The tapping of the rain and the voices grew louder the more steps I took, running away from the castle. Falling in a pool of scarlet red, thick, water suffocating from betrayal and sadness. As I slowly fall deeper, I see a single ray of light shine through an opening door right above me. Hearing a voice saying to me -Every cloud has a silver lining. 

Hearing that soothing voice, made me want to reach out for hope. I tried to reach for it with my right hand as I fall even deeper into the thick water, still suffocating making it harder me to breathe.

Waking up to an unfamiliar ceiling, I realized that it was just a dream. “Where am I? Fox questioned while blinking. "Oh, that's right. I am at Ann's house.” Said fox sitting up while stretching. 

“Good morning sunshine!” Said Ann with a smile plastered on her face.

“Good morning Ann.” Replied Fox.

“I’m sorry I didn’t make breakfast but there was an emergency at work."

“Oh, please don’t bother. I can make myself breakfast or buy something to eat.”

"If you are hungry for something sweet, there is a shop that just opened. They are selling sweet bread with berry jam and dandelion tea. It’s right around the corner.”

"Thank you, that sounds delicious." 

I washed up before heading out to eat. I don't have much money with me but it will do for today.

As Fox walked out the door, he hears a commotion not too far from his location. 

“You thief! Come back, you little runt!" Yelled a baker. 

Fox ran to see what was going on. When Fox arrived at the scene, a little boy ran right into him causing them both to fall.

"Are you alright little boy?" Asked Fox with a concerned look on his face.

"I've finally caught you, you little brat." Cried the baker while grabbing onto his shirt collar and lifting him up with a scowl look. 

"Leave him alone, it is just a single bread. Let the little boy have it." Said Fox.

"You have no right to talk back boy."

Ignoring what the baker had just said to Fox, he replied back with, "He's just a kid, there must be a reason why he took the bread if he couldn't afford it?"

"Took? Oh no young man, he stole it! A boy like him deserves to rot for stealing."

"How can you say that!? Fine, I’ll pay for it. How much?" Asked Fox, reaching into his bag for the money.

"No, only the boy can pay. He touched it he bought it. Now I'm taking you with me to the shop little boy and work you to the bones to pay for that bread."

"No, I'll pay! I insi-

“What seems to be the matter!?” Interrupted the prince with a firm tone. 

Fox looked behind, seeing a tall beautiful man. Eyes bright blue as the ocean and his nature seems delicate and mature.

“Your majesty.” bowed the baker. “This little boy here is a thief. He dared not pay for the bread. He said to the prince while lifting the boy showing him to the prince. 

“The bread.”

"Excuse me, your majesty?"

“How much for the bread?"

"Oh, no no. You don’t have to do that."

“Keep the change!” Cried Fox. He threw his money then grabbed the boy and ran off with the little boy towards the woods.

Eli stared at Fox and had one thought in mind. "What a peculiar individual."

“I can’t believe that was the prince!” He pants after he stopped running. "Hey, if you were hungry you could have asked your parents to buy you something to eat or even look for golden berries out in the woods."

The boy shakes his head, pointing at the bread and his chest, indicating that the bread was not for him

"It's for Bax." Said the boy. 

"Bax? A friend?" Asked Fox.

"No, a spirit dog." He points at the dog behind a bush being weary of Fox. 

Fox looks at the blue spirit dog and gets closer to him.

"So, Bax is it? Is it short for Baxtor?" 

The dog howls with contentment. 

Fox chuckles while petting the dog's transparent blue head, "Don't worry. I'm not bad. The little boy brought you food." 

"Well, it was nice knowing you. Next time, come look for me to buy something for Baxtor okay? You don't want to cause another riot do you?"

The boy shooked his head and smiled, "No sir!"

"Good. Now go along then and hang out with your buddy."

The boy and the spirit dog ran off to eat and then play catch.

"Well, there goes my morning." Sighed Fox. 

"Would you like some sweet bread and jam?" Asked the prince.

Hearing the familiar voice, made him trip on a tree root and fall down.

"Are you alright?" Asked the prince while kneeling down to see if he was alright. 

"Yes, I'm alright." Replied Fox, rubbing his left cheek softly.

Fox looked up to see the prince but the prince's face was so close to his, making him blush.

"P-prince Eli! What brings you here? In the middle of the forest." Asked Fox.

"Please, Eli is just fine. I simply followed you."

"What?" Fox was confused.

"You seem to be a peculiar individual when you were defending the little boy. So I followed you and hid myself behind a tree. I thought I should wait until you were done talking to him." Said the prince while helping him get up.

"You are quite a funny prince." Chuckled Fox." I didn't expect you do so much to a stranger, a male stranger."

"Well, let's just say, you caught my interest." Said Eli with a smile on his face, handing him the bread and jam.

"Thank you, I was getting really hungry. I thought I would not eat because I basically threw all my money at the baker."

"Wise move there."

Fox pouted, looking away from embarrassment. 

"By the way, I didn't catch your name." 

Fox immediately stopped eating and began to freak out. "Why would you ask that? I'm pretty sure we won't see each other again."

"Even so, I want to know."

Fox mustered up his courage to speak. "My name, my name is F-

"Your majesty, I'm afraid it is time to for you to leave and prepare for the ceremony." The royal guard interrupted him.

"May I stay just a little longer, I am having a chat with, with." Eli still doesn't know his name.

"With who? No one is there."

Eli looked around finally realizing that Fox left without warning.

"You must leave or else your father will have my head. Besides, a prince must not be here for it is not suitable for you to be here."

Sadden by his sudden disappearance, he gets up from the log he sat with Fox and gets inside the carriage.

"I hope to see you again." Whispered Eli.