"Another one! Another one!" came the pleading call from Raena, the youngest of my grandchildren. At only age 5 she was very intelligent, as you could tell by merely looking her in the eyes, however she was also very needy, not quite ready to let go of her bedtime stories. Her brother and sister, I knew, were waiting for me to cave in, they wanted another story as well, they were just too grown up to ask.

I shook my head a little, knowing it was past their bed time already. "Please Gramma? Please? Tell us one about a Princess!!" came the cry from Rae as if she had read my thoughts. "A princess huh? Hmmm.." came my reply, and suddenly, I couldn't help but want to tell them a story.. a very special story… and thus I began telling my favorite tale..

"Allright, Rae allright, but you must promise not to interrupt me." I knew saying this was a waste of breath, for it was inevitable that the young girl ask questions, but it was part of our routine, and thus I asked. "No Gramma! I won't int'rupt! I promise!"

"Well I suppose it won't hurt.... our story begins, not one bright sunny day at all, but on a dark, dingy day in a camp of soldiers.."