‘Ok children say goodnight to grandpa.’ The two little bundles of energy collided with the old man. Driving the breath from his body and a laugh from his lips. He squeezed the children back, kissed them both on the top of the head and wished them a good night. ‘Will you tell us a story granpy?’ The littlest of the two Emily asked.

‘Yeah, yeah, please grandad.’ Claire chimes in bouncing up and down on his knee. Grandpa smiled, he could never refuse them anything.

‘Come along then you little monsters, let’s get you tucked in and I’ll tell you a story.’ The children squealed with glee, bounding up the stairs and diving under the covers without a bit of fuss. Grandpa make his way up as quickly as his old bones would allow. It seemed the steps were growing taller each day now. His legs creaked and ached all the way up. To think now of his youthful exploits made him shudder. His Hilda would scold him later on for succumbing to the children and their every demand. And he would tell her as he always did. That as long as there was breath in his body he would love his wife and spoil his grandchildren. He reached the top of the stairs and took a hearty breath before he went to the children’s room. Once there he took his usual seat in the rocking chair in the corner, and asked which story the children would like to hear.

‘Grandpa, you know which one.’

‘Again’ the old man sighed feigning annoyance and throwing his arms up into the air. Which fetched a giggle from the girls. ‘Very well then, let’s begin.’

The hero grunted as he reached for the next outcrop. The climb had been hard even for him, a seasoned hero. He was beginning to wonder if he would have the energy to face whatever waited at the summit. With a bit more effort the hero dragged himself up the mountain and flopped breathless on the summit. He took a moment to catch his breath before rising to meet his next challenge. A great stone archway with marvellous dragons circling the columns were carved into the mountain. The hero sighed frustrated. It was a dungeon, it just had to be a bloody dungeon.

‘Grandpa you swore.’

‘I know, I know, I’m sorry children. But as you know the last thing a hero wants to see when he climbs a mountain.’

‘Is a bloody dungeon.’ Emily giggled setting off her sister and even getting a chuckle from Grandpa.

‘Alright, that’s enough of that dirty talk. Grandpa should have known better. Now then where was I?’

The hero peered down the pitch black stairway, looking for signs of monsters or a trap. It was too dark to tell, so grabbing a nearby torch he proceeded downward. The wind howling down the passage made it difficult to hear and the light from the torch hardly helped his vision. Squinting ahead he felt his left foot sink ever so slightly. Now any normal adventurer would have missed it. But a heroes senses missed nothing. In the next instant the hero was diving over spikes and dodging poisonous darts and flames. The door below was sliding shut. With a great leap over a pit of snakes, the hero ducked into a roll under the spinning blades and slid under the door with ease. Yet his troubles were far from over. A great lizard bellowed a roar in greeting and swung its tail at the hero. But the hero was too quick. His sword unsheathed in a flash came up to meet the attack and severed the tail clean off. The lizard roared in fury, trying to squish the hero with its enormous feet. The hero bobbed and weaved, ducked and dove and waited for an opening. There it was, with a mighty leap, the hero flew up into the air and punched the lizards lights out. The beast hit the floor dazed trying to rise, when the hero landed brandishing his sword at the felled Goliath. ‘You can rise and we can finish this, or you can take a rest and leave with me. It’s your choice.’ The lizard took a moment to consider then nodded his approval.

‘Excellent, you will make a fine wedding gift for the princess.’ The hero chuckled before bounding off.

‘Was grandma pleased you got her Stampy?’ Claire asked. Grandpa looked to the window knowing his old friend would be there listening at the sound of his name. ‘When we rode him down the mountain afterwards yes. When she had to start shovelling his sh.’ Grandpa paused remembering his audience. ‘Poo, not so much, anyway after that.’

The hero found himself in a chamber of glass. A sorceress waited in one of the mirrors. ‘You have come far hero, but your journey ends here.’ She hissed.

‘The only thing ending here is you.’ He bellowed throwing the sword through the mirror behind him. The sorceress screamed, clutching the blade sticking out of her chest and fell to the floor. Melting into a pile of smoke and rags. But then the rags began to writhe and before the hero could blink, they had transformed into a giant snake. The hero rolled and dived avoiding its lightning quick strikes. He’d lost track of his sword but spotted it sticking out of the snakes head. After ducking another strike, he sprinted up its writhing body. Pulled the sword downwards in a circle, slicing the head clean off the beast.

‘Now darling I think that’s quite enough don’t you?’ Grandma asked from the doorway arms crossed and tapping her foot. ‘You’ll give the poor children nightmares.’

‘Ah but I’m just coming to the best part. Come sit on an old fools knee and help him finish the story.’ Grandma smiling warmly came and sat upon her husbands knee and kissed him lightly on the head. ‘How did I ever end up marrying such an old fool?’

‘Stick around and I’ll tell you.’ Grandpa replied smiling.

Ahead the door to the princess chamber. Kicking it in he beheld the most beautiful thing he had seen in all his life. He had seen the bluest oceans, climbed the highest peaks and conquered the untameable lands. Yet none of it held even a tenth of her beauty.

‘You old charmer.’ Grandma laughed nudging him in the ribs.

But there was yet one challenge remaining. A foul little goblin appeared before the hero. ‘Solve my riddles three you brute and the princess shall be yours.’

‘And what did you do grandpa.’ Emily asked, knowing the answer but eager to hear it again.

‘Well’ grandma began ‘you’re grandad was never one to apply logic to a problem.’

‘What did he do? Tell us?’ Claire chimed in.

With a mighty punch the goblin was punched through the wall. Leaving a hole big enough for the hero to carry his princess through. Out they jumped onto the sheer drop. Only to be caught inches from death by their new pet. Whom they rode down the mountain to freedom.

‘And then what?’ Emily asked

‘And then they lived happily ever after. And their two tired grandchildren went to sleep.’ Grandma said rising from grandpa’s lap and pulling him up with her.

‘But we want to hear the end.’ Emily moaned.

‘And I tell you every time my dears that you know the end of the story. It’s you and the rest of the tale is yours to make.’ Grandma said kissing each girl on the forehead in turn, before dousing the lights and saying goodnight with grandpa.