"Mom, why don't we like the Candleshade kingdom?" a young princess Sophie asked.
"Sophie, they've been our rival for centuries. I know that last time you and Prince Keefe got together, you two were practically best friends, but we don't converse with them anymore," Queen Edaline responded, bringing the little girl into her lap.
Sophie nodded and turned to her dad, King Grady. "Is Jolie done with her lessons yet?" she asked.
"She will be soon. Will you be playing dolls again?" the king asked.
"Maybe. I'm going to let her choose this time."
The parents laughed and Edaline hugged her daughter.
Five years later
Princess Sophie of Havenfield had just turned ten. Edaline gave her another tiara, Grady gave her twenty new dresses, since she grew out of some, and Jolie gave her a stuffed animal.
She received many flowers and gifts from the townsfolk, including hand-drawn pictures from little kids. Adults wrote her letters, congratulating her on hitting double digits.
The flowers covered every inch of the castle greenhouse, giving the space an amazing smell and energy. Sophie dressed up in a flowy, knee-length, pink dress with puffy short sleeves. She slipped on blue flats and a blue headband so her hair wouldn't get in her face.
She snuck out to the greenhouse and ran towards the white lilies.
"Oh, you beautiful flowers. Probably my favorites I received today. White lilies are my favorite, yet only Prince Keefe knows that. What a mystery," she said, looking at the flowers and gently touching their petals.
"Miss Sophia?" someone asked.
The princess turned and found a guard in his uniform, hands crossed behind his back.
"Mister Aaron, I told you! You can call me Sophie," she said, skipping over to the guard.
"Miss Sophia, here's a letter. I just received it and was told it was urgent."
The guard handed her a letter and Sophie took it, examining for a name and return address. All that was on the front was her name and her castle.
"Thank you, Aaron, I can take it from here."
The guard nodded and left the girl to the sunlight-filled room. She opened the letter and found a piece of parchment paper.
As she read it, a smile grew on her face.
Dear Princess Sophia,
I highly doubt you remember me, but I'm Prince Keefe from the kingdom of Candleshade. I know our kingdoms are rivals, but I don't have any friends and I would love to begin a friendship again, like the one we had so many years ago. When we were four, remember that? I do fondly and I miss it, a lot. If you write me back, put my name and castle on the envelope. Give it to someone you trust, someone who won't tell your parents or mine.
Oh, and happy birthday. I hope you enjoy the white lilies.
Sincerely,
Prince Keefe
Sophie smiled to herself and looked at the lilies.
"Looks like I have a letter to write."
Six years later
The two kids had been passing weekly letters for six years now. Aaron always gave them to her early in the morning and by nightfall, he took his weekly "errand" to drop off the letter.
