“Daddy, that story isn’t really true though. Right?” Roskva asked, as her father finished the bedtime story. She sat up and looked across the bedroom where her elder sibling; Aneira sat up in their bed too.

“What do you mean?” Her father asked. Tucking the blankets around her.

“You have two children. And the glass bouquet you gave mom is on the mantle.” Aneira said from their bed. Their father laughed and shook his head.

“Yes, I ‘embellished’ the story with my own life.” He said kissing Roskva on the head and moving to Aneira’s bedside. “That’s what you do with stories, you add to them.” He leaned down and kissed Aneira’s head.

“What story are we telling?” Asked the two children’s mother as she came into the room.

“Mom!” Aneira called, Roskva jumping out of bed and running to the doorway. Jumping into their mother’s arms. “Dad was telling us about the prince and the Do’Laeth.”

“Oh that old thing,” their mother sighed. “It’s such a ridiculous story.”

“No it isn’t!” Roskva yelled. “It’s a beautiful story about true love. The truest kind of love that ever existed!” Their father smiled at their mother and she rolled her eyes.

“All right, it’s bedtime.” their mother sighed, good naturedly. Rounding to Roskva’s bed and tucking the child back under the covers.

“I don’t want to go to sleep. I want to stay up!” Roskva said, untucking herself. “I want to be awake when you go to work!”

“Me too!” Aneira called, still sitting up in their bed and waiting for their turn to be tucked in.

“Now now, you both know your mother’s going to work in the wee hours of the morning.” Their dad said. Laying Roskva back into bed. Both parents tucking her in. “You wouldn’t get any sleep if you stayed up waiting that long.” Roskva pouted but stayed in bed as both her parents kissed her forehead.

“You’ll come in to kiss us goodbye, right?” Aneira asked as the pair moved to their bedside.

“Of course I will, my little ansbryd.” Their mother said and kissed their forehead while tucking them in. “I always do.” Aneira smiled and settled into their bed. Their father kissed their forehead and took his wife’s hand.

“Do you have to go?” Roskva asked.

“Yeah! You could stay home tomorrow with us!” Aneira agreed. “You never get a day off.”

“Unfortunately, my job doesn’t allow for days off. At least not yet.” Their mother said sadly.

“Why not?” Roskva whined.

“Because I have a very, very important job that requires me to work every single day.” Their mother said, leaving their husband to go to Roskva’s bed and sit beside her. Gently brushing her hair from her face. “If I took a single day off, it could be a disaster.”

“You should get some help!” Aneira sat up and put their hands on their hips. Their mother laughed loudly, like the ring of a bell.

“You’re right, I should do that.” their mother said. Tucking Roskva in for a third time.

“I’ll come with you and I’ll help.” Aneira said definitely.

“Me too!” Roskva volunteered.

“Oh no. If you both came with me, then who would help your poor father?” Their mother said. “Your jobs are just as important as mine. I love you two dearly. Goodnight my loves.” Together the two parents left the room.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Wait! Please leave the door open?” Roskva called fearfully.

“I will, I will.” Her father said. Leaving the door open and the gas lamps in the hallway lit. Roskva laid down and closed her eyes. As soon as she heard the creaking of the floorboards fade away into her parents bedroom, she sat up again.

“Hey, Aneira” Roskva whispered loudly. With no response from her sibling, she kicked back her blankets and slid out of her bed. “Aneira!” Roskva whispered again. Crawling up into their bed. Aneira’s eyes stayed peacefully closed. Even with Roskva bouncing beside them.

“Are you awake?” Roskva whispered right in their sibling’s ear. Aneira stirred but relaxed again. Roskva burrowed under the blankets and laid beside their sibling. Watching them carefully.

“Are you awake?” She whispered. Wiggling about in the bed, tracing the designs on the ceiling.

“Aneira? Have you ever counted the beams on the ceiling?” Roskva asked. No answer. She wiggled more. Turning to face the window.

“When do you think the first snowfall will come?” No answer. She wiggled more. A few more quiet questions, a little more wiggling, then everything fell silent again.

Aneira’s eye cracked open. They waited, listening to the soft breathing of their sister. They wiggled out of their bed, Waiting, pausing, freezing every few seconds to check and make sure their sister was still sleeping. Aneira slipped out of their bed and sighed in relief. Aneira giggled quietly and went to the other side of their bed. Tucking their baby sister in.

“Good night Roskva,” they whispered. Leaving their bed and crawling into their sister’s bed instead. With a long heavy yawn, Aneira got comfortable and fell asleep.

Roskva jumped awake. A long icy white puff of breath escaped from her. Roskva shivered and bundled up tighter in the bedcovers. Over the bed, a crystal phantom butterfly fluttered through the air.

“Oh,” Roskva breathed. She sat up and saw the ghostly forest materialized in the bedroom. Clouds of butterflies scattered around the icy forest. All of it was strongest around the sleeping form of Aneira. Roskva giggled and jumped out of bed. Falling into a soft pile of stark white leaves. She laughed and threw the leaves everywhere. From outside her bed, she could see not just the trees but also the running river that lazily wound between the beds. Roskva ran to the riverside and hopped across the stones that broke up the river. She giggled and climbed back into her own bed and next to their sibling.

“Once upon a time, in a magical forest. There was a beautiful unicorn.” Roskva whispered. Right on cue, from the side of the room. A perfect, sparkling white unicorn trotted along toward the river. Roskva clapped her hands, unable to contain her excitement. She hushed herself and settled back down beside Aneira. “The unicorn was the sparkliest, prettiest, and most beautiful creature all throughout the forest. But she was very lonely, cause she was the only unicorn in the forest.” The unicorn sighed sadly, looking around the forest for another unicorn that didn’t exist yet.

“So the unicorn decides to go on an epic adventure to find another unicorn!” Roskva whispered excitedly. Aneira stirred and the visions shuddered. Roskva clapped her hands over her mouth. Holding her breath, waiting for the icy dreamscape to solidify again. When it did, the unicorn was gone, Roskva sighed and laid back. Thinking about another story, this time with a princess, when the wind turned frigid.

Roskva’s skin raised into goosebumps. She could see her breath and the white glow of the forest turned dark. Aneira’s face changed. Turning troubled and fearful in their sleep.

A tall pale lady rose from the water. The butterflies scattered like shattering glass shrapnel. Roskva dug into the blankets and shook her sibling.

“Aneira.” Roskva whimpered. The pale ethereal lady turned to look at the bed with the two in it. Roskva ducked under the sheets. Hitting Aneira harder.

“Aneira!” She hissed. The chill of the pale lady hovered over the bed. Roskva’s eyes watered at the cold fear seizing her.

“ANEIRA!” She screeched, punching her older sibling in the stomach.

Aneira wheezed and panic rolled out of bed. Taking all the blankets with them. Roskva breathed in to scream but the room was dark. All the visions had vanished. Aneira looked up over the blankets at their sister.

“Roskva? Are you okay? Did it happen again?” Aneira scrambled up onto the bed. Holding out her arms for her sister. Which Roskva dove into.

“It was the Pale Lady again.” Roskva whispered.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Aneira squeezed Roskva tightly. Any memory of their dreams quickly vanished. Only the pale lady stayed behind.

“I’m sorry.” Aneira said again. “I can’t help it.” Roskva nodded, silently. Aneira held their sister tighter.

“Hey, Why don’t we go see if mom’s awake yet?” Aneira suggested. “Maybe we can catch her before she leaves?” Roskva looked up.

“You think?” Roskva asked.

“Yeah, c’mon.” Aneira said. Sliding out of bed and pulling Roskva along with them. Roskva giggled and ran to the door.

“I’ll race you,” Roskva called, despite Aneira’s hushing.

“Roskva! Dad’s probably still sleeping! Shh!” They whispered as loudly as they could all while running after her.