Safe

Roland wakes up in the middle of the night and could tell that something isn't right in his castle. He looks to his right and sees the sleeping face of his wife, Miranda. He smiles fondly. There is no problem there.

He gets out of bed carefully, so as to not wake his sleeping beauty, and tiptoes quietly out of their bedroom. He walks down the hall where each of his three children sleep. He pokes his head in the door and sees James, sleeping soundly. He shuts the door quietly and moves to Amber's room. He peeks in and fights back a laugh when he sees the tangled mess of hair around her head. Still, she sleeps soundly and peacefully. Seeing she's fine, he quietly shuts the door and continues down the hall.

As he approaches the door to Sofia's room, he hears noise behind it. Roland pokes his head inside and what he sees greatly disturbs him. Sofia's body is lashing from side to side and beads of sweat cover her forehead. He assumes she is having a nightmare.

His assumptions are confirmed when she starts saying, "No! Please stop! Get away from me! Get away!" in her sleep.

Roland rushes to her side, sits down on her bed, and takes her arms, trying to wake her up. But she is still dreaming. She starts moving her arms, trying to punch him. He lets her hit him but it doesn't hurt. She is trying to fight him in her dream, still saying the same things. Finally, he has to shake her awake.

"Sofia! Sofia!" he says shaking her gently. "Wake up Sofia!"

Finally, she stops fighting. She gasps, her eyes open, and she wakes up. Roland loosens his grip on her arms. She looks up into the familiar pair of kind, light green eyes that are her stepfather's. He looks at her with deep concern. Then in an instant, her eyes fill with tears and she sobs in his chest. Roland picks her up and cradles her shaking body in his arms, just letting her cry.

"Shh, shh," he soothes. "I'm here." After a few minutes, she sniffs and looks up at him. It breaks his heart to see all the sadness in her innocent blue eyes. "Now, do you want to tell me what your nightmare was about?" Roland asks gently.

Sofia sniffs and speaks in a shaky voice that breaks Roland's heart. "S-someone was a-after me. I-I tried to run away, b-but they were chasing me. I- there was no escape and I-I didn't know what to d-do. They w-were just a-about to g-grab me when you woke m-me up." More tears run down her cheeks and Roland wraps his arms around her once again, holding her close.

When her sobs settle down and she stops shaking, Roland speaks gently as she continues to cling to him like her life depends on it. "Sofia, listen to me. Do you feel safe right now?"

"Yes."

"Can you feel my arms around you?"

"Yes. They're strong."

"That's right. Do you know why my arms are so strong?"

"No. Is it because you're a boy and boys are supposed to be strong?"

Roland chuckles. "Well, yes. But there's another reason, a more important reason."

She pulls back to look up at him. "What's that?" she asks.

"Even if I am the king and I have all these guards to protect us, I have to be strong to protect my family first, because I love my family more than anything. I love you too, and would stop at nothing to make sure you are always safe and protected."

Sofia smiles slightly. "Even though I'm not your real daughter?"

Roland smiles kindly and looks into those blue eyes that are almost identical to his queen's. "Sofia, I need you to promise me that you'll always remember what I'm about to say, okay?"

"I'll try," she says.

"Good. Now always remember that 'family isn't always about blood. It's about the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are; the ones who are willing to hold your hand when you need it the most; the ones who would do anything to see you smile; the ones who love you, no matter what.' And while it may be true that you're not my flesh and blood, you are, and always will be as much my daughter as Amber is. Don't ever forget that."

Sofia starts crying again because she is so touched. Roland strokes her hair and just lets her cry while he rocks her back and forth. He just sits there in the stillness of the night, letting her get all the sadness and fear out. He doesn't know how long he sat there with her, but he looks down and the next thing he knows, she is sound asleep in his arms. She looks so peaceful and no longer upset, which makes him glad. He smiles fondly and stands up. He gently sets her down in bed and pulls the covers over her. He bends down and kisses her forehead.

"I'll always be here for you Sofia," Roland whispers. "…always. I love you. Sleep well, little one."

Roland smiles one last time before quietly leaving the room. He returns to his chambers and snuggles under the covers."Is she okay?" Miranda asks.

Roland jumps. He certainly wasn't expecting that. But then he realizes the only other person in his room and in his bed is Miranda. "Yes. She just had a nightmare and- wait. How did you know it was Sofia?" Roland asks.

She gives him a look that he can faintly see in the dim moonlit room. But he knows the look. "I'm a mother Rollie," she says. "And mothers-"

"...know everything. I know," he finishes for her.

She smiles. "Exactly," she says. "What was her nightmare about?"

"Someone was after her and she couldn't get away. She said they were just about to grab her before I woke her up."

"Wow. That's a little frightening," Miranda says.

"Indeed," Roland says. "More than a little even. So I held her and told her that even though I'm the king and I have all these guards protecting us, I would always protect my family."

"Aww, that's so sweet," Miranda says.

"Then she was concerned that I wouldn't because she's not my real daughter."

Miranda gasps. "What did you say to that?"

"I told her about family and how it isn't always about blood. It's about people who love you for who you are and who want you in their lives, and so forth."

"That's very true," Miranda says.

"Mm made her promise to always remember that while she may not be my flesh and blood, she is and always will be as much a daughter to me as Amber is. She said she would try to remember that."

Miranda smiles even though Roland can't see it. "Then what happened?"

"She started crying again, so I just held her and rocked her. Then before I knew it, she had fallen asleep in my arms. So, I tucked her back in bed, gave her a kiss, and came back here." Roland turns his head to look at Miranda, who is looking at him already. "Do you think I did the right thing Miranda?" he asks.

Roland sees a smile grace her face. "I think you did absolutely wonderful."

Roland smiles back at her."Thank you." A brief silence fills the room, before Roland is stricken with another thought. He furrows his eyebrows as he looks at her. "If you knew Sofia was upset, why didn't you go?" he asks.

"I was going to, but then you were already jumping out of bed. So I figured I would just let you handle it, and you did."

"How could you have possibly known that I would get up?"

Miranda shrugs. "I just know what I kind and caring person you are and that your protective, fatherly nature would take over. Instincts."

"Hmm." This woman knows him better than anyone. "That is really something," he comments. Then, another question pops in his head. "Were you awake the entire time I was gone?" he asks.

Miranda smiles. "Well, I did doze off a little bit, but I woke up again when you got back in bed."

Roland lets out a grunt of frustration. "I was trying so hard to be quiet and not wake you," he says sadly.

Miranda puts her right hand on his cheek and strokes it with her thumb. "Don't be sad Rollie. You were very quiet and I appreciated that." She takes her hand off his face.

"But I wasn't quiet enough because you're awake," he pouted.

Miranda fights back a giggle when she sees his bottom lip stick out in a pout. It was very un-king-like of him to do such a thing, but very Roland-like. And she loves it, adores it really.

"Oh, come on, Rollie. You and I both know that the reason I'm awake is because..." She lowers her voice to a whisper. "... I can't sleep without you," she whispers with a smile.

Roland's pout is washed away; a smile now in its place. Roland turns over and takes his wife in his arms, facing her. Blue eyes meet green in a brief gaze. Then, Roland's mouth covers hers gently, but fiercely. Their kisses are always heartfelt, but powerful. They have a right balance between intense, but not too intense. That's what always made them so enjoyable.

After what seemed like forever, but not long enough, Roland pulls away -albeit reluctantly- and looks into her piercing light blue eyes. "I can't sleep without you either, my love," Roland said. Miranda leans up and they share one more sweet kiss, before drifting back to sleep, happily in each other's arms. Roland made a vow to Sofia and renewed his one to Miranda that night, that he made on his wedding day. That vow is to keep them both, and the rest of his family safe.

A/N: Because I just love a story that ends with a kiss. Be patient with me guys. I'm trying to rebuild my life one step at a time. I'll update my R&M story gradually, but this is it for now. Don't forget to R&R!