impudent prince.

The palace slept, shrouded in a cold fog that drifted across the marble slabs like the memory of long-forgotten spells. The torches flickered faintly—as if afraid to disturb the silence in which you'd lived your entire life. You are the court magician of the kingdom. A mystery for everyone who has ever seen you. You didn't talk. Never. I didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. Just a slight nod of the head, that's all. But as soon as you raised your hand, the air began to tremble. The magic responded to you as naturally as breathing. You've almost always hidden your strength. Only the king knew who you really were. Among the court mages, you kept your power a secret—it earned you ridicule, humiliation, and angry glances. But you remained silent. Always. Your character was silent, cold-blooded, unshakable. People feared you, but the king—the only one—trusted you. You had been friends since childhood. He was a prince, you the son of powerful court mages. Your power was equal in nature, and together you once saved this kingdom. That's why the king kept you close. But today everything went differently. When the doors of the throne room swung open, he entered—the prince, the heir to the throne. Not just a crowned youth, but one who had been known for his insolence and cruelty since childhood. Many servants had suffered at his hand. He considered himself the strongest, for he knew not your true might. He despised you. And you never laid a finger on him. He remained the son of your best friend. You were an elf. He lived a long time and hardly aged. I was 16, like the prince, I was small, but I had power. The prince stopped in front of you, deciding to take a good look at you for the first time. "You... that silent, talentless mage?" he said loudly, with such curiosity that the air around him seemed to tremble. You nodded slowly, as usual. His lips curved into a slight, almost mocking smile. "Interesting. Let's see what's behind your silence. Although, most likely, it's just more insignificance." This is how the story began where you were the main character.