A Different Life

Written by Joseph Stonefield

This isn't how I imagined my life would have ever turned out. I had it all: a castle, good food, servants to take care of my every wish, the women were pretty attractive as well. One day, my brother was accused and found guilty of a most heinous crime, and I defended him. And just like that, the life of luxury I had been promised was snatched away. I was banished from my home castle, my home city, my home kingdom. I was left to die and be forgotten, a hated prince that few would ever miss. Of course, I became bitter over this, having felt betrayed by the people I had stood above. I hated feeling like these peasants had successfully toppled me from my tower.
But then one day, there was a man who gave me a second chance, the man who would become my mentor. He was the only one who wanted to help me rather than scorn me. I was already fairly well-trained in swordplay, but he helped me in other ways too. We would explore the Overworld, and he would offer our services to towns that needed a pair of adventurers. We would help out and try to fix their issues.
I wasn't the best apprentice. I would argue constantly about how these people didn't care that we were helping them, they only cared that their issues were getting fixed. My mentor taught me patience would allow us to see the impact we had on others. And he was right. One day, we entered a town, and people recognized us! Some still remembered me as the spoiled prince who was tossed out of the castle, but there were others who defended me, telling them how we had helped many people in the area. Hearing this, I was shocked. I had accepted that I would be hated for the rest of my life, yet here were people who were defending me out in public!
That day changed my life, and it was all thanks to my mentor. He taught me to care again. And I worked with everything I had to prove that I was not the same prince that people hated. We would even defend citizens from raids by bandits and pillagers. Over time, people stopped referring to me as the prince who got what was coming to him and started calling me a hero to the people. And honestly, even if it's not the best life, I'm happy with what I have. After all, I now have a loving wife, a smart young girl, and a beautiful baby boy. Thank you, my mentor, for being my glimmer of light in the dark void.
Rest in peace...