The next morning, when the light entered, the wise man woke him up and said to Prince, “Let’s go.” They walked together, reached the river, and boarded a boat. The wise man rowed and offered Elijah some fruits. The prince was frightened, sitting on the small boat, thinking it might break and he’d fall into the water. The wise man sensed his fear and said, “Stand up.” Then, he pushed the Elijah into the water. He shouted, but the wise man watched him drowning. When Elijah struggled and flailed, he realized he wasn’t sinking; he was swimming, remembering his palace pool lessons. However, swimming in the vast ocean was different. He understood that some skills should not be limited to learning; one must apply them in one’s real-life situations as well.
As he swam closer to the boat, his fear turned to excitement. He dove and resurfaced, laughing loudly. The wise man helped him back into the boat. Elijah was exhausted but exhilarated.
The wise man asked, “How did you feel?”
The prince replied, “I thought I’d die, but I faced my fear, remembered my past learning, and started swimming. Then, I enjoyed it; I experienced fear, anger, and joy simultaneously; I can’t describe how wonderful I felt.”
Then Elijah asked, “Who are you? I want to know about you.” The wise man smiled and said, “Be patient, and I’ll tell you my story.” Then they returned to the cave as night fell. The prince’s clothes were dry, and both sat in the cave.
The elderly man began to share his story with Elijah, “A long time ago, a war broke out, and a soldier went to fight. He left his wife Sara and his child Sheridan behind. When the news of his death arrived, his wife was devastated. After a few days, she had to work hard to make ends meet, and their living conditions worsened. The child saw his mother’s struggles and missed his father dearly. He resented the king, who had sent his father to war. As time passed, Sheridan’s mother fell ill and eventually passed away. Before she died, she advised her son to always be kind and never harbour hatred towards anyone, including the king. He was heartbroken but followed his mother’s words.
Sheridan sat alone, overcome with grief, tears streaming down his face as he remembered his mother and father. He wept uncontrollably, wishing he had siblings to share his sorrow. He felt so isolated that he wished there could be someone to comfort him. Suddenly, their land was attacked, and he was sold into slavery. Although the man named Adam, who bought him, was kind and provided him with clothes, food, and knowledge, Sheridan spent his life in servitude, growing up under the care of this benevolent master.
One day, he called Sheridan and said, “You are free now because you have served me well, and as I have no heir, everything that I own is yours now.”
He revealed a secret to him: “You often asked where I went at night. I am the guardian of this forest, protecting its wonders. If I don’t, others will destroy its beauty.”
Sheridan was astonished. “What wonders?” he asked.
The old man smiled, “You will understand now as I’m entrusting this responsibility to you” With those final words, his master, Adam, passed away.
The young Sheridan had endured the loss of three loved ones: his father, mother, and now his master, whom he had grown to respect and love. He realized his master had shown him kindness and compassion during his most vulnerable times. Sheridan headed towards the forest that his master had spoken of. When he entered, he felt a strange connection, as if the forest was unlike any other. The birds and creatures seemed to be calling out to him. He held his master’s stake, which was given to him before he died, and it seemed to identify him to the forest dwellers. They approached him cautiously, and he felt a mix of fear and awe. At night, under the tress of cherries, while sitting, he noticed a deer and considered hunting it for food. However, as he gazed into its beautiful eyes, he remembered his mother’s eyes and spared its life. That night, as he slept, he saw visions of deer and other creatures, all bearing a gentle glow on their foreheads, bowing before him.
The young man was terrified as they spoke to him, “You are our master and our guardian; “we will protect you, and you will protect us.” From that day forward, he understood his role and accepted the responsibility given to him by his master.
As the story neared its end, the old man asked the prince, “Did you like the story?”
Elijah replied, “I’ve never experienced such things before, like darkness, to sit on the ground, eat like common people, or live like them.”
Then he continued, “I’ve always had my guards with me, but in your company now, I feel like I have found a true purpose in my life; Sheridan, you’ve filled the gaps in my life.”
Sheridan smiled and said, “Now that you know a secret of purposeful life, ‘It’s time for you to leave.” He took the prince to his guards and said, “It’s time for you to take responsibility for your people, learn from the sufferings and struggles, and spread positivity in your life.”
After listening to the advice, he watched Sheridan walk away, his hand lingering in the air. As he disappeared into the distance, Elijah felt a pang of emotion. However, he steeled himself, determined to fulfil every promise he had made to Sheridan. He knew within himself that he was no longer the same Elijah; he had changed greatly. And who knew, perhaps in the future, he would become an even better king of Crystalhaven.
Elijah returned to his parents, who were surprised to see him in worn-out clothes. The prince explained his experience at dinner, and then Elijah asked the servants if they had eaten; they responded, “No”, and he invited them to join him. The king and queen were surprised, but Elijah told them, “All these people serve us every day, but we never care about their well-being.”
The king and queen were delighted to see the change in their son, knowing he would become a great king one day. Elijah started doing good deeds. After a few months, he received a letter from his cave friend, Sheridan, narrating, “Prince Elijah, you kept your promise, made your people happy, and helped them in their struggles. Always stay like this in your life.”
Upon reading the letter, the prince realized that his cave friend was indeed a mentor in disguise. A gentle smile spreads across his face, and his eyes mist with tears as he became engrossed in fond memories of their time together. After a moment of introspection, he regained his composure and returned to his people with a renewed zealousness.
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