"Mom," complained Gracia, Amelia's older sister: "Amelia's climbing on the fountain."
"That's just what she needs," replied her father. "Exercise to get her strong and coordinated. My little princesses can't fight injustice if they're always falling over themselves," the Prince added with a hearty laugh.
Gracia pouted. "Don't make fun of me Dad," she huffed as she clamped her hands over her skinned and scabbed knees. At ten years, she was growing as quickly as the vines covering Rezo's visage, and as a result found herself unbearably clumsy. Her oversized feet constantly found the nearest rock, crack, or piece of furniture to trip over, and her knobby knees all too often paid the price of constant falling. She felt like a sideshow chimera, made of ill-matched parts patched together out of proportion.
"He's not teasing you dear," her mother reassured with a smile. Noticing a familiar shadow crossing Gracia's face, she added: "and don't worry about your appearance, sweetie. When you grow up you'll be the prettiest princess Saillune ever saw."
"Me too! Me too!" chirped Amelia from atop Rezo's shoulder armor.
"Of course my baby girl will be beautiful too," cooed the Princess of Saillune. "Now get down and have some lunch. We got peaches from the kitchens—your favorite!"
"I can't," Amelia whined. "I'm too scared."
"Do the spell, just like Mommy taught you," she said, standing. With outstretched arms she coaxed: "Mommy will catch you." Gracia rolled her eyes. Amelia could be so useless. She plucked a peach and a meatroll out of the picnic basket and began to eat. Prince Phil joined in coaxing his daughter from atop the statue.
"Just like the hero in the fairybook, Mel! Come to Daddy!"
That got Amelia's attention. She closed her eyes tight, balled her fists, and bellowed "Justice!" as loud as her little lungs could before leaping full-force from the height of Rezo's stony shoulders.
"Ceiphied!"
"Sis, you idiot!"
"I got her!"
Amelia landed safely in Prince Phil's meaty arms, and he placed her on the grass next to her mother.
"Next time, dear, do the spell Mommy taught you," she said with reproach in her voice.
Amelia frowned. "I fo'got it."
Her mother tousled her hair before reaching for a peach and cutting it into reasonably sized pieces for the toddler to chew. Amelia sucked on them happily, sticky fruit juice dribbling over her chin and hands.
"What's that a statue of, anyway," Gracia asked, tugging on her Mother's robe.
"Well, the plaque says that it's supposed to be Rezo the Red Priest, though I can hardly see him below all the vines. Phil, you'd think the gardeners would take better care of such an important statue."
"I guess I can't let an injustice against one of the Wise Men of the Age just sit there, eh?" Philleonel stood with a small grunt and reached for the vines that obscured the great priest. With three mighty pulls, his massive hands removed a majority of the vines. He stretched to the tips of his toes, and took a fistful from the statue's head. "There we go," Phil said satisfactorily, wiping his hands. "Look girls, that's a very important man who spreads good works throughout the land with white magic."
"Wike Mommy's?" Amelia asked through a full mouth.
"Like Mommy's."
Gracia took a bite from her meatroll and stood up to get a closer look. "Why are his eyes closed?"
"Because although he can cure any illness, Rezo is blind," Phil said solemnly.
"Wike Justice!" Amelia exclaimed emphatically.
"That's my daughter," the Prince chuckled as his youngest daughter ambled to the foot of the statue to look at it with her sister.
"Mr. Statue-man got funny hair," she observed.
"And poor fashion-sense," Gracia added.
"Girls, the polite way to say that is 'he has interesting hair' and 'vintage fashion sense.' A princess must speak with tact."
"Yes Mom," they replied petulantly.
Just then, an officer came running around the corner carrying a letter and urgent news.
"Highness," he bowed through deep breaths. His face was flushed and sweaty as he continued: "News…urgent…Lord Rezo is traveling to Saillune and has sent this letter to you with the utmost importance," he heaved. Obviously the guard had run a long way.
Prince Philleonel accepted the letter and waved the guard away. "Get yourself some water and lunch from the kitchens for your trouble," he said. With a grateful bow, the guard retreated. Phil read the note to himself, filled with disbelief that the Red Priest was paying a visit to Saillune after so many years.
To His Highness Prince Philleonel el de Saillune, Reagent of Saillune:
My travels have taken me in the direction of your charming kingdom once again, though I have not seen you since you were just a boy! I am interested to see the more …extensive libraries within your city's walls. I am bringing along a talented aide from Sairaag who claims to have studied in Saillune for a time: I trust she will be able to find her way through the city for me, though the attendance of you and your charming—so I hear—wife would not go unappreciated. I will happily tend to your subjects, but I request one or two days to myself to be spent perusing the libraries in secret.
Sincerely,
Rezo
"For a blind man, he has good penmanship," Phil noticed before re-folding the letter and placing it in his pocket.
"Mr. Statue-man is coming to see us?" Amelia asked excitedly.
"He's coming to the kingdom, yes," Philleonel replied. "But he'll be very busy. And so will Mom and Dad."
Amelia pouted. "That's not fair! I wanna see Mr. Statue-man!"
"His name is Rezo," her sister corrected.
"Come on girls, pack up; Mom and Dad have a lot of business to attend now," their mother chided. Obediently, Gracia grabbed the picnic basket while Amelia begged for a piggyback ride from her dad. Phil capitulated, and hunched to allow Amelia to climb on his shoulders. "Let's go," he urged, and together they left their picnic spot and returned inside the palace.
