The Lost Prince

2

"Prince Daniel, yes, it is a pleasure to see you."
The boys laughed but the nursemaid was wide eyed and scanning over the situation. Then she realized the Avenian king could have her head for this potentially dangerous misstep and bent down into a dramatic curtsey Dan didn't even bat an eye at. He was just too young and too unenthused to care.
Now seemed like a good time for their introductions, but the boy accompanied with the nursemaid just laughed it off. "It would appear my nurse was ignorant to your position. We almost left the eldest prince of Avenia to bleed out like a stuck pig, how unexpected."
The nurse was still bowed down but now more so out of embarrassment. She began to apologize profusely, ready to flee the area- and maybe the kingdom, if need be. Just before tears welled up, the other prince lifted her up with a joke and a soft hand.
"Marla, you're not going to lose your head. No insult was intended or caused, but you may as well help the child out of the rocks."
The nurse, who Dan now knew as Marla-very close to the name of her kingdom homeland- came over to assist in moving his leg out of the rocks. The pair was very gentle but it hurt more trying to get out than it did falling into the mess and getting stuck.
The whole time, Marla felt as if she had to give the young prince some credit. Dan had refused to cry, his secret motive being meaning to be as strong as his father and promising to cry when he was completely alone. The other boy just Dan up and helped keep balanced on one leg despite the height difference.
He finally gave a small and began to talk, but once again, Dan wasn't paying attention much. He was taking in on the kids' appearance. He could see the nice but not too dressy as to mess them up outside clothing that, no doubt, Marla had forced onto him that morning. She had been far more liberal with the layers on him than herself, and the child was obviously uncomfortable in them, shifting from leg to leg. His hair looked as unruly as Dans' own hair, in comparison, but also like an hours worth of time was spent on it to get that black color in at the top- which was now fading and a very much contrasting orange color was seen underneath.
Marla probably spent each morning before an outing or important meeting to work the coloring into his hair just to wash it out that evening or have it wear off onto his bed sheets or hats.
It seemed tiring but that may just be what creates that awe commanding confidence he gives out, and that's respectable, even if it is a fake part of him.
"I am Prince Philip, second son to King Jared of Marlane, but that nonsense is just a formality. Call me Phil, if you would?" He paused for a second and moved straight on into the next conversation with curiosity in his eyes. "Tell me, how did you manage to fall down into my fathers' lands just as I walked by?"
The way Phil asked it was just to sound like he wanted to know, just to know, but it almost had a tone of suspicion to it.
It was a simple question but it left Dan a bit flustered and almost tempted to lie. He was very close to just making one up, but none would even remotely be good enough to cover up for both falling and the disappointment his father would feel towards him. In the end, Dan was just a child and just the feeling of pressure broke him a bit. His face turned red and he wavered a bit, still totally unbalanced and dizzy.
"I was told not to come down but i just had to see all the people. I know it was wrong and i did mean to do it but i would go back and stay up there if i could. And i know I can't but i would."
He rambled on and looked more and more like a little boy as he continued. Phil was baffled at the sight of a royal being so blatantly honest and reprimandable. This child could almost be mistaken for wanting to be scolded, and this was bizarre to Phil, but Marla was able to identify the signs of a child missing their guardian.
When the young prince asked quietly "am i a bad child for this," Marla walked over and held his hands gently.
"In our kingdom the people believe that all the gods left power over young ones to their parental figure. As long as they seem fit, and they are loving, a parent rules above all judgement. And to me, you did your father an injustice by defying him, but, your highness, they are the most forgiving gods you will find."
She was softer than Phil had ever seen before and though he was relieved the prince had been consoled, he was slightly jealous of their bonding moment.
Marla placed her maidenly lips on Dans' head and dried his tears with her thumbs. It was obvious why she had been placed as a nurse maid.
Phil was glad to see the situation was ending nicely. He couldn't bear to see this child cry a moment longer. It was eating at his heart, and he didn't even truly know the Avenian prince.

Dan could only see his mother.

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