"A princess? In our new house?" Liam whispered, his eyes wide as dinner plates.
Dad chuckled, "Liam, princesses live in castles, not houses. Especially not houses in New York City!"
Liam was still a little scared to move. It was hard saying goodbye to his old room, even if it meant getting to sleep in a big boy bed in the new house!
That night, Liam tossed and turned. He thought he heard whispers coming from the attic. He snuggled his dinosaur toy close. Maybe it was just the wind...
The next day, while Dad unpacked boxes, Liam decided to explore. The attic door creaked open, revealing cobwebs and dusty boxes.
"Boo!"
Liam jumped! But it was just Dad, a playful grin on his face.
"Dad, I think I heard a princess up here last night," Liam whispered.
Dad laughed. "Liam, you let your imagination run wild! Come on, let's unpack your toys."
Later that day, Liam was playing with his toy airplanes when he heard it again. A soft, gentle hum, like someone singing a lullaby. He tiptoed back to the attic. A light shimmered from under a dusty sheet.
Liam cautiously peeked under the sheet. To his surprise, he found a beautiful doll! It had on a sparkly dress and a tiny crown.
"Wow," Liam breathed. The doll's eyes fluttered open!
"Hello," the doll said in a tiny voice. "My name is Anya. I'm a princess."
Liam gasped. "You can talk?"
"Of course!" Princess Anya giggled. "At least, I can talk when someone remembers I'm here. I've been hiding in the attic for ages."
Liam felt brave. He wasn't scared of Princess Anya! "Why were you hiding?" he asked.
"I was sad," Princess Anya admitted. "My castle was torn down to build these houses. I miss my home."
Liam knew exactly how she felt. "I miss my old home too," he said.
Princess Anya smiled. "But you know what? New homes can be nice too. Maybe we can make this attic our own special castle!"
Liam's heart soared like his toy airplanes. This WAS going to be a great house after all, especially with a real-life princess as a friend! He told Dad all about Princess Anya, and even though Dad didn't believe him, he did help Liam build a magnificent castle for Anya in the attic.
From then on, Liam loved his new home. He and Princess Anya had the best adventures, right there in their attic castle. He learned that moving could be scary, but it could also be exciting, especially when you had a princess as a friend.
