Aremathean empire, in the year 5217

Aremathean empire, in the year 5218

         “Come on, Cassy!” Ellen Mae yelled in excitement as she ran to her bed, Conner sat down on the end of Cassidy's bed. He had promised to tell them a bedtime story. 

       "There once was a princess with the reddest hair anyone had ever seen!" He began with excitement in his voice.

       The girls laughed. "Like mommy's?!" Cassidy shrieked, as their mother walked into the room.

       "Yup. Just like mine." Miriam laughed, turning to her husband she said quietly, "they wish to speak with you now."

       "Does this mean that you're not going to tell us the story?" Ellan Mae asked in disappointment. 

       "I'm sorry, looks like I won't be able to tonight,” Conner said distractedly.

       Miriam raised an eyebrow at him, then turned to the girls and concluded gently, "we'll read two you tomorrow."

       Satisfied, they scrambled under their blankets. Conner and Miriam whispered goodnight to their little girls, tucked them in, and hurried out of the room, shutting the door softly behind them.

 

 

“Haha… You can’t catch me!” Scarlet squealed as she squirmed under her blankets.

“Grahhh… I’ll get you one of these days, the king always wins!” Toris grumbled in a deep voice, then, grabbing her feet, tickled her with no mercy.

“Hahaa… Stop it! Stop I… Haha…”

“All right beautiful,” Lilic smiled down at her daughter. “The king has some business to attend to.”

“Ahh… Just a little bit more?” Scarlet gave her father puppy dog eyes, “please Papa?”

“Well, how can I refuse that?” He turned and shrugged to his wife, “I can deal with it in a few minutes.”

“Fine, but only a few. Okay?” she sat on the bed next to Scarlet.

“Okay mama!” Scarlet said throwing herself at her mother with full force, knocking them both on the ground, with uncontrollable laughter. “Papa, you come too!” Scarlet yelled at her father, hitting the ground next to her, smiling.

“Alright, I’m coming.” He laughed, then swooped down picking her up, set her gently on the bed.

“We’ll see you in the morning,” her Mother said kissing her on the forehead.

“Yep, sleep well, no more nightmares you hear?” Toris said playfully, giving her a tight hug.

“I’ll try,” she smiled.

Tomorrow would be another busy day, but for that moment, it was just them three, no one else. A second where nothing else mattered, where she felt she was the most important person ever to be born.

“I love you,” her mother broke that silence, the one no one ever wants to leave.

“I love you too, Mama and Papa,” Scarlet said, closing her eyes as they turned off the light and left her in darkness.

 

 

“Mother, Amanda won’t go to sleep,” Isun complained.

“Oh, come on, you’re no fun,” Amanda stuck her tongue out.

“That’s enough, both of you, I got a meeting to get to.” Lucinda said as she stood and walked to the door. “I’ll see you in the morning, I love you guys.” She smiled as she turned the light out and left the room.

“It’s so dark in here,” Amanda said.

“No,” came Isun’s voice.

“Hmmp… I wasn’t going to ask,” then she heard a creak. “Pleasee…”

“Sigh… Fine, but this is the last time.”

“Then move, I’m not that small.” Amanda complained as she climbed into her brother’s bed, “I love you.”

“Hmm… Love you too.” Isun said as his sister cuddled up next to him, “you owe me dessert.”

“Fine, but…”

“Ahhh…” Isun screamed as Amanda stuck her feet up his shirt.

“It’s what you deserve for taking a little girl’s dessert,” she then gave him a tight hug.

“I hate you,” Isun said.

“No, you don’t.”

“You may be right about that, but I’m going to sleep now, goodnight.”

“Night.”

 

 

“David, please go get in bed. I don’t have time for this,” the Professor said to himself.

“Ah, come on dad, little bit longer? I’ve only got a few pages left,” David begged. “And I’ve just got to the best part!”

“Fine,” he answered rolling his eyes, then continuing with his work.

“Yay!” David responded, then started moving his lips as he read.

 The professor looked up, “stop.”

“Huh?” David asked looking confused, “what do you mean?”

“Never mind, just go to bed,” he said.

“But,”

“No, I have to finish this before the meeting, so please go to bed.” The professor answered irritated, he stood and walked over to the bed just as David climbed in, “I’ll see you in the morning,” he gave David a hug then turned the lamp off and walked back to his work table.

“Love you too, Dad,” David returned with a smile.