
Tale twist

The Kingdom of Sandy Shores
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The Kingdom
In the Kingdom of Sandy Shores, where every home, street, and castle was sculpted from sand, there lived a prince named Erien. His father had decreed that Prince Erien could only become king once he married a beautiful princess. Until then, the kingdom's affairs were managed by an old servant named Marmis.
It was an ordinary day in the sandy kingdom. The people went about their business, and in the main sandcastle, lunch preparations were underway. Prince Erien gazed out the window with a sigh. The bright sunshine, azure sea, and warm breeze did little to lift his spirits. Loneliness weighed heavily on him. "If only I could find a brave, smart, kind, and beautiful princess, the best of all princesses in the world, then I would marry her, and she would become the queen of Sandy Shores and I would become king," he mused.
"Your Highness, lunch is served," announced the servant.
Reluctantly, Prince Erien made his way to the dining hall where a long table was set. With little appetite, he ate only a bit of his favorite fish dish.
"What's planned for today?" he asked Marmis.
"Your Highness," Marmis replied, "after lunch, you have a fitting for your new outfit made by our chief seamstress, Lyrah, followed by a horseback ride with the prince of the Rocky Shore Kingdom, trade negotiations, then dinner, a theatrical performance in your honor, and rest."
For the fitting, the prince headed to the costume room, where royal garments hung in vast wardrobes. This time, it was a suit for horseback riding, and the prince was curious to try it on. Not that he was particularly fond of dressing up, but Lyrah, the royal seamstress, had a remarkable talent, and every piece she crafted was so beautiful and elegant that it awed even those indifferent to fashion.
Erien remembered Lyrah as a little girl with long beautiful braids when her father made royal garments, and she would bring the finished king's robe or a new shirt for the young prince. He remembered her cheerful smile as she left the clothing and, bowing, scampered away. Those memories briefly flickered and then faded. In the hall stood Lyrah and a few servants. Now she was serious, strict, and beautiful. "I'll find such a princess, only better," the prince thought. The servants bowed and brought in the outfit. For several moments, Erien couldn't take his eyes off the amazingly beautiful tailored clothes.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed the prince. "How beautifully made! What exquisite fabric!"
"Our seamstresses select the finest fabrics from overseas, Your Highness," noted Marmis.
"Lyrah," said the prince, turning to the young woman, "you are a master like your father, and you've even surpassed him."
Lyrah smiled then, reminiscent of the girl Erien remembered from his childhood.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she said.
The servants left, bowing, and Erien went about his day's duties.