In this verse play, teens Dar and Dion are royals from adjoining kingdoms whose parents have decided to marry them off. To avoid this fate, they've run away together.

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DION: You're out of breath. We have to stop someplace.

Let's rest right here.

DAR:                       But we don't know it's safe!

DION: We've come so far, I'm sure our track's gone stale.

It's getting dark, they must have lost our trail.

Besides, we're not so valuable, your Maj—

DAR: We're royalty! They won't give up so fast.

We have to move. My dad will never quit;

Get up, you know I'm right, no talk, that's it!

(Dar tries to take a few more steps, but nearly faints from exhaustion.)

DION: You're overwhelmed. The journey was too draining.

And look—I'm feeling drops, it's started raining.

Please trust me. Get some sleep now if you can.

DAR: And in the morning?

DION:                                     We'll stick to the plan.

You'll go your own way, find some honest work,

DAR: And you'll go yours and find out what you're worth.

DION: Exactly. If I got the chance, I could

Learn something practical with steel or wood,

Or maybe leather? Come, it's not too damp here.

You can stay dry and warm, we'll make our camp here.

DAR: You've been a good friend to me, true and strong.

In other circumstances—

DION:                                    Don't go on.

We neither of us wanted what they planned.

DAR: No one should have their whole life pre-ordained.

Arranging marriage for two adolescents?

No. That's a path to sorrow and resentment.

To have a partner forced on you for life:

"You lucky kid, we've chosen you a wife"

—Or husband, spouse, or consort, or whatever—

Without a chance to look around?

DION:                                                 Ugh. Never!

DAR: It's like they're saying everything you do

From now on happens in a world of two.

DION: "We choose Prince Dion for you. Wed him promptly!"

DAR: "Here's Princess Dar. That's that. Your fate's accompli."

Forget exploring any other mate

Or anything at all. Just go stagnate.

Your story winds up here. End of the line.

One stupid face to look at for all time.

DION: There's no need to be hurtful—

DAR:                                                           Erp, I mean

Forget investigating other scenes.

Or for that matter, having your own story—

'Cause, truth to tell, I'm equally as boring.

I've never done a thing outside of school

But riding horses, playing music—

DION:                                                          Cool!

DAR: Or learning languages or playing polo,

Or blowing glass, composing for the oboe,

Or how to shoot a partridge at ten meters

And hand it over to the chef to feed us.

DION: You talk like that's all nothing. It's a lot!

DAR: But when it comes to real life, I've done squat.

Sure, I can hunt, fish, dance, and paint with oils,

And all the other tedious stuff that royals

May do to fill their time, but it's so dreary.

I want some friction in my life, you hear me?

A chance to make it on my own!

DION:                                                I get it.

DAR: Or someday I'll be thirty and regret it.

I'm sure you're nice. You're fine. And if we had to,

Like if the world were ending, I'd be glad to—

Or if the human race was near to dying—

DION: We've pretty well established you're not buying.

Here, use my jacket if the ground's too hard.

A nice long sleep will help us be prepared

For where our quest may lead us—

DAR:                                                     No! I'm scared.

Let's just go back and tell them yes, we'll do it.

The truth is, we'd be wiser to go through it.

We could get eaten by a bear or panther.

Those birds sound nasty! Here's my final answer:

I'll marry you like everyone's expecting.

Why did we even think about objecting?

And hey, you're right, there's gonna be a storm.

Let's hurry home where we'll be dry and warm.

And later in the week—what were we dreading?

We'll join our kingdoms, and ourselves, by wedding!

DION: Your Majesty, we're both too good for settling.

You're tired and you're anxious. It's upsetting

To think there might be danger come to pass,

But for my money, you can kick the ass

Of any scary beast or weather system.

If nothing else, you'll talk 'em to submission.

DAR: Yes. Thanks for that. Right.

DION:                                                  No more second guessing.

No peddling backward, swerving, or regressing.

Tomorrow finds us swinging for the bleachers.

So no more talk of made-up scary creatures.

Just lie down. Go on. Close your eyes. Good night.

DAR: (Yawning:) That does sound good. You know, I think I might.

Hey, buddy? How's about a back-up scheme?

Let's meet here in a year if we're— (Sleeps.)

DION:                                                        Sweet dreams.