"Alexander, may I ask you something?"
"I'm pretty sure you just did, love," he said with a smirk and a smile.
She couldn't help but let out a little laugh. "You know what I mean, smarta..."
"Yes," he interrupted, "of course. You can ask me anything."
"Are you happy?"
This caught him off guard. Of course he was happy... wasn't he? After everything they'd overcome, here they were, free to enjoy their ever after.
"I ask, because I don't think I am."
He couldn't help but notice how sad she seemed when she let loose her confession, almost hollow. It crushed him to see her this way. He took time to reset and he started to look inside himself. Was he hollow too?
After a few moments, he found it. He proceeded to walk over to his beloved and put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm not happy either."
A funny thing, this ever after, we're not really told what it should mean.
"We could talk to someone,"Brenaline offered,"see how they're handling it. Maybe, Riding Hood, she doesn't live far from us."
"Okay, that is an idea. But, she lives not far from us... alone, in the woods. I don't think she's ever been right after her adventure. Maybe we can find someone else to help. How about the Frog Prince? He took himself from an amphibean to living in a castle. He's gotta be happy."
"Alright. The Frog Prince seems a fine choice. Let's head out in the morning."
And so they spent the rest of the night talking and preparing for their outing. As they were preparing, they both felt a slight change in aura in the house. I was almost almost as if something were changing, but neither could detail it.

Three Little Pigs Legend

On their way to the castle of the Frog Prince, Alexander and Brendalin encountered a weather anomolay: despite being a perfectly clear day, a light wind came out of nowhere. It wasn't the most oppressive wind but there was something offputting about it.
Rather than endure, they decided to try a nearby brick house that they saw. A knock on the door went unanswered. Alexander banged harder but to no avail. Brendalin, ever the brave Miss, tried the door. Success! The door was unlocked. As they cautiously entered the abode, they called out they meant no harm and they weren't here to murder anyone. There was no answer.
The house is made up as if no one lived there but as if someone could arrive any minute. So clean, the owner's could charge a ridiculous fee for the convenience. They find a note from the surviving pig.
A hearty greeting, dear sir/madam/non-binary patron! Welcome to Casa de Swine. I know you have a lot of choices of where to stay when you're vacationing in the kingdom and I'm delighted you chose to be here. You may have already noticed one of the area's claims to fame: The Haunting Wolf Wind. Some say that after his defeat, the Big Bad Wolf's legendary huffing and puffing permeated into the ether, creating a permanently present, not-at-all ominous, wind. Now I haven't been there for a few years, but it definitely doesn't have anything to do with that nightmare-inducing wind, or that it reminds me of how my brothers were devoured by that damn wolf. Anyways, there are clean dishes in the kitchen and cleaning products available in the pantry. After your stay, please leave me a review in our local newspaper. Enjoy your stay!

Pied Piper Legend

After deciding it was better to get the heck out of the pig palace, Alexander and Brendalin continue their journey to The Frog Prince. They are passing through the hills when the an ominous castle in the distance. In this kingdom, ominous castles aren't THAT uncommon, but this castle had an odd accompaniment: what sounded like flute music.
As they walked along they road, they passed someone throwing rocks at an apple tree.
"Excuse us," Brendalin said, trying to get the person's attention.
"Because I must," they said without stopping their rock throwing.
Before either can ask for clarification, the person continued: "I throw rocks at the apples because I must. I have no choice. The Piper willed it so. You see, after the people of my town refused payment for services rendered, he took us all away to teach them a lesson. Took us here," and they gestured ever-so-slightly toward the castle with their head.
"That's awful. Is there something that can be done?"
"I'll thank you to not rock my boat, sir and madam. I've never been happier! It may appear dark and forboding from the outside, but there's a lot of light and warmth in that castle. Best you just keep moving on to wherever you're going."
Maybe happiness isn't always where you think it'll be. Or, maybe in times of desparation, you change your definition of happiness to survive.

Frog Prince Legend

Finally! After a few weird twists and turns, Alexander and Brendalin made it to the glorious castle of The Frog Prince. Luckily the doorman remembered from their wedding and let them in without much fuss.
The Frog Prince beckoned them in, offering food and drink, what seemed like a lot of drink. After exchanging pleasantries, The Frog Prince inquired as to the reasoning behind their presence in his court. Our heroes explained the malaise that had crept into their home, infecting their lives without them know it.
The Frog Prince inquired, "Have you tried ignorning each other? I feel like I'm way happier when I ignore my wife, Lily, and when she's not talking to me, it's even better."
Alexander answered confused, "Uh, I don't think..."
"Listen chap," The Frog Prince prematurely countered, "you may not want to admit it but how you're feeling makes sense. You get married, you've heard all their stories," The Frog Prince glares at Lily, "but still they tell them, over, and over. I think the fact that nobody has been ax-murdered or poison-appled should be counted as a win for you two."
Befuddled, Brendalin starts to responds, "This may have been a mist-"
But The Frog Prince's wisdom cannot be contained! "What about drinking more alcohol, have you tried that? It's pretty great. You drink until you can't feel feelings anymore and then you wake up somewhere new."
Lily, taking the advice of the Prince, imbibes some wine and interjects, "I should have left you a frog."
The Frog Prince retorts, "Hey! I saved your ball. Your guilded ball! It was a fair trade and this kingdom was founded on a foundation of free trade."
"Fair trade, right Prince?" a muffled voice squeaks from underneath the Prince's throne.
As the scene plays out with the Prince, the Princess, and the voice from under the throne trying to quiet each other while yell-talking, Alexander and Brendalin begin to realize this is not a joke or even some sort of bizarre role-playing.
Brendalin decides to bring the conversation back around, "Your Highness, nothing your suggesting seems like it makes you happy."
Frog Prince: "No argument here, Brendy baby." Mocking applause follows.
Alexander weighs in, "What? But we'd heard you were a happy fellow. You went from a swamp to a palace; how are you not happy?"
The Frog Prince begins to explain, "I was a human before I was a frog. Then I was a frog. After getting to be human again, I realized that frogs have it way better. For example, as a frog, you can jump really high."
Lily: "Compared to your super small frog body."
Frog Prince: "You have a way cooler tongue. Look at this thing" The Prince sticks his tongue out and wriggles it around. "Can't do a damn thing with it."
Lily: "I can vouch for that."
Frog Prince: "Shut up, Lily. We're ignoring you. Frogs also don't need to moisturize, unlike your boy now."
Alex: "So, you'd rather live in a swamp and eat flies?"
Frog Prince: "It would beat having the entire kindgom calling you 'The Frog Prince' and knowing you'll never have it that good again."
With nothing seemingly left to say, our heroes quietly exit, leaving the royal court to sort itself. Could it be that the grass is always greener, much like the Frog Prince before his transformation? Maybe there isn't much happy in this ever after. Alexander and Brendalin decide to head home.

As they ventured home, the road Alexander and Brendalin were on veered into the woods. Their steps were beginning to rustle in the leaves and they thought a house was not too far off.
Brendalin remarked, "Is that a house coming up?" Alexander, peering ahead through the trees, responded, "It looks like it, or possibly some sort of house-shaped forrest beast is setting a trap for us." Before they could continue the discussion about the possibility of house-shaped forrest beasties existing, a voice rand out from the woods:
"Hello good people! Welcome to Hood's Woods!"
Alexander, disappointed at this turn of events, "Ah crud. It's Hood."
They could see the figure in her red hood smiling at them from the darkness before leaping at them suddenly.
"Ah! She's turned Big Bad! Don't eat us," exclaimed Alexander.
"What?" Red Hood querried, but almost immediately started laughing.
"Oh goodness, me oh my. Is that what's become of my reputation?"
Brendalin offered, "Well, you do you live out here all alone, he-" but Alexander gripped her hand to get her to adjust her statement, "we, I mean we, had heard, maybe, that what happened with the Big Bad may have left you, possibly, not well."
"Well," Red Hood lamented, "that's fair."
Alexander decides to interrupt, "Uh, thank you for the welcome, we must be going." And with that he starts to pull Brendalin away from Red Hood but not fully removing his gaze from her.
Somewhat dejected, Hood's voice follows after them, "Oh, no worries. I'll just get back to my calisthenics. Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy life. Best to you both!" And with that, Red Hood jumped to grab a tree branch to continue her pull-ups.
Before they get too far away, Brendalin decides she must speak, "Alexander, dear, since we're here, and she doesn't seem psycho at all, should we ask her for her thoughts on ever after?"
Alexander begins slowing down, before Brendalin pulls him to a halt, intimating her thoughts on the subject. "Well, she hasn't murdered us, so that is working in her favor. Sure, let's see if she has any ideas."
They get back just in time to see Red Hood start her jump squats. Alexander can't help himself from commenting, "Holy hell! Look at her go."
Brendalin, more emboldened then before, "Hood, sorry to interrupt you. Incredible leg strength, by they way. Are you happy?"
Red Hood responds, without having to stop, "Heck yeah I am!""
Alexander, still quizzical, "But, you abandoned your village and live out here alone.""
At that, Red Hood stops, to get a drink of water before responding, "I appreciate my privacy. After everything that happened with the Big Bad, it made me realize that I'm more of an introvert, so I decided to move.""
Brendalin asks, "So, everything that happened with the Big Bad did affect you?"
"Goodness gracious yes! I still have nightmares about it. Luckily I found a good counselor, the Ugly Duckling, although he prefers to go by Gerald now."
Alexander, even more confused, "What? You go to the Ugl-" now Brendalin squeezes his hand for course correction, "er, Gerald for counseling?"
Red Hood continues, "We all have our issues, but just because you get damaged doesn't mean you have to stay that way. Life is too great to let something like childhood trauma completely derail it. I'm working through my issues and just keep chasing my happily ever after."
Alexander & Brendalin together, "Huh..."
Brendalin alone, "About that. Do you think you'll ever find it?"
Red Hood responds, "I hope not. Satisfaction is the place desire goes to die. There, and a wolve's stomach. If I ever found the happily ever after, I'd stagnate. I want to keep pushing myself to be the best Red Hood I can be."
Taking a moment to reflect, Brendalin begins, "That makes a ton of sense. Alex, what have we been doing since our wedding?"
Alexander responds, "Well, we went for a walk that one time. But, I don't think we've done much of anything."
A little surprised, Red Hood offers, "Wow, that sounds like misery to me."
Brendalin, in a moment of clarity, "Yeah, it does."
Alexander smacks himself in the head, "Dang it! The answer was right there the whole time."
Red Hood, confused now, "Answer to what?"
Brendalin, taking Alexander's hand, "Oh, nothing. We should be going. Enjoy the rest of your workout!"
With the gift of new perspective, Alex and Brend continue the journey home. They talk about what they might do tomorrow, thinking about what they enjoyed doing in their yesterdays. They're not sure if they'll find their ever after, but they believe they're taking steps toward their happily.
The End.