Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Four-year-old Drayce was known as a little devil within the Queen's residence. He was an energetic boy who could run around all day long, exhausting not only the servants following him but also the knights tasked to guard him.

Looking away from him for a split second was a mistake they painfully learned watching the little prince grow up, as the prince had a penchant of disappearing from their sight afterwards, running off towards who knows where.

After searching for Drayce who's missing from his chamber, they once discovered him sneaking inside the kitchen, wanting to bake cookies for his mother. Other times, they would find him outside in the gardens, covered with mud, because he wanted to catch grasshoppers to give to his nanny, or flowers to give to the servants. There was also a time he would spill ink on the carpet, saying he wanted to draw a picture of his family on the floor and show it off to his parents because he missed them.

People would wonder how such a small kid could pull off such sweet yet naughty antics so consistently, he had been causing massive headaches to the servants cleaning around him.

Though he was but a toddler, Drayce was a smart yet charming boy, causing his nanny and the Queen's servants unable to scold him, and only the Queen herself dared discipline him as she was the only one immune to his adorable pouting face.

On this day, Drayce was in the common garden of the King's and the Queen's residence. It was in the middle of summer, and the large trees were heavy with fruits.

Little Drayce was wandering in the garden with the servants while his mother was busy handling her work in the royal harem. His assigned nanny, Lady Saira, was among those following him. She was originally one of Esther's ladies-in-waiting but was given the responsibility to handle Little Drayce as other than his mother, only Lady Saira knew how to handle this little devil.

"Saira, I want those berries," Little Drayce said as he stopped in front of one of the berry trees that had bunches of tiny red fruits. His twinkling red eyes were fixed at a particular bunch of juicy-looking berries. He pointed at it. "Those berries! I want those berries!"

Lady Saira observed those at that bunch of berries that were positioned quite high in the tree. It looked impossible for her or the other two female servants with them to reach them.

"Your Highness, it's too high to get them. How about I ask the servants to bring some for you from the palace kitchen?"

"No! I want only those!" Little Drayce folded his hands in front of his chest and stood there with his cheeks puffed up and lips in a pout, as if saying he would not budge from there.

Lady Saira kneeled in front of him and smiled looking at that sweet cute face. "Oh, is Your Highness angry?"

He didn't budge and turned to look the other way.

"Fine! Fine! I'll ask the gardener to get a ladder so he can get it for you. Can you wait, Your Highness?"

"Can't you get them instead?" he asked.

"I am afraid that I can't, Your Highness. It's too high up there."

"But I want it right now," he said and didn't budge.

Lady Saira didn't know whether she should laugh or cry. "Your Highness…"

"No. I don't want the gardener to get them! If it's not Saira, then I don't want—"

He was interrupted by a sudden 'whoosh' sound, and before they knew it, a number of berries fell on the grassy ground.

The two looked at what fell and realized those were the bunch of berries Drayce wanted.

"Who goes there?" Lady Saira turned to look at the newcomers and saw an expressionless man with dark eyes and brown hair being escorted by a knight. "Your Majesty?" She hurriedly bowed in his direction.

It was King Theron who seemed to be returning to his residence, and he was carrying a bow in his hand with Sir Galien standing next to him with a bag of arrows.

The two were going back to the residence when they heard noise from the garden, hearing the Second Prince asking for the berries.

King Theron looked at the tree and said, "Galien, give me my bow and an arrow."

The King had just returned from the opening ceremony of an annually held royal hunt, and his servants were still carrying his equipment. Sir Galien gestured for one of the servants to bring him the King's bow and a set of arrows and handed them to the King.

Without hesitation, King Theron aimed at the berries his son wanted and they fell to the ground.

Sir Galien was not surprised by the King's skills as he knew his king was not only good with the sword, but he was also talented in archery. Since he learned it from young, he had never missed any target.

King Theron handed back that bow and arrow to Sir Galien.

"That was a nice shot, Your Majesty."

"My sons should get everything they ask for," King Theron said and upon seeing how happy Drayce was to see those berries, he turned to leave.

He was only able to take a few steps when he heard the voice of a kid calling out to him.

"Father!"

"Your Highness, you mustn't—" But the nanny was unable to stop the prince.

"Father, wait!"

King Theron turned and saw the little boy running towards him with the brightest expression on his chubby face. That was Drayce who was happily approaching him after realizing that his father was the one who got those berries for him.

Though King Theron chose to not interact with his sons, they grew up listening to the stories and feats of their heroic father. In their eyes, King Theron was their idol, the strongest and most amazing man in the world.

"Your Highness, Please be careful," Lady Saira said as she hurried behind him while holding her long floor-length skirt.

King Theron saw how recklessly the four-year-old boy was running toward him without looking at the ground.

'He'll hurt himself like this.'

He sighed and walked towards the little prince, thinking that by doing so the boy would stop running. However, his actions triggered the boy who's thirsty for fatherly love to run even faster.

"Father!"

Given his age, Drayce had started learning basic royal etiquette. He knew that upon meeting the King, he should first bow before him as a greeting. That was why when he neared King Theron, he wanted to stop himself and proudly show his father the things he learned in class.

Sadly, when he tried to stop, his foot was caught by his other foot, causing him to stumble forward. King Theron held him in time and scooped him into his arms before he could fall on the ground and hurt himself.

Drayce, who thought he would fall face first on the grass, suddenly found himself in the warmest and strongest embrace he could remember. Startled, he stared at the familiar face of the man carrying him.