Be Happy!

In Ancient Greece, with the glory of its grassy hills, crowded cities, and beautiful seashores, there was an evil and powerful king. He had everyone and everything he desired, except a loving wife. He was always unhappy, even though his laundry was always clean, and he had all the diamonds he wanted to munch on. His subjects thought he was a strange king, mostly because no one’s laundry was clean, and diamonds didn’t taste very delicious. He also had lots of sons, but his favorite was Navigator. But there was a farmer, his name was Damocles, and he was very simple. Even though he only had his beautiful daughter, Stormbringer, who was as old as Navigator, to care and comfort him, and that most of his crops went to the evil king, he was happy, for he had the most beautiful daughter in the land. Sadly enough, when Storm was 5, her mother left this earth and Damocles mourned for a year, then started taking care of Stormbringer.

One day, Damocles was not feeling^v content, when the evil^adj king and his sons arrived^v. Storm looked^v out the window and saw Navigator. She sighed^v and walked^v out.

[3] Sadly^-ly, Damocles moaned^v “I wish I could live^v like you, oh king.” The king grinned^v and thought^v for a moment.

Then he villainously^-ly spoke^v “Would you like^v to take my place for a day?” Damocles thought^v for a moment, considering^v  the options of living like a king.

The king was^v impatient, however, and murmured^v impatiently^-ly “Your daughter can ride^v too, and you would have^v servants and everything you wanted^v.”

When Damocles still didn’t answer^v, he annoyedly^-ly yelled^v “My sons shall help^v you too!”

Then all the sons exclaimed^v “FATHER!”

Then Damocles happily^-ly yelled^v “I WOULD LOVE^v TO, OH KING!”

The vile^adj king smirked^v and whispered^v viciously^-ly “Navigator, help^v… um, what is your daughter’s name?”

Then Storm rolled^v her eyes and replied^v “Stormbringer.”

 The king continued^v “Help^v…Stormbringer onto your horse.” Then Navigator helped^v Stormbringer up on his horse. Damocles thought^v what amazing^adj fortune he had. He did not anticipate that something evil would happen, even though the king was evil and ate^v eagles and diamonds. He would, and he did, have^v an evil^adj plan.

Damocles was listening^v to amazing^adj music and eating^v yummy^adj food, but then he saw a sword right above his head, hanging^v by only a tiny horse hair.

[3] Cowardly^-ly, he yelled^v “Let me out maniacs!”

The sons ran^v to him and screamed^v “We aren’t maniacs!”

Then the servant walked^v to him and calmly^-ly whispered^v “We can explain^v, Damocles.”

Damocles asked^v “Where is Storm?”

Storm ran^v in and asked^v “I heard^v you Father, what happened?”

Damocles whispered^v, “I do not know.”

The servant wisely whispered^v “The king set^v a trap to kill you, Damocles. He wanted^v to marry^v your daughter, Stormbringer, because she is^v beautiful^adj, more beautiful^adj than anyone in the kingdom.”

Damocles whispered^v “How does^v it work?”

The servant whispered^v “How does^v it work? It is^v set to kill you. When you say^v ‘I am leaving’ on the throne, it gets^v cut by Navigator’s sword.” Navigator suddenly looked^v guilty when Storm glared at him.

Navigator spoke^v dryly^-ly “My father yelled^v ‘I will kill you if you don’t do this’ at me, so I will do^v it.”

Damocles got^v off the throne and said^v “Goodbye, get^v your father and put^v him on the throne. Storm, let’s leave. Storm?”

He looked^v for his daughter when Navigator spoke^v loudly^-ly “If you want^v Storm back, you will get^v my father!” Damocles got^v the king to return^v home and he got^v his daughter back. The king decided^v he wouldn’t be^v evil anymore, and Damocles let^v Storm marry^v Navigator. Storm had^v a healthy^adj baby^adj girl, named Merrie. Now a grandfather, Damocles was^v happy, and he joined^v his wife in happiness. Damocles learned^v to be happy, even when terrible^adj things happened^v.