It was a warm spring day and nature seemed to flow in perfect harmony. Quiet humming drifted through the trees in the small forest. The wind carried the soft melody higher and farther.
Humming this melodious tune was a young man around the age of twenty two. He had light blonde hair that gleamed in the sunlight and bright green eyes brimming with life. A smile graced his lips as he walked down the path towards his home. His long russet colored cape fluttered on the breeze as his soft brown leather boots made barely a sound on the dirt road. A green tunic with a strange green design covered his slightly muscular torso, and a pair of blue trousers covered his equally muscular legs.
The man walked down the path with a sense of ease that was only found in those that had no fears or worries on their minds. After a few minutes of walking, he finally reached his destination.
The path ended at a decent sized clearing with a small and simple house made out of wood and cobblestone. Flowers hung from the windowsills and birds flew down to sit in the small birdhouses near the well.
The young man walked into the small house and smiled when he saw a woman standing inside.
She looked to be around her early thirties, but in actuality was really much older. She had long jet black hair with a small streak of pure white hair hanging on her bangs, and glowing purple eyes. A plain purple dress with a black apron hung from her feminine figure. Long slim fingers with long claw like nails worked diligently as she worked on making their dinner.
"Were exactly have you been my little princeling? You were supposed to just get some wood, not play around." The woman said without looking up. The young man smiled a bit more before making his way over to the chest nearby and placing three full stacks of small wooden blocks into it. Then he walked over to the woman and placed a small bag of apples onto the table near her.
"I did just as you told me too. I just thought that I could stick around and wait for the apples to fall. I know how much you like them." He said happily. The woman smiled a little before cleaning off her hands and picking up an apple from the bag. She gave one to the young man before happily eating her own. After finishing her apple, she wiped off her hands and turned back to the food.
"Well, I appreciate it, but you need to be careful about when you come back home. Its almost sunset already." She said.
"I can take care of myself though. Those monsters don't stand a chance against me." The young man said with a brave voice and a heroic pose. The woman smiled, giving him a light shove that made him lose his balance.
"I'm not worried about that. I just don't want you to be late for dinner." She said as she served them both some mushroom soup. The young man laughed and joined her at the table to eat. The woman smiled in a sad sort of way before eating her food.
After they finished their dinner and washed the bowls that they used, they both said good night and went to sleep.
The next morning, the young man woke up to find the woman waiting for him by the door. She was holding a bag filled with supplies and a sword in a nice light brown leather sheath. She looked at him with sad smile as he looked back with confusion and worry.
"Martyn, my little prince, it is time for you to leave." She said solemnly.
"What? Leave? Why? Why do I have to leave, and why aren't you coming with me?" He asked in a slight panic. The woman put a gentle hand to his cheek and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Its time for you to go on your own now. My time protecting you is over. Now, you must go and find your destiny. I know its scary, and I know that your probably confused, but you need to do this. You need to go and make a life for yourself. So, its time for you to go into the world and leave this forest, and me, behind." She said. Martyn looked down as he took in what she said. Then he smiled took the bag and sword from the woman that had raised him.
"Alright, I suppose that your right. I'll go and I'll be an adventurer, just like I used to say I would. But, I will come back eventually. This isn't good bye forever. Just for now...Right?" He said uncertainly. She smiled back at him and gave him a hug.
"Of course my princeling. We will see each other again. And by then, you will be the greatest adventurer in this world." She said, releasing him. Martyn smiled as he started to leave. He waved at the woman he thought of as his mother, and she waved back as he walked into the forest. She watched him until she couldn't see him anymore before going back into the house. After that, the clearing, and everything in it, disappeared without a trace.
Martyn Littlewood, the missing prince of the sapling kingdom, walked through the forest with growing determination.
He would go out and discover his destiny.
He would become the best adventurer in existence.
That much, he was certain of.
