Princess Aliana Ezmé was a little girl with bright boots and a tiny gold crown. She lived beside the Mystic Courtyard. The courtyard had round stones, soft grass, and a fountain that went plip, plop, plip.
Every morning, the courtyard woke up with colors. Red roses opened. Blue birds sang. Yellow flags danced over the castle gate.
But one morning, Princess Aliana Ezmé looked out her window and gasped.
“Oh no,” she said.
The roses were gray. The birds were gray. Even the fountain water was gray.
In the middle of the Mystic Courtyard stood Bounty Hunter Brusk. He wore a big brown hat and big brown boots. Clink, clink, clink went his belt.
“I found the Color Chest,” said Brusk. “It is full of shiny colors. I will take it away!”
Behind him was a little chest with a silver lock.
Princess Aliana Ezmé felt small. Brusk looked very big. But she took one deep breath.
“I love our colors,” she said. “Please do not take them.”
Brusk shook his head. “A bounty hunter takes treasures,” he said. “That is my job.”
Then Adventurer Milo came through the gate. Milo had a green backpack, a map, and a silly red scarf.
“Hello!” said Milo. “I heard a very sad fountain. It said, ‘Plip... plop... help!’”
Princess Luma came too. She wore a purple cape and carried a basket of warm buns.
“Gray days need a snack,” Princess Luma said. “Would anyone like a bun?”
Milo took one. Princess Aliana Ezmé took one. Even Brusk took one.
“Yum,” said Brusk, with crumbs on his mustache.
Princess Aliana Ezmé looked at the locked chest. On its top was a picture: a red heart, a blue drop, a yellow sun, and three little keys.
“I know!” she said. “The chest needs three kind keys. We can find them in the Mystic Courtyard.”
Milo opened his map. “Adventure time!” he said.
First they went to the rose wall. A tiny bee was stuck under a gray leaf.
“Bzz... help,” said the bee.
Princess Aliana Ezmé gently lifted the leaf. The bee flew free.
“Thank you!” buzzed the bee.
A red key fell from the rose wall. It sparkled like an apple.
“One key!” said Princess Luma.
Next they went to the fountain. A little duckling paddled in circles.
“Quack, quack! My yellow ball is gone!” said the duckling.
Milo looked under the stone bench. Princess Luma looked by the flowerpots. Princess Aliana Ezmé listened very carefully.
Plip. Plop. Plink.
“There!” she said.
The yellow ball was inside the fountain bowl. Princess Aliana Ezmé reached in and took it out. The duckling hugged it with both wings.
“Quack! Thank you!”
A yellow key floated up from the water.
“Two keys!” laughed Milo.
Last, they went to the moon gate. It was dark under the gate. A small blue moth sat there, shivering.
“My wings are cold,” whispered the moth.
Brusk looked away. Then he took off his big brown hat.
“You can sit inside,” he said quietly.
The moth sat in the hat. It became warm. Its wings opened: flap, flap, flap.
“Thank you, kind hunter,” said the moth.
A blue key landed in Brusk’s hand.
Brusk stared at it. “I got a kind key?”
“Yes,” said Princess Aliana Ezmé. “You helped.”
They ran back to the Color Chest. Red key. Click! Yellow key. Click! Blue key. Click!
The silver lock opened.
Whoosh!
Red swirled into the roses. Blue danced into the birds. Yellow bounced onto the flags. The fountain splashed bright silver-blue water.
The Mystic Courtyard was colorful again.
Brusk hung his head. “I wanted a treasure because I thought treasures made people happy.”
Princess Aliana Ezmé smiled. “Some treasures are for everyone.”
Brusk nodded. “Then I will not take this chest. I will guard it.”
He placed it safely by the fountain.
Princess Luma opened her basket. Inside were four little treasure boxes. One for Aliana Ezmé, one for Milo, one for Luma, and one for Brusk.
Princess Aliana Ezmé opened hers. Inside was a tiny rainbow whistle.
“Toot!” she blew.
A small rainbow curled over the courtyard.
Milo got a compass that pointed to friendly places. Princess Luma got a crown with flower-shaped jewels. Brusk got a shiny helper badge.
It said: KIND TREASURE GUARD.
Brusk smiled so wide that his mustache wiggled.
Princess Aliana Ezmé twirled in her bright boots. She was still little. But she knew she could be brave, gentle, and clever.
Plip, plop, plip sang the happy fountain.
And in the colorful Mystic Courtyard, everyone shared warm buns until the sun went sleepy-bye.