Ugh! Alright, get in the carriage. I’ll take you.

Don’t be long -- said Bono. -- I have a test today and if I don’t get to school on time...

Well you should have thought of that when you were playing with your milk at the breakfast table and trying to get Gotz to put honey on his face in exchange for a carriage that you don’t even have!

Jeez, Mother! Look how you get whenever we have guests -- said Bono, teasing. -- We’ll be in the carriage.

Bono left and the Princess sighed deeply.

I’m tired.

But... are you happy?

Yes, of course. Marriage has its ups and downs, just like everything else, but I really am happy.

Where’s the Dragon?

Sleeping. Since I got married I haven’t had much to fear. He spends a lot of time with the kids. He takes good care of them and never takes his eyes off of them when we go for a walk. Bono says he’s paranoid, but he always protects them. Sometimes he gets really crazy. It was very difficult to convince him and Gotz that there were no monsters in the closet!

Bono and Gotz?

No, Gotz and the Dragon!

The Writer laughed.

I’ve missed you a lot, you know?

I’ve missed you, too.

Mother! -- yelled Bono. -- You are a married woman.

The Princess put her hands up to her face and laughed.

There is so much I want to tell you about, Writer, but with three kids, a husband and a dragon I don’t have a lot of free time.

If you want, I can come back later.

Perfect! How about... in another ten years?

What?

In ten years, when the kids are all grown up and there’s only the Prince, the Dragon and me in the castle.

The Writer was staring at her. He couldn’t believe that he would have to wait another ten years.

It’s not that long for you... you can make time go by as fast as you want between chapters.

I know, but I thought that we could end the story here.

Give me ten more years, will you? Please? For old time’s sake. -- The Princess smiled and batted her eyelashes in an enchanting way as though that would convince me... she knows it always works!

Thank you, Writer.

Mother! -- all three of them yelled at once.

I have to go. I’ll see you in ten years!

Okay.

Promise?

I promise. And the Princess left.

This story is gonna be longer than War and Peace! So... ten more years went by.

18

The Writer decided to let fifteen years go by from the last time he saw the Princess with her children on their way to school.

He was standing outside the castle once again, but this time there was a guard protecting the entrance.