"Hey, wake up."
Daru gently nudged Elara. It was midnight now, and he needed to sleep, too.
"Mhm…" the princess mumbled, still in dreamland.
"Hey, it's your turn to watch."
To his surprise, a quick, strong arm wrapped around his neck, pulling him down.
"Five more minutes, daddy…"
Daru suddenly found himself almost face-to-face with Elara.
He quickly put his right hand in between, using the other to keep his balance, though not before her scent caressed his senses.
Then, he pushed the princess's steadily approaching face away — gently at first — but her muscles tensed, refusing to let him escape.
"Hey, let go. I'm not your father." Daru mildly admonished.
Unfortunately, Elara only increased her strength the more he struggled, so he increased his strength, too, patience thinning.
Soon, it completely snapped.
His fingers moved, pinching Elara's cheeks hard.
"Oww!" she yelped, instantly awake. It was definitely one of the less desirable ways to be woken up.
