I watched him from afar as he wandered aimlessly through the dark wood. He appeared to be so conflicted based upon his posture.
I decided to bring him some comfort as he approached my river. He was a handsome young thing and I could not help myself.
I grabbed his hand.
I did not mean to startle him! Something was off though. Since I was always able to tell when something was plaguing others, I was compelled to reach for him.
I was about to reveal myself to him when I heard a rustling in the trees. Something big was coming, so I sank back into the waters.
That’s when I saw it! One of the Princes of Telyssia in their wolven form. Everyone knew what they looked like, they paraded themselves so much around the realm. But, oh, what a sight to behold! So large and strong. Fur the hue of imperial blue and razor-sharp ears. Blood-red paws with claws that could cut the bark from any tree in one fell swoop.
But wait, something was wrong. The man took off and the beasts followed him.
I tried to track their movements as they chased my almost-friend deeper and deeper into the thick forest. But, alas, my river did not flow in the direction the others went. Instead, I was stuck by this little hill with nothing to do.
Iris, my mother, must have noticed how dreadfully dull my day was going because as I was about to let my river carry me away, the man came back!
I was definitely surprised. He appeared so banged up and hurt. Blood was coming out of his shoulder, but he did not seem to notice.
All of a sudden his body started changing. My almost-friend wasn’t a man at all! He was a prince. The Lost Prince!
Wait until my siblings hear of this!
The naiad told all her brothers and sisters about her findings. The dryads of the forest and the meliads in their ash trees giggled at the news. They let it be carried by the wind to the leimonaiads of the numerous meadows and oreads of all the mountain ranges and their passes. It finally reached the oceanids of the Faridat Sea, and soon all of Iris’ children learned of the Lost Prince’s return home. They knew all along of his true hiding place and one day the realm would believe it too.
ns 18.68.41.147da2
