"Come on Char! Catch up quickly, or we will be late for supper!"
"I can't! I'm out of breath already! Hey, wait up!"
"Hurry up Char! Whoever reaches there last is a big fat smelly pig!"
"Hey that's not fair! You have a headstart!"
Shouts, screams and laughter cut through the serene atmosphere as two figures blazed through the lush green gardens towards the tall white castle. One was a little girl, aged no more than five, dressed in a bright yellow dress that complimented her thick brown curls. The other was a young lad, slightly older than the girl, dressed in a white satin shirt and dark blue pants. Both of them rushed through the trees, flowers and shrubs, racing to reach the dark brown wooden door before...
"Your Highness! Where have you been? It's well into the evening and your parents are worried about you. I personally have been looking for you ever since lunch time!"
"I'm so sorry Madame Governess, I forgot the time." The royal child replied, half-panting from all the running, hoping that the governess would not pursue the matter further. But the governess was not finished with what she had to say.
"Look at you!" she continued ranting. "All sweaty and sticky, your clothes all wet and muddy. Where on earth have you been and what have you been doing?" She looked sternly at the two red faces in front of her. "Has Ellarielle been leading you astray?"
"NO! It's not Ellie's fault!" The young boy said forcefully, while stepping forward to shield the younger girl. The governess opened her mouth to speak, but found nothing to say. She sighed and shook her head, dragging the prince into the kitchen with one hand, and waving off the younger companion with the other, before closing the door after her. One day, those kids would drive her to her grave and back again.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" A voice broke through Charmont's thoughts, waking him to reality. "You seem rather distracted. Maybe we might continue poring over Andoriel's ancient history at another time?" Charmont shook his head slightly to clear his mind, and found himself sitting in a red leather arm chair in front of a large mahogany desk, piled high with ancient looking leather bound books. Nestled in his hand was a white swan feather quill, and slightly below that, a piece of parchment which was covered with scribbling. Peering closely at the parchment, Charmont noticed that the parchment was covered entirely in his own handwriting, and it was of a name that he found vaguely familiar. Ellie, Ella, Ellarielle. Who was this girl, and where had he seen her before?
"Your Highness?" A voice disrupted Charmont's train of thought once again. "What is your decision?" Charmont turned to see his bony Professor of Ancient History looking questioningly at him.
"Uh, I'm sorry Monsieur Kellip, but something is troubling me, I have to talk with my parents. We will do two hours tomorrow to make up for this lesson." The old man bowed at the reply, and left the room without a word of protest, but not before giving him a knowing grin and a wink of the eye.
"Miles," The prince called out to the passing pageboy. "Help me find..." He hesitated, should he talk to his parents? What if they were too busy for him? Who can I ask in this castle? Then the answer struck him. "Find Governess Melisande and bring her to me."