Young Royals: After season 1

Chapter ninety three: Simon

Wilhelm and I were sleeping in each other's arms on the sofa when we were woken up by Lillian. We had been watching a show, but were clearly exhausted and did not even make it to bed. Lillian looked like she had seen a ghost. Terrified. Her little face was wet from tears.

"What's the matter, darling?" Wilhelm and I asked her. "What's wrong?" She held out her arms to us, clearly wanting us to pick her up. She cried.

"The witch ate you for breakfast," Lillian replied. She was sobbing badly. The night horrors she had been having were a real issue. She did not sleep. Could not fall asleep on her own and she was afraid to sleep without a night lamp on.

"It was just a nightmare, sweety," Wilhelm said. "Both daddy Simon and I are fine. No witch has eaten us for breakfast, I promise." He yawned big. We held her and tried to soothe her. Little by little she calmed down. She yawned big and her eyes were barely open at last.

"Do you want to sleep in your big girl bed or with us? It is alright if you want to sleep in our bed. Nothing to be ashamed of," I said. She replied she did not dare to sleep on her own in case the witch came back to eat us, which I thought was fair. Wilhelm and I could use a little warrior princess to protect us from the evil witch.

"Did you sleep in grandma's bed when you were little?" Lillian asked me.

"All the time, honey. I wanted to sleep in grandma Linda's bed for a long time. I did not want to sleep alone until I was much older than you," I said. "And you already do. You are a lot braver than I was when I was little." That made her smile. She liked hearing that she was brave.

"But it is also brave to admit that you need comfort and help. Never forget that," Wilhelm said. He caressed her hair gently with his fingers. By the time we were heading to our bedroom, Lillian was so tired that she did not have the energy to walk herself. I carried her and put her down in the middle of the bed. Wilhelm and I laid down next to her, one on each of her sides so that she would feel safe. Safe and loved. I knew that was something Wilhelm had craved his entire childhood. To get the love and safety he needed from his own mother and father. He was able to give that to his children and I saw how that mended something within him. He was not alone and scared anymore. And I knew how important it was to him that the children never felt that way. That they knew that we would always be there to comfort them. That it was okay to need a warm hug sometimes. He had not had that growing up. And it messed him up. Made him touch starved and anxious.

"Sweet dreams," I said. I kissed Lillian's forehead and then kissed Wilhelm on the lips.

"Sweet dreams," Wilhelm and Lillian replied and then they both fell asleep. After a while I too fell into the world of dreams. When I woke up again, we had not one but two children in our bed. William had probably sneaked in under the duvets early morning. The three of them were all sleeping. I laid there just looking at them. The three people who were my everything. I was so immensely happy. They were all so beautiful. Pretty. Inside out. I sneaked out of bed and went into the kitchen. I made a thick pancake batter in a bowl. I remembered Wilhelm had done so once, when we were still teens and I lived at home with my mother. I had found him just in his boxers and headphones making me pancakes. Now I did the same, but for him and our two mischievous children. 

Author's note

I have had an exam this week, so that's why I have not updated as I usually do. I hope you are all doing fine!  -A.A.