Prince Rick

The skies were gloomy the day Prince Rick got into a big argument with his parents, King Harry and Queen Joann. He stomped out of the castle in anger, but the king and queen took no notice. You see, Prince Rick was the most disobedient boy in the royal family of England. He was rude, mean, and arrogant. He threw stones at the poor, spit on the baker’s fresh loaves of bread, and broke the blind old cobbler’s tools.1

“No one understands me,” Prince Rick thought, his arms crossed. He trudged along the path that lead away from the castle, muttering. He kept walking with his face pinched as he thought about how nasty his parents were, and at first he didn’t realize he had wound up at the doorstep of Fire Cove. 2

As he looked up at the enormous, rickety building, shivers ran down his back. Spiders scuttled across the porch and cobwebs clung to the windows. Strange black marks covered the surface of the crumbling wooden door. He smiled slyly at the dust that carpeted the steps of the lonely mansion, for a wicked idea came to him. He knew exactly how he could get back at his parents.3

“… and Honey, please remember not to go near spooky Fire Cove. It’s -”4

“- Don’t tell me what to do!” Prince Rick whined, pounding the floor with his feet.5

His mother forced a sweet smile and tried to sooth him. “But Sweetie, it’s dangerous. It’s not a place for 7 year old boys; you know that...”6

Prince Rick rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue.7

“Mommy loves you baby,” she said, sweeping him up in her arms.8

“Let go of me! I don’t love you,” he hollered, squirming and flailing.9

Queen Joann sighed and let her son down.10

“I hate you,” he yelled, making a disgusted face at her. He dashed out of the room, chuckling wildly as his mother shook her head sadly.11

Prince Rick smirked at the memory as he slowly climbed up the creaking doorsteps. He pushed at the old front door, but it wouldn’t budge. He charged into it with a kick, and it swung open to a dark corridor. He gulped, a bit hesitant to step into the foreboding atmosphere. He swallowed the fear clambering up his throat and cautiously tip- toed past the doorway.12

The rooms were dim, disorderly and scarcely furnished. Smoke and dust thickened the air; the heavy smell stung his nose. The strange black marks he had observed on the front door patch- worked the walls. He looked around, wide- eyed. The house lay abandoned and wrecked, but he didn’t see any signs of the fire- breathing monsters rumored to dwell within it.13

He had often overheard townsfolk talk about the fire often seen behind Fire Cove’s cracked window glasses, the loud roars that frightened passersby, and the constant thumping noises that puzzled all who heard it.14

“Where could that creature be?” Prince Rick wondered in curiosity. He looked around the house nervously, half expecting something to jump out at him from the dark. 15

He jumped out of his skin as he became aware of the big sniffling sounds coming from upstairs. Bewildered, Prince Rick glanced up the collapsing stairway. He knew the answer to his question was waiting for him in the dark beyond the staircase.16

Prince Rick crept up the moaning stairs, scared out of his wits, yet thrilled at the same time. He alertly watched for any movement once he reached the top; the sobbing simply grew louder. Whatever was making the noises seemed heartbroken, and Prince Rick realized it would not be a threat.17

He felt the urge to help the desperate thing; even he, the most inconsiderate boy in the royal family of England, couldn’t turn down its pitiful tone. He followed the weeping down an unlit hallway, groping around in the darkness. The crying became faint whimpering as he neared its source.18

He slowly walked through a dingy doorframe, but tripped over a thick, scaly, bright purple tail.19

The sniffling immediately stopped and Prince Rick jumped as he heard the high- pitched shriek that replaced it. “Owee! That was my tail you moron!” 20

Prince Rick tried to apologize through his edgy stammers, but what approached him left him speechless.21

A squat purple being like none other stood before him, peering at him through large, puffy, yellow eyes. It was twice the size of Prince Rick and had a long snout.22

“What are you staring at?” It demanded, a bit offended by the Prince’s gawking.23

Prince Rick managed to find his voice. “Uhh… no- nothing. It’s just… well… I don’t think I’ve met anybody like you before. Who… what… are you?”24

“I’m Purple Patty the dragon,” it said, eyeing him suspiciously.25

Prince Rick gazed up at her in awe. “You’re a dragon?” he gasped, his face lighting up with delight.26

“Why? Don’t you think so?” Purple Patty retorted, becoming annoyed with his stupidity.27

“It’s just that I’ve never ever seen a real live dragon before,” he explained.28

“Okay, but what the heck are you?”29

Prince Rick blinked, surprised. “How come you don’t know me? Why, I’m Prince Rick, and my parents tell me that I’m going to be the King of England someday… I’m going to rule the whole country,” he boasted.30

“You have p- parents?” Purple Patty whispered, her voice trembling. She turned away and broke into a fit of tears.31

“What happened? Why are you crying, Patty?" he asked, concerned.32

“I miss my mo- mommy. I miss- miss my daddy,” she sobbed.33

The run- down building was quiet except for the little dragon’s weeping. Prince Rick suddenly realized that Purple Patty had been alone in her own home before he had come upon it.34

“Have your parents gone on holiday without you?” he asked anxiously. “Because if they have, they’re bound to return sometime,” he reassured her matter-of-factly.35

Purple Patty wiped her nose and spoke between the streaming tears. Her voice wavered. “I wasn’t a go- good girl to them and they weren’t happy with me. I didn’t listen to them or res- res- respect them, so- so they left me. They put me in bed last night and even kissed me goodnight. But when I woke in the morning, they were… gone…” she trailed off, and then looked at Prince Rick with sorrow- filled eyes.36

“Oh, that’s horrible!” Prince Rick exclaimed, truly feeling sorry for the dragon.37

He bit his lip, deep in thought. “My parents wouldn’t leave me, at least, I don’t think they would… but I am kind of mean to them…” He began to get worried as he considered the possibility. “… actually, I’m really mean to them,” he admitted sheepishly, hanging his head. “You don’t think they’d actually leave me, do you?” he asked quietly, dreading Purple Patty’s reply.38

“I never thought my parents would leave me, and they did. So yours might have too,” she mumbled softly.39

“Oh no, Patty! What am I going to do?! What if they’ve already left me? I’ve got to get back to the castle… fast! Come with me Patty… hurry, let’s go!”40

Prince Rick dragged a glum Purple Patty past the castle gate and into the courtyard. He stopped, absolutely out of breath.41

“Okay, listen. My parents will have a great fit if they see you right now, so you stay right there,” he instructed, pointing to a fountain in the middle of the garden. Purple Patty nodded and waddled over to watch water pouring from the mouth of a mermaid.42

Prince Rick rushed into a deserted foyer, crossing his fingers in the hope that his parents hadn’t left yet. “Mommy! Daddy!” he shouted in panic. He didn’t hear a sound in response. “Oh no,” he whispered, his voice cracking, tears stinging his vision. He dropped to his knees and stared at the floor ashamedly. He understood that he had done wrong. Guilt attacked his core. “It was all my fault,” he thought. “They were so nice to me and I was so mean in return. I drove them away. I didn’t even deserve such understanding parents. I just wish I could have said sorry to them before- before- they left…” 43

“Baby… what’s the matter?”44

Prince Rick looked up to see his mother and father hurrying towards him. They wore anxious expressions on their faces.45

“What’s wrong, son?” King Harry inquired, picking him up gently.46

They both exchanged worried looks when they saw the tears in his eyes. “What happened, Rick?” King Harry repeated, caressing his son.47

Prince Rick reached out to hug both his parents. “I love you,” he wept. “And I’m so sorry for all the mean things I’ve ever done to you. I promise I’ll be nice from now on. Please don’t go away… please don’t leave me on my own... I don’t want to be alone…” he buried his head into his father’s shoulder, little arms still wrapped around his parents.48

King Harry and Queen Joann smiled warm smiles and studied their son, who oddly enough did seem to believe what he was saying. “I always knew he’d come around someday or other- and today’s the day,” King Harry remarked proudly. “We love you too, son. We always will.”49

Prince Rick knew he had his parents for keeps. “From now on,” he decided, “I’ll be a good boy. I’m going to make them so proud of me!”50

Prince Rick was assured and contented, but he remembered the miserable purple dragon by the fountain. She had no more of a family to turn to. “Umm… Mommy? Daddy?”51

“Yes Sweetheart?”52

“Would you still love me if I kept a poor purple dragon in the house?”53