Hi There, *smiles*

Let me tell you a story about the creation of a wonderful relationship. As we all know, the real trick to creating anything is to feel what you want so passionately that it seems real, and then totally forget that you did. Here's the story (for those who have heard it before, my apologies):

Once upon a time, in a galaxy not too far away (ok, this one), lived a Princess trapped in an Ivory Tower (well, it was just a whole lot of ludicrous belief systems, but it may has well have been an Ivory Tower for all the good it did her). She was miserable. Our Princess had made some bad choices (meaning she knew better, but did things anyway despite feeling badly about doing them). She had a husband who was abusive to her and her toddler son, and so gets cast in the role of this fairytale's obligatory Troll. He would not work, *ever*, wallowed in self-pity all the time, and complained about *everything.* He was a total downer to be around. I am sure you have met the type.

So anyway...all our Princess yearned for was to ride off into the sunset with her Knight in Shining Armour (and such a yummy knight he would be! *drool*) and leave everything she had received by either miscreation or default (which WAS everything, mind you) behind. (Yah *right*... like that would ever happen.) So, she goes back to her mundane life and forgets about the silly fantasy.

However, the Princess had a vast online life, in which she owned an online medieval role-playing game. This served to both distract her from her misery and give her time to think (and inflate her Majesty's Royal Ego). She had many friends who worked with her on this vast project, including a Handsome Frog. This particular Frog was less than popular with the others of her Court, but was very sweet and always helpful to the Princess. He had a wonderfully objective perspective on life.

Over the five years that they worked together online, the Frog slowly became the Princess's confidant. He listened to her stories and problems, offering advice on how to make things work the way *she* wanted them to. Even though, by this point, he loved the Princess more than life itself, the Handsome Frog never, ever, let on.

He respected her views and beliefs, no matter how silly they were. The Princess believed that because she had married the Troll, she had a duty and an obligation to work at jobs that she hated, and to take care of him forever, (because he refused to and beer and big boy toys are expensive) no matter how much she wanted to leave. She had made her bed, and now had to lie in it, so to speak (always alone, of course…as she always had, but that’s for another time).

As the story goes, the Handsome Frog had become the Princess's best friend. Slowly, and *completely* unbeknownst to her (oh come *on*...how dense can a Princess be???), the Princess fell in love with the Handsome Frog. Of course, she fought it tooth and nail every step of the way once she realized that she had these feelings (enter ludicrous belief systems). She pretended she didn’t, and then was shocked when she realized she did indeed, truly, deeply, love the Handsome Frog (there was a large flash of light followed by an exclamation of profanities not suitable for a fairy tale when she realized it, but I digress). The Princess had to *do* something about her situation.

You see, the Frog lived in Oz, which is on the other side of the planet (and over the rainbow, too!) from the Princess. They pined for each other and became closer and closer, racking up hundreds of dollars in long distance phone bills. One night, the Princess and the Frog were on the phone. When suddenly, the Troll abusing the little Prince *yet again* could be clearly heard through the walls. The Princess ran out of her room and put herself between the Evil Troll and her son. She copped a blow from a thick leather belt meant for the Prince and then the Troll, frightened of what the Princess would do to him (she must have been shooting fire out her eyes or something...I do not know) performed a quick and total about face! The Handsome Frog nearly came through the phone to save his Princess and her little Prince. He said, "I am coming. I will get a ticket somehow." And he did.