A Prince's Promise Chapter 1: Forest of Secrets

By Ali'yah, Grade 8

A loud clatter of metal falling to the floor awoke a young hedgehog with snow-white quills, and golden eyes suddenly shining bright with fear. He sat up and addressed the darkness around him, "Who's there? Cream? Cream, is that you? You better not be playing in my room again!" In the shadows, a figure stood and shushed him. "Did you just shush me?!" "Shh!" "Listen here! You will not tell your Prince what to do!" The figure jumped onto his body, pinning him down to his bed. Glowing red eyes began to stare deep into his seas of gold. "You're not MY prince." A low, menacing voice rumbled like thunder deep inside the intruder’s chest. The brightly colored prince screamed with fear, "Guards! Guards! There's someone in my room! Help!" The intruder cursed under his breath and jumped out the window from once he came. Guards poured into the room, yelling for proper defense positions as they circled the prince "Your highness! Are you alright sir?" Cried one of the guards. "He jumped out the window!" A guard named Knuckles looked everywhere someone could be hiding but found no one, "T'was just a nightmare your majesty. You should try and get some sleep." "But, he was here! I'm sure of it! He restrained me after knocking over my armor!" It was the captain of the royal guard Espio, who in a desperate attempt, tried to soothe the prince's anxiety this time, "Your window is open sir. It was probably a bird that caused your armor to fall, and you weren't fully awake, so it must have felt as if you were being restrained. There's a logical explanation for this situati-” "I KNOW WHAT I SAW ESPIO!” The prince interrupted, “IF YOU WON'T FIND THE INTRUDER, LEAVE!" Shocked, they all bowed respectively and exited the room to leave Silver alone with his thoughts.

A hooded figure crawled back into the window that had been open all night. "I see you've been out again, Prince Shadow." An attractive female bat said in her usual sultry voice. A low sigh came from the Prince as he hung his robe on a hook near the door. "What do you want Rouge?" "Believe it or not, I want to help you, dummy. Which is why I did it." "Did what?" The door opened behind him, "SHADOW!" The angry voice of his father boomed louder than ever, making Shadow flinch slightly and turn around, "Yes father?" "See me in my study. NOW!" In the study, the king gave his son the same lecher he's said dozens of times before. "A true Prince does NOT run around stealing for fun, and getting himself into trouble on the matter of boredom! You need to learn how to be a proper prince before you can rule as king!" "And what if I do not wish to be king father?!” Shadow retorted. “Why does this responsibility have to fall on me?! I'm not even the firstborn of the royal family! Let Blaze rule the kingdom I do not desire!" The room suddenly came to an awkward silence, as if one of them had been shot. A sigh finally came from the king, "You have your Mother's fighting spirit, I'll give you that. But you must rule because your sister has rejected all her suitors, and I fear she'll never accept her responsibilities, so I will NOT tolerate having TWO rebellious children. The kingdom must continue. Go to bed Shadow, you're still only 14. I shouldn't have to lecture you like this. Now go on. You'll need to sleep so you can focus on your studies tomorrow." "Yes, father." Was all Shadow could choke out.

Trying to forget the events of that morning, Silver acquired permission to ride on horseback in the woods from noon until sundown. Alone. However, he was required to carry with him a sword, a polished royal shield, and an unrusted pair of fine chainmail armor for protection. "You are only 14 after all." His mother worried aloud. Respectively, Silver thanked his parents and rode off. After about one hour's time, he and his horse reached a beautiful clearing, where birds were chirping, flowers were blooming beautifully everywhere, and the sun was shining off the cute little river, of which fish were jumping in and out from. “This looks like the perfect place to rest eh', Phobos?" Silver said, addressing his horse, who decided to neigh, evidently in agreement. Silver unmounted and took off Phobos' settle and bridal, "Now don't wander off. I think I'll see what kind of berries those are." He said, eyeing a patch of razzleberry bushes. Silver had a good 15 minutes to be calm, and let the serenity of the place he found wash his worries away until a raven started pecking at his horse. "Hey! Leave Phobos alone!"Silver scolded. He started throwing rocks at the raven, trying to shoo it away. Suddenly, an arrow fired, grazing Silver's ear and planting itself into a tree in front of him. Silver twisted around to see the same red eyes from that same morning staring at him from inside the bushes, "Why are you harming my raven?" The voice growled lowly. Silver stepped back and drew his sword and shield, "You! What were you doing in my room this morning!? Who even are you!?" The figure stood and appeared to still be staring at Silver. Of course, though, it was only a hunch, as his hood masked his identity. He whistled towards the raven, and then it glided to him and landed on his wrist. "A little far from home eh' Prince of Starlight?" The figure snickered, "What are you talking about?!"Silver stammered, almost tripping from his own fear "The symbol on your shield. The Starlight symbol, and the chainmail. It's far too fine and expensive for you to not be royalty." Silver was beginning to be agitated; whoever this guy was, he certainly wasn't very good at answering questions. "That's not what I meant! I mean, what were you talking about when you said I was far from home? I'm only a few miles from the palace." "Didn't your father ever tell you which way the kingdom of Crimson Blood was? Or who there Prince was?" The masked figure asked, taking off his mask to reveal himself as Prince Shadow. A gasp escaped from Silver's lips, "Why was the Prince of Crimson Blood in my room?" He thought aloud. Shadow, came over and sat on a stone near the river, putting some birdfeed on the ground for his raven, "Dodging arrows. I don't comply with the regal life, my rebellious streak has gotten me into trouble countless times. Last night it just pushed me up a tower of an enemy kingdom, and into the open window at the top." "Why would you share that with the Prince of the said enemy kingdom then? Surely it would be easy for me to tell my father and start a war." Shadow looked Silver dead in the eyes and replied with, "Your easy to read. I know the term 'Violence isn't the answer' is one you live by." Silver sat down uneasily next to the other Prince, "So instead of enemy's... can we be friends? The two of us?" Shadow looked into the river and took a deep breath. "I suppose." Silver smiled, "I'm glad." Silver was relaxed now, a new friend made and a quiet place to rest found, and a bright future ahead was all he could see.