"Darach, we first would just like to thank you for volunteering to become responsible for Caitlin," the 'Queen' of the Battle Castle said. "She needs a valet to watch over her, as my husband and I are too busy to tend to her ourselves."

You just don't want to bother with the Lady, a thirteen year old Darach thought. His father was an attendant to the King and Queen, and had oh-so-willingly volunteered his son to tend to Lady Caitlin. Darach was excited but also a little skeptical; he liked little Caitlin, but was not sure he was fully able to become responsible for the little girl. After all, he was only a teenager.

"We're glad that you are able to step up to the plate," Caitlin's father continued. "We would rather have someone we know oversee our daughter rather than hire some nanny we have never before met."

"It is my pleasure, sir," Darach said. "I assure you, Lady Caitlin will be perfectly safe with me."

"Caitlin, sweetie!" Her mother called, now entering Caitlin's grand bedroom. It was definitely one of the largest rooms in the house. The bed was much too big for a six year old girl, and the floor was covered with toys. The walls were a bright pink, and sunlight illuminated the entire room. Darach smiled; he had a feeling that this job would be very fun for him.

"Hi, Mommy. Hi, Daddy," Caitlin said, curtsying to each of her parents. Her curious little eyes found Darach. "Who are you?"

"Hello, Lady," Darach said, crouching down so he was eye level with the little girl. "My name is Darach."

"My name is Caitlin, not Lady," Caitlin giggled, shaking Darach's outstretched hand.

"Caitlin, 'Lady' is your title," her mother reprimanded. "How many times have we told you this?"

"Would it help if I called you Lady Caitlin, so you don't get confused?" Darach asked the little girl.

"Yes, please," Caitlin replied. "Can I call you Lady Darach?"

"Caitlin!" Her mother scolded. Her husband pulled her away.

"See, Caitlin likes Darach already," he said. "Let her enjoy herself. Maybe if she's happy, her powers won't go off. . ."

"Shouldn't we warn Darach about that?"

"Look at Caitlin. I doubt we'll have to worry about that."

"Let's have a tea party!" Caitlin said, pulling Darach to her little set of table and chairs. "It's tea time, right?"

"Aren't you smart?" Darach said, pulling a seat out for the lady. "I'll be right back with your tea, okay, Lady Caitlin?"

"Okay, Lady Darach!" Caitlin giggled. "Hurry up!"

Darach returned ten minutes later, a pot of steaming tea and two tea cups balanced on a silver tray in his hands. "I'm back, Lady Caitlin," he announced.

"Yay! Tea!" Caitlin squealed, reaching for the hot pot. Darach quickly pulled it out of her reach.

"The pot is much too hot for you, Lady Caitlin," he said. "And ladies never pour their own tea. Their valets do it for them."

"I don't have a valet."

"Yes you do, Lady Caitlin. I am your valet now."

"So it's your job to pour my tea?"

"And to take care of you. I'll be with you all day, every day, Lady Caitlin. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask me for it."

"You say my name a lot, Lady Darach."

"It's a sign of respect, Lady Caitlin," he said, pouring the tea for his new charge. "I suggest that you blow on it, Lady Caitlin. The tea is still very hot."

Little Caitlin blew over her tea, making more noise than she should have and getting some spit on the table. Darach chuckled; the girl was very amusing to watch.

"Can I drink it now?" She asked, huge, innocent eyes staring up at Darach.

"If you think it's cool enough," he replied, pouring tea for himself. "Be careful, Lady Caitlin. Don't spill it all over your pretty dress."

"Okay," she said, picking the tea cup up and putting it to her lips. She screamed as soon as the the liquid came in contact with her lips, dropping the cup and spilling the rest of the tea all over herself, despite Darach's warning. He immediately got up, napkin in hand, ready to clean her up, but she was screaming and thrashing about.

"It burns! It burns! Lady Darach, it burns! Get it off! Get if off!" She cried, tears flowing down her little face.

"Shhh, Lady Caitlin, it's okay," Darach said soothingly. "Let me help you."

"It hurts! It hurts!" She sobbed. "GET IT OFF!" As she yelled those final words, a psychic force emanated from her head, completely blowing Darach off his feet, sending him flying into the wall. He slammed into it with a thud and sank to the ground.

What was that? He wondered, rubbing his eyes and trying to ignore the throbbing in his head. When his eyes opened, they saw a little girl curled up on the floor. "Oh my! Lady Caitlin!" He shouted, dashing over to the girl. Despite his shaking, she did not stir.

Darach picked the girl up and into his arms, running outside her room, shouting, "Somebody help! Lady Caitlin is unconscious! Please help!"

Immediately, castle staff ran over to the shouting teenage boy and took Caitlin from him. "Calm down," one instructed. "This happens a lot. Just put her back in bed and let her sleep it off. A cold rag helps, too, but quit you're screaming. We've got battles going on in the arena."

"I'm sorry," Darach apologized, following the staff—and more importantly, Caitlin—back to her room. "She spilled hot tea on herself, and I went to clean her up, but she was screaming and shouting and then out of nowhere this force field or something just came out of her and hit me. . ."

"Happens all the time," another man said. "Her parents didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Darach asked, closing the door to Caitlin's room.

"That she has psychic powers that she can't control. And that when she's really angry or upset, they totally go off on anyone in the area? They're crazy, hiring a kid to watch her when she's so unstable. . ."

"Lady Caitlin can do that?" Darach asked, astounded.

"Yes she can. She's turned away so many nannies because they got hurt. I've heard that kid made all her toys fly around the room and attack one of the nannies. I wouldn't blame you for calling it quits."

"I can't leave Lady Caitlin," Darach said. "How could I leave her now?" I am much stronger than that. I cannot leave that little girl now. I'll keep her happy, and we won't have have to worry about this. "Thank you very much, gentlemen. You are free to go. I am Lady Caitlin's valet, and I will take care of her from here."

"Suit yourself, kid. Just don't say we didn't warn you."

Darach watched as little Caitlin slept for the rest of the afternoon. The poor girl was still a mess from the tea incident. Her room was completely disheveled, but he could not bring himself to clean it. He simply wanted to watch her while she slept, to make sure she was all right, and be there when she woke up.

Caitlin had a dreamless sleep, but the second she woke up, memories of what had happened flooded her mind, and she broke down in tears.

"I hurt Lady Darach!" she cried, unaware he was right next to her. "I'm a bad girl!"

"Shhhhh, Lady Caitlin," Darach said. "You can't get mad at yourself for something you have no control over. I'm not mad at you."

"You're still here!" the little girl exclaimed, throwing her arms around him, her head in his lap. "I'm sorry, Lady Darach. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know, Lady Caitlin, I know. It was an accident. The tea really hurt you, didn't it?"

"Uh-huh," she sniffled.

"I know you were upset. But we're going to make sure that doesn't happen anymore. You're going to be the happiest little girl in the world, I'll make sure of it."

"You're going to stay? All the other nannies left me," she said, tears spilling from her eyes again. She had been so upset when each and every nanny had quit after an uncontrollable psychic outburst. Darach wiped them away and put comforting arms around the little girl.

"I'm not like those nannies," he said. "I'm a valet. And I'm your valet, as long as you want me, Lady Caitlin."

"I want you, Lady Darach," Caitlin said. "We can be best friends!"

"If that's what you want, Lady Caitlin."

"Good." She giggled, her tears subsiding.

"Now, why don't we get you cleaned up so that we can head down to dinner? I'm sure your parents will want to hear about your day."

"I don't wanna talk about it," she pouted, her face sad again.

"You don't have to tell them about it, not if you don't want to." I will do that for you.

"Really?" Her face lit up again, earning a smile from her new best friend.

"Really and truly," he assured her, picking her up and setting her on the floor. "Go pick out a new dress, and then we can clean you off."

"I'm a big girl, Lady Darach! I know how to get clean and get dressed and everything!" She squealed, running off to her closet. Darach sighed with relief; he would not have felt comfortable bathing the little girl, or helping her get dressed. "Look at this dress! Isn't it pretty?" He looked to see her holding up a pale blue gown covered in sparkles.

"It's beautiful, Lady Caitlin," he replied. "I'm going to leave you to get dressed. Call me back when you are ready."

"I won't be long!" the little girl promised. "Don't go far!"

"I'll be just outside the door," he assured her, stepping outside while the Caitlin cleaned herself off and put on her sparkly blue dress.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Caitlin and Darach sat at one end of the long table, while her parents sat all the way at the opposite end. Darach was more than amused just watching Caitlin eat—or attempt to. She fumbled with her grown-up utensils, trying to prove that she was grown-up to use them. He finally took her plate and cut her food up for her, earning an approving, though slightly shocked, look from his employers. After dinner, Caitlin retreated to the kitchen, following the servers as they cleaned up the table. Her parents wanted to speak to her best friend privately.

"Darach, we heard about what happened today," her father said. "We're very sorry that we didn't warn you about Caitlin."

"We thought that someone as young as you are would be able to keep Caitlin from these outbursts," her mother added. "But we should have realized that it is impossible to keep her happy at all times."

"We understand that you would like to resign from this position," her father continued. "We are more than willing to compensate you for your troubles."

"Excuse me, sir, but I have no interest in resigning," Darach said. His employers stared blankly at him. "I could not leave her, not when she's grown so used to people leaving her after one accident. Believe it or not, I've grown attached to her already. I'd like to stay as her valet, and I know that she would like it if I stay as well."

"Well, by all means stay," Caitlin's mother said, suddenly relieved from her stressful thoughts of having to find yet another new nanny. "We are so pleased to hear you say that, Darach."

"I promised her that I would keep her happy," Darach said. "I will do as best I can to help her control her outbursts as she grows up. She's still a young child; she cannot handle her emotions as well as you or I can. I know that she will grow up to be the refined, self-controlled young lady you wish her to be."

"With you helping her, I'm sure she will," her father said. "Thank you very much, Darach. I think it's time for little Caitlins to get to bed!"

He had said it intending his daughter to hear. "Coming, Daddy!" Caitlin yelled, running out from the kitchen and almost bumping right into a servant, whose hands were piled high with dishes. She hurried over to her father, and he scooped her up into his arms. "Good night, Daddy," She said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She leaned over towards her mother and kissed her good night, too.

"Good night, Caitlin," her parents said together. Their daughter reached for Darach to take her into his arms. He obliged his young charge and, after bidding her parents good night, carried her off to bed.

Once Caitlin was in pajamas, Darach tucked her into bed. "Good night, Lady Caitlin. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Lady Darach," a sleepy little girl replied. She climbed out from under the covers to kiss him good night, too. "I love you."

Darach felt his face turn red; hearing those three words, and so early, made him beyond happy. "I love you, too, Lady Caitlin." And he knew he meant those words, knew he loved that sweet little girl already, knew that was why he couldn't quit. He loved her, and she loved him.

And with those words, he shut the lights off and exited her room, looking forward to the days to come.