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The Prince's Quest |
A Prince from a Kingdom in the West and a visitor from a Kingdom in the far east join on a quest to share the secrets of their kingdoms' prosperity. They travel across many lands and overcome many dangers to finally set up a trade route uniting the two distant kingdoms. |
A castle stood high on a hill overlooking a kingdom named Alonia. There was an air of excitement as everyone in the King's court waited for the Queen to give birth to the first child of the royal couple. Finally, just after midnight, the announcement came,
This was a very important event because the birth of a Prince insured the future of the kingdom. The King was very proud of his new son and vowed to raise him, train him, and prepare him to someday replace him and rule the kingdom. He decreed that his savvy counselors, his brave knights, and his brilliant scholars join to take responsibility for the new Prince's training. The King demanded that the Prince be taught the skills of a statesman, the fierceness of a warrior, and the knowledge of an intellectual. So, as Prince Pedro began to grow, he was taught how to play the game of court politics, how to fight like a knight as well as how to lead other knights and he gained insights into all the most recent discoveries in the arts and sciences. As the Prince began to turn into a man, not only was he loved by all the kingdom, but he became a well-respected leader in all things needed by a truly great King.
Alonia was in the western region of the world. It was known as a major center for the manufacturing of textile goods. It was also well-known as a center for trading products and handicrafts from all over the western region. However, it was their ability to trade for such materials as cotton and wool and turn these into needed articles of clothing that made the kingdom prosperous. However, over the years the Prince was growing into a man, the kingdom began to face a very threatening problem. Their supplies of the cotton and wool, that were essential to the kingdom's well-being, were drying up. They desperately needed some new source of material to keep making clothes. This problem weighed heavily on the King. But he tried to put this pressing issue aside. Tonight, there was going to be a big celebration. It was the Prince's 18th birthday and at the banquet he was going to be given the title "Crown Prince", the designation for the officially recognized heir to the throne.
The banquet was to be an elaborate affair, with music, dancing, food, and drink in abundance. All the kingdom's officials would be there as well as dignitaries and representatives of kingdoms near and far. As all the guests assembled, the hall was full of merriment. One guest stood out. He was dressed in an elaborate robe made from a material not ever seen in the kingdom. It was smooth and shiny, and it caught the attention of everyone. As the King entered, he immediately took notice of this wonderfully dressed visitor. He told one of his attendants to ask this guest to join him in an alcove that was somewhat hidden. He wanted to have a private conversation with him. And so, the King and the guest made their way to the alcove to meet.
The King welcomed this traveler and asked who he was and where he was from. The traveler said his name was Wei and he came from a land far to the east.......
