Chapter 4:

~Fine's POV~

Eyes open wide, I finally recalled that time from the depths of my heart…

There I was, sitting on the curb in the town of the Sunny Kingdom. I was 4 years old at the time. Mother, Queen Elsa, came out of the dress shop and took my hand, leading me back to the palace.

I spied a pastry shop and without another thought let go of Mother's hand and ran across the road. I stopped in front of the store door. I needed Mother if I was going to be able to buy any cakes, so I turned back around with a smile on my face…and froze in place.

My smile disappeared. The streets and houses and Mother and everything else was gone, too. Just an endless, pitch black all around, surrounding me until I felt like choking.

I crouched down, put my head in my arms, and cried. I didn't notice a bright light moving towards me until it was really up close. I looked up and saw a 5-year-old boy standing above me, offering me his hand. I took it, and he led me into the light.

On the other side I entered a world so strange I couldn't help but stare. The boy, who I saw wore a crown (he was a prince, it seemed), gave me a tour of "his kingdom." So he was a prince.

He offered me a handkerchief to dry my tears. I took it gratefully and wiped my eyes, putting on the bravest smile I could.

"Don't worry about getting back," He, whose name was Akihiko, said. "I'll make sure you'll get back safe and sound."

I smiled at him, muttering a "Thank you." I was worrying less and less. I felt safe with him.

"Not right now, though. The Star isn't strong enough yet to support transportation whenever we like to. You'll have to stay here awhile."

"It's ok!"

Aki took me to all his favorite places in the town, one of them luckily being a pastry shop with the best cakes I'd ever tasted! Yum!

I liked Aki more and more. During my week there, he fixed up a room for me in the palace, took me every day to the pastry shop, defended me against some mean bullies (they teased me before they knew I was friends with the prince), and just simply made me feel welcome in his home.

He held my hand all the time so I wouldn't be afraid. We played and played. So I was sad when the Star was ready and I had to go home.

Aki looked into my eyes and said, "Don't worry; we'll be able to play together again someday!"

Whenever he said "don't worry", I never worried.

In a flash—literally—I was back in the Sunny Kingdom, back in the palace, with Mother and Father watching Rein and I eat our dinner. Then I went off to play. It seemed like nothing had happened. And in a way, it didn't. None of us remembered a thing about the event.