Eric argues with Franklin Frierson

At King Eric's castle, as the sun began to set in the mountains over the horizon, Eric was standing at the window looking outside, patiently waiting for his adoptive daughter to show. Franklin was also with him, but he was busy eating.

Eric then watched the sun sets down. He was glad that the years of his daughter growing up are almost over, and, supposedly, Selene's curse had failed, but he wondered where his daughter was. It had been five years, and he might have forgotten what she looks like now. Franklin, however, didn't seem to notice the sad expression of Eric.

Eric sadly sighed and said, "No sign of her yet, Franklin."

"Course not. Good half hour 'till sunset." said Franklin, as he took a bite out of a chicken leg. "Ah, excellent Bird!" said Franklin.

Then he looked at Eric and, this time, noticed his sad expression. "Oh now, come on, buck up, battle's over, girl's as good as here." said Franklin, trying to cheer his friend up.

Eric shook his head sadly and said, "I'm sorry, Franklin, but after five years of worrying, never knowing..."

"The past, all in the past!" said Franklin. And he clapped his paws.

A mouse ran into the dining hall with a bottle of wine, holding a lute (a guitar-like musical instrument).

The mouse was a slender light brown mouse, with tan markings at the muzzle, a long, skinny tail, a brown nose, curvy pink ears, and green eyes, wearing a white dress shirt, a green necktie, a brown waistcoat, matching pants, and black shoes with spats over them. He also wears a brown Inverness and deerstalker cap. His name was Basil of Baker Street, Franklin's lackey.

"Tonight, we toast to future with something I've been saving for five years." said Franklin. He poured two glasses, one for himself and one for Eric. Yet, he was unaware that Basil managed to pour some wine into his own glass without him noticing. "Here, to the future!" said Franklin. Eric finally smiled and said, "Right, Franklin, to the future!" Then they began to sing their own song.

Franklin: *Skumps!*

Eric: *Skumps!*

Franklin: *A toast to this night*

Eric: *The outlook is rosy*

Franklin: *The future is bright*

Eric and Franklin: *Our children will marry*
*Our kingdoms unite*
*Skumps!*
*Skumps!*
*Skumps!'*

Both of them laughed to themselves a bit until Franklin spoke. "Ah, excellent vintage." he laughed. Basil hiccuped. "And now, to the new home, ey?" said Franklin. As he heard this, Eric became confused and surprised when he heard "new home." "New home?" asked Eric.

"Children need a nest of their own, what? Place to raise their little brood, ey?" said Franklin.

"Well, I suppose, in time." said Eric.

"Of course. To the home!" said Franklin, as he poured more wine into their glasses and, once again, Basil snuck some more wine for himself. Then the Danish man and English old mouse sang once more.

Franklin: *Skumps!*

Eric: : *Skumps!*

Franklin: *A toast to the home*

Eric: *One grander by far*
*Than a palace in Rome*

Franklin noticed then that Eric's glass was all foam and gave him a refill of wine. "Let me fill up your glass," he said. "This glass was all foam."

Eric and Franklin: *Skumps*
*Skumps*
*Skumps!*

After they sang, Basil began playing the lute, but in a very drunk way after sneaking some wine for himself.

"The plans!" said Franklin, clapping his paws.

Basil ran up to Eric and held a plan a plan to a castle in front of his face while still drunk and hiccupped.

"Well, what do you think? Nothing elaborate, of course. Forty bedrooms, Dining hall, Honeymoon cottage, really." said Franklin.

Eric was startled when he heard the word "honeymoon." He was very surprised indeed. "You-You mean, you're building it already?" asked Eric.

"Built, man! Finished. The love-birds can move in tomorrow." said Franklin.

"Tomorrow? But Franklin, they're not even engaged. And they're too young to get married yet!" said Eric.

"Take care of that tonight. To the wedding!" said Franklin, as he went to pour a glass of wine.

But Eric stopped him, and while stopping, he put the bottle of wine away as Basil began pouring some, this time into his lute.

"Now hold on, Franklin. I haven't even seen my daughter yet, and you're taking her away from me." said Eric.

"Getting my Norman, aren't you?" asked Franklin.

Eric said, "Yes, but ..."

"Want to see our grandchildren, don't we?" asked Franklin.

Eric began, "Of course, but ..."

"There's no time to lose! Getting on in more years. To the wedding!" said Franklin, as he poured a glass of wine for himself.

"Now be reasonable, Franklin. After all, Olivia knows nothing about this." said Eric.

"Well?" asked Franklin, as he drank his cup of wine.

"Well, it-it may come as quite a shock." said Eric.

As he heard this, Franklin spat out his wine and faced Eric angrily. "Shock? My Norman a shock? What's wrong with my Norman?" demanded Franklin, pounding his glass twice on the table. He angrily stormed towards Eric.

"Nothing, Franklin." said Eric, trying to back away from him and calm him down, "I only meant..."

"Why, doesn't your daughter like my grandson?" demanded Franklin, pounding the bottle of wine on the table once.

"Now, now... " said Eric.

"Well, I'm not so sure my grandson likes your daughter!" said Franklin, head butting into Eric's stomach.

Then Eric was offended when he mentioned his daughter, and it was his turn to be angry and stormed towards Franklin. Eric scolded, "Now see here..."

"I'm not so sure my grandchildren will want YOU for a great-grandfather!" said Franklin, head butting Eric once more.

Eric was enraged as he straightened his hair. "Why, you-you unreasonable, pompous, blustering, OLD WINDBAG!" he shouted.

Franklin was offended when he heard the words. He grabbed a nearby fish by mistake, thinking it was a sword, and got into a fighting position as he said, "Unreasonable, pompous...*En garde,* sir!"

"I warned you, Franklin, this means war!" said Eric, as he also got into a fighting position.

Then they started to fight, tussling around at each other. As Franklin started to charge at him, Eric grabbed a serving tray and placed it in front of him as Franklin swung the fish at the tray, shouting, "Forward! For honor! For country!"

Realizing he was fighting with a fish, Franklin knew he was using it as a sword while Eric was using the tray as a shield. Both of them looked at the fish and tray, then at each other, and then they started laughing. "What's this all about anyway?" laughed Franklin.

"Nothing, Franklin. Absolutely nothing." laughed Eric.

"The children are bound to fall in love with each other." said Franklin.

"Precisely. And as for grandchildren, I'll have the royal woodcarvers start work on the crib tomorrow." said Eric.

"Splendid! King size, of course." said Franklin.

"Certainly. To the woodcaver's guild!" said Eric. And they were about to make another toast until they heard an odd and strange sound.

And what appears to sound like horrible snoring. Following their ears, they soon noticed the sounds coming from under the table. They raised the table sheets and looked under to find Basil passed out and sleeping with his head inside the lute.

Suddenly, Eric and Franklin heard the trumpets sound, and they heard Grimsby announce, "His royal highness, Prince Norman Frierson!" Then they heard people and animals cheering for him. "Norman?" said Franklin, as he ran to run outside to meet him.

Before the castle, Shining Armor came flying in, carrying Norman on his back. As more people and animals cheered for him, Norman got off of Shining Armor, and Franklin has just arrived outside to meet him. "Norman! Norman! Norman, hold, Norman!" yelled Franklin.

Norman heard his grandfather and walked over to him. Then Franklin ran over to him. "Hurry, boy, hurry, and change in something suitable. Can't meet your future bride looking like that?" said Franklin.

"Well, I have met her, grandpa." said Norman happily.

"You have? Where?" said Franklin, who seemed surprised.

"Once upon a dream." said Norman. Then he started to sing and dance around his father.

"Norman, knock it off. Stop that. Stop that right now. Norman, stop! Put me down!" said Franklin. Then Norman stopped singing and dancing and put his father down. "Now, what's all this dream nonsense?" asked Franklin.

"It wasn't a dream, grandpa. I really did meet her!" said Norman.

"Princess Olivia? Good heavens, we must tell Eric! Why this is the most ..." said Franklin.

"Whoa, whoa, I didn't say it was Olivia." said Norman.

"You most certainly did, you said..." said Franklin.

"I said I met the girl I was going to marry. I don't know who she was, a...Scottish girl mouse I suppose." said Norman.

Then his grandfather seemed very shocked with his eyes widened. "A Scottish g-g-girl mouse? You're going to marry a...Why Norman, you're joking!" said Franklin, as he hoped for a yes. But Norman shook his head no. "Isn't he?" Franklin asked Shining Armor.

"Unfortunately, no." said Shining Armor honestly.

"You can't do this to me! Give up the throne, the kingdom, for some...some nobody? By Harry, I won't have it!" Franklin bellowed to Norman, as he removed his hat in rage. "You're a prince, and you're going to marry a princess!"

Norman tried to calm Franklin down as he set the cap back on his father's head, saying, "Now grandpa, you're living in the past. This is the fourteenth century. Nowadays ... "

"Nowadays, I'm still the king!" Franklin began, "And I command you to come to your senses..."

"...And marry the girl I love." Norman finished.

"Exactly!" said Franklin.

"Goodbye, grandpa!" said Norman, as he got back on top of Shining Armor, and Shining Armor was flying off.

"Goodbye, grandpa! Marry the girl you ... No, no, Norman, stop. Come back. Wait Norman!" called Franklin, "NORMAN!"

But it was too late. Norman had already gone off into the wilderness to see his love, but he was unaware that she wouldn't be there anymore. Franklin sadly walked up to the stairs of the castle and sat down. He sadly sighed and said, "Oh, how will I ever tell Eric?"