FIDGET, BATRISHAN PRINCE OF DARKNESS
Fidget Gets Recognized
Two years after the Royal Party
Two years had passed now since the Royal Party and Fidget was still having a joyful childhood. The only difference was that now, he spent more time outside of his family's mansion and played with other children, who liked the selfless young Batrishan very much. He also socialized with older people in Aldorada, who were amazed by the fact that they were speaking to the last member of an altruistic society that had brought sciences and arts to the world. Despite his modest behavior, Fitzgerald Denada Cortés had become quite famous throughout the country while he wasn't even four- years-old.
But the fame was only going to increase by his 4th birthday.
It was on the 21st of August 1761, which was also the day of St Fitzgerald, the day when Hernan and Geneva had adopted Fidget at St Alejandro's Chapel. Of course, they didn't know back then that his actual birthday was on the 14th, the same day when an annular eclipse covered the Enchanted Forest with dark, ominous lights for an entire day. To think that the last Batrishan was born on a day much darker than the winter solstice itself.
Back to the year 1761. Since Pablo and Isabella were best friends with Fidget (though it was pretty obvious that Isabella was crushing on Fidget) and hung out with him more than he did with any other Aldoradian boy or girl, Queen Florencia decided to host a birthday party just for the young Batrishan where everybody (aristocrats, commoner, adult, and child) was invited. It practically became a new national holiday for everybody in Aldorada.
"Thank you very much for hosting the party, Your Majesty," Fidget said bashfully to Florencia during the party. "You shouldn't have."
"Nonsense," Florencia laughed in a heartfelt way. "You deserved it. Why don't go you join Pablo and Isabella? They are waiting for you in the courtyard."
Fidget smiled and left to the courtyard where the royal children and a few common or aristocratic children waited for him. Florencia watched from the terrace as the small things played heroes coming back from battle.
"I don't know how to thank you for hosting this party in my son's honor," Hernan's voice said. Florencia turned to see the commander stand next to her in order to watch the children play too.
"It won't be necessary, Hernan," the Queen said with a warm smile. "Your son's a good person, Hernan; you should be proud of him."
"I am. That's…also one of the reasons I wanted to speak with you. You see, my wife Geneva and I are considering applying Fitzgerald at Aldorada's Military Academy."
Florencia's jaw dropped. Aldorada's Military Academy was thee finest military school in the entire kingdom. Children, boy or girl, who wanted to serve in the nation's military, began learning the basic fighting skills, strategic analysis, and warfare resources at a young age before entering the military at the age of 18. Hernan had been to the academy the same way his paternal ancestors did, following a legacy of remarkable military leaders. Queen Florencia liked the idea of Fidget attending the Academy. After all, he was the adoptive son of Hernan Denada Cortés.
"It sounds like a wonderful idea, Hernan," she said. "I'm sure Fidget will do great in the academy."
"I'm glad you like that…" Hernan stopped himself when he saw something in the gardens that made him chuckle. "My, will you look at that, Your Highness."
Florencia looked at the scene that made Hernan chuckled and gave the same reaction. The children in the courtyard were now beginning a game of hide-and-seek. As they dispersed into the gardens in order to find a good hiding spot, Princess Isabella was seen pulling Fitzgerald by the arm and leading him through a pathway in the royal labyrinth.
"Young love," the queen and commander sighed in unison.
Time skip
"I trust that I'll find him here?"
Señor De La Espada was Aldorada's Military Academy's finest professor. Every single youngster he had taught during the forty-five years of his entire career had become prominent soldiers for his beloved country's armed forces. He was the one who taught Hernan Denada Cortés, who was probably the best student he ever had even after teaching the commander's father.
But today, a dark green hooded woman led De La Espada as they travelled through the green pathways of the royal maze, away from the partying crowds. At first, De La Espada was uninterested when she came to his front door (he was a bit wary of foreigners due to the fear of accidently exposing his country's secrets to spies and strangers), but when the woman used a knife to slightly cut her right palm and golden blood leaked out of the injury, the mortal teacher realized that he was addressing a goddess.
"We'll find the child there," the goddess pointed at a small entrance. De La Espada frowned but shrugged it off before following her and observing from the shadows the scene that laid before them.
It was a small garden, which turned out to be a secret garden, since De La Espada had been to every single spot in the royal gardens and he'd never seen such a lovely hideout, with only a large oak tree with a big, red-green canopy, and a diversity of flowers ranging from regal ones like roses and lilies to plain flowers like buglosses, dayflowers, and bellflowers. A simple swing was hanging from one of the oak's thickest branches and Princess Isabella was swinging back and forth on it as Fitzgerald Denada Cortés admired the flowers.
"I like to come here a lot," Isabella said in a dreamy tone. "It's my personal quiet spot. Even my brother doesn't know about it. But you can come here whenever you like, Fidget."
"Thank you, Isabella." The small Batrishan picked a purple lilac and offered it to the princess. "For you, milady." Isabella gracefully got off the swing and smiled at Fidget as he offered her the flower.
"Why, thank you, my charming soldier!" The princess gave a curtsy as she took the lilac. Fidget gave a gentlemanly curtsy but got distracted when the four-year-old princess gave him a quick peck on the cheek, causing the Batrishan to blush in a tone redder than the roses in the oasis.
"Isabella!" Fidget scolded gently. "You weren't being fair!"
The princess giggled as if it were nothing. She twirled on the flowery beds as she placed the lilac in her hair. "I love lilacs. They're the same color that you're wearing."
The Batrishan looked down at his clothes. Although it was true that he did where the Aldorada's representative colors, black and purple, quite a lot, while he was out in public, he did also mostly wear purple at home. He never really understood why, but he never bothered asking about it. He was completely comfortable at wearing mostly purple clothing.
"I guess so. I never really considered it," Fidget chuckled.
Isabella picked more lilacs and held them in her hands in a bridal style. "When we get married, I'm gonna wear a white dress with purple laces and I'm gonna carry a lilac bouquet like this one." She then threw the bouquet in the air. Fidget looked in awe at the lilac rain until Isabella grabbed his hands and pulled him into a playful dance. "We'll be dancing under the stars and we'll go on adventures and have so many children and live happily ever after."
De La Espada and the hooded goddess didn't see the rest because the latter pulled the former away from the innocent scene and they discussed as they walked back through the pathways.
"I saw what you wanted to show me," De La Espada said.
"I'm listening," the goddess didn't budge.
"The spark. I saw the spark that usually leads a promising person to a successful hero. That spark is something that I don't see very often among my students. But this Batrishan had it. And if he could learn how to use it as a primary motivation, then he will become the greatest Aldoradian hero history will have ever known."
"I'm glad to see that you are seeing things through the divine way," the goddess smiled.
De La Espada smiled back and bowed before her. "I thank you again, milady. If you'll excuse me, I must find Hernan Denada Cortés and tell him I want to have his son as my pupil at Aldorada's Military Academy!" He started heading away but stopped himself. "You know, it was rather adorable that scene between him and the princess. She made a good reference on the color purple, for it depicts nobility, dignity, and romance." He officially left, leaving the goddess alone enough to pull of her hood, revealing herself as Kaïra.
"As much as I agree with the idea of the young Fidget becoming a great hero, the chances of that happening are slim. For his father is the Evil One, and the chances of Fidget becoming a villain are high," Kaïra sighed sadly. "And the darker the Batrishan's soul becomes, so does his purple color. For purple also depicts power, ambition, mystery, gloom, sadness, frustration, and magic."