Amir woke up early. The air was cold, and the birds were just starting to sing. Nikoloas was still asleep, wrapped in an old blanket. Amir stepped outside quietly and started walking back to the palace.
By the time he got there, the sun was already up. He entered through the side gate and passed the garden. That's when he heard someone call his name.
"Amir!"
It was Callista. She ran toward him, with love in her eyes . "Where have you been? I've been searching for you!"
Amir smiled and gave her a hug. "I went looking for Nikoloas. I want to learn how to fight… so I can protect you."
Callista's face smiled. "That's very thoughtful, my warrior. But first, help me with the planting."
They went into the garden, knelt together, planting small grains into the soil. Amir's hands were in the dirt, but his eyes were on her. She smiled, brushing her hair from her face, and he felt his heart beating faster than it should. She looked at him too, longer than she needed to. Something had changed between them. They had fallen in love, even if they hadn't said it yet.
"There's a play tonight in the city," Amir said. "I'd like to take you."
She didn't even wait. "Yes," she said, smiling.
Then she looked at him. "So tell me… why do you want to see my father?"
"I need his permission to train with Nikoloas," Amir said.
"May the gods guide your tongue." she replied.
Just then, one of the guards walked by. "The king is in the throne room," he said.
Amir stood up and gently took her hand. "I'll see you tonight, Callista."
He brushed her hair back softly. She melted inside, but covered it up with a smile.
Amir walked straight to the throne room.
The king looked up as he entered. "Amir, what brings you here so early?"
"I want to train, Your Majesty. With Nikoloas. I want to become a warrior. I want to kill that snake that lies beneath the well.
The king's face changed. "No. It's too dangerous. The well is cursed. No one goes near it. You're my son now, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
"I understand," Amir said. "But I'll be more useful to you if I can fight. I want to defend this land, just like my grandfather did. I can't hide in safety while others bleed."
The king looked at him long and hard. He saw the fire in Amir's eyes. He saw the courage. And he remembered the stories of the Splasher, Amir's grandfather.
Finally, the king sighed.
"You may train as a warrior. But promise me one thing, don't go near that well."
Amir nodded. "I promise."
But in his heart, he knew, he was going.
Amir stepped out of the throne room. He was determined and ready for what lay ahead. Behind him, the king stayed quiet for a while, watching the doors close. Then he looked down and smiled to himself.
"This... is the son I should have had," he whispered. "But thank the gods, he's mine now."
Amir walked back to his chambers. His sword, the Splasher, was still on his back. The servants bowed as he passed. Inside, he took off his dusty clothes, washed his face and arms, and looked at himself in the polished bronze mirror. He wasn't the same boy anymore. There was something stronger in his eyes now.
A servant came in with a tray, meat, bread, and grapes. "For you, my prince," she said softly and placed it down.
"Thank you," Amir replied and sat down to eat. He didn't eat much though. His thoughts had taken him far. Tonight, he'd be with Callista again. The thought alone made him not hungry.
Evening came.
He stood by the large mirror again, now dressed in clean royal robes. Simple but sharp. A leather belt around his waist, and the Splasher rested gently on his back. He looked like a warrior prince. But inside, he was still just a boy in love.
Callista walked into the room. She wore a soft white dress with golden earrings shining in the fading sunlight. Amir stood there unable to take his eyes off her.
"What's wrong?" she asked, walking closer.
"I can't breathe," he said, eyes wide.
She laughed. "Why not?"
"I just saw a goddess of love," he said without thinking.
She blushed, covering her mouth. "You flatter me too much."
"No," he said, shaking his head. "Not enough."
They sneaked out of the palace through a quiet gate and headed to the theater. The roads were full of life, fire torches lighting the streets, people laughed loud, and the smell of roasted lamb in the air. They reached the open-air theatre where a crowd had gathered.
The play was one of the famous ones. "The Heart of Athena." It told the tale of how Athena, the goddess of wisdom, fell in love with Zeus, the king of the gods, but had to keep her love hidden because gods were not allowed to feel such deep emotions.
As the actors played their parts, Amir didn't watch the stage. His eyes were on Callista. Her face shoned by the firelight, her lips soft and smooth as she watched. Her beauty was more powerful than the story itself. She turned suddenly and caught him staring.
They loooked into each others eyes.
She leaned closer.
Their lips met, slow, soft, like it was something they both wanted for a long time. The kiss was gentle but full of something deep. Amir's hand found hers. Her fingers held him like they'd known each other for years. When they finally pulled away, they didn't speak. They didn't need to.
After the play, they walked back slowly under the stars. The night was calm. The city quiet now. At the palace, they sat in the garden of flowers where it smelled very nice. Callista leaned back on the grass, and Amir lay beside her.
"I've been learning about philosophy," she said softly.
He turned to her. "What's that?"
"Thinking," she said with a smile. "About why things are the way they are. Why people rule. Why others follow. I'm learning about democracy too, when people rule themselves. No kings, no queens. Just people voting together."
"Sounds strange," Amir said, thinking.
"It's beautiful," she replied. "You'd understand it more if you studied it with me."
"I'll try," he said, smiling. "Being with you, I'll learn anything."
She looked at him with the talking eyes.
That night, under the moonlight, the prince and the princess didn't say much. They just lay there, holding hands, feeling calm, and looking into each other's eyes as the wind blew through the king's garden. Something was growing between them, strong, real, and unstoppable.
And meanwhile, far away in the dark lands where the cursed well stood, something else was waking up too.