Time:
Morning
Age: Elira – 6 years old (body),
Kael – 3 years old (body, 50 years mind)
The morning sun barely peeked over the palace
walls when Kael and Elira slipped out with a small bag of coins and supplies.
Today was their first attempt at earning
money outside the castle.
Kael held a list in one hand, his expression far
too serious for a three-year-old. "Step one: find a merchant willing to trade.
Step two: observe… learn… profit."
Elira whispered, "Step three: don't get caught."
Kael's tiny hands clenched. "Exactly. Don't make
jokes this time."
Three minutes later, Elira made a joke. "Or we
could just sell our royal charm! Oh wait… I think they might notice it's
invisible."
Kael groaned so loudly it startled a passing
cat. "You're impossible. And yes… I can
think like I'm fifty, but my body is still three!"
Elira giggled. "See? That's the funny part!"
They approached a small fruit merchant. Kael
bowed politely, but his body could barely reach the table. "Good morning, sir.
We have apples… very fine apples. Excellent for pies."
The merchant squinted. "You're… very small. How did you get these?"
Elira whispered, "Magic… or maybe we wrestled
them off the royal gardener."
Kael shot her a look so sharp it could cut
stone. "Elira! Focus!"
The merchant laughed. "Well… small as you are,
I like your spirit. How much?"
Kael quickly negotiated, using strategies from
his 50-year memory. Elira helped, though she kept making funny faces at the
merchant, which Kael pretended not to notice.
By noon, they had made a small profit and gathered a few curious followers:
a clever street boy, a quiet girl who loved books, and a stray dog that seemed
to adopt Kael immediately.
Elira whispered to Kael, "I think they like
us… mostly because we're tiny."
Kael huffed. "My body may be tiny, but my mind
is a fortress of knowledge. Sometimes I wish I could just… grow to match it."
As the day went on, they faced small
difficulties: apples rolling down the street, the dog stealing bread, and Elira
tripping over a cart. Each time, Kael solved the problem with mental agility
far beyond his body's capabilities, but lifting crates or holding heavy coins
still required Elira's help.
By evening, they counted their earnings.
Enough for a tiny room outside the castle—or at least to feel slightly less
invisible.
Elira grinned. "See? Easy! Who knew being a
little businesswoman could be so fun?"
Kael sighed, a small smile tugging at his
lips. "Next time, let's aim for a day without chaos—or at least fewer
vegetables in the streets. And maybe, just maybe… a body that can keep up with
my mind."
The siblings walked
back to their wing, tired but laughing. Today had been messy, confusing, and a little ridiculous—but also the
first step toward freedom. Their bodies were small, their minds far older, and
together, they had begun learning how to navigate the world.