Chapter 34: Prince James and the Tummyache

"Where are chapters 1-33?" You ask. Well... Prince James came about when *my* little prince was about a yr and a half old. Sometimes stories from books just wouldn't do when James was seriously distressed or overtired and the only way I could get him to calm down/go to bed was to tell him stories about Prince James, Queen Mommy and King Daddy. I always thought I should write them down, but it never seemed to happen. Tonight was the first night I've had to make one up since I started my blog, so I thought "Gee... I need to get this down before I forget it!!" These stories were made up on the fly, so don't start reading it expecting Dickensonian prose, mmmmmmkay? I settled on the arbitrary # of 34, because it felt right, but I have no actual knowledge of the number of stories that have come before... I hope that won't ruin the story for you, lol!

And so we shall begin.....

Prince James and the Tummyache

Once upon a time, in a far away land called Noplacelikehomatopialand (hey give me a break... I TOLD YOU these were made up on the fly!) , lived a wonderful young prince named Prince James. He lived in a fantastic castle along with his family, King Daddy, Queen Mommy and Sir Ichtheius Browntail. Prince James loved his home and everyone in it. He loved the gardens where he would play in the summer. He love the stables that housed all the ponies a little prince could ride. He loved the big, clear swimming pond where he spent most of his summer days. He loved the kitchen with all it's warmth and smells.... not to mention all the yummy food he and Queen Mommy would make whenever they wanted.

But most of all, Prince James love his bedroom.

Prince James's bedroom was the most fantastic place in the whole castle! It was lined floor to ceiling with bookcases and toy cupboards. When all the doors to all the bookcases and toy cupboards were closed, the most wonderful of murals was revealed. Even before playing with a single toy, if one stopped long enough, one could get caught for hours gazing at the mystical creatures, revealed one by one behind rocks, trees and in ponds only upon close examination. Prince James had spend many an hour flying with the fairies and conversing with the unicorns after stepping into that mural.

And the toys! Oh my... there had never been such toys!! All made by the local craftsmen and women specifically for Prince James! There were trains and trucks and dinosaurs that made real roaring noises, even a dancing toy mouse that played music! Every toy a young prince's heart could ever desire. Prince James loved his toys and his books and always made sure to take very good care of them, because he wanted to make sure that the people who made them knew he appreciated them. (I never said I was above sticking a moral lesson or 2 into these stories!!)

And at the end of the day, when all the ponies were rode, all the swimming swum, all the smells smelled, all the food eaten, enemies vanquished and fantasies explored, it was time for Prince James to go to bed.

And THAT my friends, was almost as lovely as the whole day put together, for Prince James had, dare I say it?? The most wonderful of beds! It was so big and so tall that Prince James needed a stool just to get in it! The head of the bed sported 3 of the biggest, lightest, fluffiest pillows that had ever been seen. Queen Mommy herself had bargained with the birds to fly up in the sky and fill her pillowcases with clouds (white ones only.... no storm clouds please.... Queen Mommy had had enough of wet beds when potty training Prince James, thankyouverymuch!) The sheets were smooth and crisp and printed with train designs, that, just in the 3 seconds before the person who was lying on them fell asleep, could be seen to move along their printed rails, across sateen countryside. If Prince James listened really hard, just as he was going to sleep, he could just hear the clickety-clack! of the the wheels and the whooooooo-whooooooo of the whistle. He'd been known to hop those trains right into dreamland and stay there all night long! The blankets on his bed were crocheted out of gossamer strands of love, by Dowager Queen Mum Great-Grandma Rose, herself. These types of blankets are the most valued of all as they create a warm, safe cocoon where only the sweetest dreams can be dreamt.

So it was on a night like any other, that Prince James brushed his teeth, listened to stories, kissed Queen Mommy and King Daddy and drifted off to sleep in this slumberiest of shrines. All was quiet in the palace as it denizens were winding down for the night. When suddenly, from the fabulous nursery, came a piercing cry! Queen Mommy, recognizing the cry, rushed up the stairs and straight into Prince James's room.

"Whatever is the matter, sweetheart?" said the Queen.

Prince James could only cry.

"Did you have a bad dream?" asked the queen (though, honestly, she could not imagine such a thing ever happening in such a fantastic bed)

Prince James just shook his head and kept crying.

"Did you bump your head?"

Prince James shook his head again and kept crying.

"Lose your favorite stuffed animal?"

Just a head shake and more tears.

"Do you have a tummy ache?" asked Queen Mommy, who by this time was quite near tears herself.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssss!" wailed Prince James

"Oh, honey! Do you want me to rub your tummy?"

A watery sniff and a little nod later found Queen Mommy ensconced on the bed beside Prince James.

"I'm so sorry your tummy hurts sweetie, what did you have to eat tonight?" Queen Mommy knew what Prince James had for dinner... but sometimes he and King Daddy went down to the royal kitchens for a bedtime snack, and sometimes.... when he was being naughty, Prince James would go get a snack without asking first.

"ummmmmmmmm..... I had green apples.... and bananas.... and a hamburger.... and candy... and soda (at this point the real James piped up "Kids aren't SUPPOSED to drink soda Mommy!! Shhhhhh that's why it's a story buddy! Sometimes people in stories don't do what they ought! Oh, Ok) ... and cookies... and popsicles... and spaghetti... and chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup and sprinkles. Then a bologna sandwich.... some cherries... a hotdog with mustard... some tomato soup... a cup or orange juice.. and...."

"Okay buddy!! That's enough! lol" interrupted Queen Mommy "you are making me sick just thinking about it!! No WONDER you have a tummy ache! How did you fit ALL that food in such a little tummy?!?"

Prince James thought about it for a moment and said "I don't know!"

Queen Mommy laughed and said "Well, let's try to not do that again, Ok?"

"Ok Queen Mommy! I love you"

"I love you too, Prince James."

And with that final declaration, Queen Mommy rose from the bed, retucked in all the blankets, dropped one last kiss on her son's forehead and quietly closed the door behind her as Prince James quickly drifted back off.

The end