Those That Watch Over Dreams

Bonus Chapter (Favorite Story)

Little Princess Yva is sometimes sad for castle staff that is no longer here, and sad to see how mommy gets happy tears (sometimes).

It is near to nap time, and there is a special treat today. Her favorite stories. Both mommy and daddy are here.

Mommy: "This is a story about your father's dad and my grandmother and a general.

Your father's dad, who was then King of Annovae, was stung by a large cursed spider. He had trouble all the rest of his life.

My grandmother was a queen, but in her youth she lived on a mountain. She took it on herself to make Annovae a safer place.

Often creatures in dark forests drive victims to known places against un-climbable mountain faces. A trick they play over and over, even dim-witted creatures know to favor places where they had earlier success.

My grandmother brought with her, a very powerful sword. She vowed to clear the forest away from the mountains. The creatures would not be eager to enter an open space.

I stayed her and played toy with your father.

My grandmother went out day after day. She used the sword as spinning axe. It would cut down three or four trees at a time. All the distance from the forest to the mountain was her doing.

From Castle Annovae to a keep farther up, all the trees were cut down.

A general at the keep then helped her move the felled trees. He could become a big creature and could throw whole sets of trees over to the forest edge. Some weeks they worked together.

There is a village with stick protective walls close to here. Those came from her work.

She and I went back home.

Over years the general used the trees and burned down most stumps. This area was quite safe."

Daddy: "When the forest was up to the mountain, creatures would slip into a thin pass and harass those on the other side.

After the clearing was made, the pass became safe.

One day an army appeared at the opening of the pass. They showed hostile intent. Working slowly in a narrow pass which they guarded.

The kingdoms sent as many men at arms as where nearby. The general feared that even a few hostile beings could drive nasty creatures out of the forest and into villages and farms.

He determined to not let that happen. He lined all the men at arms at the forest edge, with an order to keep everything away.

After giving order and a confident speech, he went to a tent. He came out wearing large war gloves and a helmet.

There were about two hundred invaders lined at the mountain in front of the pass."

Yva and Daddy in unison: "He sprinted straight towards them leaving dust clouds bigger than he was!"

Daddy: "The general was large and formed much like a wolf. He launched into the two hundred and knocked flat those immediately before the pass. He used his momentum to curve up the rock-wall and landed at left corner of the assembled invaders.

Killing four when he landed.

Taking a large pike he skewered several and threw the pike over to pass. It stuck there leaning.

The general then arced away at a very fast speed."

Yva, Daddy, and Mommy: "He left dust clouds bigger than he was."

Daddy: "The general made a full circle to repeat his attack. A leader in shiny armor was heard to say 'Well, he certainly can run', and then...."

Yva, Mommy and Daddy: "To which the surrounding solders repeated 'RUN!'"

Daddy: "Invaders, mad with fear made a terrible mistake. Many tried to run back into the pass.

Overtop the leader with shiny armor. The general killed many just with his speed and blows with the gloves.

On the third pass of the general, the invaders stayed in ranks, but the general removed all on the left. Later all on the right, just standing there.

In the pass the fleeing invaders had a problem. Death would await any that fled in battle. Some met their that fate right there. At a wide place in the pass pikemen set to prevent retreat and held the place

At the opening, the general found the leader in shiny armor. He flung that invade back into the pass.

The blow of the armored solder hit the pikemen, and the entire army ran back. The victorious howls of the general echoing in the pass.

The invaders have stayed away ever since."

Yva gets kisses and told to take her nap. After Mommy and Daddy leave, she sneaks to the room of heroes.

There she finds a special sword and pulls it out of the scabbard.

In words only Yva can hear: "Ahhh. Queen of victory I so... Oh. The heir of destiny. Fresh in your mind is the foes across the mountains. Yes, Yes. I see the destiny. They rise again. You are there. We..."

Yva returns the sword to the scabbard with firm thunk. The sword speaks in a way that is too loud and not fun. She goes back to her bed for that nap.

The sword thinks 'Ahh the heir of destiny. She will not pick me up again until after that invasion. It is a victory because she is there. It does not involve me. Not that battle. I could go after her. But I think it is best for me to stay here. At that age, she could name me 'fluffy' or "pink carpet bunny'. I think I should just wait. I like 'Bringer of victorious destiny to the Queen' that has a nice ring to it."