"Come on little lady time for bed" Kathryn told her daughter as she walked back in to her living room to see her small daughter Katelyn almost asleep on her fathers lap.
"But mummy I'm not sleepy" Katelyn said trying to sit up but failing. Kathryn just shook her head and picked her daughter up. Kathryn carried her to her room and helped her in to her night clothes and laid her in bed. She was just about to leave when, "mummy can I have a story please" Kathryn looked at her daughter she looked like a mini version of herself except her eyes she had her fathers eyes. After a few minutes of her daughter's puppy dog eyes Kathryn gave in, sitting down on the end if the bed she asked her daughter what story she wanted tonight.
"The one about the outlawed warrior and the lady knight who feel in love" Kathryn looked at her daughter 'just like me' she thought and began the story
"There once was a strong and honourable warrior, he was the best knight in the kingdom and the most loyal, but there was something wrong. No matter what he did the warrior could not find any peace. One day the warrior didn't do as the king had ordered him too and as a result was therefore outlawed from the kingdom. But the warrior didn't mind for he knew he had done the right thing. Years passed and the warrior started his own band of outlaws. They took what they wanted when they wanted, but they never hurt the innocent. For years that was the way the warrior lived but he still couldn't find peace"
"Was the warrior a bad man mummy" Katelyn asked her eyes wide in the dark. Kathryn shook her head and smiled "no sweet heart he wasn't, but you see when he had trained to be a warrior he had taken a vow to do what ever the king said even if he didn't agree with it. But when he knew some thing was wrong he broke that vow and the king had to punish him even if it was the right thing. And after wards he never hurt the innocent remember!" While saying that Kathryn's husband appeared at the door way instead of going in the room he stood in the door way and listened as Kathryn continued the story.
"One day the warrior and his friends stole something from the king and ran, the king set his best knight who was a lady on the case and she and her people followed the warrior and his friends far away from their home. Years later when the lady knight and her people caught up with the warrior, they found him and his friends in trouble after helping the lady knight noticed how far away they all where from the kingdom and she knew that they would have to join forces to make it back in one piece.
The warrior looked at this woman the knight was brave and beautiful and very wise. The warrior swore to himself that he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter. From that point on, her needs would come first. So the two groups joined with the knight leading and the warrior as the second in command, after a few months everyone else feel in to line behind them. Not long after they joined forces the warrior and knight realised that they had fallen in love. The warrior wanted to try their relationship out but the knight was reluctant to.
After a couple more years the knight decided maybe she should give a relationship with the warrior a go. He had become her protector and best friend on the journey. So after a talk they decided to give it a go. For the next few months the warrior courted the knight and the knight courted the warrior. Till one day when they lost two dear friends. That night after they had made camp the warrior went to talk to the knight, he told her how he felt about her and that he loved her and when he was with her he found a measure of the peace he had looked so long for. The knight was surprised she had never believed that the warrior could love her the way she loved him. After what seemed like a year to the warrior the knight told him she loved him too.
When he heard this it caused the warriors heart to soar and he kissed the knight there and then, From then on the warrior and the knight where a couple, three years later the group arrived back in the kingdom, while the knight and her people where welcomed back with open arms the warrior and his friends where not. They where arrested and locked up. For months the knight and her people tried to get the warrior and his friends released, but each time they asked the king said no. after a while the knight could not take being away from her warrior, so a plan was decided between her and her people. One night in the cover of darkness the knight and her people broke in to the jail and set the warrior and his friends free.
After gathering their things and what food they could the warrior and the knight led their people out of the kingdom to an old town they had come across in their journey. They settled there with the warrior and the knight being made king and queen of the small town. Soon after everyone was settled the warrior asked the knight to marry him, and she agreed. A big celebration was held on the day of the wedding, and everyone enjoyed themselves a year later the knight got some wonderful news. She was pregnant when she told the warrior he was overjoyed. 9 months later the baby was born, she was given a name and well looked after.
Everyone was happy until the king from their old kingdom tracked them down. The king tried in vain to get the knight and her people to return to the kingdom but the knight was hearing none of it she told the king she would only return it the warrior and his friends where aloud to return with her, fore she loved the warrior and her child more than life it's self and until the king was ready to accept the warrior and his people back she wanted nothing to do with him, the king realising a lost cause when he saw one gave in and told the knight and the warrior that they where free to chose the whole group including the warriors friends could return to the kingdom pardoned of all crimes, or they could stay where they where as a second kingdom.
The warrior wanted to stay and so did most of the people the small town had become home for most and for some of the children it was the only home they knew. So the knight and warrior decided they would stay and become a new kingdom with help and support from their old king. This went on for many years and soon many people from the king's kingdom joined the knight and warrior's kingdom. And so everyone was happy the knight had finally found where she belonged, the warrior had finally found peace and their people had finally found a life where they where free to be who they wanted.
For 80 years the warrior and knight ruled over what was once a small kingdom. By the 80th year of their rein their kingdom was twice as big as their old king's and filled with more people. They had many children some of witch married princes and princess in other kingdoms, but one always stayed by their side, their first daughter, and when her parents decided to step down the princess and her husband took the throne.
10 years later one night as the warrior and knight lay in bed, they told and showed each other how much they loved one another. Before drifting off in to what would be their finial sleep, and that's how the maids and the new queen found them the next morning wrapped up in each others arms smiling happily as their souls drifted to heaven. People say that the warrior and knight didn't like it I heaven and therefore became stars to watch over their people but some say they still walk among us now in different bodies watching out for all of us"
When Kathryn finished the story she looked at her daughter who was already fast asleep. Kathryn moved Katelyn so she was laid down and pulled her covers up before leaning over her and kissing her forehead lightly. When Kathryn stood up straight again she hared her husband moving in the door way, Walking over to him she slipped her arms around his waist and lent her head on his chest.
"You know you changed a bit of that story cos I don't remember it happening quite that way" he said with a grin on his face. Kathryn just looked at him before she pulled away. Then taking his hand they walked to their bedroom where they got changed in to their night clothes then got in to bed.
"Oh Chakotay I didn't change the story some of it just hasn't happened yet" Kathryn said as she curled up next to her husband admiral Chakotay. She felt him go these when he worked out what she had said. Chakotay reached down and gently tugging on Kathryn's chin made her look at him.
"You mean that you really mean that" he asked while searching her eyes for any indication that she was lying to him. But when she nodded he just kissed her pouring all he felt for her in to the kiss. The love he had for her the trust, the friendship and the love he had for the daughter she had given him already.
The next morning when Katelyn woke up she heard funny noises coming from her parent's room. Knowing she wasn't meant to go in there when she heard them noises she lay back down in bed and looked over at her teddy and said "I think mummy told daddy about the babies teddy and I think that daddy was pleased" and with that thought Katelyn Abigail Janeway went back to sleep dreaming of her future brothers and sisters.
