King Amri was a superhero king. He lived in a tall, warm castle with red flags, round windows, and a blue door.
Every morning, King Amri put on his soft gold cape. On his chest was a tiny star. When he helped someone, the star went ping!
“Good morning, Castle!” said King Amri.
“Good morning!” said Prince, his little friend. Prince wore green boots that went tap-tap-tap. He was cheerful, but sometimes he was scared of loud sounds.
That day, the castle looked strange.
The red flags were gray.
The blue door was gray.
The yellow flowers were gray.
Even Prince’s green boots were gray.
“Oh no,” said Prince. “Where did all the colors go?”
From the highest tower came a bright voice. “I took them!”
It was Sun Knight.
Sun Knight wore shiny sun armor. His helmet had long gold rays. He did not look mean. He looked cross. Very, very cross.
“I wanted the castle to sparkle,” said Sun Knight. “So I gathered every color in my Sun Box. But now the box is too full. It is making a big, buzzy noise!”
Bzzzz! Bzzzz!
The Sun Box shook in his hands.
King Amri looked up. He felt worried. But superheroes can be worried and still help.
“Do not drop it,” said King Amri kindly. “Prince and I will help.”
Prince swallowed. “The box is high up.”
“Yes,” said King Amri. “We can go slowly.”
Tap-tap-tap went Prince’s boots.
Step-step-step went King Amri’s boots.
They climbed the twisty castle stairs. On the first stair, a gray mouse squeaked.
“My cheese was orange,” said the mouse. “Now it looks like a little rock.”
“I will bring it back,” said King Amri.
Ping! went his star.
On the next stair, a gray bird flapped its wings.
“My nest was brown and cozy,” said the bird.
“We will bring it back,” said Prince, a little louder.
“Good brave voice,” said King Amri.
At the top was the Sun Box. It wiggled. It rattled. It made tiny sneezes.
“Achoo! Red!” it sneezed.
A red dot popped out and landed on King Amri’s cape.
“Achoo! Blue!” it sneezed.
A blue dot bounced onto Prince’s nose.
Prince giggled. “My nose is a berry!”
Sun Knight sighed. “I cannot open it. The lock is stuck.”
King Amri looked carefully. A small silver keyhole was on the side.
“A key!” said Prince.
They looked under the box. No key.
They looked behind the tower bell. No key.
They looked inside Sun Knight’s big glove.
Clink!
There was the tiny silver key.
Sun Knight blinked. “Oh. I was holding it all along.”
Prince laughed. Even Sun Knight laughed a small laugh.
But the key would not turn.
King Amri touched the lock. “It needs three kind words,” he said. “One from each of us.”
Prince put both hands on the box. “Dear colors, please come home.”
Sun Knight bowed his shiny head. “I am sorry I took you. I wanted beauty for myself.”
King Amri smiled. “Beautiful things are best when everyone can see them.”
Ping! went the star.
Click!
The Sun Box opened.
Whoosh!
Red flew to the flags.
Blue flew to the door.
Yellow flew to the flowers.
Green flew to Prince’s boots.
Orange flew to the mouse’s cheese.
Brown flew to the bird’s nest.
Colors danced all around the castle like happy butterflies.
The Sun Box had one last surprise. At the bottom was a treasure: three bright little badges. One was a star badge. One was a sun badge. One was a brave-heart badge.
King Amri gave the brave-heart badge to Prince.
“For climbing even when you felt scared,” he said.
Prince put it on his green shirt. “Tap-tap-tap! I did it!”
King Amri gave the sun badge to Sun Knight.
“For sharing your light,” he said.
Sun Knight smiled. “I will guard the colors, not grab them.”
King Amri kept the star badge. It glowed beside his cape star.
That evening, the castle shone red, blue, yellow, green, and gold. Prince ate orange cheese with the mouse. The bird sang from its brown nest. Sun Knight hung rainbow lanterns by the blue door.
King Amri looked at his friends.
“Helping together makes the brightest magic,” he said.
Ping! went his star.
And the whole colorful castle said, “Hooray!”