The Secret Prince: The Story of Galen Nightwater

Commonalities

In the week that it took the Harvest Festival to arrive, Galen and Jade had become friends, just as he had predicted. After Jade got over her shyness, Galen found that she was actually very smart and more mature than her age. She was not a typical nine year old girl. She was more steady; more thoughtful, and very observant. She lived with her aunt, named Mary, who was a short but firey woman. She was a wonderful cook and she loved her niece dearly. Galen had the pleasure of meeting her the very day he rescued Jade from the bullies, and Aunt Mary was extremely grateful for his gallantry. Galen had also taken Jade to meet Marcus, because after all if they were to be friends they would have to get to know one another's families. However small they might be. Galen knew that Marcus was not a man of emotion, but even he could tell that Marcus liked Jade. His eyes softened slightly when she was around, and his usually harsh voice gentled in her presence. 

In truth, Marcus was very proud of Galen. When Galen had come home that day telling him that he had saved a little girl named Jade from some cruel children, Marcus felt a swell of pride. It was a feeling every man wanted to feel about his boy, that he had raised him well, and that the boy was growing up to be a fine man. There is nothing more an man could ask for really. But Marcus not being a sentimental type had not let his feelings be known to Galen, well, at least not in an obvious way. But Galen knew. His guardian had a twinkle in his eye and his face had lightened and shone with a little more kindness than usual. 

Like Galen, Jade was also looking forward to the Harvest Festival this year. It was a first because in previous years, she had not looked forward to much of anything that required social interaction with other people. Children mocked her, and while the grown-up were astute enough to not to mention her scar openly, she could see that it put most of them off. But this year everything changed. Galen had boosted her with more confidence and she was not as concerned about what people thought of her as she used to be, so long as he was around. It was strange, she thought, that she had only known him for one week at yet, he had understood her better than anyone besides her Aunt Mary. It was nice to have a friend. She had found  out that Galen, like her, did not have a mother and father, but that Marcus was his guardian. He had told her that while Marcus may not have been the most gentle of souls, he did care for him a great deal. And when Jade actually met Marcus, she could see it. Although Galen told her that Marcus was positively cheerful when she was around. She had laughed at that. She could not see it, but Galen knew the man better after all, so she took his word for it. 

She was excited to see him today. It was Saturday and they could do whatever they wanted. She was a little nervous as well because she had never had a friend before and so she didn't know what to expect. On school days he would walk her either to her house, his house, or the bakery. They would talk and play a little then it would be time to go home. They had never had the whole day to themselves. What would they do? What if he finally realized that she was boring and decided not to play with her anymore? More anxiety swirled in her stomach at the thought of the terrible possibilities. What would she do if he deserted her? She tried to think back to times when she had been on her own. She remembered reading a great deal. She would sit in the little book shop for hours and pour over the stories. She would imagine what it would be like to be the heroine instead of the damsel. She had had enough of being the damsel in distress, she wanted to be the hero for once. Sometimes she would come out of the library feeling confident and uplifted as if she could move mountains, but then another child would stare at her and laugh or an adult gave her a pitying look as she walked by herself. And she would remember. Hero's don't get made fun of or stared at because they have scars. Hero's prevent people from getting scars. Her dreams would be crushed and would go home, lock herself in her room, and cry. But Galen had made her feel like she belonged somewhere. He was older and obviously more liked than she was and she felt special that he had chosen her to be his friend. He made her forget she had a scar. 

She was deep in thought, when she heard a voice. 

"Your face might freeze that way if you keep frowning that way." He jested. He knew it was a little insensitive, seeing as how she was already very conscious of her face, but he didn't want to make her feel like she had to be ashamed of the way she looked. Honestly the more he got to know her, he didn't even see the scar.

She started and looked around. He was standing right in front of her smiling slightly. She didn't know what to say so she just smiled and hoped that she didn't look to relieved that he had actually showed up. She had had expected him not too. 

"That's better!" He said  seeing her smile, "after all it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile." 

"Really?" She asked and wondered where had learned that. 

"Sure. I read it in a book. It must be true." He half shrugged. He watched her eyes light up. 

"You like books?" She asked eagerly. Oh she hoped he did! Then she would have something to talk about! 

"Of course I do! I think books are great, you can just get lost in them and forget everything." 

She beamed. He had explained her love of books exactly. "Let's go to the book shop! You can tell me which book you learned the frowny fact from." She jumped up now eager to spend the day with a friend.

"Ok but you have to tell me every book you've ever read. I want to know if you have been reading good stuff. And by good stuff I mean everything I like." He said pointing to himself in an elevated manner. 

Jade laughed. "It might take me a long time to tell you everything I've read. It's quite a long list." 

"Well then we better get going, we've got all day." He said, as they made their way to the book shop talking excitedly.