Vol. 6 Chapter 3.5: Stories from the King's Childhood
***Fen, in the Duchy of Rubinforth, several seasons in the past…***
“We welcome Your Highness into our humble abode.”
The Duke of Rubinforth, Albert Matthew Marcus Sidney, and his wives took their respective bows and curtsies before their royal visitor: the young crown prince of Nerfes, James Walter.
“Where’s Maddie?” was the immediate question from the boy.
“Hoh! Pretty fast, are we?” James’ father, the 2nd Prince of Reed-Nerfes hit his son’s head, “Do your proper greetings first, before you look for your lover!”
“Yuck! Maddie’s not my lover! She’s ugly!”
The 2nd Prince gave his son a real smack in the head, “I apologize for my son’s behavior.”
“Nah, don’t worry, Michael.” the Duke laughed, “Your little rascal would regret his words about my daughter once they grow up!”
The two fathers exchanged jokes about their respective children, as Maddie’s mothers led the young crown prince to the room where Maddie, and Lily, were playing together.
“Hey, ugly!”
“Hey, stinker!”
The prince and the young duchess of Rubinforth smirked as they traded names. Lily was angry, “You don’t call a girl ‘ugly’, James!”
“Don’t enter the talk, crybaby!” James snapped.
“I’m not!” Lily was quick to retort, but her eyes were tearing up.
“Oh, look James!” Maddie excitedly showed Lily’s face, “She’s about to cry!”
“Hey! Why didn’t you wait for me?” Just as the Nerfes princess was crying, Simon showed up, panting. Apparently, he ran from the entrance of the house to the room where James and their friends were staying.
“Nah, you’re too slow, Simon!” James told him.
“Yeah, we’re bored playing with you.” Maddie backed the young crown prince.
Soon, the house of the Rubinforths was filled with wailing children.
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***The Royal Chateau somewhere in Nerfes, many seasons later…***
The young prince had now grown a bit. He was already given his first sword, which in Nerfes meant the boy was now a young man. However, even though it’s the dream of many children of the nobility of Nerfes, soon they’d find out that it was not what they wished.
For one, they were now confronted by the reality that they need to be educated to prepare for their responsibilities as heirs of their parents.
“I don’t want to study.” the young crown prince muttered under his breath, “It’s tedious; it’s boring.”
“I won’t say that if I were you,” Lily whispered to him, as they were trying to hide their talk from their governess. She’s a strict and no-nonsense person; if she caught them, they’d be sure to be standing in the hallways until the long sleep.
“Shh!” Simon said to them, “Why don’t you guys look at Maddie? She’s trying her best to excel!”
“No.” James chuckled while staring at the silver-haired girl in front of him, “I’d get crazy like her if I emulated her.”
Maddie gracefully put down the book she was reading and asked, “What is it, James?”
“Uh, oh…” Lily could only shake her head.
“I said I’d go crazy if I study like you!” James reiterated.
“Well, if I did not study, I’ll end up a brute like you.” Maddie countered him.
“Hoh…are you challenging me to a sword-fight?”
“Why don’t you bring it on?”
“Hey!” their governess bellowed, “What are you two doing, Rubinforth and Reed? Are you finished with what I’m telling you to read?”
“Not yet, Your Excellency!” James and Maddie chorused.
“Well, since I heard you two talking, off you go to the hallways, both of you!” the old lady rapped at the table where they were studying. Maddie and James had no choice but to follow her.
The next thing that happened, however, was that their governess was running after them. Maddie and James had thought of a plan to get revenge on her and pranked the old lady with impunity.
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***The Royal Palace of Meldech, in the Kingdom of Nerfes, just after James’ coronation as king…***
The newly crowned monarch was walking around the courtyard of the palace, amidst the crowd that had gathered to greet him on his coronation, obviously searching for something—or someone. He ignored the nobles that were trying to congratulate him, and instead went to the back, near the gates.
“If you’re looking for us, then you don’t have to look that far.”
“!!!”
James turned around, and much to his awe saw Maddie in her most splendid dress. Her hair was arranged in a ponytail, and she had a tiara fixed on her head. Her silvery-blue eyes matched the glimmer of the pearl necklace she had on her neck, and the slight blush on her cheeks was enough to take the king’s breath away…
“Hey, James!” it was Lily, “We’re also here, by the way.”
“Oh, hello there.” Still, the king never took his eyes off the beautiful Maddie.
“Hah…looks like someone’s smitten by our lovely friend here, huh?” Simon commented, “I’m getting jealous…”
“Shut up, Simon,” Lily said to him.
“W-Would you like to dance, M-Maddie?” James asked, desperately reaching out his hand.
“James, you know I don’t dance. I’m an amateur.”
The king’s offer was immediately shot down, but it was the first time James felt his heart flutter that way for Maddie…
