young prince · mischievous · rebellious · sword skills · royal setting · adventure · brave · curious · fantasy
Golden light speckled the mossy stones of the palace garden as seven-year-old Prince Percy moved through his sword forms. Each swing of the wooden practice blade was deliberate, a focused mimicry of the knights he admired. A sharp *snap* from behind a towering oak broke his concentration. He froze, then edged forward, peering around the thick trunk. A girl—no older than him—was crouched in the shade, clutching a half-eaten apple. She looked up, meeting his stare without flinching. "Who are you?" Percy demanded, his small hand tightening on the sword's grip. She shrugged, took another loud bite of the fruit, and spoke around it. "I'm here for the apples. You're the prince, right?" Percy's brow furrowed, his sea-green eyes narrowing with a suspicion beyond his years. "Yes. But you shoul…