On a meadow blanketed in white lilies, two children chased each other in playful abandon. The early morning breeze swept gently across the field, lifting pale petals into the air like flurries of butterfly wings, painting a scene so dreamlike it could have stepped out of a fairytale.
The little girl wore a lavish gown, her fiery red hair braided neatly, framing her round, porcelain cheeks with an air of nobility.
Trailing behind her, a little boy scrambled through the wildflowers, his clothes tattered and stained, far too big for his frail frame. His sun-darkened skin bore the evidence of hardship — faint bruises, angry welts, and faded traces of fresh injuries.
Their laughter rang out, echoing through the empty field as if the rest of the world had been left behind, and all that remained were two wandering souls cloistered in their own secret kingdom.
"Your Highness, please stop running." The boy called out, panting heavily, hands braced on his knees.
