Mythical Families

Woodlands 1

In a luscious green kingdom, eighteen-year-old King Alexander is out on the veranda looking at a gorgeous view of his domain. His short brown hair moving with the breeze. His maroon attire draped down his body casually. Green eyes staring at the morning sun illuminating the town and countryside. Inhaling and exhaling the fresh air, he went into the castle to find his brother. Not surprisingly, he found him in the castle's library.

Seventeen-year-old Prince Philip is reading a book intensely with his brown eyes. His green attire prim and proper. His short brown hair is combed and slicked back to perfection. Feeling mischievous he wiggled his fingers and the plants near his brother stretched out like elastic and slithered towards him. When he felt the plants grab his shoulders, he screamed bloody murder.

Guards rushed upon hearing the scream. "Your majesties." They have their swords drawn. Ready to smite whoever may be a threat to the royal brothers. They paused when they see the Prince running around frantically with his hands waving around. "Get them off me! Get them off me! Ew! Ew! Ew!" As he ran with the plants attached to him, he carried the pots that houses the plants and dirt is spewing everywhere. King Alex is in the corner howling with laughter. "Your majesty?" The king looked at them and cleared his throat as he attempted to compose himself.

"My apologies. There's no danger here. You may go." They murmured among each other as they sheathed their weapons and left. His brother is clawing at the plants to remove them from his body. Chuckling, the king snapped his fingers and the plants released his brother from their vice grip.

Prince Philip breathed harshly before glaring at his brother and sovereign. "Alex. You know I hate it when you prank me like that. You're the king for goodness sakes. Act like it." Alex shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry Phil, but I couldn't resist. It's too fun and easy." Phil mumbled incoherent words as he was brushing the dirt off his clothes. "Did you just come here to belittle me or is there something else you need me for?" Alex straightened his back. "Today is a lovely day. The sun is bright, the birds are chirping, the countryside is calling. It's a great day to go out exploring. How about you and I go for a ride together? We can even go hunting if you wish." Phil bristled and his face grimaced in disgust. "You're kidding right? You know I'm not an outdoors person."

That's an understatement. For all their lives Phil always preferred to stay inside. He hates getting dirty and he isn't one for nature. And from what Alex has seen, nature doesn't care for Phil neither. Alex was the total opposite. He loves the great outdoors. Whether it's a walk, riding, hunting, or just basking underneath a tree. He loves nature. Although he isn't sure if it's his own choice, or if it's because of the curse. When he was born, Sprites cursed him out of hate for humans. His father tried to be the Sprite's ally, but they hate the way humans live and how they disregard nature. They live in the Mystic Woods not too far from where their realm is located. Rumors say the Sprites blocked the path leading to their home so the humans can't trespass on their territory.

The kingdom is safe but Alex was given abilities like a sprite. He can control plants dead or alive to do his bidding, he can grow and make the Earth plentiful as well as make the Earth bare, and he has a mischievous side that Sprites are known for being. Alex frowned with his brother's rejection. "Awe, I was hoping to spend some time together. You know, since it has been busy up till now." Phil is attempting to fix his hair. "We can just hang out in the family room. We can eat, drink, talk, maybe play some cards." Alex crossed his arms. "I don't want to stay inside. I've been trapped inside for too long. Don't you want to feel the wind in your face? Feel the thrills of being in nature." Phil groaned. "No offense bro, but I hate nature and I think the feeling's mutual." Alex rolled his eyes before saying, "As your king. I command that you join me on this ride." Phil narrowed his eyes. "Not the king card. You know I hate it almost as much as you doing pranks." Alex and Phil glared at each other in silence.

A couple of hours later, they are outside in the forest riding horses. Phil is swatting at the bugs that are flying in front of him before slapping his own neck. "Yuck." he said as he got a cloth to wipe his hand of bug guts. "What is it about nature that you love so much? It's either too hot or too cold. The humidity kills me when it rains. There's too many bugs." He's swatting more bugs flying by. "Oh, and did I mention dirt. Lots of dirt and mud that is messy. I could take three baths just to get squeaky clean again." Alex sighed as he he's riding in front. "Do you have to complain?" he asked irritably. Phil finally stopped swatting in favor of wiping the sweat off his forehead. "You convinced me to join you, but don't think I'm going to be good company. And don't use the king card on me again. It annoys me." Alex kept riding along the path. "How can you not like nature? Look at how beautiful the trees are." He said as he looked at how green and luscious the trees are. Phil rolled his eyes even though Alex can't see him doing it.

"That's because you're here. Wherever you go plants and flowers bloom and thrive. I'm used to it, since it's been like this since we were little. Even in winter you made dead sticks and twigs look good." Alex turned to glare at him. "Are you saying nature is only pretty because of my powers?" Phil winced inwardly. "No, of course not. I've heard and seen paintings of how our home was before you were born. And I can honestly say that our realm wasn't as lush as it is now." Alex turned his head back to look ahead. Phil groaned. "C'mon. You should take that as a compliment. I mean, ah!" He screamed when his horse tripped on a root and caused the both of them to fall. Luckily, the horse didn't break anything, but got up and ran away." "Wait! Come back!" He scrambled back up and ran after it when he ran into a tree branch and whacked his face. "Ow!" he screamed as he held his face painfully. Alex stopped and climbed off his horse in order to check on his brother.

"Are you alright?" he asked before Phil screamed again. "Ah! I'm bleeding! I'm going to die!" he ran ahead and kept screaming. This spooked Alex's horse and it also ran away. "Klondike!" Alex yelled but the horse is long gone. He turned around to glare at his brother and saw him running into a tree and plopping down dramatically. Alex palm faced himself. Sometime later, they were sitting on a rock in front of the river. "Ow. Ow. Ow." Phil kept whining as Alex is dabbing his face with a washcloth. "I'm being as gentle as I can, so hold still." Phil is wincing in pain. "I told you nature was out to get me, but did you listen back then or even today. No. You insist on going out to face danger." Alex scoffed. "Danger my foot. You weren't paying attention and hurt yourself. You can't blame the trees for being in your way." Phil glared at him. "For all I know you moved the trees just to punish me and ow." Alex applied more pressure to shut his brother up. "No I didn't. Sure, I love pranking you but I wouldn't go that far. There, that's all I can do for now. We'll have to get the medic to check you when we return."

He looked where they came from. "And that will be a while considering you lost your horse and spooked Klondike." Phil snorted. "Oh sure, blame the one who's injured." Alex rolled his eyes. "You know how you say you hate the king card." Phil looked at him. "I hate it when you use the injured card. You've always used injuries as an excuse. One time was a bug bite." He said as he headed to the river to collect water in his hands and drank. Phil is right behind. "I do not. And I swear I thought I had contracted a disease with that bug. Besides, it's not like I get injured on purpose or love it." he stomped his foot and the bit of mud near the water sunk his foot with a plop sound. Alex couldn't help it and laughed hysterically. Phil is blushing. "Don't laugh. This isn't funny. Get me out of here. Alex."

Once Alex calmed down, he's trying to pull Phil out of the mud. He didn't get stuck in the mud cause of his powers and he can just stand as if normal. "You're really stuck. Let me use my powers. I can lift you and the mud or something." Phil gave him a panicked look. "Don't you dare! You'll get more mud all over me, so just pull me out!" Alex snorted before grabbing onto his brother and is pulling. "How much do you weigh?" "Shut up. It's this stupid mud." they pulled and grunted forever before feeling Phil sliding up. "Thank god." Phil cried in relief before he yelped with Alex as he was freed but fell into the water. Alex emerged and spit water out of his mouth. "Alex!" he looks and sees Phil struggling in the water. "I can't swim! And the water is freezing!" Alex swam to help him. "I got you. Stop panicking." Phil is flapping around splashing all over. "Alex!" when he reached him, Phil is clinging onto him like an octopus. "Stop that. I can't swim us out with you hugging me like this." Phil is shivering. "It's not a hug. It's a survival tactic." As Alex tried prying Phil off and Phil hanging on for dear life, the current is carrying them away. "Oh god. We're going to die." Phil is crying in Alex's shoulders.

Alex gritted his teeth as he concentrated on making the trees, plants, roots, anything stretch out to them, but they are too far away. "What's that loud sound?" Alex asked. Phil looked ahead and screamed, "Waterfall!" Alex tried swimming with Phil trying to climb on top of his head when they plummeted down screaming for their lives.