Mar 5, 2022
Prince of Sumacs stared across the frozen expanse, visibly confused. He has arrived at the foot of the golden-bricked castle, ready to heed to his diabolical father’s commands to take over the Kingdom of Orchids. Instead of seeing Old King Azalea’s men putting up a formation of resistance, he saw a single person, holding what appears to be a pet dog across his chest, blocking the way of the entire Sumac’s army.
The prince was not as brutal as his father and decided to give a chance for the lone defender to see another day. “Reveal yourself, peasant, and go home, for this war has nothing to do with you.”
“Prince of Sumacs!”, Pumpkin Spice yelled, “You didn’t think that I wouldn’t recognize you?”.
The prince winced, and his horse trotted a few steps back. Maybe he was a decoy? Sent by Azalea to lure his army into an ambush?
“Listen, I have a message for your father. Leave the Kingdom of Orchids at once and never come back. Don’t ever think about seeing Princess Orchard again!”
Upon hearing her name, the prince’s face reddened in a rage. “Charge!” He commanded as the calvary plunged forward in a stampede. Soon, Pump turned into dust…
******
“Where am I?!”, exclaimed Pump, as he woke up in a sweat.
“You had a nightmare, and quite a serious one.” Noted the witch, holding Yam on her lap as she sat across the room from Pumpkin Spice. “You see, I put a spell on you as you tried to rush into the battle against Sumac’s army. While holding Yam, no less. What were you thinking?”.
Suddenly remembering the events prior to losing his consciousness, Pump immediately leaped out of the bed and walked towards the door. “Where’s Princess Orchard? Where is the castle? Where am I?”.
“You, my friend, are in a castle alright, just not the Azalea kind. You are in the castle of the King of Sumacs!”
Pump was in such a daze that he barely had a glance at the stoic witch before blacking out again.
*****
The seed.
Princess Orchard wept, not at the sight of the impending doom befell upon her castle from Sumac’s army, but at Pump, lying lifelessly in the snow as the witch held a glowing ball of force field floating over her palms, seemingly causing Pump and Yam to drop onto the ground. She tried to charge towards the witch, but another force field held her back.
Then, as Princess Orchard saw the witch closed her eyes, she felt a stinging pulse coursing through her head. The Seed. It whispered. “You are the only person that can get close to the King of Sumacs. Use the political marriage forced upon you to your advantage, and make that king pay.” With those words, she passed out in one fell swoop.
The End