#my heart..........

Of course, he wouldn’t be any puppeteer worth his salt if he couldn’t keep going through a bit of heckling. So he then pulls out the doll he’s fashioned in his own image. “The princess was quite lonely, but one day, she met a toymaker named Drossel.”

You give him another gentle whack, and Laura smothers a fit of giggles. Your beau gives you a curious glance, but after all, whatever the two of you are doing is entertaining the Mandalay heiress. (Really, what are you doing other than being in love?)

With this, he hands you the figure representing yourself, and displays his clearly. The little Drossel doll mimes giving the (Name) doll a kiss on the cheek. “And the toymaker said to her, ‘You are the fairest lady in all the land,’ and he gave her a music box in the shape of a locket.”

“Wait!” Laura speaks up. “He’s a toymaker, not a clockmaker. How does he know how to make a music box?”

Drossel’s eyebrow quirks up. “… He is a man of many talents. And for his fair lady, he would learn to do anything.”

And you give him another smack; this time, he exaggerates his reaction to it by letting his neck go forward. The look he gives you is almost wounded, an acted expression of, Oh, my love, how could you?

In response, you tip your doll over to ‘kiss’ his doll on the cheek. “He would indeed,” you hum. “And so would she for him. She cherishes her music box, playing it every day.”

“Is she telling the story now, as well?” Drossel hums. “Instead of―”

Almost as if on cue, there’s your hand against the back of his head again. This time it seems to surprise him, and it gets a chuckle out of him as well as making Laura laugh.

He clears his throat, attempting to recover quickly. Though, it’s clear by the slight rose tint in his cheeks that he’s a bit flustered by your teasing. “I thought to myself… I rather suppose I deserved that.”

By now, despite the fact that you’re all laughing, you can see that Laura is starting to blink with sleep in her eyes. Drossel gives you a gentle push which prompts you to stand up from your admittedly comfortable spot on his lap. He bends to scoop Laura into his arms, and she nestles readily up against his chest with a yawn.

With you following close by, he starts down the hallway. “Ah, well, it seems it’s time for the young mistress to retire. Let’s put you to bed, Lady Laura.”

“But Drossel,” she mumbles even as you open the door to her room, “how… how does the story end? What happens to the princess and the toymaker?”

“Hm. A good question.” He sets her down in bed, pulling the covers over her. “We could save it for tomorrow night.”

“Nooooo. I won’t be able to sleep till I hear the ending!”

Another soft breath of a chuckle escapes him. “Alright, alright. Well, you see, the princess invites the toymaker to live with her in her castle. And then, he gives her an idea… that if she is lonely, she might take in those children in her kingdom who don’t have parents. So she decides to do so.”

“All of them?” Laura sounds incredulous.

“Ah, well… her kingdom is not very big,” he confesses. “The two of them take in three… maybe four or five children.”

“Mmmh… and what then…?”

“What then?” He leans down and gives her a small kiss on the forehead, as is the routine between them. “Why, this story ends the way they all do.”

In return, she kisses his cheek. “Happily ever after?”

He smiles and leans to blow out the candle you brought along from the other room. “Happily ever after. Goodnight, Lady Laura.”

The two of you get no reply, and you both creep out of the room. As soon as you’re outside, you slip your arms around his neck, coming in for a kiss. He meets you gladly, arms coming down around your waist.

“What did you think of the ending?” he muses. “I reasoned… it was nice enough. A bit different from some others.”

“Oh, it was quite lovely. You should make up stories of your own for her more often; you’re such a creative mind, Drossel.”

You pause, then give him a smirk. “… Three, four, five children, my love? How many do you really want?”

His face colors, and all he can give you is a sheepish smile in response. “How many do you want?”

Without fail, this earns him yet another connection of your palm with the back of his head ― that, and another kiss.