Cornelius trotted through the lively streets of Titania, his Pooka form drawing curious glances from passersby. The kingdom, once vibrant and familiar, now felt different to him. Everything seemed larger, and the sounds of laughter and conversation echoed in his ears, mixing with the clattering of hooves and carts.

He stopped for a moment, taking in the sights and smells of the market. Vendors shouted to advertise their goods, and the aroma of baked bread wafted through the air. Cornelius's stomach growled in response, but he hesitated. In his current form, he couldn’t simply approach a stall and ask for food. The people here would see him as just a creature, not the prince he once was.

As he walked further, Cornelius spotted a group of children playing near a fountain. They laughed and splashed water at each other, their carefree joy reminding him of his own past. A flicker of longing surged within him, the memories of running through the gardens with Velvet and dreaming of a bright future together. But now, those dreams felt so distant, overshadowed by the curse that had changed him into a Pooka.

With a heavy sigh, he turned away from the fountain, feeling the weight of his situation pressing down on him. He needed to find a way to break this curse and reclaim his true form. That thought pushed him forward, deeper into the streets.

Suddenly, he sensed a presence nearby. Cornelius paused, ears perked, scanning the area. Was someone watching him? He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination or something else entirely, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was not alone. “Who’s there?”