Family Chapter Seven
A Bed Time Story
"Momma, want story." Alannah looked over at her daughter. Katarina was sitting on her bed, gazing intently at her. She smiled, and walked over, sitting next to her. The two year old immediately climbed into her lap. "Tell me a story."
Alannah kissed her head. "What story do you want to hear, little one? The story about the Walrus and the Carpenter?" Katarina shook her head. "New story please, Momma."
Alannah looked thoughtful, and then began.
"Once upon a time, there was a handsome and brave knight. But the knight was very sad, because he had been cursed by an evil witch. The witch had cast a spell on him so that whenever he looked at his reflection in a mirror, he would see a hideous monster staring back at him. She also used her evil magic to assure that anyone who saw him would only see the monster. The knight was very upset, and went to ask the witch to lift the curse. But the witch refused. "You are doomed to be a monster for all time. However, if you agree to work for me, perhaps I would consider lifting the curse in the future." The knight was unaware of just how treacherous the witch was, so he agreed. He soon found out that the witch had lied to him, and instead of lifting the curse, she was planning to cast a spell that would make the knight fall in love with her. The knight was terrified at this thought, so he determined to run away. He waited for the right moment, and set out. What he didn't know was the witch had cursed him to be unable to leave. If he tried, he would suddenly find himself in excruciating pain. So he lived for many years with the witch, despairing of ever being set free. Then one night he had a dream. He was walking through a meadow, and he noticed that everything was still. There was no sound, no movement-but he felt happy. He looked around, and noticed someone coming towards him. The figure came closer, and the knight realized it was a beautiful woman. She smiled at him, and spoke in a soft, musical voice. "Do not lose hope. There is redemption for everyone, even for you-my brave knight."
"What's re…what's that mean, Momma?" Katarina interrupted. Alannah smiled. "It means he can become a nice person. Now, may I continue?"
"Yeth." Alannah grinned at the slight lisp, and then continued.
"Then one day, there was a great Battle, and the witch was defeated-but her spell was still in effect. The knight was forced into exile along with the witch, and he began to lose what little hope he had left. But he still remembered his dream. 'Perhaps someday it will come true.' But he was beginning to doubt; especially since anyone that saw him would only see the monster. Then the knight met a lady."
"The Lady looked like any other, but she had been blessed at her birth by a wise woman to be able to see a person for what they truly were. She had been the only one to notice that what everyone saw as a handsome and brave lord was actually a cruel and vicious ogre, and the ogre had attacked her in his anger. But the lady escaped, and hid in the woods, where she noticed the knight. She gasped at how handsome he was, and walked over to him. The knight was amazed, but then turned away in shame and anger.
"Why are you not running away? Can you not see that I am a monster?"
The Lady smiled at him. "I only see what you are inside, and you are not a monster. Why do you believe you are?"
The knight looked sad. "I am under a curse to be seen by a monster by everyone. I have tried to get the witch to lift it, but she has refused. She is the only one capable."
"I have some knowledge of magic. I might be able to lift your curse, but I will need to give you a potion. Will you come with me?"
The knight agreed, and the lady led him to her cottage. She handed him a bottle. "Drink this, and the curse will be gone."
The knight drank, and when he finished he looked at the lady. "I don't feel any different."
"The potion will take time. Be patient, and stay here with me."
The knight was wary of another trick, but agreed. "I will stay for three days. But if the potion does not do its job by then, I will leave."
The Lady smiled secretly. "Very well. Three days." What the knight didn't know was that the lady had a magical watch that could make time stop. So while the knight was sleeping, she went to her watch, and turned the dial. "Three days to last forever, three nights to last for all time, until the watch is turned back and time begins again."
So the knight stayed for a long time with the lady, unaware that time had stopped. He was happy, though since the lady treated him very kindly.
One day, the lady was captured by the wicked ogre who had attacked her so many years ago, and the knight went on a great journey across the land to find her. When he did, she was almost dead."
"No! Don't let the lady die, Momma!" Katarina wailed. Alannah kissed her. "Calm down, little one."
But Katarina kept sobbing, and Alannah sighed, gently rocking her. "It's alright, my baby. I promise, the lady is going to be fine."
Katarina sniffled. "OK."
Alannah kissed her, and then proceeded.
"The knight rescued the lady, but while they were trying to find their way out of the ogre's castle, he showed up and attacked the knight. The knight was scared, since he hadn't fought anyone in a very long time. But he raised his sword, and began to fight. The battle raged up and down the castle, and the knight was wounded. But then he thought of what would happen to the lady if he died. The ogre would hurt her even more. With that thought, the knight drove his sword into the ogre's heart."
Katarina cheered, and Alannah smiled quietly.
"The lady was so happy to be rescued, that she offered the knight his freedom. She showed him the watch, telling him what she had done. "If you want, you can turn back time to before we met. The only difference is that you will no longer be cursed. The choice is yours."
The knight took the watch, and thought. Then he smiled, and placed the watch on the ground. He raised his sword, and smashed the watch.
The lady smiled. "You have done just as I knew you would. Your curse is nearly gone."
The knight then did something he had wanted to do for a long time. He kissed the lady. Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation, and wondered what it was. The lady smiled happily, and then held a mirror up to his face. The knight was amazed. Where there had once been a monster was a noble and handsome knight. His curse had been lifted.
So the knight married the lady, and they lived happily ever after."
Alannah smiled at her daughter, who had fallen asleep. "Good night, my little one." She kissed her, and walked out of the bedroom. Stayne was sitting on the couch, polishing his sword. He looked up and smiled at her.
"So how are the Walrus and Carpenter doing tonight?"
Alannah walked over and sat next to him. He placed his sword to the side, and wrapped his arms around her. She settled against his chest. "I didn't tell her that story. Surprisingly, she wanted a new story. So I told her one-all about a brave knight cursed by an evil witch, and saved by a lovely lady." She looked up at him. "Does that sound familiar?"
Stayne laughed. "You know, I think it does. But you should have put in the bit about the lovely lady giving the knight a marvelous present-a family."
Alannah kissed him. "The story isn't over, though. It will go on forever. We have all the time in the world, my love."
Stayne deepened the kiss. "Time is meaningless; love-as long as we all are together."
Family. It can have so many different meanings to so many different people. But to Ilosivic and Alannah, it meant that every obstacle placed before them in their lives had been designed to lead them on a marvelous journey, and while neither knew if there would be any new obstacles, they both knew that they would be at each others side for all Time.
THE END.
