He sat at the foot of the bed and asked if she was ready. She snuggled under her covers a bit more and held her favourite fluffy and nodded.
He cleared his throat and began "Once upon a time there once was a princess named…"
"Arianna" the child chimed in causing Will to laugh
"That's right, Princess Arianna and her two fathers, King William and King Jackson"
"King Will and King Sonny" Arianna corrected him
"What's that sweetie? King Will and King Sonny? Not William and Jackson."
"King Sonny sounds better" she replied and watched as her father returned a giant smile and stifled a giggle.
"Why yes it is, okay so Princess Arianna and the two kings, King Will and King Sonny lived in the kingdom of…"
"Salem!" Arianna shouted
"Ari, if you know the story why you ask me to tell you it."
Ari paused for a moment "Sorry, it's my favourite, I'll be quiet, promise" she said holding her pinkie finger out to Will. He raised his pinkie finger and hooked it around his daughters.
"So, they lived in the kingdom of Salem…"
Will animatedly told the story giving rise to voices and movements which made Ari laugh and giggle. Will caught a few yawns and knew he had to wrap the story up or she would miss the ending, which Ari always hated that she did.
"King Will took the potion the magician gave him in the hopes he would be able to remember his darling princess Arianna and King Sonny, but instead he fell into a deep sleep he was unable to wake from." Will continued watching as Ari's eyes fluttered as she fought sleep to try and stay awake.
"King Sonny and princess Arianna scoured the kingdom for a cure, as hopes began to fade…"
Arianna held her fluffy a little tighter and a small tears began to trickle down her face, she adored the story but this bit always stung when she heard it more so after Will had been gone again and she hadn't heard her story in so long, she knew daddy Sonny had tried to tell it to her, but he often missed bits or didn't get a character right.
Once Will noticed the tears he stopped the story and gently wiped them away, suddenly Arianna leapt into Will's arms
"Hey, darling what's the matter, I thought you liked the story." Will asked
"I do, I do, just why does King Will always get taken away?" she asked innocently in between her sniffles.
"I'm sorry, I'm here now, and maybe we can change the story, so he doesn't …"
"No, No King Sonny gives King Will true loves kiss and he wakes to see me… Errr I mean princess Arianna and King Sonny"
"Ever the romantic" came a voice from the doorway which startled both Arianna and Will.
"Daddy!" Arianna jumped down from Will and ran to Sonny who picked her up. He walked over to the bed and still holding Ari kissed the top of Will's head, before coming round and letting Ari down and back under the covers, he places his arm around her and she cuddles into him
She looks to Will and says "We are ready daddy for the rest of the story"
Both the men laugh and Will decides to move up the bed a little, Sonny's feet now resting on Will's legs, he begins to massage them slightly as he continues the story.
"Oh yes, so Princess Arianna and King Sonny scour the land for a cure for King Will, his deep sleep having taken hold, a bright light surrounds King Will and as he begins to fade, a devious knight comes forth with a cure and King Sonny races to King Will to give it to him, both Princess Arianna and King Sonny wait for the cure to work, when nothing happens, King Sonny drops to his knees and plants a soft kiss on King Will's lips."
Arianna giggles and makes kissy noises whilst Sonny stares lovingly at Will and blows a kiss in the air, which Will catches and brings it to his heart.
"King Sonny looks to his king once more and if by magic, King Will's eyes open and he sees his beautiful daughter and husband there, love conquering all and bringing King Will home. The End"
"Yay! Again Again daddy!"
"Again? Ari you've just heard the story"
"I know but, but …" she says before she yawns and Sonny kisses her head
"I think you need to sleep now, we can tell you the story again tomorrow"
"mmmmm okay" she says before turning over and releasing Sonny to allow him off the bed. Will gets up and kisses her forehead
"Sweet dreams princess"
They leave the room, switch out the light and close her door, they both stroll down the hallway hand in hand towards their bedroom, Sonny looks to Will "I love you."
As they reached their room Will looks into Sonny's eyes and responds "I love you too King Sonny"
He opens the door and Sonny steps through stopping just in front of Will and gives him a chaste kiss before smiling "King Will".
Their door closes as their evening just begins.
The End