The castle loomed before Billy, its towering spires reaching into the sky like silent sentinels. His heart thudded in his chest as he walked through the grand gates, the cold stone underfoot feeling oddly familiar, yet foreign. The guards at the entrance stood to attention as he passed, their faces betraying little emotion as they acknowledged him. For all their discipline, they seemed just as uncertain about his return as he was.
As Billy made his way deeper into the kingdom, the sight before him became more surreal. Citizens from all walks of life, from the highest of nobles to the humblest of artisans, had gathered to witness the return of their prince. Some had arrived on foot, while others floated in on sleek, gleaming vessels that hovered gracefully in the sky, propelled by ancient yet advanced technology. The sky was dotted with flying ships, their sails billowing in the wind, creating an almost magical sight.
The air buzzed with excitement as Billy continued forward, his presence marking a significant moment in the kingdom's history. The whispers of the crowd, mingling with the hum of the vessels, created a low, steady roar. Billy could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on him.
At the end of the long corridor, he spotted him—the King. King Morphine, his father, stood proudly with a warm smile stretched across his face. The regal figure radiated authority, and for a moment, Billy felt a pang of something he hadn't felt in a long time—longing.
"Dad,"Billy said smiling.
"Welcome home, my son," King Morphine boomed, his arms open as if to embrace him. "Today is a day of celebration! The kingdom rejoices at your return."
Billy stepped forward, allowing his father to pull him into a brief, yet formal embrace. Despite the warm gesture, something felt off. He hadn't seen his father in years, and yet the moment felt distant, almost as if his father was treating him like a distant acquaintance.
Turning to the assembled courtiers, the King raised his voice. "Tomorrow, we will hold a grand feast in honor of my son, Prince Billy. We will celebrate not only his return but the future of our kingdom!"
The crowd erupted in applause, but Billy couldn't shake the feeling that the party was more for the kingdom than for him.
As his father continued to speak, Billy's gaze wandered across the room, landing on Queen Elara. His stepmother stood with a glass in hand, her gaze sharp, assessing. A small, knowing smile tugged at her lips as she met his eyes. She winked at him.
Billy's heart skipped a beat.
The tension was thick between them, something unspoken, but undeniably present. He could feel it in the way her smile never reached her eyes, in the way she held herself with such deliberate poise. She was the queen now, but Billy couldn't help but wonder how much power she truly held behind the throne.
He turned away quickly, catching sight of Kai and Ella, his step-siblings. They stood together, their expressions equally cold. There was no warmth in their gaze, only the sharp edge of rivalry. Billy knew they saw him as a threat to their place in the kingdom—a threat he wasn't sure he was prepared to face.
As the clapping died down, Billy felt his father's hand rest on his shoulder. "You've been missed, Billy. Tomorrow, we'll celebrate your return properly," King Morphine said, his voice softening, though his eyes remained hard. "I expect you to be ready."
Billy nodded, though uncertainty gnawed at him. What was his return truly about? Was it just a celebration, or was it the beginning of something far more complicated?
*************************
Back in the city, Sophie and Leo stood outside their father's workshop, the familiar hum of machinery in the air. They had been searching for answers since Billy's sudden disappearance, their minds racing with questions.
"Do you think Billy is really gone?" Sophie asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I don't know," Leo said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty in his eyes. "But I think he's out there. And we need to find him."
The twins made their way into the workshop, where their father, Dr. Gavin Pierce, was hunched over a table, surrounded by blueprints and mechanical parts.He was a renowned tech genius and all kinds of creations filled his lab cave.His lab coat was streaked with grease, his focus entirely on the task before him.
"You two should get back to your studies," he said without looking up, his voice calm but firm. They stared at him. He rose and looked at them.
" Where's your friend?" He asked scratching his chin.
"Dad, we need your help on that," Sophie began, her voice urgent.
" At first there was a storm, and then a rainbow coloured portal opened and two men on a flying boat asked for Billy.He disappeared into the magic portal with them, and no one knows where he went."
Dr. Gavin Pierce finally looked up, his brow furrowing. "A portal? That's… impossible. There's no such thing as magic."
"But, Dad, there's something strange going on. Billy left this," Leo said, holding up the comic book they had found. "It's all connected to what happened to him."
Dr. Gavin Pierce took the comic book, flipping through the pages with a skeptical look. "A comic book, huh? This looks like some sort of fantasy nonsense to me. But… there's something creepy about this friend of yours."
Sophie and Leo exchanged a glance. They were getting closer. Their father might not believe in magic, but he was a genius when it came to technology. Maybe, just maybe, he could help them understand the strange forces at work.
"Come on, Dad," Sophie urged. "We need to find Billy. There's more to this than you realize."
Dr. Gavin Pierce sighed, setting the comic down.
"Alright, alright. We will figure it out together. I'm curious too. But before that...my workspace is dirty and nasty. And my court really greasy. I can't employ cleaners when you two got the energy and time to chase fairy tales.... hehehe "