Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Sophie.
"Wilkins is a bad guy isn't he?" asked Sophie.
"Don't get too far ahead of yourself sweetie" Tara smiled. "Five years went by, and Princess Willow grew into an intelligent, energetic, adventurous little girl.."
Early one morning, just before sunrise, while everybody else was still asleep, the five-year-old Willow ran out of the cave and to the end of Sunny Rock and smiled widely, taking a moment to look out over the Sunnylands. She had been waiting for this day for a long time. She ran back to the cave.
"Daddy, Daddy!" she called, climbing over the sleeping adults to get back to her parents. "Daddy, come on, wake up! We've got to go!"
"Your daughter is awake" said Jenny sleepily.
"Before sunrise she's your daughter" Giles mumbled.
"Daddy! Wake up, you promised!" Willow tugged on her father's arm in an attempt to wake him, but failed. So, she decided to headbutt him instead, yielding slightly more successful results. Giles opened his eyes to see his daughter glaring at him with emerald green eyes, arms crossed over her chest. "You promised!"
"Okay, okay" Giles relented. "I'm up."
"Yay!" she cheered, running back to the mouth of the cave, while Giles yawned. He met his daughter at the cave entrance, still a little sleepy, with Jenny behind him. Jenny gave Willow a quick hug before ushering her husband and daughter outside. Giles led Willow to the end of Sunny Rock, lifting her up so she could have a better view as the sun rose.
"Look, Willow. Everything the light touches is our Kingdom."
"Wow" said Willow.
"A King or Queen's time as ruler rises and sets like the sun" Giles explained. "One day the sun will set on my time here, and rise with you as the new Queen."
"You mean all this will be mine?" asked Willow, awestruck.
"Everything" Giles replied, nodding.
"Everything the light touches.." Willow whispered to herself, before spotting a darkened area in the distance. "What about that shadowy place?" she asked, pointing.
"That is beyond our borders" said Giles, suddenly serious. "You must never go there, Willow."
"But I thought Kings and Queens could do whatever they want" Willow frowned.
"There's more to being a ruler than getting your own way all the time" Giles smiled, setting his daughter down and gesturing for her to follow as he headed down to the bottom of the rock.
"There's more?" said Willow, eyes wide.
"Willow" Giles chuckled as they walked through some grasslands, where demons and other creatures were beginning to stir. "Everything you see exists in a delicate balance. As a Queen, you will have to understand this balance and respect all creatures, from the hell-god to the cow."
"But we eat cows" said Willow, confused.
"Yes, but cows eat the grass, and when we die, we become the grass" Giles explained. "So we are all connected in the great circle of life." At that moment, Wesley ran over.
"Good morning, sire" he greeted, bowing.
"Good morning Wesley" Giles replied.
"Just checking in with the morning report" Wesley continued.
"Go on" Giles nodded. While Wesley began to deliver his news, Willow spotted a rat sitting in the grass, and tried to sneak up on it, without success. She tried again multiple times before she caught Giles' eye. "Willow, what are you doing?"
"Practicing sneak attacks" Willow replied.
"Come here and let an old pro show you how it's done" Giles grinned, pulling Willow beside him. "Wesley, would you mind turning around for a moment?"
"Of course not, sire" Wesley replied, doing as he had been instructed before continuing his report.
"Now, stay as well hidden as possible" Giles whispered to Willow.
"Well hidden, got it" Willow replied.
"Uh, sire?" said Wesley, becoming a little suspicious, "What are you doing?"
"Just having a little lesson in sneak attacks" said Giles.
"Ah, sneak attacks, very good.. Sneak attacks?!" he yelped, turning his head. "You can't be serious!" Giles just gestured for him to turn back around, and he sighed. "This is so humiliating.."
"Be very quiet" Giles continued.
"Giles? Giles, what are you telling her? Giles.. Ah!" Wesley cried as Willow leapt out of the grass, startling him into falling over. "Wonderful.." he grumbled, while a nerdy human boy named Andrew came to deliver more news.
"Now this time.." Giles began to tell Willow while Wesley was distracted, until the young Watcher interrupted him.
"Sire!" he cried in panic. "Vampires, in the Sunnylands!" Giles immediately leapt into action.
"Wesley, take Willow home" he ordered.
"Aw Daddy, can't I come?" Willow pleaded.
"No Willow, it's far too dangerous" said Giles, rushing off to deal with the intruders.
"I never get to go anywhere" Willow pouted, as Wesley took her hand to lead her home.
"Oh, young Mistress, one day you will be queen, and then you can chase those useless blood-sucking parasites from dawn til dusk!"
"Poor Wesley" Sophie giggled. "He gets picked on lots doesn't he?"