Another chapter was requested.

Ten Years Later:

Lilly stretched her front paws as she gingerly uncoiled from her pleasant nap in front of the blazing fire. Her own lovely flannel cushion held a place of honor on the flagstone, always clean and stuffed with sweet smelling hay, so that the elderly terrier would always have a warm place to lay her head.

A small child's voice called out hesitantly, 'Lilly! Come here, girl!'

Lilly cocked her head to the side, listening to the small footsteps pad up to the warm study. The door creaked open to reveal a little girl, about four years of age, who peered about the richly furnished room. Sitting and thumping her tail, Lilly gave an excited little yip to gain the girl's attention. While she was rather advanced in years, she always had time to play with this little human who came bearing treats in her sticky little hand.

Happily, the little girl giggled and plopped onto her bottom to sit next to the terrier, offering Lilly a ginger biscuit that she took carefully between her teeth. Taking her small rag doll from her pocket, the girl proceeded to play her favorite game with Lilly: rider and horse!

Lilly bore this with the well mannered patience of an older dog interacting with a pup, her eyes slanting sideways to watch the girl plop the well-worn doll up the terrier's graying fur. She considered it part of her duty to watch over pups of all kinds, and this one really was rather gentle in her play compared to her older brother. That one used to like to poke with those troublesome little appendages.

That elder brother, quite a young man at eight years of age, ploughed into the room noisily. 'Ethne! Papa is looking for you,' he let out in a rush. He ambled over to sit next to Lilly as well, folding the limbs that held the hint of height underneath him as he scratched Lilly's back.

Lilly liked this one once he got a bit older, but saw much less of him as he had begun playing with those black-clad humans in the courtyard. She certainly saw the appeal of a good throwing stick but the ones they utilized looked rather heavy for the small pup to be handling every day. Mournfully, she regarded him with a forlorn expression for soon he would be with the other large humans and would not be of much use other than at feeding and nap times. Her pups certainly grew too fast for her liking but it was inevitable, she surmised.

One of those large humans entered the room, his faithful guard slipping in quietly behind him as the man came to stand in front of the children and the terrier. He arched his eyebrow at Ethne, who offered a sweet placating smile in return. This prompted a short bark of laughter from the father, 'Trying to use your feminine wiles on me?'

Ethne regarded him with wide eyes, 'Were you looking for me, papa?

He nodded in affirmation, crossing his arms across his chest, 'Well I'd say your mother was looking for you and she came to me when you seemed to disappear from the schoolroom.'

Lilly growled to gain his attention, hesitantly wagging her tail to see if her former master would greet her, 'Are you keeping an eye on these two, Lilly?'

Lilly understood a question was asked but merely wagged her tail happily at the man. The man chuckled and bent down to offer a brief rub between her ears. She leaned into the pleasing touch and sighed happily.

The man turned to the guard, 'Would you please inform the Queen that her offspring have taken to hiding in her study?'

The guard bowed and quickly departed, hiding the smile that threatened to escape at the sight of the children's fear-stricken faces. Ethne stood to clutch her father's leg, 'Mama doesn't have to know! It was just one reading lesson!'

The man reached down to stroke the dark hair, 'And what excuse does your brother Bryan have?'

The small copy of his father stood awkwardly, 'I came to find Ethne?'

The golden-haired man sighed and reached out to pull the boy into his side, giving him a half hug. 'Fastion teaching you some hard lessons with a sword?'

'I don't wanna hurt anyone,' came the muffled and reluctant reply.

The man looked up at the ceiling for a moment before glancing back down at his son, 'Bryan, son, you learn the sword in order to defend yourself. There may come a time when you need such skills. No one is asking you to hurt anyone,' he soothed.

The almond eyes of the boy peeked up to gauge his father's reaction, 'Can't Mama teach me?'

Ethne piped up excitedly, 'And me! I want Mama to teach me too!'

A feminine voice wafted from the doorway, 'Teach you what, sweetheart?'

Ethne released her father's leg and barreled toward the woman with a shriek, 'Mama!'

The woman caught Ethne with a grin and lifted her up on her hip, 'Are you being a handful today?'

Ethne wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and beamed, 'Fastion says I'm pint sized trouble!'

The woman snorted in amusement and walked forward to give her husband a gentle kiss in greeting. Ethne made a noise of disgust and Bryan hid his flaming cheeks in his father's side once more, releasing a sigh at the antics of his parents.

Drawing back, Karigan smiled at the sparkling eyes of her husband and placed Ethne back on the ground, 'Will we see you at dinner tonight?'

Zachary nodded and pulled her in to kiss her again. This time, Bryan made a loud noise of protest and moved to run out the door but his mother caught him at his collar. Tsking loudly, she leaned down to plant a wet noisy kiss on his cheek, eliciting a small scowl from her son but he did not wipe the offending mark from skin. Instead he leaned in for a quick hug before dashing out the door.

Karigan chuckled and walked back to Ethne, 'We'll be done for the day, after you finish that reading lesson,' she said softly with a firm look down at the deep blue eyes of her daughter. Ethne pouted but dutifully trod out the door into the waiting arms of her governess. Both parents watched her go with amusement and felt the slight pleasure in seeing their children live a life free of the strife that had plagued their own lives.

Lilly was quite put out at this point. There had been no scratches, no belly rubs, not even a proper greeting from her mistress! Although slightly rusty from disuse, she let out an indignant bark at the couple, who had resumed their own private greeting with their children out of the room.

Disentangling herself from Zachary's arms, Karigan chuckled and went to her knees beside Lilly, rubbing the belly that she had offered. Karigan leaned down to whisper, 'Keeping watch of my babies for me, Lil?'

Lilly thumped her tail and rolled back up in a sitting position to lick Karigan's face. Zachary held out his hands and assisted Karigan back to her feet carefully, 'Please do not teach our rambunctious children anything with a sword or on a horse until this one is born?' he pleaded.

Karigan's hand went to her protruding belly and she smiled softly, 'Perhaps just some visits to the stables?'

Zachary rolled his eyes and slipped his arm around her waist as they left the room quietly, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Lilly pawed at her cushion, turning exactly three times before settling down with her paws tucked underneath her. As she placed her head down for her customary second nap of the afternoon, she dreamily imagined another pup to play with, letting her thoughts stray to all the new adventures she would have.