"Ah children... I gather you here today to remind you that your children will learn from the actions of those they associate with. Choose your friends wisely."
-General "Old Man" Thomas-
Cailin scrambled around the human obstacles as she kept up with every request, which today were only barked commands. She was so grateful for the privilege to work in the royal kitchen. Especially on this day, as the other kitchen maid was cut off from his Majesty's presence last week for allowing their relationship to be discovered by his royal wife. She was hand chosen by her Majesty. Too young to appeal to her husband, yet mature enough and with enough energy to fill the roll of two grown women. This elf child of twenty five years would be a true gem in her own time, though now she was a coal stained prepubescent girl.
“Lass! LASS!!!” Belted Chef Baxter, “Where did yo--”
“Here!” Cried out Cailin, as she appeared around the island corner next to the chef, dodging the reddish brown broth missing her arm just nearly.
“Fetch me a dandelion root wench! You best be quick or you will lose your position here!”
Cailin ran quickly into the field of wild flowers and weeds to find the root needed for the chef. The field was only 500 yards from the castle, though she sprinted as if her life depended on it. She looked about the green, lavender, and yellow flowers. She easily located a small patch of the dandelions and began to break the earth with her fingers when she heard a child's laughter immediately followed by him running into her. He fell to the ground over her as his mother cried out for him.
“Anakicaricus Errongon Legose Gimbal Elthon Fuiloug Silith! Stop where you are!” The firm voice was still soft enough to confer the love for her child, though still commanding enough that any other person than this young boy would have frozen in mid step. Though she always claimed this as her own magic.
Cailin was startled, having been run over by an undressed child just under her own size. Though she could see the a birthmark on his right forearm as they tumbled in the dirt and she ended up on top of him. She paused afraid that she would be switched for being in the young prince's way. Quickly she attempted to back away, but was compelled on top of the young boy.
The young prince lost his breath as his eyes grew large with the weight of the girl toppled on him.
Cailin struggled to rise, but could not. She was bound by some force which compelled her to remain where she was.
“Get off! I don't wanna get dressed! Let go! Get off!” He struggled terribly, but could not find enough strength to get out from under this girl.
“I'm trying to get up sir, I am so sorry.” She struggled to move but could not find the strength to break her invisible bonds.
Yeste'Lomelen Fuiloug Silith looked down on both children. “Thank you young lady. He would have been very hard to catch without your help.” She waved her hand over the children and instantly Cailin could move again. “I think you slowed her progress young prince. You should help this one with her tasks so that she can keep to her commitments.”
“I apologize greatly queen Yeste'Lomelen. Please forgive me.” Cailin was white as a ghost as she rolled off of the young prince.
The young boy scowled when he was told to help this girl.
“You were born into nobility and must learn to lead by example my son.” She turned to Cailin, “What task were you charged with young one?”
“I am finding roots of dandelions for the chef.” Her young smile showed that she would one day become a most beautiful lady.
“Well prince. You will help her dig this earth and take roots with her. You must learn to work with your people so they will respect you more than they do your father.”
He stared into his mother's eyes, but she returned his gaze with a gentle lift of her left eyebrow. “Fine, but only because she tripped me!”
Cailin giggled, “Why are you naked?”
“I have my trousers on me!” He retorted.
The young half-elf giggled, “Those are not long enough to be trousers prince.”
“I cut them. It is warm day.” His proud stance declared that this child already knew his position in life, even though he was young enough to still have a babes fat on his cheeks.
Cailin was amazed at his reply, “The snow is only melted three days ago, the ground is wet and I wear my shawl to protect from the cold young sir.”
The young prince snapped back, “You are just saying that so my mother will make me wear those hideous clothes! It is a warm day, take off your shirt and you will see!”
His mother chuckled, “My son, you should not request a young lady to remove her shirt ever. When she is ready, she will do it without you asking. Now get into the earth and take those roots back to the kitchen with her.
The two children knelt down and began to dig, “What is your name?” The young prince asked
“Cailin, how do you say your name?” She struggled to pronounce his name, “An-akee-ca... Ana-keec..”
“It does not matter. I get to choose my name to day! It is my birthday and I am coming of age for choice! Today I get to choose my final name!”
“Really! What will you call yourself?”
He puffed up his chest in pride, “Dragon-Slaying-Sword-Using-Greatest-Knight-Ever!” He called out quickly.
“That is silly. Why not call yourself Andrek?”
“Because that is a girls name :P'
“No it's not! It was the name of hero who saved my grandfather's village from the dragon lords in the battle for the dark mountain peaks! He only gave one name, Andrek. He fought as a hundred men and never backed away from his enemies. My grandfather made the armor for his mounts, but he left quickly after the dragons lords were beaten over the mountain pass. He told the village he would return one day when the land would split between the lords of men.”
“So where is he now?” The prince was curious, a man who was as powerful as one hundred other men.
“He is a legend. He is probably no longer alive.” His mother smiled warmly hiding her true feelings of the war. “He is in the past and should be forgotten.”
The children had dug up the roots by this time as Chef Baxter shouted from the kitchen, “LASS! Where are my roots!”
Startled Cailin ran back with a fistful of roots to the kitchen. Andrek ran with her, his hands full of mud and roots as well. Cailin had a look of fright in her eyes. She would be in such trouble if her master's soups were ruined due to the time she spent with her royal hosts. She was breathing hard with fear.
“Wow you are fast? Why are you breathing like the men my father judges?”
“Chef Baxter will whip me if his soup is ruined.” She was focused on the kitchen where the shouts of Baxter rang loudly over all other noise.
“Don't worry about him Cailin... I will be your Andrek. He will not hurt you.”
Cailin laughed, “What will you do?”
“I don't know, but if I get a sword I will keep him away.”
The children laughed as the raced back to the kitchen. Rennald, the assistant chef saw the children at the door. “Master Prince, where are your clothes?”
“I am wearing trousers! It is a hot day today, and much warmer in here.” The prince shouted at the top of his lungs so quickly that Rennald took a moment to allow the thought to sink into his head.
Cailin chuckled.
Chef Baxter shouted, “Wench! Bring me those roots!”
“I will see you later Andrek. You better protect me from other dragons, this one just wants food.”
The prince laughed. “The you better feed him.” He handed the muddy roots to Rennald and watched Cailin work in the kitchen from the doorway as his mother came up to him.
“Remember my son, you must always serve those you wrong to bring them restitution as you did today.”
“What is resistatution?”
“Restitution.” She corrected his diction. “Is when you correct all the harm you caused. You make it as if you never impeded some one.”
“What is impeeted?”
“Impeded.” She corrected him again, “Is when you make it so that others cannot produce as quickly as they would have without your actions on them.”
“Oh, I always want to restitude others.”
His mother laughed, “You will son. Let us get you ready for the coronation.”
“But I don't want to get ready. I want to watch them work.”
“We have our own work to do young prince.”
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