The doors closed behind us, and the guards turned to me.

"Your highness, where would you like to go?"

What did I want to see? I want to see the markets, common people, and meet people my age. I want to venture farther out of the walls. I want to see it all! "... Everything?" I asked timidly.

One of the guards laughed, and the other ruffled my hair.

"Of course you can. Just don't leave our sight." I smiled.

The first place the guards showed me was the location of the castle's Health Center. One pot was filled with an energy, able to restore your health and physical conditions, while the other can restore your magical energy, the white mages explained.

After we walked away from the pots and the white mages, I asked the guards, "I've seen women like them in the palace. Why do they all wear those cream colored robes, and have pink hair?"

"The robes are always cream or white colored, with red embroidery. The pink or white hair and the white and red robes are the standard appearance of a white mage. Only ones who are extremely powerful, or are still learning as a child; get to keep their natural hair color and wear clothing of their choice," a guard explained. I nodded my head.

They took me around to the market, and many people were walking around. Damcyan has a lot of people in its walls! I accidentally bumped into one man wearing a turban though, and he began shouting.

"You! Watch where you're going-!" When he looked down, he froze and stopped. "I'm so sorry, my Prince! Please forgive me! I wasn't aware it was you...!" The man blubbered.

"Its okay," I mumbled quietly, still not over the fact that I was yelled at. I turned to look for my guards, but they weren't there. They must have left while I talked to this man...

Whoops?

I suppose I should have returned to the palace, but I wanted to see more of Damcyan. Plus, if I returned without the guards, Father would know I hadn't been with them, and most likely punish them. No.. That wouldn't do at all. 

Some old women stood in a corner of the plaza chatting amongst themselves. One saw me, and quickly called the others over. "Its Prince Edward!" They all bowed slightly.

One murmured softly, " The rumors of our prince are true. He does have a face as fair as any maiden's."

Another added in, "He may be a prince of the desert sun, but his face is as pale as the desert moon." I wasn't really sure how to respond to this praise.

"Where are all the kids?" I asked quietly.

The old women smiled. "They'd be close to the castle gates that open to the desert." Before I could leave, she went to a small shop and paid for a small hat with a red feather. "You'll need something to cover your head if you don't want that pale complexion of yours to fry."

"Thank you, ma' am." With that, I went towards the south gate, where I found three children playing with a rubber ball. A girl with brunette pigtails turned towards me.

"Hi! Are you new to Damcyan?"

"I haven't seen you before!" a boy added in.

"Wow! You look fancy! Are your parents rich?" The second girl asked. I froze awkwardly.

"Okay!" Two of them said together before resuming their game, which consisted of tossing a rubber ball back and forth. The first girl still stared at me.

"You... don't talk very much, do you?" I shook my head.

"My name is Edward. Who are you?" I asked her. She laughed slightly.

"Oh, I'm Anna. I don't live in Damcyan either. I live in Kaipo, but my father usually brings me with him whenever he comes to sell some things here, or when he comes to talk to people. He's really, really good at magic!" She had a lot to say, now didn't she. I like how much energy she has. "Come on!" She said, grabbing my hand. "Let's see the rest of Damcyan together!"

"O-okay!" I managed to say before being dragged off.

Some man was playing a harp near the markets. Behind him, another man was selling lutes, harps, drums,whistles, and flutes. The harp he strummed sounded really pretty, actually. As the crowd dissipated, Anna and I stayed.

"You like music?" She asked in surprise.

"I guess so."

"Come on then! Let's see if they have anything you could buy." I went with her to the vendor.

"Hello... could I buy a harp?" I asked shyly. The merchant grinned. The man who had been playing the harp though whispered harshly in the merchant's ear. His grin changed into a frown.

The man who had been playing looked at me. "Do you know how to play?" I shook my head. His eyes brightened. "Would you like me to teach you?" I nodded my head vigorously.

"Yes please!" The man laughed.

"Alright, but its not easy..."

"I'll learn," I assured him. 

"My name is Kristoff." The man pointed to a small blue-silver harp."Take that one. Its just your size, but it has the same sound as a full sized one." I dug into my pouch to give them some Gil, the currency used in Damcyan, but the man stopped me."Don't worry about payment. Just learn how to play. The honor of teaching the prince is payment enough," he said kindly.

"Thank you," I said softly.

"You're a prince?" Anna asked me. "The Edward? Why didn't you tell me?" Hurt showed in her voice.

"I don't want attention," I told her quickly. "I just wanted to see the world outside the palace walls." Anna's face lit back up.

"Oh, I get it now! You want to see the world without being treated like a prince everywhere!" I nodded.

We walked back to the inner gates, where the guards were waiting.

"Where have you been!? We couldn't find you!"

"I'm sorry. I bumped into a man, and had to apologize. You two had already left by then." They were terrified, I could tell. "I'm not going to tell Father," I told them. They sighed in relief.

Before we went through the gates, Anna hugged me suddenly.

"Bye, Edward! You're my new friend! I don't care if you are a prince. I'll always be your friend!" She let go, and ran into the arms of a mid-aged man who wore spectacles and had a huge brown beard. The man peered at me strangely before walking out towards the gates to the desert.

We went back inside, and a guard whispered to me, "that's Anna; the daughter of the Sage." Once back inside the palace, Father stood waiting for us.

"How was it?"

"It was so amazing! There were people everywhere, and there were different things for sale in the market, and there was music-!"

"Slow down, Edward," Father chuckled.

"I made a friend, her name is Anna." I showed him the harp Mister Kristoff gave me. " And a musician named Kristoff gave me a harp, and offered to teach me how to play music!" My father smiled.

"I'll see to it that Mister Kristoff be allowed into the palace to teach you. You seem much happier about learning music than about politics. I'll allow you to learn, but you must keep up with your other studies though."

"Thank you Father!" He dismissed the guards.

"Come, Edward." He started towards the throne room. "Its time I showed you something." I followed him.

He led me into the throne room, and then to a small door I had never noticed before.

"What is this door?"

"Just come." We walked through the door, and the room was different from any I had seen before.

The ceiling,walls and floor were the same cerulean blue, and sparkled. A white pedestal in the back of the room stood, and a giant, bright red crystal levitated above it.

"This is Damcyan's Fire Crystal," Father told me. 'It's the royal family's duty to protect it at all costs, as it has been for ages." He turned to me.

"Edward... someday, you will become the seventh king of Damcyan. This will become your primary duty when that day comes. No matter what, this Crystal must be guarded."

"Why though?" I asked.

"It contains very much energy, and it would be devastating, should it's power come into the wrong hands. Can you promise me that you'll guard it when you become king?" I nod.

'Yes Father, I promise, I will."

"Good. You'll be a great king someday."