It Begins With A Well -Prologue-

In the small land of Westershire, there was a castle. Rolling hills and lulling flats filled up the country side around the castle. Atop one of the many hills sat a well, which was a very dangerous hill, because with one misstep a person could fall and hit their head on a nearby rock and knock themselves out, or possibly could even kill them. The well was ordinary, just like any other well, except for the fact that the well played a very important part in two people’s lives.1

Then again, the well is the only thing most people know about the lives of Jack and Jill who famously went up that hill. All that was said was that the two wandered up the hill to fetch a pail of water from the well, and then Jack fell down, breaking his crown and Jill ended up tumbling down the hill after him.2

Now, most people are confused as to whether the crown that Jack broke was a body part or if it was an actual crown. And then why would Jill tumble down after him? Don’t you think that she would have learned from watching Jack not to make the same mistake that he did?3

No one knows why they were fetching the pail of water in the first place. And it can also be said that no one knows what happened to them after their little tumble down the hill, because the story has yet to be told.4

And so the tale starts, not on the hill with the well, but not too far away from the castle grounds.5

Jack was 10 years old at this time. He was the Prince of Westershire, and was the first in line to inherit the crown from his father. With his black locks and deep brown eyes, it was easy to tell that when was older he’d be flocked by all the girls in the country.6

His best friend in the whole world was Jill. She was only 8 at the time, with long brown hair, with brilliant brown eyes to match. She was the daughter of Duke Elmingway that resided in the kingdom.7

The two met through various balls hosted by the King and Queen to which the Duke was invited to. Jill’s mother died when she was 2, so Duke Elmingway brought her with him to numerous balls where the two children found salvage in one another from all the adult party goers who did not wish to deal with children.8

The two were playing one of their favorite past-time games. They ran about the grounds chasing each other, taking turns as when one would catch the other and tap them, it was the other person’s turn to chase after them.9

Jack was chasing Jill, but she was quite far ahead of him. Being a poor sport, he sank to the ground on his knees, finding something interesting in the grass to play with instead.10

“Jill! Come here! I’ve found something that is really interesting!” Jack called out to Jill who had stopped and was wondering why Jack was no longer chasing her.11

“No!” she called back across the field folding her small arms across her chest. “You probably just want to trick me, and I won’t let you.”12

“I promise I won’t! Would you please come here?”13

“Fine, but you had better not try to trick me,” she said as she made her way across the field and over to where he was kneeling. “Now what did you find that was so interesting?”14

“This,” he said proudly while shoving a worm at her.15

“Ew!” she squealed while backing away from him. “Jack, that is not interesting! It’s gross!”16

Quickly, Jack got back on his feet and tagged her while she was distracted with thoughts of the worm.17

“Well, it was interesting to me. You’re it!” he said as he ran off.18

Jack didn’t run very far before he tripped over his own two feet, falling to the ground. Jill ended up falling over him on such short notice. “I don’t want to play anymore,” Jack pouted as he sat up.19

“Me either. We are going to be beset friends forever, right Jack?” she asked.20

“Of course we will Jill, best friends forever,” he said with a smile.21

“Pinky swear?” she asked, holding her pinky out.22

“Pinky swear,” he smiled while wrapping his pinky finger around hers in a promise.23

A moment later, a voice could be heard. It was faint, but gradually grew louder.24

“Children? Oh children?” called the nanny, frantically searching for the children. “I’m sorry, but playtime is over,” she said when she found the two.25

“But why?” Jack and Jill asked in unison.26

She was flustered, not really thinking out the reason why, as she didn’t want to have to be the one to tell the news.27

“Miss Jill, your Uncle Dmitri is here and he wants to see you,” she said with a fake smile.28

“Oh boy! I can’t wait to see him!” Jill said while taking off towards the castle.29

“What happened?” Jack questioned his nanny once Jill took off far ahead of them.30

“You were always quite a smart one for your age Prince Jack,” she said with a sigh. “I’m very sorry to say that Jill’s father has passed away.”31

“What’s going to happen to her?” Jack asked, worried about losing his best friend.32

"She’s going to live with her Uncle Dmitri and be brought up like a proper young lady,” she told him while patting his back. “Don’t worry, I believe that everything will turn out the way that it is supposed to.”33

“I hope so,” Jack said with a sigh as he started towards the castle, after Jill.34