Hime-sama
by: Bakunawa
XII.
Little child, be not afraid
Though rain pounds harshly against the glass
Like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger
I am here tonight
"Tell me a story..." the small child, bundled in her arms, shivered, "Please, tell me story."
She considered a good story. It had a heroine who lived in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, a hunter, a magical castle, a curse and a big bad beast.
"Okay, I'll tell you a story," she began, "Listen carefully. Once upon a time..."
The rain continued to pound hard outside.
Little child, be not afraid
Though thunder explodes and lightning flash
Illuminates your tear-stained face
I am here tonight
Naruto waited for her Daddy to arrive home.
He had been coming home later than usual. He told her that he was a very important man to the village and that she should not be scared if he wasn't always by her side. That did not help her be less afraid of the sudden booming sound of thunder.
So Naruto waited in her Daddy's room, huddled under the sheets of the too big bed as tears steadily flow.
Little child, be not afraid
Though storm clouds mask your beloved moon
And its candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams
I am here tonight
She dreamed of terrible things waiting in the dark. She dreamed of a huge red monster that was the size of mountains with paws as big as houses and it's terrible red eye that would not stop staring at her. She ran and hid away but at every turn and at every nook, the red eye was waiting for her.
Naruto woke up the second time that night with a harsh frightened cry that was drowned out but the crackling lightning.
Little child, be not afraid
Though wind makes creatures of our trees
And their branches to hands, they're not real, understand
And I am here tonight
Even when awake, she could still feel the red monster watching her with its huge monster eye. It was waiting in the dark corners of the room... behind the curtains... under the bed... it wanted her. She could still hear the whispers, the growls it was making as it tried to reach for her.
Naruto bundled herself deeper under the bedsheets, praying for her Daddy to come home soon.
And someday you'll know
That nature is so
The same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
On forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you'll see
In the morning
The woman with red hair in the picture was smiling at her with soft dark blue eyes. Her eyes were telling her something. Naruto would like to guess, imagine what the picture was telling her. It might be something encouraging or something funny that would drive her fears away.
So she took the picture from the bedside table and laid it beside her, just like how her Daddy would always do when he thinks nobody was looking.
For you know, once even I was a
Little child, and I was afraid
But a gentle someone always came
To dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears
And to give a kiss goodnight
It was early morning when Naruto was pulled out of sleep the third time around.
"Daddy?" she murmured in a daze as she felt a warm body press against her.
"Did I wake you?" a deeper yet soothing voice asked.
The little girl shook her head, inching closer to her Daddy's warmth as strong arms wrapped around her. "I was waiting for you, Daddy," she whispered, still sleepy.
"I know," the older man whispered back, "It was raining really hard outside... were you scared?"
Naruto nodded but did not answer.
"Did you cry?"
"A little."
"Then you're going to be just fine then," he kissed her forehead, "You're my brave little Naruto."
Well now I am grown
and these years have shown
What rain's a part of how life goes
But it's dark and it's late
So I'll hold you and wait
'til your frightened eyes do close
"And so they lived happily ever after. The end."
The little child had long since dozed off, still tucked in her arms.
She would have to get up soon and attend to matters concerning the village but that could wait. Kage Bunshin was more useful than a mere combat justu.
For now she was contented, whispering sweet nothings to her sleeping child.
Everything's fine in the morning
The rain'll be gone in the morning
But I'll still be here in the morning
Disclaimer: Lullaby for A Stormy Night by Vienna Teng