Beca blinked her eyes open and glanced at her phone to see what time it was. "5:00am." She wasn't sure why she had woken up, so she laid still to listen to the darkness. She head a soft grunting sound and a gentle rustling. Her sleep addled mind finally realize the noises were coming from the baby monitor. Beca sighed and sat up, swinging her legs off of the bed. She sat at the edge of the mattress, listening to the light sounds coming from the other room. Climbing out of the bed, Beca walked to the nursery and looked into the crib. Her two month old daughter Violet was staring up at the mobile hanging over the bed, kicking her legs and jerking her arms.
"Hey sweet girl," Beca cooed with a weary smile on her face. She reached into the crib and lifted the infant out, holding her close to her chest. Beca sniffed deeply at the baby's head, taking in the smell of lavender. She rubbed gently at the soft brown curls at the back of her daughter's head. "You did so good, sweetie. Slept until five! You're doing great, baby." Beca gently carried her precious cargo over to the changing table and laid her down. "Let's check that diaper. You got any poopies in there?" She chuckled lightly to herself, still trying to believe that she was saying things like"poopies" and celebrating sleeping until five. She popped the buttons open along the legs of Violet's onesie. Popping the girl's legs out, Beca grasped her feet and lifted up. She slid the old diaper off and quickly replaced it with a fresh one. Then she wiped Violet's tiny bottom and sealed the diaper back up. She decided to leave the onesie on for a little longer, so she buttoned it back up.
Walking away from the changing station with her little girl, Beca stared down into the tiny face. Bright blue eyes met her dark navy ones. A tiny smile crept onto the child's face. Beca melted at the sight. She choked out a soft "hi." How could someone so quickly and completely steal her heart? "You're so pretty. Just like your mommy." Beca nuzzled the baby's face, placing soft kisses on her ample cheeks. She made her way to the rocking chair with the infant and sat down. As she rocked, Beca hummed quietly. Mother and daughter rocked peacefully in the early morning darkness. Eventually, Violet started wiggling. Beca changed the baby's position, leaning her against her mom's shoulder. The little girl kept lifting her head up to look around before dropping it back down onto her mom. "Oh, look at my big girl," Beca excitedly whispered. "Holding your head up so well! Such a big sweetie." The producer again tried to process just how much she loved this little person.
The rocking chair eventually proved to be unacceptable to the little girl. Violet squirmed and fussed. Beca shushed her and stood up. "Vi, let's give Mommy some more time to sleep." As she bounced her daughter and walked around the room, Beca kept chatting with her baby - her voice soothing Violet. "You want to hear a story? I'll tell my sweet girl a story - even though she can't understand me." Beca chuckled to herself. Clearly the fatigue was setting in if she already had resorted to dad jokes.
"So, there was once a kingdom with a beautiful princess. She was the most beautiful lady in the whole land. She had hair the looked like someone had woven fire with sunlight. Her bright blue eyes sparkled like topaz. And she looked like she had been carved by a master sculptor out of the purest alabaster. Her outer beauty was only matched by her wonderful heart. From when she was a little girl, she shined a light everywhere that she went. She tried to take care of everyone who crossed her path. The whole kingdom loved her.
The princess didn't want to stay cooped up in the castle, so she would take long walks through the city and into the countryside. She would play with the children, pet the animals, and shop from the merchants. And she would sing everywhere she went. It didn't seem fair that one person would be gifted with such beauty and such a magnificent voice. Her songs could melt the most frozen of hearts. Her voice sounded like an angel. People would hope each day that the princess would stroll their way, just to hear the music and interact with her.
One day, the princess was walking and singing outside of the city along the banks of a river. She spotted something moving out of the corner of her eye. Assuming it was a skittish animal drawn out of curiosity by her presence and song, the princess kept still. The creature drew closer. The princess slowly turned with a large smile to greet her new friend. Only this creature was not a deer or rabbit or otter. Rather, it was a grubby troll. The troll startled when the princess made eye contact. It wanted to run away back to its hovel, but something about the princess kept it frozen. The girl never grimaced or backed away like most people did. She didn't run away screaming. Instead, she kept the smile on her face and kept singing, reaching her hand out. The troll hesitantly inched forward, eyes darting back and forth alert for traps. The creature reached its hand out for the princess's. Their fingers lightly touched. The troll flinched, unfamiliar with human contact. The princess stopped singing and tried to comfort the troll. 'It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you.' The creature looked around hesitantly, anxiety overriding its curiosity. A random noise in the distance made the troll stand up taller in fear. It then scampered away. The princess smiled at the interaction, fascinated at the creature she had met.
The princess couldn't get the little creature out of her mind. Her thoughts drifted back to the encounter when she set out a few days later for her stroll. She decided to walk towards the river again, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature. As the princess approached the water, she paused and listened carefully. She was surprised to hear a song wafting on the breeze. It was the same song the princess had been singing on her previous visit. As she drew near, the princess surveyed the scene and spotted the little troll sitting by the river and singing. The voice was pure and clear. It pricked the princess's heart. She silently approached. When she was a few feet away, she began to softly sing - harmonizing with the song being offered by the creature. The troll stopped singing and spun towards the newcomer. The princess stopped walking and offered up a smile. 'No, don't stop. Your voice is lovely. Please, keep singing with me.' The troll hesitated, beginning to tense up and look around in fear. The princess softened her glance and urged the troll, 'I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to hear your voice.'
The troll paused and then began to sing again. The beautiful voice again filled the air. The princess joined in the song, allowing their voices to meld together. Her eyes locked onto the troll's eyes. A magical connection was made between the two. When the song finished, the two stared at each other. The princess smiled. 'You have a lovely voice. I would love to sing with you again. Is that okay?' The troll began to withdraw into itself, but nodded lightly. The princess beamed. 'I'm so glad.'
Weeks went by. The princess continued to visit the riverbank regularly. Sometimes, the troll would be waiting for her, sitting on a fallen tree or stump. Other times, the princess would arrive first and begin singing. The troll would appear and join in. There were also times when the troll wouldn't show up at all. Those times, the princess would sadly return home, disappointed and hoping everything was okay. Their singing sessions began to expand to include short conversations. The princess would share about her life - the castle, things she had seen, people she knew. The troll would sit and listen, nodding along. Once in a while, the princess would bring sweet treats from a merchant to share with the troll. The creature was especially excited by the sweets. They forged a comfortable relationship that seemed to be pleasant for both parties.
One day, the princess arrived to see the troll sitting on the fallen tree. It had something in its hands. After greeting the troll, the princess sat down on the log. The troll handed over the paper it had brought with it. The princess looked down, and her breath hitched. It was a beautiful drawing of the princess, smiling and sitting next to a scraggly creature. With a soft hesitant voice, the troll spoke to the princess for the first time. 'I made that for you.'
The princess lit up and hugged the troll. 'It is wonderful! Thank you!' The troll at first pulled away from the contact, but soon found itself settling into the warm embrace. After breaking the hug, the princess kept studying the picture. She was amazed at the incredible rendering of herself, but was confused by the creature sitting next to her. 'What is this?' she finally asked the troll. The creature looked puzzled and pointed at itself. Both of them looked at the picture for several minutes before they started singing a song together.
Months went by, and the princess and troll continued their surprising friendship. When winter was approaching, the princess decided to offer something she had been pondering for a while. When she met the troll that day, she decided to just do it. 'I was wondering, if you might want to come and stay in our castle during the winter months.' The troll pulled back in shock. The thought of being in the warm and cozy castle definitely appealed to the creature, but it was terrified of being mistreated at the hands of other people.
'I … I … what if people … hate me?' the troll asked in a fearful soft tone.
'How could they hate you?' the princess asked in reply. 'You're amazing.'
The troll shook its head. 'No, look at me. People don't want to be around someone like me.'
'I do,' the princess replied, clutching the creature's hand. 'And everyone else will love you too.' The troll wore a sad look on its face. 'And if they don't, I'll punch them in the throat.'
The troll laughed at the comment and bit its lip. There was nobody the creature trusted more than the princess. It had enjoyed their time together so much over the months. Somehow, it knew that the princess would protect it and keep it safe. But, there was something else that worried the troll. It had developed very strong feelings for the princess - feelings that no human would ever tolerate from a troll. It knew that if the princess ever found out, that she would run away screaming. The troll didn't know if it could control those feelings if it lived in the same house at the princess. The beautiful redhead sensed the hesitation and said, 'You don't have to decide now. Just think about it. I'll keep asking.' The troll looked into the bright blue eyes and nodded, knowing that the princess would indeed keep asking.
After another week or so, the troll agreed to come to the castle. The princess beamed with glee at the though of being able to see her friend so much more. The troll gathered its meager belongings and accompanied the princess back to the towering building. The creature couldn't get over everything: the market and its many trinkets and treats, the many people, and the luxurious castle. It was also surprised at the reaction of the people that walked by. Nobody shrieked in fear or recoiled. They might glance at the princess with a curious look, but nothing negative or hateful. The troll had been prepared for an unkind reception. Instead, it was met with helpful servants and gracious hosts. Once inside the building, the troll tugged at the princess's sleeve. When it had her attention, it whispered, 'Where am I staying? Should I put my bag in one of these storage rooms or in the stables we passed?'
The princess looked at the troll with surprise, then laughed. 'No silly. You're staying with me in my quarters. Let's go get you cleaned up and changed for dinner.'
The troll couldn't believe its ears. Why was the princess being so kind? Their time together had been enjoyable, but this was beyond just being nice. The princess was taking a risk to bring such a creature into the castle at all - to say nothing of allowing it to stay in her own chambers.
When they reached the princess's chambers, the troll's mouth fell open in awe. The room was huge. There was a large bed with fluffy blankets and pillows. Closets lined the walls with all kinds of dresses and outfits. A large desk sat in a corner with an ornate chair. The desk was covered with writing implements and papers. In another corner, a harp rested against the wall. There also were other instruments in different places. A door led into a massive bathroom. A large claw footed tub stood in the middle of the room. Steam rose from the water that filled the basin. A container filled with soaps sat on a small table. next to the tub. Plush towels and robes hung from the walls. A spacious dressing area with large mirrors took up one wall. The troll couldn't believe its eyes. 'Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. I have a bath ready for you.' The troll hesitated at the door of the bathroom. 'What's wrong?' the princess softly questioned.
'I don't have any other clothes,' the creature replied with embarrassment. It pulled at its filthy torn shirt. 'This is all I have.'
The princess gently smiled and placed her hand on the troll's shoulder. 'You can wear anything in this room.' She waved her hand towards the closets. 'I'll get you something to wear after your bath, but then you can pick anything from here on out.' The troll nodded, overwhelmed by the generosity of the beautiful woman.
The troll sank into the warm water. It had never felt anything so incredible in its life. Usually it had just splashed in the river to get dirt off. The feeling of being covered with warm water caused the creature to relax. It reached into the container of soaps and pulled out a lavender colored bar. The creature gasped in amazement as the dirt disappeared, revealing pale smooth skin. There was a bottle of liquid next to the soaps, which the troll assumed was for its hair. Again, surprise filled its heart as the liquid pulled out the dirt - allowing chocolate brown hair to shine through. After completely cleaning itself, the troll stood up from the now dark murky water. It grasped a towel and began to dry itself. Its eyes widened in wonder at the transformation in its appearance. Hanging up the towel, the troll picked a robe and pulled it over its shoulders. It wandered into the princess's room to find a gorgeous sapphire colored velvet dress laid out. The troll's head spun at the feeling of being so clean and clothed in such finery. Tears sprung to its eyes as it stared at the floor, feeling unworthy of such treatment.
'Can I brush your hair?' The soft welcoming voice of the princess startled the troll out of its thoughts. When the redhead saw the tears in the creature's eyes, a concerned look crossed her face. 'What's wrong?'
'I don't deserve this,' the troll responded, rubbing its hands on the fabric of the dress.
'Why not?' the princess inquired, moving closer to grasp at the troll's hand.
'I'm this … ugly thing … and you're so beautiful and amazing,' the creature sniffled.
The princess clenched her jaw and grabbed the troll's hand. 'Come with me.' She pulled the troll into the bathroom, and pushed its shoulders so it sat on the stool by the large dressing area. The troll kept its eyes down, ashamed at being in such a lovely place. 'Look up.' The troll shook its head. Softly the princess again said, 'Please, look up.'
The troll finally brought its eyes up to the large mirror in front of it. It gasped at what was reflected back. 'What kind of magic is this mirror?'
'It is no magic,' the princess replied. 'That is what you look like. That is how I have always seen you.'
The visitor returned to study the image in the mirror. There was no troll-like ugly creature there. Rather, there was a beautiful woman with navy eyes and chocolate brown hair. She had ivory skin and was every bit as lovely as the princess. Tears streamed down her face. She turned to the princess. 'How…'
The princess knelt down until she was at eye level with her guest. 'I think that whatever you went through in your life made you believe and see something that wasn't true. But, if you'll let me, I'll help you to see the real beauty that you are for the rest of your life.'"
By the time Beca finished her story, Violet had turned her face towards her mom's chest. She began rooting around, trying to find her breakfast. "Oh, little girl, there isn't anything in those boobs. I guess we should go find mommy." Beca kissed her girl on the top of her head and softly padded towards the master bedroom. She expected to have to wake Chloe up, but was surprised to find her already sitting up and ready for Violet. "Oh, you're up," Beca said. "I tried to let you get some extra sleep."
"I appreciate it, baby," Chloe replied with a tired smile. "I'm ready for her." Beca placed Violet gently into Chloe's arms. "Hi sweet girl." The redhead kissed her daughter gently and opened up her nursing shirt. "Let's get you some breakfast." Quickly, the baby had latched on and the room was filled with satisfied grunts as she nursed.
Beca climbed back into bed and settled herself next to her wife. She placed a gentle kiss on Chloe's cheek and then one on Violet's head. "How am I so damn lucky?" Beca wondered aloud with glistening eyes.
Chloe looked over fondly at her wife. "I ask myself that every day." They rested together silently, listening to the sounds of their daughter. After a few moments, Chloe spoke up. "I want to correct one thing about your story, Becs." The brunette's eyes widened at the words. "I wouldn't say you were a troll." Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she made the comment.
"You … uh … heard all of … that?" Beca stammered.
"Yes," Chloe admitted. "You left the monitor on." She smirked at her wife as Beca's head dipped.
"Damn it," the brunette grumbled. "So much for being helpful."
"It was worth waking up to hear," Chloe replied. "You're too sweet." She leaned over and kissed her wife. "Next time, instead of troll, maybe say you were a small gnome." She chuckled to herself.
Beca glared at her. "I hate you."
"No you don't. You love me."
Beca smiled. "You're right. I do. Both of you."