Sequel to "Blue," inspired by RenaYumi's suggestions for a letter, color, and object (R, yellow, tiara). Enjoy :)

"Daddy, peese?"

Ulrich sighed, tilting his head to look down at his daughter. She was looking right back, brown eyes opened wide and bottom lip jutted out in a pout worthy of an award.

"Michele, I've already told you two stories tonight."

"Peese? The little girl asked again, fingers fisting in the material of her quilt—powder blue covered in big yellow flowers that Yumi had stitched on herself. "Jus' one more story?"

Despite the adorable look his daughter was giving him, Ulrich knew he had to stay firm. She had a bedtime for a reason and, gosh darn it, he wasn't going to be the reason she kept missing it.

"Alright," he sighed, recognizing a battle already lost. "One more story." Michele gave a happy cheer and then snuggled deeper into her blankets as Ulrich sat down in the chair beside her bed. "Which story do you want to hear this time?" he asked.

"You pick!" Michele said, fairly vibrating with her excitement. Ulrich made a show of hemming and hawing thoughtfully while Michele watched on with rapt attention.

"How about," he said slowly, tapping his chin as he considered all the children's stories he'd learned over the years. There were so many to pick from, and yet none seemed to be quite what he was looking for.

Hmm.

"I know," Ulrich said, turning back to Michele as inspiration struck. "How would you like to hear about a princess?"

"A princess?" Michele repeated, eyes going wide. Ulrich grinned. One word and she was already hooked.

"Yes, a princess," he said, nodding gravely. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived deep in the woods with her father, the King. The princess and the King were very happy together, since their kingdom was very peaceful.

"But then, one day, evil knights came to the kingdom and kidnapped the princess, taking her away from her father."

"Oh no!" Michele gasped. "What did th' King do?"

"He immediately went to all his fellow kings, asking them for help to save his daughter. One of the kings agreed to help, and sent his son, the prince, to go and rescue the princess."

"All by himself?" Michele asked. Ulrich shook his head.

"No, the king sent his three bravest knights to go with the prince," Ulrich said. "The four traveled very far, fighting all sorts of dragons and evil knights until they eventually came to the castle of the evil wizard, for it was he who had kidnapped the princess."

"He s'not very nice," Michele said. Ulrich shook his head.

"No, he really isn't, is he?" He smiled when Michele shook her head vigorously. "So, the prince and his knights arrived at the wizard's castle. They fought long and hard against the evil wizard, who had all sorts of terrible monsters to fight for him. But, no matter how strong the wizard's monsters were, the knights were stronger. They were able to defeat the evil wizard once and for all."

"Yay!" Michele cried, beaming. "Then they res—res—saved the princess?"

"They did," Ulrich said. "The prince marched right up to the tower where the wizard had been keeping the princess locked up, and he swept her right of her feet and carried her all the way to safety."

"An' they lived happ'ly ever after?" Michele asked.

"They did. The prince and princess fell in love and got married, and they lived together for the rest of their lives, and the kingdom was peaceful once again." Michele smiled, nestling down contentedly.

"Tha's a good story," she announced drowsily.

"I agree," Ulrich said, "it's a very good story." He smiled at his daughter for a moment and then sighed softly. "And now that it's over, it's time for someone to go to bed."

"'Kay," Michele murmured, already well on her way to sleep. "Bear?" she asked.

"Of course," Ulrich said, reaching over and snatching Michele's white and pink teddy bear up off of her nightstand and tucking it into bed next to her. She sighed happily, wrapping an arm around the princess costumed bear. "You two princesses sleep tight," Ulrich said; tapping the bear's little stuffed tiara.

"'Night Daddy."

"Good night." Ulrich stood, hands in his pockets, watching his daughter as she drifted off to sleep.

"It's about time," a soft voice whispered once the girl was sleeping soundly. "I thought she was going to weasel stories out of you until one in the morning."

"I'm not that much of a pushover," Ulrich whispered back, tilting his head to look at Yumi as she appeared behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her chin on his shoulder.

"That's what you think." Ulrich smiled, and then pressed a light kiss to Yumi's cheek.

"Did you like my story?" he asked curiously.

"It was lovely," Yumi whispered, laughing lightly. "But next time, I want to be the princess."

"Don't worry, Yumi," Ulrich said, turning in her arms so he was now facing her. Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "You already are."