When I awoke, there was a real sheep staring me down in the bedroom. It took me a few blinks to process what I was seeing before I screamed.

Happy and his mother ran into the room at the sound, only to see me tangled in blankets and my back pressed against the wall, desperately trying to get away from the demonic animal. “Dominic, what are you doing in here!” Ms. Bells huffed, then lifted up the sheep in her arms like a baby. She cooed to it and walked back into the kitchen.

Happy took a hesitant step forward. “I'm so sorry, he knows how to open doors and loves guests, we should've kept a better eye on him.”

I slowly lowered my defenses. “So you really do just let your animals roam free?”

“Well, yeah. It makes them happy, and I don't have to worry about overgrazing-”

“Isn’t that dangerous? That's not how our old farmer did things. You should have a more orderly farm.” 

He smiled bitterly. “Aren't my different practices why I was hired in the first place?” I pursed my lips and sulked, not really having anything to retort. Happy picked up his teddy bear from the floor, and placed it back onto the night table. As he was exiting the room, he announced, “Breakfast is ready, if you want any.”

“Wait!” He stopped and took a deep breath before turning towards me. “I want to take a bath before breakfast. I didn't get to clean up yesterday.” Though, would it have even been worth it before sleeping in filth?

His face twitched as he attempted to hold his grin, but the veins on his forehead and neck protruded. “Okay, I'll heat up some water for you.”

I flopped back onto the bed, kicking up dust and triggering a coughing fit. Gods, I hate this place. I tilted my head back to look at Happy’s teddy bear, my little protector from the horrors of this household. I flopped onto my stomach, and grabbed the bear from the night table, tracing my fingers across the stitching. Happy was no seamstress, but it was well made, albeit a bit worn down. It had a certain charm to it, quite like Happy’s hand-made jacket, that looked like a quilted work of art. And so warm, it was as if he were wrapping his arms around me when I put it on that one time-

Happy returned to the room with a bucket of steaming water and a towel hanging off his shoulder. He placed the wash cloth on the lip of the bucket, along with a bar of soap and a large towel on the night table. “Here you go, Prince Leo.”

“What's that for?”

“To bathe?” he said like it was obvious. 

“And how exactly are you supposed to clean my body out of a bucket?”

A blush dusted Happy's cheeks. “Wh- I'm not- This is for you to clean yourself!”

I groaned and smacked my face against the bed. Me. Bathing myself. In a bucket? “This place is hell.”

Happy opened his mouth, then closed it before finding the words. “I realize this has been a difficult few hours for you. Perhaps I could arrange for you to stay elsewhere-?”

“Yes,” I lifted my head and answered without hesitation. 

He stared at me silently for a moment, his face falling just a bit. “Okay, I’ll go get the driver, and bring you to a place that would suit you better.” Happy retreated as I sighed out of relief. The nightmare will be coming to an end at last. “I should be back within the hour, you should eat something before then.”

I had come to expect an all-vegetable breakfast to match the previous meal, but it was shockingly a savoury egg scramble, filling the kitchen with the delicious aroma of fried onions. Being alone, I was free to poke and sniff before hesitantly taking a tiny bite. To my surprise, it was good. Though the dominant flavours were onions and oily peppers, there were hints of parsley and basil in the mix, and generous amounts of salt to lend flavour.

Moreso than the eggs, I quickly became enamored with the fresh bread rolls dressed with thin slices of raw onions. Unlike any onion I've the pleasure of experiencing before, it was as sweet as a ripe pear, leaving no pungent flavour on my palate. Before I knew it, I had overstuffed myself with food, leaving not even a morsel for anyone else. I silently prayed Happy and his mother had eaten already before sneaking away from the crime scene.

I escaped out the back door, into the beast of the forest-like farm. It was exploding with life. Not just animals leisurely roaming, but the Earth itself was full of energy I've never felt before. It wasn't like the weak pulse from the barren fields at home, and vastly different from conventional farms using magic or chemicals to fertilize and snuff out weeds.

Here, it was as if the Earth was calling to me like a siren, finally presenting itself to me. I touched the snow-dusted ground, and spoke the words of a basic spell to converge with the energy there. Without using energy from my own body, I was able to spring up a patch of fennels- starting with the dormant bulbs in the soil, honing its life force until it sprouted flowers.

“Ha!” I fell back in awe. “I did it!”

I looked around me, at the snow blanketing the new life I've connected with. I melted a patch of snow with fire magic to reveal the shriveled remains of an aubergine plant decomposing into the soil. I placed my hands on it, spoke the reverse spell to pervert the natural process and bring it back to life, adorning the stalk with delicate purple flowers.

For the first time as an earth magic user, I was not exhausted from practice. This place is magic itself. 

“Prince Leo?” Happy called out from inside of the house. I rolled onto my hands, and burst into a sprint when I got to my feet. From the back door, I could see the coachman in Happy's room, already packing up my belongings. “Oh, there you are,” Happy said with a sigh of relief escaping his lips. “You can wait in the carriage-”

“I want to stay here longer,” I interrupted, huffing from the adrenaline still coursing through my body.

The coachman immediately stopped to look at me from the bedroom. Happy tilted his head. “Huh, but you just said- don't you hate it here?” 

“I know what I said, but I'd like to stay here for the rest of the week, if you'll have me.”

Happy just blinked at me. “Are you sure?” 

I nodded eagerly in response. Happy just turned on his heels to face the coachman to apologize, “I'm sorry for taking time out of your day, Luther.”

I immediately winced. I should be the one to apologize, but I didn’t. Luther the coachman simply took off his hat and chuckled. “It's no problem, it's my job to travel from place to place.”

He left the half-packed suitcase on top of the bed, and gave his goodbyes. Happy promptly replaced him, removing neatly-folding clothes from the suitcase, starting with my undergarments.

I ripped them from his hands, suddenly feeling embarrassed that someone else was touching them. “I can do this myself!” I shouted out, then shoved my boxers into the luggage and slammed it shut.

“O-oh, okay?” he stuttered. “Um, then when you're done unpacking, I can show you around the farm.”

He withdrew himself from the room, but I caught him just before leaving. “Wait! I just-” I paused to look away. “I just wanted to say,” my voice lowered. “I'm sorry for troubling you,” I mumbled while fiddling with my fingers.

“Pardon?”

I mumbled the same words again.

“My apologies Prince Leo, could you speak up a bit?”

“I'm sorry for troubling you! I imposed on you in the first place, and was too quick to judge you and this place!”

My face was blazing from the sheer embarrassment, but Happy just giggled, and flashed me a brilliant smile. I couldn't help but peek at him as he reassured me it was fine.

But it wasn’t. How could wear such a genuine expression, when just 30 minutes ago he looked like he wanted to strangle me? “I really am sorry, Happy. I know I’m,” I sighed. “Spoiled.” The word itself caused me pain, admitting it even moreso. 

“You’re just not used to this lifestyle. I had a difficult time adjusting to the castle life myself.” He leaned against the night table, and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not expecting you to love this place, but I want you to be comfortable.”

I felt a pleasantly dull prickle on my head, feeling myself become comforted all over again remembering the hot bottle last night. I guess he has been making an effort to make me feel comfortable, despite the headache I’m surely giving him. “Happy-”

“My gods-!” Ms. Bells shouted from a distance. Happy’s face immediately twisted in concern, and flew out of the room to meet her. I unconsciously followed, stepping into the backyard without shoes on. Happy’s jaw dropped, as did his worry, when he saw his mother cupping new flowers in her hands. “It’s a miracle!” she shouted, and giggled with glee. 

Ah, no, it’s not. Before I could bite my tongue or speak out, Happy reached out to touch a flower petal. Residual magic shimmered off at the light disturbance. “It’s magic…” Happy said to himself, then looked at me expectedly. “Did you do this?”

Happy’s mother gasped loudly, and clasped her hands. “That’s right, I forgot we were in the presence of the greatest mage in the country!” Though it was meant as praise, the expectations built up from lies felt like thorns. 

You’re mistaken. I simultaneously wanted to hide in Happy’s room to let depression take me, and flaunt my magic in front of them, knowing even dreary magic would overwhelm them. Even then, they’ll know I’m no great mage, certainly not living up to the propaganda. “Yes. Actually, using magic is very exhausting, I think I’m going to take a nap,” I lied. I hadn’t used a drop of my own energy, yet the exhaustion of a dampened mood was creeping up on me. As if the inky night was hovering over me midday, threatening to swallow me whole to leave me cold and blind again. 

“Oh, yes of course! Please, my Prince, go rest up.”

“I’ll refill the hot water bottle,” Happy said, walking behind me, stepping into my inky aura. “Prince Leo,” he started, when we entered the house and took off our wet socks. “Are you feeling okay? I know you said you were tired, but,” his worry lines were showing, and he reached out to touch my shoulder. “Are you feeling sick?” 

So he can read me that well, huh? “I’m fine, I just need some sleep.” I trudged over to Happy’s room, barely feeling strong enough to lift my feet as I walked. 

“Okay.” He said, cradling the hand I had rejected. “Let me know if you’re still not feeling well afterwards.” He grabbed the rubber bottle from under the pile of unmade bed sheets, and even straightened them out for me before walking out. I plopped onto the bed, and stripped the neat bed to cover myself completely, making a shell of my own. Happy returned a few minutes later, and hesitantly lifted one end of the blanket, not knowing where my face or feet were.

“Sleep well, Prince Leo.”

“Can you just call me Leo?” I don't feel much like a Prince right now. 

He was silent for a moment. “S-sure? Um, sleep well, Leo.”

I unintentionally fell asleep, waking up to complete darkness. Unwilling to stumble about again, I snapped my fingers to light them with magic, and held it up like a flame.

But when I opened the door, the house was bright. Every surface and even the floor was crammed with oil lamps and melting wax candles, effectively aiding my night blindness. The light in my hand dulled into oblivion, but ignited something in my chest. It’s strange how warm I can feel in such a cold house.

“Oh, you’re up!” Happy said when he caught sight of me from the kitchen. I nodded in place of words, unable to speak at all. 

“Just in time for dinner,” his mother added, lifting up a giant pot and carrying it over to the table. The dominant scents of thyme and fried garlic filled the small room with it’s delicious aroma.

Happy pulled fresh bread rolls from the clay oven. “Are you feeling better?” 

I could feel my expression softening, involuntarily smiling and nodding. My stomach growled unwillingly, as well. 

“Come, sit down to eat.” 

I eagerly waited for Happy to scoop out a portion of the fragrant soup for me, and dug in before the plate even touched the table. With each spoonful, my taste buds burst. Squash, leeks, and sweet parsnips, coupled with creamy hazelnuts, tied together with a salty broth and buttery milk. The soft bread was different from this morning, void of a sourdough taste, lending a slight sweetness and crumbly texture instead. Still, I greedily scooped up the soup at the bottom of my bowl with it, getting every morsel left.

“I’m glad you seem to be enjoying the acorn bread,” Ms. Bells commented.

“This is made with acorns? I didn’t know they were edible.”

Happy swallowed the mouthful he had, but still covered his mouth with his hand before explaining, “They are, you just need to leach them first.”

I had no idea. One autumn when we were children, I convinced Camilla to ditch our studies together to explore the woods near the castle. We were enamoured with the colourful leaves, and built piles of them to jump into. In making these piles of leaves, we noticed nuts, still falling from the trees overhead. The two of us ended up collected any nut we could find, and used the front of Camilla’s skirt as a bowl to carry them back home. Our parents weren’t as excited as we were, telling us they were inedible and we were dirty. 

“-onds?” 

“What?”

“Would you like seconds?” Happy’s mom asked, holding up the ladle. 

“Oh, yes, please.” I held my bowl out, and she filled it to the top. “Thank you.”