Her Prince

"Happy Anniversary, sweetie," he said with a sugary smile. They had just arrived at a cabin deep in the woods for a weekend getaway. It had been a long, hard week at work and a long drive on top of that, so she had promised her beloved a nap upon arrival.

"I shouldn't be out long, love. Don't want to miss too many moments with you!" He winked at her and sprawled out on the couch.

She wandered out to the porch to take in the view but soon returned inside and sat to simply watch her sleeping husband. Her heart swelled as she thought of all that he was to her and all the life they had experienced together the past 25 years.

Crack! Thud. Her heart-beat quickened at the sudden noise in unfamiliar surroundings.

Shaking her husband out of his blissful sleep, she whispered, "Wake up. I heard a noise." Her heart was pounding harder, but she looked eagerly, hopefully at her prince who she knew would protect her.

He lazily stretched and rolled off the couch.

"Honey, quick! What if someone's in the house? Or trying to get in?" she urged him.

"Wha? There's somebody here? What do they want?" he yawned.

"No, you need to search the house to make sure we're safe. I heard something strange."

She watched as he stumbled off in acquiescence and wondered what she was going to do when the burglar captured her half-asleep husband. Ten minutes later he bounded back in and reported, "Well, whoever came to see us must have left but I did find a clever little squirrel playing with a bird feeder it must have knocked over - bird seed scattered everywhere. Want to come watch?" He grinned at her.

"Of course, my prince," she laughed.