Princess Adaline's Wisdom
Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there lived a benevolent king named Richard. His daughter, Princess Adaline, was praised all over the kingdom for her grace, beauty, and adorned with her father's intelligence. King Richard, being a prudent ruler, held keen interest in knowledge and wisdom.
One day, an ebon sorcerer from the realm of darkness, Zarkov, sought to seize the throne. He cast a spell on King Richard, causing him to fall into a deep sleep. The kingdom was cast into dismay, and Princess Adaline's heart was filled with sorrow.
In her despair, Adaline sought help from the sage of the Silver Woods, Eldurion. He proposed a test. 'There are three riddles. If you can solve them all, I will provide a potion to break Zarkov's spell.' said Eldurion. Unsure but determined, Adaline agreed to tackle the riddles.
Eldurion laced his riddles with wisdom and strategy. He said, 'At dawn, I am a three, at noon, I am none, and at dusk, I am a nine. What am I?' Princess Adaline, with her quick wit, responded, 'You are the sun. At dawn, it's partial; at noon, it's at the peak, casting no shadow; at dusk, it's a descending half-circle resembling a nine.' Impressed, Eldurion presented her with the second riddle.
'You can hear me but cannot see me, I follow you everywhere but I don’t lead. What am I?' Adaline looked puzzled at first but then a spark of realization crossed her face. 'You are the echo!', she exclaimed.
The sage, impressed by her quick responses, presented her with the third and final riddle. 'Feed me and I live, yet give me a drink, and I die. What am I?' Princess Adaline, remembering her lessons about elements from her father, responded after a moment of thought, 'You are fire.'
Eldurion, satisfied, handed her a small vial containing the antidote to the ebon sorcerer's curse. Adaline rushed back to the castle, carefully poured the antidote into her father's mouth. Moments later, King Richard woke up, the colour returning to his face.
Zarkov, seeing his spell broken, tried to escape but was stopped by the palace guards stirred by the king's revival. He was banished from the kingdom, never to return. Princess Adaline was hailed a heroine, her courage, wit, and wisdom celebrated kingdom-wide.
King Richard, thanking his daughter, said, 'A wise ruler is not afraid to admit their faults nor to face challenges. You have displayed such wisdom, and for this, I am proud.'
And so, the kingdom of King Richard, safeguarded by his brave daughter, flourished for years, its story of bravery, wit, wisdom, and love passed down generations.