2 12 years ago

*clump clump clump*

I could hear my father coming up the corridor to my bedroom. I stifled a giggle and quickly slid headfirst under the covers and flattened myself as much as I could. The clumping grew louder and I heard him stop outside the door for a moment. The door creaked open and I could hear him step onto the Emberstone tiles that decorated the floor of my room.

"Well that's strange," I heard him say. "I was sure my daughter would be in bed by now. I guess I'll have to find her." Each step he took was a heavy footfall, first moving towards a window.

"Is... she.... OUTSIDE?" he said. I could hear him open the shutters.

"No.... she's not outside..." he pondered. I tried not to giggle, but failed.

His boots slowly continued to clomp on the floor as he stomped about my bedroom. "Is...she....in... HERE?" I heard a cabinet drawer open. "Silly Daddy!" I though, I was too big to fit in one of those small drawers! The heavy footsteps began again.

"Is....she.... UNDERTHEBED?" he said the last words a so quickly they sounded like a single word. I felt the covers shift as he lifted them up and to peek underneath.

"No... not there either..." he trailed off. I then felt the edge of the bed sink down as he sat upon it. "Hmm... I guess if there's no daughter there's no story tonight..."

I giggled again.

"Hmm... yeah there's nobody in here," he paused. He suddenly threw back the covers of my bed, revealing my hiding spot. "EXCEPT A GIGGLE MONSTER!"

I started laughing. I jumped up and gave him a hug.

"YOU!" he said in shock. "You're the giggle monster that ate my daughter!"

"No daddy, it's me!" I said still laughing.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his face in a mock concern. "Because I ONLY read to my daughter. I don't have to time to read to giggle monsters!"

"I'm sure!"

He looked at me a moment longer, appearing to think it over. "Well alright then, my DAUGHTER should be properly in bed!"

I quickly laid my head on the pillow and pulled up the covers up "I'm in bed. I'm in bed."

He nodded. "Well alright then."

He stood up and walked over to a bookshelf that ran along one of the walls of my bedroom.

"Now," he said looking at the collection of books that line the shelf. "We just finished the first volume of 'Stories of the Great Kings' I guess that means we tonight we get to start volume 2." He plucked the appropriate tome from the shelf.

He moved to step back towards the bed but I stopped him. "Daddy, we need the magic leaf."

"Ahh, quite right,: he said. He opened the first volume and removed a single maple leaf. The leaf was one that I found when we took a family picnic last fall. He said it was magic because no matter where we were in the story, it would remember where we were when I would inevitably fall asleep.

Leaf and book in hand he returned to the bed and he sat down on the edge again. He opened the front cover, "Stories of the Great Kings... Volume 2," he read.

"In the time before man, when giant's ruled the land," he began.

Suddenly a knock at my door.

"Yes?" my father said.

"Your Highness, it's me. I have some urgent news." I recognized the voice as Sir Valk, the captain of the castle guard.

"Just give me a moment," my father said.

He gently lay the maple leaf in the front of the book and placed it on the nightstand. He kissed my forehead, "I'm sorry, it looks like I won't be able to read to you tonight."

"Aww..." I said disappointed.

"I tell you what," my father said rising from the bed. "I hear that your lessons with your tutor have been going well. How about tomorrow night we pick this up and YOU read to ME."

I nodded with vigor. He tousled my hair and opened the door. "Goodnight my Samantha," he said.

"Goodnight Daddy!"

He closed the door behind him. I could hear both he and Sir Valk began to walk down to the hall, talking.

That was the last time I saw my father alive.