeing to the marriage, but all’s well that ends well.

But you didn’t get married right away?

No! That horrible goat Morina abducted Charlie. IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR WEDDING. Probably the worst day of my life, until about a week later, after running around in magic books of Otherworld literature, when I discovered that Morina had imprisoned Charlie in a magic mirror, not to mention twelve missing children which she was draining of life for potions.

Yes, that certainly was an ordeal.

Yeah, and weeks later, when the worlds had collided, New York City was pretty much destroyed, and all the witches were escaping or dead, and Morina was blasted into ashes after the curse she tried to kill with me rebounded, we were finally married!

Was it a fancy wedding?

Actually, no. Alex Bailey was under a curse, thornbush vines were covering the city, two stone lions were pinning Mother Goose to the ground… Oh yeah, and Morina’s ashes were everywhere.

It was a beautiful ceremony nonetheless.

Of course! Now, King Charlie, while we’re on the subject: What was it like to be trapped in a magic mirror?

Definitely not something I recommend. It was a world of dark nothingness. My only window into the world I had once known was the mirror in Morina’s basement, where I was forced to watch as life, beauty, stamina, youth, and charisma were drained from children for Morina’s potions. At one point, I started walking into the endless darkness, and discovered I could see through other mirrors. Eventually, I met a young girl who’d completely forgotten herself, who I later learned was the Evil Queen, who had been trapped in the mirror dimension for over a year. She managed to escape the mirror dimension by doing a good deed. I later, too escaped, by helping Medusa with a problem she had.

Not THE Medusa, from Greek mythology, with snakes for hair, and eyes that turn people to stone?

That’d be the one. But she doesn’t do it on purpose. She was cursed, by a goddess who was jealous of her beauty. She drank a potion that restored her original eyes temporarily, so I was not turned to stone. And she restored the rest of the youth, beauty, charisma and stamina to all the children. She currently lives in my old cottage in the Dwarf Forest, poring over books, away from people she might accidentally turn to stone.

Yes, we send her packages once a month of clothes, food, and makeup. Especially makeup. She seriously needs it.

Wow, that is extraordinary. Now, what would you say is the key to being a good ruler?

Jewelry. Wear as much of it that you can. The sight of beautiful queen makes them weak at the knees, and easy to control. Charlie doesn’t agree with me on this one, but the citizens haven’t rebelled yet, so I suppose he’s doing alright.

Right. Of course. And King Charlie, what’s your say on the matter?

In my personal opinion, the key to being a good ruler is being patient, kind, and listening to every side of the story.

Yes, I guess that works too.

Great! Well, that pretty much wraps up the interview. Thank you, King Charlie and Queen Red, for this wonderful opportunity.

Of course! Any time!

This is Sima Simpson, the worlds number one best reporter, signing out.