The Vampire's Apprentice
- Thread starter Treasure
- Start date
KenżaSheep
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She let out a small giggle, setting the clothes off to the side. Those she could fold later.
"So, JC & P, what's got you so wound up? It's bed time." She repeated.
"So, JC & P, what's got you so wound up? It's bed time." She repeated.
KenżaSheep
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"Hmm. I see." She nodded slowly and solemnly. "What would help you two get to sleep, then?"
KenżaSheep
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Kitty grinned again. Of course. "Well, what kind of a story should it be?"
KenżaSheep
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"Alright," She hopped onto the end of the bed and began. "Once upon a time there was a farmer who owned a beautiful field of wheat, but for the last couple of years, on the night before harvest, something kept gobbling up his entire field, leaving nothing behind.
"One year he told his three sons, 'For the past two years we have had no wheat to sell. This year, one of you will go up to protect the field from whatever keeps eating it.' So the eldest son volunteered, and when the night of the harvest came, up he went to sleep in the barn and protect his father's field."
"One year he told his three sons, 'For the past two years we have had no wheat to sell. This year, one of you will go up to protect the field from whatever keeps eating it.' So the eldest son volunteered, and when the night of the harvest came, up he went to sleep in the barn and protect his father's field."
KenżaSheep
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Kitty smiled lightly. "For the first few hours, nothing happened, but just as midnight dawned, there was a great earthquake that shook the barn. The eldest brother shot up out of bed and dashed back into the house, terrified. The next morning, all the wheat was gone, and again their father had nothing to sell.
"Now, the next year rolled around, and the second-oldest brother was put in charge of the wheat. When the night of the harvest drew close again, he went up to sleep in the barn."
"Now, the next year rolled around, and the second-oldest brother was put in charge of the wheat. When the night of the harvest drew close again, he went up to sleep in the barn."
KenżaSheep
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"The barn isn't that close to the house." She explained. "And it wasn't a real earthquake, but let me tell the story first."
Kitty continued. "So this year again, the brother was sent running home after a great shaking came onto the barn. Finally, it was the youngest brother's turn. The little boy's name was Boots, and Boots spent all his time playing around in the ashes. Both his brothers teased him saying, 'You never do anything but sit and poke at the cinders. You'll never be able to spend the night up there!
"But Boots didn't care a pin for their commentary and went up to the barn to watch the field. The earthquake came to rattle the building, the same as it always had. Yet Boots said to himself, 'Why, if it doesn't get any worse than this, I think I can tough it out.' So he stayed past the first earthquake, and it grew silent once again.
"A little while later, a second earthquake came, far nastier and more violent than the first. Boots thought the barn would come down on top of him, but he said, 'Why, if it doesn't get any worse than this, I think I can tough it out.' So Boots stayed, and it soon became quiet.
"Just after Boots had laid down to go to sleep again, a third earthquake came, shaking so hard that Boots was certain the roof would cave in. Then all of a sudden it stopped, and there was a much-munching outside."
Kitty continued. "So this year again, the brother was sent running home after a great shaking came onto the barn. Finally, it was the youngest brother's turn. The little boy's name was Boots, and Boots spent all his time playing around in the ashes. Both his brothers teased him saying, 'You never do anything but sit and poke at the cinders. You'll never be able to spend the night up there!
"But Boots didn't care a pin for their commentary and went up to the barn to watch the field. The earthquake came to rattle the building, the same as it always had. Yet Boots said to himself, 'Why, if it doesn't get any worse than this, I think I can tough it out.' So he stayed past the first earthquake, and it grew silent once again.
"A little while later, a second earthquake came, far nastier and more violent than the first. Boots thought the barn would come down on top of him, but he said, 'Why, if it doesn't get any worse than this, I think I can tough it out.' So Boots stayed, and it soon became quiet.
"Just after Boots had laid down to go to sleep again, a third earthquake came, shaking so hard that Boots was certain the roof would cave in. Then all of a sudden it stopped, and there was a much-munching outside."
KenżaSheep
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"You're close. It was a horse; one more grand than Boots had seen in all his days. Beside the horse lay some shiny bronze armor, and the horse was wearing bronze as well.
"'Ho, ho!' Said Boots. 'It's you who's been eating our wheat. I'll put a spoke in your wheel, just see if I don't!' So Boots took the tinder from his flint box and tossed it over the horse, and the horse was as tame as ever. He could ride the beast wherever he wished, so he took both the horse and the armor and nestled them in a secret stable where his brothers would never look.
"When her returned, his brother said, 'Ha! It's Boots! Bet he didn't even last two hours out there!' They didn't believe him when he said the wheat was fine. 'Go look for yourselves.' Boots told them, and when they did, there was the field as lush and full as the night before."
She paused for a brief moment. There was more to the story, but she wanted to know if she should continue or not.
"'Ho, ho!' Said Boots. 'It's you who's been eating our wheat. I'll put a spoke in your wheel, just see if I don't!' So Boots took the tinder from his flint box and tossed it over the horse, and the horse was as tame as ever. He could ride the beast wherever he wished, so he took both the horse and the armor and nestled them in a secret stable where his brothers would never look.
"When her returned, his brother said, 'Ha! It's Boots! Bet he didn't even last two hours out there!' They didn't believe him when he said the wheat was fine. 'Go look for yourselves.' Boots told them, and when they did, there was the field as lush and full as the night before."
She paused for a brief moment. There was more to the story, but she wanted to know if she should continue or not.
KenżaSheep
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"Well, I don't know. That's just how the story goes." Kitty shrugged. "Now, the next year, Boots was put in charge of the wheat again. When he lay down to sleep, and after he had laid there for a while, another earthquake shook the barn. It all happened like the year before, and Boots toughed them out until he heard the munch-munching on the wheat outside.
"Outside the barn was another horse, far grander and fatter than the last, and it was wearing gold. Beside it was a knight's set of golden armor, too. 'Ho, ho!' Said Boots. 'It's you who's been gobbling up our wheat!' So he took his tinder and the horse stood still. Boots hid both the horse and the armor away where he had taken the others, and he went home. The very same thing happened the year after, too, with an even grander horse, and this one was wearing silver with silver knight's armor beside it.
"Around this time, the King decided his daughter was old enough to marry, but he didn't want just anyone marrying her. So, he set up a challenge. The princess sat atop a hill of glass, three golden apples in her lap. Only the knight who could take the three apples would get to be her prince."
"Outside the barn was another horse, far grander and fatter than the last, and it was wearing gold. Beside it was a knight's set of golden armor, too. 'Ho, ho!' Said Boots. 'It's you who's been gobbling up our wheat!' So he took his tinder and the horse stood still. Boots hid both the horse and the armor away where he had taken the others, and he went home. The very same thing happened the year after, too, with an even grander horse, and this one was wearing silver with silver knight's armor beside it.
"Around this time, the King decided his daughter was old enough to marry, but he didn't want just anyone marrying her. So, he set up a challenge. The princess sat atop a hill of glass, three golden apples in her lap. Only the knight who could take the three apples would get to be her prince."
KenżaSheep
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Kitty was correct when she assumed a princess would suit JC's fancy.
"Not exactly. See, Boot's older brothers told Boots he couldn't come. No matter how much Boots begged them, he was forced to stay home. So the two older brothers went to the hill of glass to try their hand at getting the princess' golden apples.
"Knights and princes from all across the land came to brave the glass hill, though every man was just like the last. Their horses barely made it up three steps before slipping back down again. Oh, they tried and tried, but to no avail. Even the two older brothers had no luck.
"Evening drew near, and the King was forlorn (er, sad) that no one was able to climb the hill. Just as he was about to end the trials for the day, a knight in bronze armor showed up. The worn-out men told him not to bother, 'It's impossible!' They said, but the knight did not listen. He went straight to the hill, making it a third of the way up with ease, but then he turned right back around and went down again."
"Not exactly. See, Boot's older brothers told Boots he couldn't come. No matter how much Boots begged them, he was forced to stay home. So the two older brothers went to the hill of glass to try their hand at getting the princess' golden apples.
"Knights and princes from all across the land came to brave the glass hill, though every man was just like the last. Their horses barely made it up three steps before slipping back down again. Oh, they tried and tried, but to no avail. Even the two older brothers had no luck.
"Evening drew near, and the King was forlorn (er, sad) that no one was able to climb the hill. Just as he was about to end the trials for the day, a knight in bronze armor showed up. The worn-out men told him not to bother, 'It's impossible!' They said, but the knight did not listen. He went straight to the hill, making it a third of the way up with ease, but then he turned right back around and went down again."
KenżaSheep
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"No, hold on." Kitty replied. "The princess saw that this rider could have easily come the rest of the way up, but wondered why he didn't. Carefully, she decided to roll one of the apples to him. No sooner had it rolled into his shoe than the rider was off, quick as a flash, and no one knew who it was. The two brothers went home and told Boots all that had happened. 'I should have loved to see him!' Boots exclaimed, but his brothers only said, 'No! You'd be too grubby, sitting in the ashes like you do all day.'
"The next day, though Boots begged to go with them, he was told to stay a home. Just like the day before, none of the people could make it up the hill. The King wanted to wait for the bronze night, but as the day came to a close, the bronze knight did not appear. Instead, JC, there came a knight wearing glimmering gold armor. He was much more grand than the knight before.
"All the people told him it was no use, to give up, but he went right up the hill to halfway before he turned around and went back again. The princess, seeing how he was far better than the bronze knight, tossed one of her golden apples to him. No sooner had he caught it, then he was off like a flash, and no one knew what became of him."
((THE 2,000TH POST))
"The next day, though Boots begged to go with them, he was told to stay a home. Just like the day before, none of the people could make it up the hill. The King wanted to wait for the bronze night, but as the day came to a close, the bronze knight did not appear. Instead, JC, there came a knight wearing glimmering gold armor. He was much more grand than the knight before.
"All the people told him it was no use, to give up, but he went right up the hill to halfway before he turned around and went back again. The princess, seeing how he was far better than the bronze knight, tossed one of her golden apples to him. No sooner had he caught it, then he was off like a flash, and no one knew what became of him."
((THE 2,000TH POST))