Misadventures in Overland Chapter 10

Father and Daughter

Stayne felt something poking his side. He slowly opened his eye, and sighed, staring at Katarina. "Little bit, it is three in the morning. Do you have a reason for waking me up at this hour?" His eye suddenly opened wide in alarm. "Michael isn't in the cupboard again, is he?" He began to climb out of bed, but was stopped by Katarina shaking her head.

"No, Daddy. Michael's still asleep. But I had a bad dream, and I got scared. Can I stay in here with you for a while?" She bit her lip, and looked up at him. Stayne smiled, and moved to the side, allowing her to clamber onto the bed. She moved so she was lying against him, and Stayne wrapped his arms around her.

"Do you want to tell me about your dream, little one?" he asked softly. Katarina shivered, and nodded. "It was really scary. I was in a really dark room, and I could see Momma. She was really still, and there was a chain wrapped around her. I tried to get to her, but I couldn't move. Then this monster came into the room and began to bite Momma. Momma was crying, but she couldn't get away because the monster was holding on to her. I kept trying to get to her, but I couldn't. I screamed really loudly, and that's when I woke up." She turned and pressed against Stayne, crying softly. "I got so scared."

He gently kissed her forehead. "It was only a dream, Katarina. Your Momma is doing just fine. She should be home in a few days. I know she misses you just as much as you miss her."

Katarina sniffled, and then wiped her nose with her pajama sleeve. "Daddy, will you tell me a story?"

Stayne frowned thoughtfully. "What story would you like to hear? I'm afraid I'm not as good at story telling as your Momma."

Katarina looked at him, her eyes wide and pleading. "I don't care, Daddy. I want you to tell me a story. Please?" She cocked her head to the side, looking at him and Stayne laughed. "Very well, little one. I'll do my best."

He shut his eye, gathering his thoughts. After a few moments, he opened it, and began speaking.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. The princess was much loved by all her subjects for her gentle nature and for her beauty, but she was still very unhappy. Her parents had decreed that she was to be wed to the prince of a neighboring kingdom when she reached her eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately, the prince was not a very nice person. He was spoiled rotten by his nurse, who told him that because he was royalty, he could have anything and anyone he wanted. Because of this, the prince grew up spoiled and selfish. His subjects despised him, but they were too scared to do anything about it. Anyone who objected to a new law or tax the prince made up was sent to jail and then killed. When the news of the prince's nature reached the ears of the princess, she was furious. She confronted her parents, telling them that she refused to marry the prince. Her parents told her if she did not, she would die on the execution block the next day. Horrified by this decree, the princess decided the only thing to do was to run away. She told no one of her plans, and that night she crept out of the castle, never to return. Her parents were terribly upset, and the King sent one of his soldiers to find her and bring her back. But what the King didn't know was that the soldier was in love with the princess. He had seen firsthand her kindness and her gentle nature, and he knew that if she was forced to return and marry the horrid prince she would be devastated. So instead, the soldier decided he was going to help the princess. He went searching for her, and found her sleeping peacefully under a tree. He knelt beside her, gently shaking her awake. She opened her eyes, and tried to run, but he stopped her.

"Princess, you have nothing to fear from me. I was sent by your father, the King, to bring you back home, but I am not going to do that. I have met your betrothed, and he is a supremely odious creature. I would never be able to live with myself if I delivered a beauty like you over to something like that."

The princess frowned at him. "Then what do you intend to do?"

He smiled. "I will help you to disappear, hide you so neither your parents nor that odious prince will be able to find you. But if I do this, I will have to disappear as well." He sighed, and looked shyly at the princess. "Will you allow me to help you?"

She nodded, slightly mystified. "Of course, but why should you want to help me?"

The soldier blushed. "Because as I said, the idea of you being wed to the prince makes me feel nauseous. You are much too beautiful and kind to be burdened with a horrid brat. And…" he stopped, shaking his head. "I cannot say any more. But I will pledge my sword and my life to yours from this day forward."

So the soldier took the princess to a cottage hidden deep into the woods, far away from the castle. He stayed with her, and one day he worked up the courage to tell her of his feelings. Much to his delight, she loved him just as much, and when she agreed to marry him, he was overjoyed.

They married, and the princess gave the soldier two beautiful children. The prince eventually found someone else, a wife that shared many of his reprehensible qualities. The King and Queen eventually were reconciled with their daughter, and everyone lived happily ever after. Except the prince, of course."

Katarina giggled, clapping her hands. "That was a wonderful story, Daddy. You are a good storyteller." She yawned cavernously, and Stayne chuckled quietly.

"Thank you, little bit. Now, I do believe it's time for you to be getting back to bed. Come on." He gently scooped her up, and climbed out of bed, carrying her towards her room. She rested her head against his shoulder, and by the time he reached her bedroom, she was snoring softly. He gently placed her in her bed, tucking the blankets up around her chin. He kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, little one. Sweet dreams."

He left the bedroom, pausing to check on a peacefully sleeping Michael. "And sweet dreams to you too, my little lad. May Time look after you both."

He sighed as he climbed back into bed. Being a father was challenging, scary, and terrifying, and he would not trade it for anything.