The Fallen Prince: A Prince's Mistake

The Eternal Library

Before venturing into the Forest of Hell – as one does on a normal day –, I wanted to find out who had, or at least tried to, poison me. I started where any sane person would go: the kitchens. It wasn't as late as I expected, so there would be a small group of cooks making supper. Although they were only making supper, the kitchen was incredible. The moment I opened the alabaster, metal door, the smell of breakfast, lunch and dinner filled the air. On the counters, there was a mixture of any food – handmade fruits, vegetables and herbs. Furthermore, there were piles of fresh bread of multiple colours, while fish and chicken were being carefully, skilfully cooked in the several, silver stoves. Also (my personal favourite), there was every type of sweet that you could imagine. Just by looking at the delicious food. my mouth watered more than a waterfall. It wasn't just chocolate either. Fresh burgers, hotdogs and pizza were stacked in the middle, alongside a chocolate fountain that was twice the size of my sword. Chips of all shapes and sizes were sitting on plates, ready to be eaten.

For a second, I got a slight taste of all the food's scents cooking in the air. I could hear the clattering of pots and pans, while the steam hissed in the air. I began tapping the side of the counter – a thing I do when I'm nervous – and could only feel the smooth metal – no dust or grease. Finally, hundreds of knives, forks, spoons and any other kitchen appliance ever invented were scattered around the vast area. Yet, somehow, they were all organised. Better yet so was the entire kitchen. I snook some sweets in my sheath and approached a group of people who bowed as soon as they saw me. I flickered my hand, gesturing for them to come back up.

'My lord?' one asked. 'Shouldn't you be in bed?'

Just by looking at them, I could tell they were an innocent group, but they looked intimidated. I put on a fake smile. 'I'm fine. Has anyone new joined the kitchen lately?' I curiously asked.

They looked anxious. It was silent for a while, when, eventually, one chef spoke in a quiet voice. 'Yes, my prince,' he whispered. I rolled my eyes as soon as they called me their king. 'Someone new joined last night, and then left just after your knighting.'

I smiled. I had a lead.

'Did they tell you where they were from?'

'No, sir. They walked in and said your father had hired them.'

I cursed in a whispered voice. It didn't surprise me that this was my father's fault. I was about to leave the kitchen, but then a girl's voice barely reached my earshot. I spun around, and she was inches away from me. She blushed and took a step back. To my surprise, she was no younger than me. She was likely to be sixteen and had hair the colour of my blade. She was different than the other helpless girls in town; she was beautiful. I hoped I wasn't blushing with her. The best part about her: behind glasses, she had the best pair of eyes I had ever seen. They were brown like an irreplaceable set of hazel moonstones. They were perfect. She was perfect.

'If you're looking for the employee's name, isn't there a library with the entire staff and their background?'

A thought occurred to me, but I was too excited to think about anything else. I finally got a proper lead (don't look a few lines above. This time I actually did have a lead). I sprinted from the door, just as someone shouted: 'Sir, wait. This—'

I was too far away. I should've listened.

Instantly, I was where I needed to be. I was in a massive corridor shaped like a crescent moon. The floor was a red carpet, and the walls had portraits of the past monarchs. There were no windows, and there was only a single bulb looming above me. In front of me lay two oak doors taller than a tower. A huge padlock was a few inches in front of me, with a small keyhole. Behind the endless doors, there was a place called 'The Eternal Library.' It held any knowledge of the village, past and present. I rummaged through my pockets and managed to find my skeleton key. After a few turns and twists, I heard a click echo through the endless alley. The doors creaked open as soon as I lay a hand on the doorknob. The inside was even bigger than I expected.