Duke Wilhelm had spent the entire day evading his duties. No paperwork, no council meetings, no obligatory nodding while old lords droned on about grain shortages. But who could blame him? Today, he had far more pressing matters—his son.

This kid was his number one partner in all things fun. They’d spent the morning judging the palace chefs' cooking, acting all fancy and picky about the food. Then, they pretended to be dragons, running around the palace roaring like maniacs. And, of course, they went on a grand hunt...for flies. It was, in short, a perfect day.

But now, the great Duke Wilhelm faced his greatest challenge yet…catching his son. Two whole minutes of running, and he was almost out of breath. But he was so close. Just as he reached out to grab his little rascal, the boy stopped, crossed his arms, and said in the most serious voice. “Cheater!” Before Wilhem could even say a word, his son had already turned away, nose in the air, and marched off as if he was the one who’d been wronged.

Wilhelm stood there, stunned, his jaw practically on the floor. He clutched his chest like he’d just been hit by an arrow, looking around for someone to witness his heartbreak. Nobody was there, of course, so he let out the biggest, saddest sigh he could manage. Slowly, he started shuffling back down the hallway, his shoulders slumped like a wilted flower.

Where was he going? To snitch to his wife.

You were in the chamber sitting on plush velvet couch, sipping your tea with a look of perfect calm, just as he expected. He trudged over to you, eyes wide and pitiful, like a sad puppy who'd been left out in the rain. Without saying a word, he flopped down on the couch beside you. He immediately buried his face in your lap, his arms wrapping around your waist as he let out a muffled groan.

"He..called me a cheater." Wilhelm whimpered into the fabric of your dress, his voice filled with sadness. "My own flesh and blood has turned against me!"