Father and Daughter

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The little redhead girl wailed as little boys chased after her, tugging on her hair with grins on their faces. She was less than pleased, and ran up to the monster of a man, with a thick neck, broad shoulders... like an ox if you gave it a human form. Not helping were the menacing scars around his eyes... and that unblinking glare as he looked down on the kids.

"What's tha' matter, 'lindy?" he asked. "Boys teasin' ya again?"

"We didn't do nothin, we swear!" said one of the boys. "She just looked interestin, thats all!"

"That's not whatcha said earlier, you blubberin' excuse for a boy!" Belinda retorted. "Ya said somethin' like 'Haha, this girl's got that reddish hair! Must be from all that blood and tears her parents shed raisin' this little devil!' And then I punched you and then you guys went and tugged my hair too hard cuz you guys are too wuss to take a good swing!"

The other boy said, "As if I'd hit a girl who can't hit as hard as I can!"

"Say that again and I'll break yer nose!"

"Yeah, suuure, you try doing that with those little noodle arms ya-"

"Oh, shut up, all of ye!" yelled the man, scaring the boys straight. He put one hand on each boy, glared at them as if they committed murder, and boomed, "Now, ya boys scram! And if I catch ya anywhere near my daughter and harassin her, I'll be sure to punt ya like the lil' runts ye are! Got it?!?"

Faster than he could say his last bit, those boys bolted as if a god threatened to smite them right then and there if they didn't get those legs movin. Belinda blew raspberries at them before that same glare came down to her, too.

"And you, little 'lindy, need learn a lesson."

Belinda looked almost terrified until her father crouched down beside her and whispered in her ear.

"Next time ye punch a boy, punch 'em straight in the gut. Makes 'em keel right over. Then go and swing at the other 'un, too, before runnin' like the lil devil ye are."

"I'm not a devil, though!"

"Heh, only a devil when they bring it out, ya know. Shouldn't have been messin with an angel, anyway; even angels got attitude, ya know?"

Her father ruffled her hair with a mighty hand before standin right up. "When yer older, though," he said thoughtfully, "there's gonna be some boys that won't let up, and some that are out fer blood, thanks to all of Mondor's silly wars over territory 'n power. So when yer older, I'mma give ya the finest battle tuba we can make, and then when someone makes fun of ya and won't let up,  you can blow their eardrums right out, hahaha!"

Belinda smiled a toothy little smile and asked, "Really, da? You'd make me 'un?"

"Sure, don't see why not! I mean, nothin' stopped me from givin' yer ma a robot battle unicorn that can shoot out rainbow lasers and rapid fire candy from its mouth, what's to stop me from makin' a battle tuba?"

"Um... ma tryin' to save us money, since you guys are barons and all?"

"Good point! But ya know, I don't mind splurgin a lil bit just t' make me wee lil princess happy!"

In a moment, Belinda was swept off her feet and spun around, father and daughter laughing in unison.

Blessed, they were.