(A/N.) This one just came to me out of the blue, while listening to music. This series of drabbles only has three parts, all of them refering to the same song.
Disclaimer: I don't own any recognisable places, people etc found in this story. The song, "Slumber My Darling" was written by Stephen Foster. The version to which I will refer throughout this series was performed by Tommy Fleming.
The Birds
Jasmine had been fighting sleep for hours now, but she refused to give in. 'She is stubborn,' Jarred thought. 'Like both her parents.'
At any other time, Jarred would say this was a good thing. But not now. It had always been this way, ever since Jasmine was a newborn babe. But now, at the age of seven, Jarred thought that something should have changed by now.
Back when they had been living in Del, Jarred and Anna had often heard of parents complaining that their children would still not fall asleep on their own by the age of two, and when she was a healer, Anna would prescribe potions to help them. But to Jarred's annoyance, she would do no such thing for Jasmine.
"She does not need them," Anna would tell him in a tired voice. Jarred knew that the forests were certainly not lacking in ingredients, so he had tried many times to try and convince his wife that their daughter needed potions to help her to fall asleep more quickly. But just like her daughter, Anna would not give in.
Finally, Jarred began singing an old lullaby that he had learned in the palace. As he often did now a days, he began the song at Jasmine's favourite verse.
"Slumber my Darling, the birds are at rest, The wandering dews by the flowers are caressed.
Slumber my Darling, I will wrap you up warm, And pray that the Angels will shield you from harm."
Within moments, all that could be heard within their little house in the treetops was Jasmine's soft breathing.
"She likes it when you sing that part about the birds," Anna whispered beside him. "I think it brings her comfort to know that they too are sleeping."
"Yes," Jarred whispered back. "She has always been interested in what goes on outside. You know, Anna, I really do pray that that the Angels (whoever they are) will shield her from harm, for there is harm everywhere in this place."
"They will, Jarred," Anna said with a smile. "Don't you worry about that."
The next day, as the grey guards were marching them in chains away from the forests and Jasmine, Jarred hoped with all his heart that Anna had been right.