The Jester, the Prince, and the Princess
Summary: Ever since Prince Kouichi went missing, Prince Kouji needed a friend. His friend wasn't his cousin, or the Princess, but the court jester.
Prince Kouichi loved to hunt. Bow and arrows were his best friends aside from his twin Kouji, and he loved to ride his horse. He would hunt for rabbits, foxes and even deers if he was lucky enough to find one. He was told not to go so deep in the Dark Forest, where most animals dwelt. He hated that rule.
One day, he saw a fair maiden in the forest. She claimed to be lost. Her lovely golden hair and big green eyes mesmerized him.
"I am a stranger to this land. Would you be kind enough to show me the exit?"
"Y-yes, of course," stammered Kouichi. "Here, why don't I show you?"
The lady smiled and said, "Thank you for being so generous."
"No p,problem. After all, I am the prince of this kingdom." He tried to impress her. And he had.
The lady was silent for a while, and the prince assumed that it was out of astonishment. She smiled, but in a different manner this time. "I think I can go by myself now. I'm assuming that is the exit?" she pointed to a certain direction. "Thank you, your highness." after a curtsy, she walked away in a fast pace.
Kouichi frowned. That was quite rude. He went back to where his horse was at, but the white stallion was nowhere to be found. Maybe he wandered off...? I'll just follow these tracks on the ground.
The young witch-in-training got out of the woods easily, and turned to face the trees. "By the name of Orimoto Izumi, you are under my command," she said in a hoarse voice. The Dark Forest obeyed the witch. "Do not let go of the prince, do not get a single soul get in or out. I grant thee ultimate growth-" her hand shot up into the air, and as a great wind swept the grass and the leaves on the trees, there was a feeling that the forest just got darker and bigger. "...and everlasting life. I present thee a part of the Nature Spirits, Rosemon, to protect thee as long as thou shalt exist." she took out a certain device from her pouch. "Palmon!"
There was a flash of light, and a green creature with a flower on its head appeared. "Palmon, warp-evolve! Rosemon!" A human-like figure replaced the green, and it sprinted to the woods, grasping its whip tight.
Everyone in the royal family was grieving. The king, the queen, and most of all, Prince Kouji. He kept looking out the window, waiting for his brother's return. It didn't happen. Same with the day after that. And the day after the day after that. Two weeks passed and he was still looking out the window, unmoving. He refused to eat and refused to get out of his chambers. After all, it had the best view of the kingdom. Whenever Kouichi would return from hunting, Kouji was always able to make out the shape of his brother on the horse, coming back to the castle.
He didn't come back this time.
The king was getting worried deeply about his son. He realized that his son's level of grief was much more than his and his wife's put together. He tried to do anything to get his happy, smiling son back. If he was going to be like this forever, he might as well have lost both sons.
He tried everything. Beautiful girls. Brilliant performers. Wonderful musicians. Nothing worked.
It was then when a tanned, brunette boy stepped up and started to sing.