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“Momma, will you tell us a bedtime story?” Four-year-old Korsa asked as Rakel kissed her dark curls.
“Yes, Momma. Papa always tells us a story,” her twin intoned plaintively. Farrin had been called away this evening, leaving the tucking-in duties to Momma.
Rakel crossed the nursery to kiss the small boy. “Momma doesn’t know many stories, My Little One.”
“Don’t you even know one?” Korsa pleaded.
Erik looked into his mother’s eyes, so like his own. “Please, Momma?”
Rakel smoothed his white-blonde hair from the boy’s eyes as she considered the request. She had heard Phile spin tales of their real-life exploits into fantastical fairytales. Perhaps she could do the same.
She seated herself in the rocking chair not far from the foot of the beds and said, “I’m not a storyteller like Phile or Papa or Kai, but I will try.”
“Yay!” Erik bounded off of his bed and jumped into his mother’s lap. Korsa timidly came to join them. Rakel allowed herself a moment to simply enjoy the closeness of these two little humans who loved her unconditionally.
Recalling how every fairy story she had ever read began, Rakel said, “Once upon a time there was a brave knight. He was tall and handsome and strong. He cared for his people and protected them, and they cared about him, but he had no lady to love him.”
Around the thumb she had stuck into her mouth Korsa said, “Thass sad.”
Rakel rocked the chair and squeezed Korsa gently as she continued, “The knight’s people went to war, and he led them to many victories, but he was not happy. One day, he met an enemy warrior, a lady mage. He could tell that the lady mage was also brave and cared for and protected her people. But she also had no one to love her, and she was sad. The knight invited the lady mage to join his army, but she refused. She could not leave her people. The knight went away saddened that the lady mage would continue to be his enemy.
“The armies of the knight and the lady mage fought many battles. Each time the knight led his people in battle and fought against the enemy, but he always protected the lady mage, even though she fought against him.
“One day, the king of the knight’s people came. He was an evil king. He did not care about the knight or his people. He only cared about power and controlling the whole world. He punished the knight for failing to kill the lady mage.
“The knight was even sadder. His king had ordered him to kill the lady mage, but he could not. He had fallen in love with her.
“The next time the knight’s army fought the lady mage’s army, the knight came to find the lady mage. He raised his sword to swing at her, but she did not use her magic. She did not run away. She just waited. He stopped his sword and would not kill her.
“‘Sir Knight,’ the lady mage said, ‘you once offered to allow me to be part of your people. Instead, would you become part of my people? Leave your evil king and fight with my army.’
“The knight would not leave his people, either. But, he thought of a solution. He asked the lady mage if any of his army who wanted to come with him would be allowed to join her people as well. The lady mage said all of the people he loved were welcome to come with him. The knight and his people helped the lady mage defeat the evil king.”
Korsa asked sleepily, “Did the knight kiss the lady?”
Rakel smiled into the child’s hair. “He did.”
Erik asked, “Was the lady mage pretty?”
A soft voice came from the doorway of the room. “She was more beautiful than any other woman the knight had ever seen.”
Erik’s eyes popped open. “Papa!”
Rakel’s eyes met Farrin’s and her cheeks heated, as she wondered how much of her tale he had overheard.
Erik scrambled off his mama’s lap and jumped into Farrin's arms. Already asleep, Korsa yawned and settled herself more deeply in the crook of her mother’s arm, unfazed by her father’s entrance.
“The lady and the knight lived happily ever after, right, Papa?” asked Erik.
Farrin grinned at Rakel as he answered the child. “They certainly did.”
Laying the boy down in his bed, Farrin kissed his forehead, and pulled the covers over him. “Go to sleep, Erik. I love you.”
Erik’s eyes were already sliding closed. “But I want to hear more stories.”
“There will be plenty of time for stories later. Goodnight, Little Man.” Farrin said. He crossed to Korsa’s bed and kissed the sleeping child’s forehead before turning to Rakel and putting his arms around her. He kissed her softly and whispered, “C’mon, Beautiful Lady Mage. Let’s go work some more on that happily ever after.”