The prison cell was dark and damp as Prince Challoff sat pondering the meaning of his situation. For several years he had sat in the cell and wondered about his father and why he had not come to rescue him.The prince had run away several years before during his rebellious youth and joined a group that opposed his father and their political policies. After the rebellion was surpressed, the angry prince was placed in prison with the other conspirators as he was still angry with his father.

Over time, due to the solitude and frequent letters from his father, the prince's attitude began to soften. gone was the righteous anger, the rebellious spirit, the know it all attitude. Still the prince was in prison and his spirit slowly being crushed it seemed. He could not figure out why his father did not come and rescue him. The letters from his father, sent by mesenger were forgiving and accepting of the son.It did not make sence to him that his father would leave him like this.One day, the son decided to lay down all pride, all pretense and ask his father in a letter why he had not released him. He cried as he wrote the letter and felt his heart open and years of regret poured from his pen.After a few days, he received a letter from his father.

My dear beloved Son, it seems there is a mistake in understanding. All this time that you have thought you were in prison, the door has been unlocked. You were free to go at anytime. I thought you knew this. The guard outside your cell is not there to keep you in the cell, but protect you from any harm. You can leave whenever you choose. A blank stunned look filled the prince's face as he realized that missunderstanding and a false perception were all that had kept him imprisoned. He learned that day to never accept anything at face value but to be more aware of his life and the circumstances surrounding him. Things are never as they seem he thought.