Disclaimer: I do not own ROTG…but one day…mark my words…..

OK! This chapter is for Galimatias who requested I do a filler chapter with them reading bedtime stories to Jack. I won't do it exactly the way they said, but I thought of an interesting way to tell it which just might take a couple chapters. So enjoy this chapter, and please review!

It all started with a scream.

Jack was at the Pole enjoying his summer months off when it happened, a nightmare. North was downstairs in his favorite chair by the fire when he heard the agonized cries coming from Jack's tower. At first he thought it was the wind, but when a Yeti came grunting with urgent hoots and gibbers, the man knew that it was something else indeed. Leaping to his feet, he followed Phil up the stairs towards the sounds.

They came to a stop outside of Jack's room, and with a grieved sigh, Father Christmas opened the door to find the boy thrashing about on his bed. Striding over, North sat on the mattress and grasped the boy by his trembling shoulders.

"Jack" He said firmly "JACK!"

Crystal blue eyes flew open, and the winter sprite could not hold back the yelp of fear mixed with surprise at his sudden awakening by Santa. Wriggling from North's grasp, and still half lost in his dream, the boy backpedaled away from the large man, and sat trembling against the wall. North watched the sprite carefully, waiting for him to fully regain consciousness before addressing him.

"Jack" The large man spoke softly "Jack, it was only dream, you are safe."

Finally his vision came into focus, and Jack remembered where he was. Embarrassed eyes fell to the bed sheets, and Jack wrapped his arms around his legs that were now curled up against his chest. Burying his face into his knees, North barely heard the muffled apology come from the still shaking boy.

"I'm sorry…"

North jerked back as if he had been slapped "For what?" he asked incredulously.

"For causing you trouble." was the soft reply.

"Is no trouble" the man reassured "If was problem, I would not invite you to live here. Nightmare is not problem, but I do worry about when you have them alone."

Jack lifted his head and gazed at the man seated by him, opening his mouth, indecision danced in his eyes on what he should reply. Should he be his usually sarcastic self? Or could he take a chance, and be truthful with the man. His brain screamed at him to just brush it off like nothing was wrong, say something that would make North leave, but the compassion radiating from the large man made him change his mind. Biting his bottom lip, Jack heaved a sigh at the cliff he was about to jump off of, and he hoped that someone would catch him. North could sense the mood change, and positioned himself so that his attention was square on the child, he was ready to catch Jack, ready to support him in the leap of faith he sensed was coming.

"I…" Jack began slowly, his voice quavering with the fear of removing his armor and baring himself in front of another living being "I don't…usually…sleep….at all."

North took a deep breath in order to restrain the violent emotions now tumbling through his heart. He had seen the exhaustion on the boy's face, but had thought that the dark bags under his eyes was just part of being a winter spirit. How could he have been so naïve?

"Why do you not sleep?" North asked, his Russian accent even thicker due to his emotional state.

"Because…" Jack clamped his lips shut, and one hand began to idly pick at his blankets. North feared he had shut down again, but after a few moments, was finally rewarded the answer to his question "Because I always have nightmares. I'm scared to fall asleep because somehow they always find me, even when Sandy has visited, I still get chased by the darkness."

At this answer the man was dumbfounded, what could he do? How do you fight a nightmare once it is inside a person's head without dream sand? But just as that question went through his head, North got an idea.

"You know" the man said softly as he wagged one finger in Jack's direction "I remember when I was child I did not like to go to sleep either."

The winter spirit glanced up sharply at the Guardian of wonder, he had suffered from nightmares as a child? North smiled at the boy's looks of surprise, and then walked over to one side of the room and lit a comforting fire in the fireplace. After a healthy fire was going, the man commenced with dragging a chair over to the bedside, he then sat down and made himself comfortable.

"I will do what my father had done for me." He said with a self satisfied smile on his face.

"What?" Jack asked curiously.

"I will tell you bed time story!"

Jack felt a laugh of disbelief burst from his mouth "Uh North" he chuckled "I'm not a kid, I mean, I'm three hundred and sixteen years old. I don't need a bedtime story."

"Bah!" North blurted "In Russia, everyone loves stories. Men would travel around the world telling stories. Once long time ago, being storyteller was respectable job, and even kings would have professional storyteller come to tell great tales for entire court!"

Jack found himself smiling and finally nodded his head in acquiescence. North smiled and waited until the boy had once again crawled under the blankets, the story ready and waiting on his lips.

"This story" he proclaimed with a devilish glint in his eye "Is one I heard long time ago in Germany, it is called Sapsorrow."

Jack sighed, and allowed himself to fall under the story's spell. Snuggling deep into his blankets, the boy arranged his pillow so that he could hear the tale better.

"Once upon a time, there was a king…."

…..The story of Sapsorrow…

Once upon a time there was a king who had three daughters. Two of them were evil and selfish, while the one was good and kind. The king had no wife, for his had died many years before, and soon, he had realized, he would be alone for his daughters were of marriageable age. The thought of being alone made the King sad, and so he decided that he would find himself a bride to ease the pain of parting with his children.

Now the kingdom had a law that was as ancient as the land itself. When the king wished to find a bride he must use the Royal Ring. A ring full of ancient untold magic's that would fit only the woman meant to become queen, and the law stated that whomever the ring fit, the King must marry that woman. There was no way that he could say no, it had to be done, and so despite this one danger, the king set out into the kingdom determined to find himself a wife.

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" declared the town crier "She who wishes to wed our King, must come forward and try the ring! The lucky bride will want for nothing!"

One of the evil sisters stood on a balcony, listening to the town crier with a sneer twisting her thin lips "How dare he!" she hissed

"What?" the other evil sister asked "What are you nattering about?"

"Father!" the first exclaimed "He's going into the kingdom to find a wife!"

"What!" the second replied stupidly "He's too old to get married, he ought to be dying shortly!"

"Well I don't believe him to be too old, love does not care for age" Sapsorrow said with a gentle smile.

But the sisters ignored her, the first spinning her own tale of what she believed would happen "You know what will happen?" she spat "He will find some harpy, the ring will fit, they'll get married and he'll die, and she'll get everything, that is what is going to happen!"

The more the sisters sulked over the prospect of a stepmother, the crueler they were to poor Sapsorrow. They teased, tortured, and tormented her. Starving her by stealing the food off her plate, declaring her too fat, but they did not reckon her friends. Sapsorrow had many friends, critters and animals, which lived with her in her bedroom. Every night she would come to her bedroom to find piles of nuts and berries, and all kinds of wonderful things to eat.

It wasn't until the night their father came home to hold one final trying of the ring from the palace that things took a true turn for the worse.

High in a hidden nook, the evil sisters glared at the countless women in disdain. Finally the elder of the two turned to her sister.

Now the eldest was not one who was known for her wit, but on this fateful day she had an idea that would bring such calamity to the palace unlike anything they had ever known. Her lips puckered in thought, a feat in itself to be sure, she finally groused "It's bound to fit someone eventually."

"Indeed" the second sister replied "How disgusting."

Suddenly an idea lit the eldest's eyes "You know…we should be queens actually, I mean what if the ring were to fit me…or you?"

The second evil sister smiled at the idea "Father couldn't marry us since we are his daughters though."

"Yes" the eldest nodded "But then he couldn't marry anybody."

And so the deal was struck, and as soon as the hall had emptied out for the day, the sisters stole down to the throne room, in order to try on the ring.

The eldest looked down at the ring, her eyes bright with greed "Well…let's have a try, shall we?"

Grabbing the ring, she placed it onto her ring finger, only to groan in disbelief at it not fitting. With a pout, she thrust the ring at her younger sister "Well you try it" she snarled "You've got fat fingers!"

"I do not!" the second sister retorted, but quickly took the ring, and placed it on her finger. But it soon became apparent that it did not fit her either, because soon she was screeching in pain due to the blood flow in her finger being cut off by the unforgiving metal.

Sapsorrow approached her sisters, and asked "May I help?"

Neither could refuse since the second sister's finger was turning a garish shade of purple. Pulling it off with a firm but gentle tug, the evil sister sighed in relief as the metal band fell to the floor with a 'ping'. But their activities had not gone unnoticed. Soon the king swept into the room, his face etched with worry and concern.

"What is wrong?" he asked "What is with all the hue and cry?"

"Hue and cry Daddy?" the eldest asked tremulously "whatever do you mean?"

"I heard it" the king replied "Coming from this very room, are you ok my girls?"

Then Sapsorrow did something she would long regret. She bent down, and picked up the ring, placing it on her finger for safe keeping, and though the king had not noticed her action, he did notice that the pillow where the ring usually lay was conspicuously empty.

"Where is your mother's ring?" he cried.

The evil sisters looked at each other and then pointed at their youngest sister Sapsorrow "Well, she was playing with it!" they accused.

"What?" the king balked "Why would you do such a thing?"

"But I wasn't!" Sapsorrow tried to defend herself, but it was too late, for the king had grabbed her hand, and was now gazing in horror at her ring finger, with the royal ring fitting perfectly as if it had been made for her.

Later that night, Sapsorrow sat in her room, bitter tears streaming down her face "I cannot marry my father" she wept "But neither can I ignore the law. But I cannot shame the king!"

But the ring, is the ring, is the ring.

Soon the palace was full of counselors all telling the King that the law was the law, and despite the strange circumstances, he must wed his daughter. Sapsorrow, steeled herself, a plan forming in her intelligent brain.

"If I am to wed the king" she said softly "then bring me a dress of the palest silk, like the moon, I will not wed till I have it."

The princess in her woe sits in her room, planning a plan, and scheming a scheme. To find such a dress would take time, and until then she needed all the help she could get.

Days and weeks pass until finally a beautiful gown of the palest silk is brought to her, looking very much like the moon woven into fabric. Sapsorrow smiled thinly "Indeed" she said sadly "It is very much like the moon, but now I need a gown of sparkling silver, like the stars, for my trousseau."

And off the kings men go, scouring the land for such a dress, but all the while in Sapsorrow's room, another dress was being made, one more wondrous and magical. Soon the dress of silver, sparkling like the stars was brought to her, and Sapsorrow nodded her consent.

"Beautiful, just like the stars" she whispered "The first dress was for the wedding feast, and the second for the procession, but now I need one for the church. Gold it should be, as gold as the sun, bring me such a dress, and…we shall marry on the morrow."

And so the royal tailors set to work making thread spun from the purest gold, and all the while, Sapsorrow never ventured from her room. Only her creatures, flying in, slithering out, were the signs of life coming in and going out. Finally the golden garment, sewn by a hundred hands was brought to her.

That night, Sapsorrow stayed in her room, and slowly, she folded her dresses into small bags. Taking the garment she had made during her confinement, she put it on, and stole out of the palace. The royal guard chased her into the forest, searching for the princess, but found only a strange creature of fur and feathers. Yes, it was Sapsorrow, but the garment had caused a strange thing to happen. She was transformed from princess, to monster…

…..

"That can't be the end of the story!" Jack cried indignantly "That's horrible!"

"Why would it be so horrible?" North asked, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Because!" the winter spirit cried throwing his arms wide "Princesses are supposed to find a prince, and get married, and live happily ever after, not run away from the palace to live as a beast thing!"

"Oh, so I suppose you are expert on old folktales?" North asked as he crossed his arms.

"Well, no" Jack sighed "But you can't tell me you are happy with that ending."

"I would admit that, if it was ending" North chuckled "But lucky for you, it is not."

Jack found a happy smile lighting his face "Good! Now finish the story."

"If you insist" the large man smiled fondly "Ahem! Now, as I was saying…"

…

Two years later, a poor creature of fur and feathers worked tending geese in the King's palace, she was known only as the straggletag, and she had told no one of her origins. There she scrubbed the floor, washed dishing, and did the dirty work that others turned their nose up at. It was during this time that the Crown prince decided to hold a ball. The straggletag remembered the gowns she had secreted away with her when she had left the palace, and immediately made plans to attend the ball.

Later that night, the grand event was in full swing. Countless young girls wearing their mother's pearls strutted before the prince hoping he would take notice. But the prince did not, at least not until one woman walked into the gathering, wearing a dress of the palest silk.

What could the prince do beside take her hand, and lead her to the floor? The music began, and they danced, one a handsome prince, the other a beautiful woman wearing a dress that had trapped the mystery of the moon within its folds. And as the night wore on, they knew, they belonged together, but when the music stopped…

"Wait!" the prince cried as he chased the mysterious woman out the doors "I don't even know your name, please stop!"

The prince was left mystified, tingling, and absolutely hooked.

The next day, the prince raged through the castle, declaring the need for yet another ball, and yet again the night was full of music and beauties. The prince stood by the door, his gaze glued to the main door, waiting in longing for the woman who had captured his heart so completely. And then, a hush, and then a face. A woman walked in wearing a gown of silver, sparkling like the stars. The prince once again danced the night away with her, and once again, she ran away leaving his heart rent in two, his insides trembling with yearning for the beauty who only appeared after dark.

The next day, the prince called for a third ball, but the palace was in quite the disarray. Later that night, she waited for her chance to steal away to the ball, but her responsibilities in the kitchen trapped her until almost the end of the party. The prince waited on the terrace steps, his heart beating wildly as his gaze searching for his love, until finally, she arrived wearing a gown of gold, shining like the sun. But she could not stay long, and as she ran away, she left a shoe.

The prince grasped the shoe as if it were a life line, and then the next morning he declared that all the women who had come to the ball should try on the shoe. He would marry the woman whom the shoe fit. The straggletag sat in the cellar, her mind abuzz with the chance she had been given. Should she take the chance? For what was true of the finger, should be true of the foot. She had been cursed by the ring, but maybe she could be blessed by the shoe. And so, she stole into the throne room, behind every woman, and waited for her chance. Finally, hours later, she approached the prince. He reared back, shocked by the appearance of such a strange creature, but the straggletag merely smiled. Placing her foot in the shoe, she listened to the court gasp as they saw that it fit.

The prince's face fell, but as they watched, a wondrous thing happened. Birds flew through the windows, and began to pick apart the garment. Before the entire court, the garment fell away in a flurry of wings, and there was left standing beautiful Sapsorrow. The prince ran forward, grasping her hands in his, and there rang out words of "Darling" and "Beloved". Within the day, they had been married, and lived happily ever after.

….

North finished the story, and glanced over at the winter sprite, which was now sleeping peacefully on his mattress. The large man chuckled, but went over and tucked him in. Pressing a tender kiss to the forehead of the boy who was quickly becoming like a son to him, North ran his hand through the unruly white hair.

"You see Jack" the man whispered "They lived happily ever after, and so will you, I promise."

At this, Jack murmured a few incoherent words in his sleep, but quickly fell back into the folds of slumber. North smiled, and then walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Hope you like this chapter! As the chapter name suggests, this is only the first part of what will be a four part series, with each of the guardians taking turns telling a bedtime story to our favorite winter sprite. Next will be Toothiana, and then Sandy, and then Bunny being the last. To anyone wondering, no I did not make this story up by myself. It is a genuine folktale from Germany, and it is one of my favorites. Each of the guardians will tell an original fairy tale, and I hope you enjoy the selections!