“That’s the letter your father sent to you little prince,” said the nanny.

“Nana… father has been gone for a while…. will he be back soon?” The boy asked.

The sweet old lady replied, “I’m sure he will and I bet he’ll be extra proud if you are able to help with the task that comes along with this gift!”

The nanny gently handed him a box and a letter. The little boy blinked blankly, unsure. Then, remembering it was a gift from his father, he excitedly ripped it open. Inside the box was an even smaller gift about the size of a grown man’s fist or even a human heart.

“Oh what a beautiful design!” He thought, smiling wildly.

The boy carefully put the small gift on his bed and tugged the purple ribbon that sealed the box.

Lifting the lid revealed a flower bud of pure, noble white. It was brilliant and perfectly centered as if it had been smoothly delivered without a single bump on the road.

The boy quickly asked “Nana! How can I make it bloom? It’s so cool!”

“Now, now, don’t be too excited young prince, after all it’s nearly time for bed. If you promise to calm down, I’ll tell you!” The nanny playfully poked the boy’s nose.

“All right Nana,” He replied reluctantly, avoiding eye contact with his kind, middle-aged caretaker for a brief moment.

Chuckling lightly the nanny softy explained, “Alright, in order for that flower to bloom what you must do is to have a noble heart.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, I think each individual has a definition of what it means to themself. I’m sure you will be able to find what it means to you!”

“Alright.” The boy was unsure. “What does it mean to you Nana?”

“Ah, well, to me nobility means to be kind and to protect others, as your father does. Anyhow, now isn’t the time to worry about that young prince, it’s time for sleep!” She carefully placed the gift on the table beside his bed and tucked the little boy in. She then whispered lovingly,“Goodnight, sweet prince”

And so, the little boy slept… and soon came dawn.

That morning the boy woke up without needing his nanny or his attendants. He got out of bed and rushed to take the little bud out of the box. As he lifted it, he felt the small flower give a little tug and the bud magically attached to his chest. How convenient! The boy finished getting ready for the day and burst out of his room. He was giddy to find answers about what nobility could mean. So, as such, he looked for new targets to assist him in his goal.

“There!” he shouted as he ran towards one of the kingdom’s royal guards.

“Oh, My! Why, isn’t it the prince? What brings you here little one?” The guard replied warmly.

“What does it mean to be noble?”

“Well, child, I believe there is nothing more noble than being a knight! They follow a code of conduct and uphold it despite the fact it may bring them trouble. What can be more noble than that?”

Thoughtfully, the boy took in these words, not too sure what it all actually meant. “Alright! Thaaanks!” The boy’s voice trailed as he excitedly ran off leaving the guard slightly confused, but with the warmness of helping another.

The boy asked the same question to many people in the castle and their replies were curious and bewildering:

“A noble? That’s decided by birth! What a silly question.”

“I believe it means when someone strong protects the weak.”

“A noble must be one who exudes an aura of beauty!”

He looked down at the delicate flower bud. Had it shifted? Was he seeing things? Shaking off the thought, he decided to see if anyone outside the castle could tell him what being noble meant.

The prince snuck down to the kitchens where he knew the cook was too busy to notice him leaving the castle. In the village, covered in shadow, he sighed with relief. 

Suddenly, he was startled by someone calling for him. The only words he heard were “hey” and “you” before he ran. He ran and ran. He ran across roads, around buildings and eventually stopped at a dead-end alleyway (the kind his nanny told him to avoid). The prince paused to catch his breath. That was when he heard a nearby voice. He listened. Carefully.

“Yip.” A higher pitched voice.

“Yip?” The prince thought, looking up for a second.

“Yip!” The voice now sounded a little closer… No, not a little more, more like right in front of the small prince.

“WAH!’ The prince explained jumping back suddenly.

It was a little girl even younger than him.

“Yip, would you know where my mama is? Oh, unless you’re like me and also lost?”

Regaining his composure the prince replied “I’m not lost! And sorry I don’t know…”

“Alrighty, I’ll continue to search for her then,” and with one more meep she wandered off.

The prince felt a little tug at his heart. A girl half his age was wandering lost in such a dark environment. Then he thought about the flower? He had to find someone wise to discover how to make it bloom.

 “No. I must help her,” the prince whispered to himself.

 He ran towards the little girl calling out “Hey! Wait up little lady!” Once again he had a strange feeling and looked down wondering if the bud had shifted once again.

After hours of searching with the girl the prince saw the sun coming down and realized that his escapade had likely already been exposed. In slight annoyance he asked, “Little lady, how long have you been lost?”

“Yip!? I wouldn’t exactly say I’m lost, but Mama disappeared all of a sudden! It makes no sense. She’s always been in bed! My big brother gets us food, so why would she be out of bed?” Tears started forming in her eyes. “He told me to stay with her as much as I could! I love Mama very much so it was super fun to be with her. But today I haven’t seen her at all, which makes me sad.”

“Don’t be sad! What about your brother? Can we find him?”

Sniffling, the girl was distracted by this new question and with a quick “Yip!” She perked up. “My brother told me to not look for her this morning. So instead I decided to run out and look for her myself! Can you believe he would tell me that?” She finished with a small pout.

“Maybe he had a good reason.”

“Hmph”

“Anyhow, where did you look first?”

“I checked me and mama’s most favoritest spot!”

“And where was that?”

“It was where as mama said, “On the edge of the city by forest, where sun first reveals itself to those patiently waiting”” the little girl lets out an excited squeal “Ever since momma told me I took tons of time memorizing! I still couldn’t find her though...”

“Hey, don’t … Well! I guess we just have to keep on looking then don’t we?

“Yip!”

With the sky now a purple-gold dusk, the prince heard an awfully familiar voice. It was the one he had run away from earlier.

“Charlotte! There you are!” A boy who seemed to be about the prince’s age ran past the prince and hugged the girl at his side.

“I’m so, so, sorry for being harsh to you this morning. Please come home now. Stop looking for mama and just come back with me. Please.”

Shocked, Charlotte stared past her brother, tearing up once again. Blankly she let out a small “Yip” …then crackly “Yi-p” …then desperately “Yiiiiip” … and finally, futilely, “Yi….” as her voice trailed off and she began to cry into her brother’s shoulder.

The prince thought long and hard about the events unfolding in front of him. Yesterday he thought that nobility was kindness. Today he learned it could be the mighty vows of a knight or a direct birthright. Some even thought it meant being strong for the weak or exuding beauty. Yet, in front of him what he saw was even more unexplainable, even more mysterious. So, he stepped towards the two.

Slowly Charlotte’s eyes began to dry, and with authority in his voice the prince declared. “I am the crown prince Leonidas. State your names.”

The young girl, taken aback by the sudden command, hid behind her brother and squeaked “Charlotte!” while the older brother faced the prince in awe and muttered “Voland.”

Leonidus smiled. “Let’s be friends Charlotte and Voland!” And with a bright flash, the noble, pure white bud on his chest bloomed.

Read more about Charlotte and Voland’s story.

Youth

DoDEA

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