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            - ˋ ˏ ༻ Safe In Our Arms ༺ ˎˊ -            

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   It was late in the night and the kings’ bedroom was dark, curtains drawn to block the light of the moon, lanterns long since extinguished. It was blissfully quiet other than the slight snoring from the men curled around eachother in the bed.

   Raemond had his head buried in Everett’s chest and said inventor had his cheek pressed in the king’s long hair. Both were held tightly in the warm comfort of the other’s arms, buried under a messy mountain of blankets and furs.

   A soft knock on the door roused Everett from sleep and he let out a yawn, rubbing his eyes.

   “H-hello..?”

   “Dada?”

   The voice on the other side made all the sleepiness evaporate from his body. The slight wobble to the young voice and the sounds of sniffling from the hallway. He  carefully pulled away from Raemond and stumbling his way to the door as he oulled a pair of sleep trousers on over his boxers.

   Isla was waiting outside the door, hugging her cow plushie tight as she trembled in her nightgown. Her eyes were red and bloodshot as she tried to wipe away the tears with the cow’s hair.

   The second the door opened, her small arms were around him and her head was digging into him as tears rolled down her cheeks.

   “Hey, hey.. it’s okay, I’ve got you- Dada’s here, orchid..”

   Everett scooped her into his arms, letting his daughter cry into his shoulder as he stepped into the hallway and closed the door to not disturb Raemond.

   “Sh sh sh shhh.. I’ve got you, you’re safe..”

   Isla nuzzled her face deeper into his shoulder, trembling and sniffling.

   “You’re okay, Isla.. you’re okay, I’ve got you.. I’ve got you..”

   He pressed a kiss to her head, tightening his hold on her, keeping his voice quiet as he whispered softly in her ear.

   “Dyou think you can talk right now?”

   After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded with a quiet hum, playing with the horns of her cow toy. Before Everett could ask her why she was upset, the door to his room opened and Raemond stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

   “Wha’s goin’ on..?” He noticed Isla’s reddened face and the tears drying on her cheeks and immediately came over, cupping her face- all the drowsiness leaving in an instant, “Hey.. why’re you crying? What’s happened, sweetheart?”

   She leaned into his soft-skinned hand with a soft noise, “n..n-nightmare.. it-it was really bad-“

   “Oh darling..” Everett pressed a kiss to her temple, adjusting his hold on her, “I’m so sorry, orchid..”

   Raemond put his arms around the both of them, holding his husband and daughter close, putting his forehead to Everett’s and tucking Isla’s head under his chin.

   “How about this? You go with Dadi and get settled in our bed and I’ll go down to the kitchens and make some tea for everyone?”

   Isla nodded, letting Everett pass her to Raemond’s arms and digging her head into his shoulder as her dads had a quick kiss before Everett headed down to the kitchen.

   “C’mon sweetheart, lets get you nice and warm, yeah?.. okay,”

𓊈 -ˋ⋆ˏ ༻✩★✩༺ ˎ⋆ˊ- 𓊉

   Isla curled up against Raemond’s side, letting him pull a soft blanket over her. She still had her cow plushie hugged close to her chest, its blue eyes looking up at Raemond’s.

   They were sat up in Raemond and Everett’s bed, his bedside lamp lit and casting shadows in the far corners of the room- shadows that didn’t seem so scary to Isla now.

   “Is Snow doing a good job protecting you, Isla?”

   She shuffled closer and Raemond put an arm around her, “Mhm.. he helps me feel safe..”

   “That’s good, we had him trained special just for you- he’ll keep you safe if we’re ever not there to okay?” He pressed a kiss to her head before smoothing down the faux fur of her cow plushie, “You’re doing a good job, Snow- thank you for keeping my little girl safe..”

   Everett gently shouldered open the door, walking toward the bed with a tray.

   “Hey.. we okay in here?”

   Isla nodded as Everett settled beside her, passing her and Raemond each a warm mug and holding onto one for himself.

   “Do you wanna talk about it, orchid? The nightmare?”

   She looked down at her tea, nestling further between her fathers as they both shuffled closer, hugging Snow tighter.

   “I..I was just walking around ‘nd- ‘nd then the ground jus’ open’nd up- i-it was really really dark- I was alone- could’nt see- couldn’t get out..”

   Everett put his arm around her as Raemond pressed a kiss to her head, noticing how she’d started to tremble, tears welling in her eyes.

   “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry..”

   “That sounds really scary,” Everett held her closer, setting his tea to one side and running a hand through her hair, “But you’re safe now,”

   “You’re here- with us, with Snow.. our castle, in our kingdom,” Raemond soothed, pressing a kiss to her head, “You’re safe here, lovely,”

   Isla nodded, sipping her tea and burrowing into the pillows, giving a quiet yawn.

   “Isla, why don’t finish your tea then we can get some sleep okay?”

   “Mhm.. okay Dadi..”

𓊈 -ˋ⋆ˏ ༻✩★✩༺ ˎ⋆ˊ- 𓊉

   Soon enough, Isla had dozed off between her fathers, cuddling Snow close.

   Everett smiled, carefully moving her to lay down and moving a strand of hair out of her face.

   “She looks so much like you, Rae,”

   The king settled down beside his daughter, smiling up at his inventor as he followed suit.

   “Yeah.. she does, but thinks like you do.. ‘nd she’s got your eyes,”

   The two smiled at their sleeping child, holding her and eachother close, each pressing a kiss to her forehead.

   “Our beautiful girl..”

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