Love's Conquest

Disclaimer

"Scooby Doo" and all related characters are the property of Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., and/or Cartoon Network.

All other characters, locations, and events are the figments of the authors' imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual locales, events or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One: Favorite daughter

Western Africa, Senegal, 1806…

It was still dark when the princess awoke. She was thirteen dry seasons old; past the time when her father should have given her in marriage, even if she was his favorite daughter. And it wasn't that she was ugly or deformed in some way; the young men of her village had made that abundantly clear. It may have been the simple fact that as chief of the village, her father was holding her back; waiting for that special contract to a handsome prince.

'Perhaps' she thought as she lay on her mat in the stillness of the early morning, 'father will give me to that handsome prince I saw at the last meeting of chiefs.'

It had been her turn to serve the main part of the meal. It was custom for females to avoid eye contact with any of the visiting males but she had defied custom to raise her eyes when she served the young visiting prince. Their eyes had met and locked on each other. Such a breech could be the basis for severe punishment. It had been worth the danger: he was more handsome than any of the males in her village. If he said anything, he could demand punishment and her father would have to comply.

He looked so strong and carried the markings of a warrior who had met and passed the rites of passage into manhood. He would take the place of his father as chief of his village when his father stepped aside or more likely, was killed in battle.

He hadn't said anything; rather, he had closed his eyes for several moments. When he opened his eyes, looking straight at her, he had smiled. No, she wouldn't mind if her father arranged a marriage between her and the prince.

There was time to take care of nature calls before she would be required to appear at the cooking fires to prepare and serve her parents the first meal of the day. She had been groomed since birth to understand the responsibilities and privileges of power and family. Perhaps if the situation arose she could speak to her father about the prince; it wouldn't be the first time she had spoken out or defied custom!

She had started to rise when the head of a warrior appeared at the entrance to her hut. She had started to reprimand the warrior but her voice was stilled by the fear on his face.

"Raiders! Run Princess! Run for your life" He yelled.

"Protect my father!" she yelled but the warrior was already gone.

Now the sounds of horses could be heard above the chaos of frightened screams as the raiders began their attack, and the village warriors responding. No time for clothes, her only thought was the prince; he would protect her and send help. Nude, she ran out of the hut, turning North toward the village of the prince, her protector.

As fast as she was, she was no match for the attacking warrior on horseback who leaned down to pick her up, her legs still running in mid air. All thought of her prince was replaced by one thought: survival! She must survive!

He threw her across the horse in front of him, turned his horse back toward the village. Her live would never be the same again…

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"Pelican House", present day…

The day was warm with only a few white clouds. A gentle breeze played at Hanna's hair as she walked along the beach. Dressed in a bright print bikini, she held Tommy's hand with one hand while holding her cell phone to her ear with the other. Tommy watched Sam as she ran ahead on her little two year old legs, stooping to snatch a rock or shell that had caught her eye.

"You just have to come! How many times does a girl turn sixteen and get engaged the same day!" At that remark Tommy glanced at her, blowing an invisible kiss. Hanna responded by playfully pushing him further into the surf, giggling when he lost his balance. Regaining his balance he ran ahead, catching a fleeing Sam, lifting his half sister onto his broad shoulders who squealed her delight.

"Shaggy and Velma have already said they'd come. My parents and Tom's parents are here already. We have all sorts of room and we want you and Fred here at 'Pelican House'. Hanna added.

Two years ago, Joseph McDuff had willed 'Pelican House' to be held in a living trust for Tommy, Arianna and herself until they came of age or until she and Tommy married.

The estate consisted of the original house built in the 1760's, which had been restored and updated, along with ten acres left from the original property. The family cemetery had been cleaned and new flowers adored the grave sites. Tommy had cleared the path to the old slave compound that stood a quarter of a mile away; Hanna had refused to ever go back to the slave quarters after their encounter with Gretchen, the Vodoun high priestess. But she had helped with the cemetery and flower beds around the house. (1)

Tommy came jogging back, Sam holding on for dear life, giggling on his shoulders. "Here's Tom, maybe he can convince you." Hanna handed him the phone.

"Hello Aunt Daphne, Yes we want you two here to help celebrate, the group wouldn't be the same without you. After the birthday party, I will be giving her the ring. After everyone is asleep, I'm going to slip into her room by way of a secret passage. Mystery Inc's job will be to find the secret passage and try to stop me."

Tommy held the phone to his ear a few moments then closed the phone, placing it in the pocket of his shorts since Hanna's bikini had no room for a phone. Or anything else for that matter.

"They'll be here" he said simply.

"How did you do that…I've been trying for days to get them to come and you do it in two sentences?"

"I know my Aunt Daphne; show her a mystery and taunt her with a challenge and she can't resist. I simply gave her both a mystery to solve and a challenge" he gave his shoulders a shrug.

"Tommy, you've said you love me, but why do you love me?" Hanna looked into his dark eyes. He squatted in the surf, swishing one hand in the ocean waters. He caressed her lips with a wet thumb; she closed her eyes and kissed his thumb as it brushed her lips.

"To tell you why I love you would be like describing the taste of water" he whispered, kissing the droplet of water left in the cleft of her upper lip. "Why do you love me?" he whispered, kissing the lips he had just caressed. The kiss was broken when Sam grabbed Hanna's hair in both little fists and screamed.

"That's my mystery and your challenge!" Hanna cried, breaking Sam's hold and running toward the house, Tommy and a laughing Sam in hot pursuit.

(1) "Love's Challenge" by this author