More Princess Adelide

Being a Princess had its days of dull freedom. Days where there were no obligations but also nothing to do. Today was such a day for Adelide. She was free to wander the castle grounds. Halfway down the eastern stair Adelide stopped to listen to the chatter of the gentle ladies. They all wore lurid colors and a large feather in their hair.
"If only I could be a Princess again!" To be provided and cared for, with no work on my part. All play. Sleeping all day..."
"My nanny never let me sleep in late. But is was still nice."
"There are those that stay forever Princesses."
"There are those that become Queen. That would've been nice wouldn't it?"
"Oh it depends on the King."
"What if there is no King?"
"What about your own personal Prince?"
"Oh my. Ha ha"
"Or a stable boy?"
At that thought the whole flock of them burst into riotous laughter and giggles. Adelide lost all interest in them. The ladies of the court always spouted nonsense. Instead Adelide drifted down the great stone corridor. She watched the dance of light and shadow as she passed the empty windows that looked out to the glass roofed hall. Soon the light became more appealing then the shadows, and she made her way into the brightly lit hall.
There she found Patrick playing the onyx baby grand piano. He played a soft gentle tune, accompanied nicely by the sound of the hall's center water fountain. Adeide smiled. Patrick picked up the pace of his song at the sight of it. He thought she was a sweet child, and every musician likes an appriciative audience.
"Won't the water from the fountain hurt the piano?" Asked Adelide.
"I don't think so. I hope not. It was the King's idea that it be placed here." Commented Patrick.
"Yes, this whole hall is new. It used to be an open courtyard." She added.
"Well, new to here. This little baby grand has been in the castle for ages." Patrick said with a glint in his eye.
"Where has it been all of this time? Surely, I never saw her in the concert hall or music room." She wondered.
"Oh, there was a special place for her up in the north tower." Patrick explained.
These words stung at Adelide. Everyone knows that proper castles have towers. And everyone knows that this Castle was not a proper one.
"This castle has no tower." She snapped.
"Oh, are you sure about that?" Asked Patrick with a wry smile.
"It is perfectly obvious this Castle has no tower. I would have found it by now." She asserted.
Patrick moved to the higher keys and attempted to hide his growing delight at Adelide's irritation.
"I am certain of it Patrick! There is no place it could possibly be." She said with obvious strain in her voice.
Patrick moved on to play te lower keys, and had finally managed to suppress his smile and said,
"I don't know, little highness. I was told the tower existed, but I have never been there myself, but I still believe in it."
Adelide was made silent by this. Patrick wasn't and augmentative fellow, nor had she known him to be a liar. She supposed he was trying to tell her some kind of joke. A joke she did not like. Her castle was a low class castle, and no amount of money King Zigfried poured into it would make in a highbrow one. A castle is either built with a tower or not. No amount of wishing can make one appear. Maybe Patrick was trying to teach me a lesson on appreciation. After all the glass hall was beautiful, and Patrick was ever kind. Whatever his reason, the soothing music made Adelide content. She laid her arm down as a pillow for her head and listened until she fell asleep.

Bedtime Story

Since my son was 15 months old I have had a routine for him. It has always helped him get to sleep. I have updated a few times over the years. just recently I let go of the Tickle Story. It used to work like a charm to get him to sleep. but now he is bored of it. So for the parents of the world who have kids that liked to be tickled. Here is a story to help those kids go to sleep at night.

Once upon a time...

there was as a GREAT BIG Castle.

It had turrets and towers, and little flags that would go swoosh in the wind.

Inside the Castle was a teeny weeny Prince and an itty bitty Princess.

The Prince and the Princess loved to be tickled!

So one day the Tickler came, and tickled the Prince and Princess so much that they said "No more tickles! W want to go to bed!

So the teeny weeny Prince and the itty bitty Princess went to their beds and fell fast asleep.

Goodnight.

In case you didn't know. I tickle my kids or kid, depending on who is present, during the story. Oh how they would laugh. My son loved it so much. It was his favorite part of the routine. There was also a story about a not-so-scary monster that accompanied it. Now he likes to talk before bed. It is so amazing to see one's child grow up.