The Monarchs' Children

“The Monarchs’ Children” is a short story about three siblings: an adventurer, a scholar, and an entertainer. The King and Queen, desperate for one of their children to prove themselves able to run the kingdom someday, cast a spell on their son and daughters. The three must remain together to defeat a monster that has terrorized a nearby town. One may not go without the others, and none could stay and leave their siblings behind.

Read the full short story here and see a snippet below.

Once upon a time…

There were three children of a powerful and fair king and queen.

The three children, having grown up in the same house by the same parentage, were very similar in many ways. They each had a magnificent capacity for kindness and very much sought the approval of others. They even looked alike, though each was a bit unique. The oldest was the tallest, had the darkest hair and eyes and carried himself with the utmost professionalism. The middle child was not as tall as her brother, had hair just a few shades lighter, and had brighter eyes that were constantly looking out at the world. The youngest had fair brown hair, bright almost blue eyes, and was the smallest of the three. She walked with unabashed confidence.

The eldest child, the only prince of the kingdom, fancied himself an adventurer. He loved tools and weapons and swords, and spent many days of his boyhood perfecting his skills with each. As a young man, the son met a fair maiden and shortly thereafter took off with her on journey after journey to far away lands. They traveled overseas, into the depths of forests, and to new cities. He went on great quests in these new lands but never spent long with each adventure. Everywhere he went, he protected those in need.

The second child was a princess with a vast imagination. She had skill with the quill and a sharp mind. Although she never left her kingdom, her mind took her to extraordinary places. She was quiet and polite and tried to please all of those she met.

Finally, the youngest child was the most energetic, outspoken, and beautiful of the three. She brought a certain grace and athleticism to everything she did, and she commanded the attention of everyone in the kingdom. She loved fine and fancy items and was good at finding ways to acquire them. Those nearest to her found her enchanting and sweet, and she always traveled with a close group of companions.