Cute ideas of Adira being the coolest aunt ever to Prince Eugene.

This one made me realize that I suck at dialogue. So I'm gonna push myself to do it more.

I also don't have a lot of experience with kids, so feel free to tell me if or when my behavior/age descriptions are incorrect. I looked online and did my best, but I'll take the criticism.


Two whole days and the little prince had refused to surrender the queen's hand mirror.

Despite numerous attempts by his parents and several of the maid staff, the tiny future monarch refused to surrender his prize.

Queen Alexis was about ready to let the entire matter drop. But King Edmund would not be swayed and had continued to question the child. But the toddler only laughed, pulled at his father's mustache, and refused to tell anyone where he had hidden the mirror.

Countless searches of the royal nursery had found nothing. The prince had hidden his new treasure well and it seemed a lost cause.

Upon learning of all this upon her return from a hunt, Adira smiled. Shaking her head at the foolishness of some adults.

"But it's so simple." She declared before calmly fetching something from her chambers.

Eugene was on the large fur carpet playing with a few tin soldiers while his maids, two young girls, were trying to entice his interest onto a set of hand-carved blocks with letters painted on the sides.

Adira dismissed the nursemaids and shut the door to the playroom.

Once she and the child had some privacy in his nursery. Adira presented the boy with a small rectangular mirror. Attracted by the golden shine, the prince made to grab for the glass.

"Ah uh uh!" She pulled it away before the prince could claim it as his own. "You get this one when you give back your mother's."

Prince Eugene, all baby fat legs and big eyes and toothy smiles, spent a solid minute deep in thought over the proposition. He made another grab for the offered mirror, but Adira was much to fast.

Ultimately, he seemed to decide it was a good trade.

"Ok" He pointed at Adira with accusation in his chubby face. "But you can'd look! Is in'a secret spot!"

Adira nodded solemnly and made a show of covering both of her eyes. Only once he was satisfied that she could not see (he waved his hand in front of her face a few times to make extra sure) did he go to retrieve his hidden prize.

Adira was a woman of honor and loyalty. And it would be years before she would tell the prince that she had known all along that he had hidden the mirror, and various other secret treasures, in the stuffing of the large stuffed bear toy he kept in the corner of his bedroom room.


"I'm beginning to question your teaching methods."

From inside the dungeon cell, the young prince glared at Adira. While his fingers continued to work the metal pick into the lock.

Without acknowledging the boy, she continued her breathing. Eyes firmly shut and her arms resting over her crossed legs.

Eugene frowned deeper at his teacher. His tongue poking at the space where a tooth had been just two days before. He picked up a loose pebble from the stone floor and chucked it at Adira's head.

Without opening her eyes she caught the flying stone between two fingers. She tossed it aside and opened one eye to address the child.

"You asked me to teach you to pick a lock, my prince."

"No. I wanted to learn the "coin behind your ear" trick, you said you'd show me, then you locked me in here!" Eugene stamped his feet and glaring while the metal pick was still sticking out from the lock.

"I will teach you the coin trick." Adira pulled three coins out of nowhere, each sitting in the space between her fingers.

Eugene leaned against the bars, eager to be freed from the cell. But Adira smiled at him, flicked her wrist, and the coins disappeared.

"After, you pick the lock."

Eugene groaned, banging his forehead against the cell door.

He spent another moment glaring at the knight before he returned to his task.

It took another hour for him to pick the lock. Then another two months of being locked in a cell nearly every afternoon before he could escape in under ten seconds.

But by then he was so pleased with himself that he forgot to be cross with Adira.

Especially when she followed up her lessons of the coin trick with some card sleights. Adira even promised that when Eugene was older, She would teach him how to win at poker.


Eugene was sitting with a sword across his lap. Running a whetstone over the blade again and again.

He jumped when he finally noticed Adira standing behind him. She settled him before handing him a practice sword. She swung an identical weapon about, exploring the balance and light weight of the wood.

Eugene frowned at the wooden piece. He had been learning with a real blade for almost a year now.

He questioned her but received only a mischievous smile. Adira then produced a black sash and proceeded to wrap it around Eugene's eyes.

"Did you get me a kitten?" the prince asked excitedly.

"No." Adira answered flatly.

"Pancakes?"

"No."

"Am I being executed?" He asked only half-joking.

"Not today my prince."

"Then why-

WHACK!

"Ow!" Eugene gripped his head tightly

"Today you will be fighting without the use of your eyes. You must rely on your other senses"

She then whacked him in the back with her wooden sword, knocking the prince onto his stomach with a great "oof!"

"But you're eyes aren't covered!" Eugene cried in outrage as he managed to his feet, swinging his sword blindly about. "It's an unfair fight!"

His feet were swept out from under him and he landed on his back. The blindfold came loose. With one eye he saw Adira against the dim sunlight.

"That is exactly right my prince." She smiled like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Adira lifted him by the collar and placed him on his feet. She reaffixed the blindfold over his eyes and once again Eugene could see nothing.

"Now, come at me."

With no choice in the matter, Eugene did just that.

And got flipped onto his head for his attempt.


Eugene could hear the argument from four halls away.

These days they argued every time they were in a room together.

As the prince ducked back behind the corner, he listened to his father and Adira speak in clipped angry words. It made his chest hurt.

Destiny came up often in their arguments. As did the Moonstone and even discussion of the Sundrop and whether or not they should be actively searching for it. Well worn as they were, Eugene knew exactly what they were going to say in response to each other.

Adira would argue that the Sun Drop could put an end to the Moon Stone once and for all.

While Edmund would stand by his declaration of 18 years. When he'd lost his arm and Eugene's mother had nearly been killed by falling debris. When Edmund had tried to destroy the stone for good.

Quirin had once told Eugene that since then, King Edmund had become a man of defense.

With the endless patience and unbreakable will of a mountain. The captain of the guard described the King as a man that wouldn't strike first but would strike back with terrible ferocity. With the wrath of a grizzly bear defending his cubs.

The King had tried to destroy the stone and had nearly destroyed the kingdom. To try again was to invite disaster upon them all. Or at least that was the general consensus of the court.

The kings of the past had the right idea. To guard the stone. Keep it hidden and protect the world from its destructive power.

Eugene understood his father's point of view. He respected and even agreed with it. But only to a point.

While Adira's strongest arguments rattled about the edges of Eugene's heart.

If they could find the Sundrop, they could destroy the Opal stone once and for all. Then the royal family, and the entire kingdom would finally be free from the endless cycle of destiny as glorified guard dogs.

The kingdom could finally move forward. Grow and expand into trade and prosperity. Out of the darkness from which the kingdom had been born.

A selfish voice inside whispered that, Eugene would not be doomed to remain in this shadowed realm for the rest of his life.

He wanted to see the world and go on grand adventures. His well-worn Flynnagin Ryder books, still stacked faithfully at his bedside table, were full of memories and aspirations. Reading and rereading with his Father under a fort of blankets. Treasure hunts and adventures to distant lands danced across his dreams.

Eugene wanted to see the world beyond the Dark Kingdom.

He sighed as he heard his father stomp out of the throne room, no doubt to the training grounds where he could work out his frustrations on the practice dummies. The prince risked rounding the corner.

Adira didn't look up as he approached. She looked determined. Eugene knew that expression well. Nothing stopped her once she'd made up her mind, she was going to leave. To try and find the sun drop.

He buried down the awful feeling in his gut at how much he would miss her. Her teasing and tricks. Collaborating and pranking Quirin and Hector. All their training sessions. All the slightly less than noble skills she had taught him.

Her hugs. Her bravery. Her comforting and safe shoulder, where he was always free to vent his insecurities.

"You'll come back won't you?" there was no point in begging her to stay.

Adira seemed surprised to see him. But after a moment, she looked at him with calm power. Her eyes blazed in determination to do what she saw as right.

Her hands clenched behind her back. She was still so much taller than he. Towering, she looked him in the eye. It had been years since he felt so small under her gaze.

"I swear as a knight of the brotherhood." She tipped forward into a low bow, her eyes were shut and her hands had come forward into a folded solute.

"I will return to the kingdom in, my prince."

Eugene chafed at the formality, unsure what to say. But then Adira bent down and pulled him into a warm and tight hug.

"But I swear as your friend, I will return safe and sound Eugene."

Eugene's eyes suddenly stung with tears.

He clung to her, suddenly desperate to keep her close. But she was already pulling away, psysical contact always made her uncomfortable, but she still held his hands tightly.

She was reluctant to go, he could see it in her eyes. To leave the kingdom for who knew how long. She would have to search the entire world. Continent by continent until she found what they needed

And with no support from his father, it would seem.

Well, even if Adira didn't have King Edmunds's blessing, she would have Prince Eugene's.

He didn't let himself think about it. blocking out the guilt as he removed his ring and embraced her agai. Adira flinched and froze for a moment before she returned his hug.

Several seconds passed before they let go again. Eugene clasped her hand. When he released them, his ring sat in her palm

He knew his father might be upset, but he didn't care. Adira would have his support. His signet ring would be proof of that.


Please I need more ideas. Requests and suggestions would be amazing.

Tangled is better than frozen. I'll say it until i'm dead.