.

“Red?" a sweet voice cooed as Red slept soundly. “You gotta get up! You don't wanna be late for your wedding! Red? RED!"

“Ah! Look out! The enemy's approaching!" Red shouted, jumping out of the nest. She turned around to see who shouted at her. “Silver?"

“I made you breakfast!" she said excitedly, and held a tray of pancakes, applesauce with worms, and orange juice. “We're scheduled to be at Piggy Island in ninety minutes, so you should eat now. You don't want to throw up on the slingshot again, do you?"

“Yeah, that was humiliating," Red replied, and began eating her breakfast. “Since I don't have a dad, I asked Garry to walk me down the aisle. He didn't seem too jazzed about it. But he agreed to, as long as I didn't insult his tech anymore."

“That was nice of him to agree to that," Silver said, eating one of the worms. “Was it lonely, not having parents?"

“Yeah, it was," Red sighed. “What about you? What was your family like? Chuck never told me about them."

“Well, my mom died when I was just a hatchling," Silver began. “But I have the rest of my family. My dad owns a series of chain restaurants, my aunt's a struggling model, my great uncle won a lot of fishing contests, and you already know about Louise. I was always just the odd bird out, though. Chuck always believed in me, though. He said, ‘Don't be afraid of what they see in you. Think about what you see in yourself.'"

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Later that morning, Red and Silver arrived at Leonard's castle, where Courtney and Debbie were waiting for them.

“There you two are!" Debbie said excitedly. “We're gonna get makeovers, and put on our dresses, this is gonna be so much fun!"

“Let's go, we're on a tight schedule," Courtney said, leading them inside. Suddenly, a bunch of pigs showed up and took them to the castle's beauty room.

“Katie, look at what we have to work with!" one of them complained.

“Oh, nonsense!" Katie scoffed. “These ladies are nothing compared to the Great Blemish Outbreak of '93."

“Guys, this reminds me of a movie I saw," Courtney said. “Except the girl was late, and the women broke out in song."

Red rolled her eyes. “Oh, great..."

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Leonard, meanwhile, was in his suite looking in a mirror as he adjusted a sash decorated with medals, something every king before himself wore on his wedding day. He also wore his freakishly tall crown and fancy cape. Once it looked perfect, he heard a knock on the door.

“It's open!" he called out, and saw Red enter the room, wearing a white gown and cloak with the hood down. Her head feathers were tied up in a ponytail. “Oh! Hello, beautiful."

“Hi," Red greeted quietly. “I'm not supposed to be here, but I wanted a break from all those dressers."

“I understand," Leonard said. “You're just not comfortable being pampered. It's one of the things I love about you."

Red blushed as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

“I can't believe I'm saying this, but look very handsome," Red grumbled, causing Leonard to chuckled.

“Thank you," he replied. “My grandmother's cloak really suits you, ya know?"

“Well, those seamstresses had to make a few adjustments," Red pointed out, pulling the hood up. “You wanna hear something else?"

“What?" Leonard asked. He wasn't prepared, though, for what Red did next.

Some girls wait all their lives, live it by the book

But I know that's not my story

You take me as I am, love me as I look

Standing here in all my glory

I am kindness, I am bratty

I'm a queen who's a bit batty

I'm a mess of contradictions in a dress

I am sassy, I am sappy

When I'm with you I am happy

This is my story

Suddenly, Courtney entered the room, quite annoyed.

“Red, what are you doing?! You can't just wander off like that, especially for your groom to see you in your dress before the wedding!"

“Sorry!" Red said sarcastically, and turned to Leonard. “I better go, see you at the altar."

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Holding a bouquet of white lilies, Red looked down the stairs and saw the chapel packed with every bird, pig, and eagle Red knew. Zoe, Vivi, and Sam-Sam were walking down the aisle holding the rings and tossing flower petals.

“Hi, Red!" Bomb greeted as he approached her. He was wearing a red bowtie with white spots.

“Hello, Bomb, don't you look nice?" she said, trying not to laugh. She heard someone clear his throat and turned around to find... “Oh, my goodness! Chuck!"

The yellow bird had his black hair-like feathers brushed back and was wearing an excessively fancy suit that looked like it was from the Renaissance!

“Charmed, I'm sure," he said with a phony accent.

Red giggled. “Charming. Did you boys get all dressed up for me?"

“Well, actually, it was all Silver's idea, but you gotta admit, I make this look good," Chuck said rapidly.

“Well, you guys better go down there," Red pointed out. Bomb linked wings with Debbie and headed down the aisle, Chuck did the same to Silver.

“Your Highness?" Garry spoke up, extending his arm to Red. Red took it and they headed down together as the Wedding March began playing.

Once Red made it to the bottom of the stairs, she noticed everyone focusing their attention on her. She looked away shyly and decided to focus on Leonard. He smiled warmly as his feathered bride, who had glittery markings painted on her face. Once reaching the altar, Garry let go of Red and took his seat. Red approached the Bishop Pig, kneeled down and slightly lowered the hood of her cloak, and he placed a silver tiara decorated with emeralds on her head.

“Can I plan 'em, or can I plan em'?" Courtney proudly said to the bird sitting next to her.

“We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of King Leonard Mudbeard and our new Queen Red," the bishop began. “This is a very historical event, not only because this is our first interspecies wedding, but also because it shows how far our people have come as a whole. These two were formally sworn enemies, but now we find them being joined in holy matrimony. Let us begin."

“I can't believe you brought Louise," Chuck whispered angrily.

“I don't understand why this bothers you so much," Bomb said quietly.

“You're my best friend, she's my cousin," Chuck pointed out.

“I thought you said she was your second cousin," Bomb reminded him. Chuck just growled.

“Guys! Be quiet!" Silver spat, and they continued watching the wedding. Zoe stepped up and gave Leonard the ring for Red.

“Thanks, kid," he said, patting her head. Zoe giggled and returned to her seat. Leonard turned to Red and began his vows.

“Red, I don't think there's anything about you I haven't said already, but believe me when I say every one of those words are true. I spent most of my life searching for something I wasn't sure existed, and I thought a soulmate belonged on that same list. But with that beautiful island, I found an even more beautiful woman living on it. And she is kind, heroic, fearless, unique, and very stubborn, if I may add. After the ways I've hurt her, and her fellow birds, I often wonder what I did to deserve her as my wife. But I do hope today is the beginning of the many years I get to spend with her, and I will be a better man to make sure of it. Because I love you, Red, and those feelings will never change."

The bishop shed a few tears as Leonard slid the ring on Red's finger. As she approached them, Sam-Sam accidentally tripped and fell, dropping the ring. Red grabbed it before it could roll away.

“Thank you," she said sweetly as the hatchling returned to her seat.

“Leonard... ever since I was a little girl, I thought I was meant to be alone. Even when I was an egg, my parents thought I wasn't worth anything. But you helped me see myself in a different way. For me, our first meeting didn't feel like love at first sight, and for a long time, I hated you more than anything. But when you came back, you apologized to me, we talked to each other, and you weren't my enemy anymore."

“¡Sí! That's what my grandkids told me!" Glenn shouted. Once Zeta glared at him, however, he lowered his head in shame.

Red continued her vows. “I never thought the beginning our newfound partnership would lead to something more. You and I are so different from each other, with your confidence and social skills, and me being an insecure loner, it didn't even seem possible. But I eventually realized that you are the only man I want to spend the rest of my life with."

“That was beautiful!" the bishop cried as Red placed the ring on Leonard's finger. “Your Majesty, do you take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife?"

“I do."

“And Red, same thing?!" he sobbed. Red raised an eyebrow at the bishop before answering.

“I do."

“Then by the power vested in me, by evenyoucanperformweddings.com, I now pronounce you pig and bird, husband and wife, king and queen. You may kiss the bride!"

Red didn't hesitate to pull Leonard down so his face would meet hers and she slammed her beak to his lips. Leonard picked her up by the waist and returned the kiss.

The crowd cheered for the happy couple, while Chuck and Bomb couldn't stop crying. As Red and Leonard made their way through the crowd, music started playing, and a heavily out-of-tune voice began singing.

At last

My love has come along

My lonely days are over

And life is like a song!

“Dad, we talked about this!" Debbie shouted in exasperation.

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That night, at the reception in the great hall, Bomb was getting acquainted with his date, much to Chuck's chagrin.

“It's too bad they couldn't have mud pie as their wedding cake," Bomb explained. “If you make it right, it's the perfect combination of water and dirt. Too much of one or the other, you either got a dirtball or a dirt puddle."

“We wouldn't want that," Louise giggled.

“It'd be better than your best friend with your family," Chuck said, “because that's just weird."

“Weirder than what you and I did in my dad's fishing boat?" Louise pointed out.

“Okay, everybody!" Courtney announced from the DJ booth. “It's time for the happy couple's first dance as husband and wife!"

While everyone else gathered in a circle, Red and Leonard came together and began to slow dance. Once the tempo picked up the pace, Red twirled and kissed Leonard's cheek as he dipped her.

“Oh, Terence, it's like when we had our first dance!" Matilda cried. Terence wrapped his wing around her and smiled.

“I can't believe Red is married," Alex said. “We thought she'd end up like that crazy lady from our high school play who scared away all those guys!"

“Oh, hush up!" Pinky scolded. “Red's doing fine!"

Red tripped a little and messed up her move, but Leonard helped her catch up. The dance ended with him spinning her around in the air, and she rubbed her beak against his snout. Everyone clapped their wings and hooves as Courtney played another song and Ella began singing. Red threw the bouquet and a bunch of girls reached out to grab it, but Debbie pushed them all away and grabbed it for herself.

While everyone else partied, Red snuck away and watched over Pig City on the castle balcony. She smiled as fireworks lit the night sky.

“So, how does it feel to be a married woman?" Silver asked, joining her best friend.

“For some strange reason, not so different," Red answered, “but at the same time, it feels like my whole world has changed."

“Well, yeah," Silver pointed out. “I mean, you have a new home, and you have all these subjects who will love and respect you, and I kinda hope you don't forget about us and you'll come back to visit Bird Island and we'll still be friends. I mean..."

“Silver!" Red interrupted. “You're my best friend. I'll never forget about any of you, and Bird Island will always be my home. We'll see each other so much, you'll get sick of me."

The wide-eyed bird laughed. “It's you I'm worried about. I'd never get sick of you."

“Well, don't worry. Because I'd never get sick of you either."

“And I won't get sick of either of you!" Chuck suddenly slipped in. “Wait a minute. What's that sound? Tickle Train? Coming to Girl-Talk Station!"

“Chuck, no!" Red and Silver said in unison. “Jinx! Jinx! Jinx! Jinx! Jinx!"