Jonady dressed in simple attire, wandered through the vast corridors of the palace in search of Ben, the six-year-old boy who always seemed to vanish whenever someone needed him.
The halls were unusually quiet, save for the murmurs of the servants gossiping about another of the child's antics. Sighing Jonady changed course, heading toward the royal gardens of Regalia Castle.
This peaceful place, bathed in sunlight, seemed like the perfect spot for one of Ben mischievous escapes.
The gardens stretched endlessly, basking in golden light.
The rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze, the melodic chirping of birds, and the soft trickle of a stream gave the area an almost magical ambiance.
Jonady strolled slowly, his eyes scanning the surroundings in hopes of spotting the young boy.
A faint commotion caught his attention muffled noises and stifled giggles came from behind a bush near a cluster of flowers.
Curious, Jonady approached quietly, spotting
Ben crouched behind the foliage with his tousled chestnut hair and sparkling orange eyes, the boy wore a white shirt and a light blue summer skirt.
He was watching the guards pass by nearby, a mischievous smile lighting up his face.
Jonady silently crept closer until he placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.Ben jumped violently and spun around, startled.
"Care to tell me what you're doing here, Ben?" Jonady asked with a serious tone, though a small smile threatened to escape.
Ben looked up at him with a perfectly innocent expression.
"Oh, it's you! You surprised me, big brother Jonady!" he exclaimed with feigned enthusiasm, as if he hadn't been caught red-handed.
Jonady raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the unexpected nickname.
"Big brother?" he repeated, puzzled.
Ben gave him a cheeky grin.
"Well, yeah! You're married to big sister Rae, so that mean you are big brother, right?"
Jonady blinked, considering the boy's childlike logic. Finally, he shrugged, amused.
"Hmm, when you put it that way i guess it makes sense.W-Wait that still doesn't explain why you're making the guards chase you all over the palace."
Ben shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's just for fun. They're always so serious, it's boring. You should laugh more, too, big brother."
Jonady crossed his arms, trying to maintain a stern expression despite the urge to laugh at the boy's carefree attitude
.
"Ben, you can't disrupt the entire palace just for fun. That's not appropriate for a member of the royal family, and it's not fair to the servants who are doing their jobs."
Ben, still smiling, replied with playful defiance:
"But I'm only six big brother! So you can let it slide, right?"
Jonady sighed inwardly.Ben was clearly seeking attention. At his age, children often needed small gestures of affection to feel loved. Suddenly, an idea came to him.
He held out a hand to Ben.
"Come with me."
Intrigued,Ben took his hand and Jonady led him to the palace kitchens. Once inside the vast space, designed for royal banquets Jonady donned an apron and began gathering ingredients.
Ben frowned, confused.
"Why did you bring us to the kitchen big brother? Are you planning a prank too, like with chili peppers?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Jonady shook his head, smiling.
"No Ben. I'm going to make you a strawberry cake. But only if you promise to stop causing trouble and let me know next time you want to have fun."
Ben eyes widened, shining with excitement.
"Wow! That's so cool! Are you sure you don't want to be a chef instead of a king?"
Jonady chuckled softly, ruffling the boy's messy hair.
"Sorry, Ben. Being king is a big responsibility, and I have to fulfill it for the sake of the kingdom. But I'll always find time for you. Do you understand that?"
Ben seemed to ponder this for a moment, his face unexpectedly serious. Then he nodded slowly.
"Yes, big brother. I understand. But… on one condition."
Jonady raised an eyebrow, curious.
"A condition?"
Ben flashed a mischievous grin.
"You have to play with me during your free time and make me more cakes!"
Jonady burst into laughter, touched by the boy's infectious enthusiasm.
"Alright, deal."
As Ben devoured his cake, his cheeks smeared with cream Jonady watched him with affection. Despite his antics, the boy's innocent charm had a way of lighting up the room even during the most serious times.
As they left the kitchen, Ben grabbed Jonady's hand and gave him a beaming smile.
"Thanks, big brother. You know I think you're a pretty good king big brother."
Jonady, touched, gently ruffled the boy's chestnut hair.
"And I'm proud to have you as my little brother."
Walking back through the palace corridors, one with a crumb of cake at the corner of his mouth, the other with a faint smile, Jonady realized something important.
Sometimes, being a good king wasn't just about leading a kingdom wisely.
It was also about being there for the people who depended on him even if it meant taking time to bake a simple strawberry cake.