“The Dream of a Child”
1347 Words
Grandfather Gideon continued his story, pleased to see his granddaughter still listening intently — something no one else ever did. Most people thought he was crazy whenever he spoke about that story.
> “That day,” he said, “the sun was warm, and the wide field at the edge of the village was filled with laughter.
We sat in a circle on the grass — children of every race.
Some had pointed ears like mine, some were broad and sturdy like dwarves, others had wolf-like ears and thick furry tails.
But in that circle, no one felt different.”
We shared dry bread, apples, and water from a clay jug, talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up.
A human boy named Kael, his brown hair messy and wild, spoke first with sparkling eyes.
> “Someday, I’ll become a teacher at the academy — I’ll teach magic to all the village children, not just to nobles.”
Thrain, the dwarf child, sat cross-legged, nodding seriously.
> “I’ll be the greatest blacksmith in all of Heliöra! I’ll forge blades and shields that can even withstand magic!”
Then Serak, the half-wolf boy, thumped his chest with a grin, his small fangs glinting.
> “I’ll become a general! I’ll command thousands of soldiers, and my roar alone will make enemies tremble!”
We all burst into laughter, imagining our grand dreams. When it came to my turn, I answered boldly even though my voice still carried the innocence of childhood.
> “I’ll become the strongest sorcerer! I’ll learn every spell — fire, water, wind, even light — so I can protect the people I love.”
Then, all eyes turned to the Prince.
He sat among us, with grass sticking to his clothes — looking no different from any other village child. We waited for his answer.
He shrugged and gave a mischievous smile.
> “I won’t become anything.”
We looked at each other, confused.
He chuckled, then said,
> “Because my fate’s already decided — I’ll be king, right?”
His laughter was contagious. We all laughed with him, not knowing whether it was because his words were funny… or because they carried a strange, simple truth.
But as I looked at him, I noticed something beyond his cheerful smile — something deeper in his eyes. Something I couldn’t understand back then.
The laughter faded when Kael spoke again, his voice trembling.
> “I… I heard something from my father last night.”
We turned to him.
> “He said the demon army is moving. They’re going to attack the northern border.”
The circle went silent. Even Serak stopped smiling. His wolf ears twitched.
> “The demon kingdom…? Is it real?” asked Thrain.
> “Of course it is!” Kael replied quickly. “My father’s a soldier. He heard it from his commander — demons hate humans, elves, half-wolves, even dwarves. They don’t want anyone else living in peace.”
A chill ran down my spine. Talk of demons was not something children usually dared to speak of.
But Prince Aurelius simply looked up at the clear blue sky. His face was calm.
> “Then… I guess that means my duty as king will be even greater,” he said softly.
His tone was steady, far too mature for his age.
He looked at each of us, then placed a hand on my shoulder.
> “Don’t be afraid, Gideon. If the demon kingdom comes, we’ll fight together. I promise I won’t let any of you get hurt.”
The air grew heavy — not with fear, but with something else.
A silent bond formed among us in that moment — between children who barely understood the world, but somehow shared the same resolve.
Then, as if to break the tension, Serak nudged the Prince and laughed.
> “Hey, if you really become king one day, will you attack the demons first — before they attack us?”
We expected Aurelius to laugh too, but instead, his face turned thoughtful. His gaze drifted far into the distance.
> “Why would we attack them?” he asked quietly.
“Why not try to make peace instead? If we can, then no one has to bleed anymore… right?”
The wind seemed to pause with his words.
Thrain frowned.
> “But… they’re demons. They’ll never want peace.”
The Prince plucked a blade of grass, rolling it between his fingers.
> “Maybe. But we’ve never tried. If all we ever believe in is hatred, then the cycle never ends. But if someone dares to try peace… maybe things could be different.”
Even as children, those words felt too heavy to understand.
Then he smiled again.
> “Aren’t your villages always fighting each other too? Yet here we are — five of us — laughing together. That’s proof peace isn’t impossible.”
We laughed softly after that, realizing he was right. Maybe friendship itself was the first kind of magic.
---
The day turned to dusk, and we started walking home. But as we passed the market path, we saw a middle-aged man slipping a loaf of bread under his coat.
> “A thief!” shouted Thrain.
Without thinking, we chased after him. The man ran, panting, but we caught up and tackled him to the ground.
> “Let’s report him to the guards!” Serak growled.
But Aurelius raised a hand. His eyes softened.
> “Where’s your home?” he asked the thief.
I whispered urgently,
> “What are you doing? We should hand him over!”
The Prince didn’t answer. He repeated gently,
> “Where’s your home?”
The man trembled.
> “I… I stole because my child hasn’t eaten in two days… my wife is sick… I had no choice…”
The anger drained from us instantly.
Aurelius approached him and said,
> “Show us your home.”
The man hesitated but obeyed.
When we arrived, we stood frozen. The hut was collapsing, the roof full of holes, and inside lay a frail child barely breathing.
Kael covered his mouth in shock. Thrain looked away.
The Prince turned to us.
> “Thrain, stay here and help them.”
Then to me, Kael, and Serak:
> “The rest of you — come with me.”
We followed him to the river.
> “Let’s catch some fish,” he said simply.
> “Now?!” Kael and Serak yelled.
He nodded, dipping his hands into the cold stream.
> “That child needs to eat now. We can’t wait for the law to decide what’s right.”
I hesitated.
> “But it’s getting dark—”
He met my eyes, calm and steady.
> “Use your magic, Gideon. You did it yesterday, didn’t you?”
We exchanged glances, then nodded. Together, we released sparks into the water. Fish floated to the surface, and Aurelius quickly gathered them.
> “What’s this for?” Kael asked.
The Prince smiled faintly.
> “If he stole because he was hungry… then maybe we can stop him from ever needing to steal again.”
When we returned, Aurelius set down the basket of fish before the weak child.
> “Cook these,” he said gently. “Feed your son.”
The man fell to his knees, tears spilling down his cheeks.
> “M-my lord… I have no words…”
The Prince placed a hand on his shoulder.
> “You don’t need to repay me. Just promise me one thing — don’t steal again.
And if you ever need help… find me.”
None of us spoke. Even now, after all these years, I can still remember how I felt that day — proud, confused, and deeply moved by the heart of a boy who would one day become king.
Grandfather Gideon paused, stretching his stiff back, while Aurora did the same beside him.
- Writer
