What Is And What Should Never Be

Robert Plant had finally gotten off from touring with Led Zeppelin, and he decided that he would spend the next few months enjoying the peace and quiet of his farm in Kidderminster with the joys of horseback riding, and his beloved dog Strider.
 
Robert was walking towards his garden with Strider one afternoon. It was a very beautiful day, and he was happy to have the finest dog he ever knew beside him as they walked together down country lane.
 
Suddenly, Robert caught human movement out of the corner of his eye. He knew his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him because Strider started to bark in that direction. He followed his beloved dog as it ran towards the garden.
 
Someone was picking flowers from his garden. He frowned. “Excuse me? Just what do you think you’re doing?”
 
A woman stood up with wide, fearful eyes as she saw Robert and his dog standing there. She had eyes the color of an emerald green sea, and hair the color of the brightest flame. Soon her cheeks turned as red as her hair which she had been sticking the flowers from his garden. Robert’s face softened. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
 
“Oh… I’m so sorry…” she said in a soft voice. “I didn’t realize this was your garden.”
 
Robert came closer to her, smiling softly as he took the flower she was holding from her hand and placed it in her hair.
 
“No need to apologize, my dear,” he said as he watched her face flush even brighter. “Would you like to come into my house for some tea?”
 
The woman blushed even brighter. “Y-y-you want to have t-t-tea with m-m-me?!” she stammered adorably.
 
Robert nodded. “Of course. If that’s okay with you.”
 
The woman agreed and the two of them went back to his house. Robert put the kettle on and began brewing some tea as the woman sat down at his table. Strider was sitting and looking at her like a good boy, and she reached out to pet him.
 
“What’s your name, darlin’?” Robert asked her as he waited for the tea to finish brewing.
 
Her face flushed even brighter when she heard him call her “darlin’.”
 
“M-m-my name is E-Evie…” she stammered nervously.
 
“Evie… that’s an adorable name. My name is Robert. Robert Plant.” He began pouring her some tea. “Where are you from? And how did you end up in my garden?”
 
Evie blushed. “I-I-I r-r-ran away f-f-from home b-b-because my f-f-father tried to arrange a m-m-marriage for me… I’m a D-D-Dutch p-p-princess…”
 
Robert’s eyes lit up. “A princess!? Well, that isn’t something that I see every day… I take it you didn’t love the guy?”
 
“N-n-no…” 
 
She stuttered so much, that Robert began to wonder if she had a speech impediment and not just nervousness. Evie sipped her tea, her rosy lips curling around the edge of the teacup. She was so beautiful…
 
She caught Robert staring at her and her cheeks turned as red as her hair. 
 
“Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?”
 
Evie stammered harder than ever, Robert could barely make out her next sentence. “I- well- y-y-yes, I-I-I-I have had m-m-many me-e-n t-t-t-tell that to m-m-meeee…” 
 
Robert smiled softly. He doesn’t know what came over him. He felt as if some unseen force were guiding him towards Evie and her beautiful face. He leaned in towards her slowly. She closed her eyes and gently parted her lips, giving him unspoken consent. He pressed his lips to hers ever so gently. Her lips were soft and pillowy.
 
As they were lost in a passionate kiss, suddenly, Robert’s door burst open and off of its hinges. The two lovers jumped apart in shock. Strider was whimpering in fear and hiding underneath the table.
 
Standing in the doorway was none other than Jimmy Page. He was wearing warlock robes that billowed around him in the wind for dramatic effect. Two flying monkeys floated on either side of him as if waiting for his command. Robert always wondered what he did when he wasn’t on tour but he never imagined it was this.
 
“Excuse me!!!! I have been informed that there has been a runaway princess escaping from an arranged marriage!!!! So I have come to claim the beautiful Evie for myself!!!!” Jimmy announced menacingly.
 
Evie’s eyes widened in horror. “N-noooo! I don’t want to!!!”
 
Jimmy didn’t acknowledge her protests and ordered his flying monkeys to tie her up and carry her back to his Tower. Robert jumped up and tried to stop him.
 
“Wait! No! Evie wants to be with me! Not you! Leave her alone!”
 
Evie screamed in horror as the monkeys finished tying her up and flew away with her. 
 
“NOOOOOO!!!!” She wasn’t stuttering anymore. She was screaming and crying in terror. “Help!!! Save me, Robert!!!”
 
Jimmy cast a spell that knocks Robert flat on his arse before teleporting back to his Tower.
 
Robert lay sobbing on his kitchen floor. He had only known her for a few minutes but Evie was the love of his life. And now Jimmy had taken her away from him.
 
Strider came out of his hiding spot and licked Robert’s face to comfort him. Robert cried harder and held his dog to him like a teddy bear. “What am I going to do, Strider? I loved Evie so much! I only knew her for a few minutes and didn’t even know her last name, or even if she liked the same kind of music as I do, but I was so in love with her!” He banged his fists on the floor like a child throwing a tantrum. “It’s not fair! Jimmy gets all of the groupies that I like on the road! Why does he get Evie too!?”
 
Strider barked.
 
“What was that?”
 
Strider barked again.
 
Robert’s eyes lit up. “You’re saying that I should get up off my arse and go rescue Evie myself and not lay around feeling sorry for myself?”
 
Strider stared at him with his tongue hanging out and panting.
 
Robert got to his feet. “You’re absolutely right, Strider! Evie is the victim in all of this, not me. I should rescue her from Jimmy. He had no right to do what he did!”
 
Robert picks up a knapsack and some dog food for Strider. “Let’s go save the princess, Strider!”
 
Strider followed Robert eagerly as they headed down the countryside together, making the long journey to Jimmy’s Tower together.
 
~~
 
Evie sat crying in a cell at the top of Jimmy’s Tower. She stared out the window over the dark terrain of land where he ruled with his black magick. She kept praying silently that Robert would come and save her. She couldn’t believe how easily Jimmy and his flying monkeys had just stolen her away!
 
One of the flying monkeys entered her cell to bring her a tray of food.
 
“Master Page said your wedding ceremony will be tomorrow!” it told her. She had tears in her eyes as she opened her mouth to protest. “That is not a request!” It slammed the door on its way out.
 
Evie broke down in tears as she picked up her food. She ran away from home to escape a forced marriage only to be led into another one…
 
~~
 
Robert walked with Strider as Jimmy’s Tower came into view. He looked up at the sky, letting the sun beat down on his face as stars filled his dreams about Evie. 
 
“We made it, Strider. Now we will go and rescue Evie!”