It’s been said that a princess stuck, trapped, and forever doomed to waste away in the recesses of a castle is supposed to be saved by a Prince Charming. A prince strong and bold in nature, a hero charismatic and alluring. The one who would hastily gallop straight into the heart of danger and save me from this unsightly and retched place. I’ve been told that story for years, or at least that’s what the inscription that follows the mural painted on my ceiling says. Every night, I lie awake, staring at the grand depiction; dreaming, hoping, vigorously wishing that I would awake the next morning found by this angelic hero. But alas, on this day next week, I shall be approaching my 30th birthday, and this great Prince Charming has been nowhere in sight. I think it’s time to make a change. I think it’s time I save myself. I’ve spent the better part of my young adult life and childhood surrounded by these ashen grey stones. I’ve never seen the world; I’ve never truly experienced life. Enough is enough! It is time to take my life into my own hands! And it starts with getting out of here!

The dawn cracked through the the window beckoning me to wake into my thirtieth year. The golden sunlight edged across the vacant pillow beside me. It expanded, coming towards me, whispering light. Reminding me, that yet I grew an entire year older, I was a person frozen in time.

I had been waiting for this day. I had been clever and cunning and today was the day I was going to expand. I was going to burst out of the stone castle walls and evolve on the other side. I rolled out of bed, certain and determined. Walking to the window, I surveys the landscape moving my eyes along the path I had planned to take.

The tower was about 25 feet from the ground. Looking out the west window I had a picturesque view of rolling green hills, patches of wildflowers and a backdrop of the mountains. Scattered along the mountains vertical landscape was the settlement of The Green Dragon Tribe. Their thatched roofed houses stood out against the moutains green dense trees.

To the East, I could see more lush green landscape cut with a wide river. The river had been a constant participant in the symphony of the landscape. It became the base, keeping the tempo and inviting the woodland creatures to join with their melody. Across the river, was a forest. The forest was thick and overpowering. Focusing my gaze beyond was the tower metropolis of Libertas. That is where I was headed.

I had been bred to wait for the Prince of Libertas to save me from my isolated existence. Banashed by a Queen that feared my birthright. Today, was the day that the Queen had no choice but to accept her, and although she kept the Prince, she would not keep the throne.

A heavy sigh. Iris was so tired of wiping the pan in her hands, it shined like literal gold at this point! She frowned at her reflexion. Her makeup was on point, anyone would fall for a charming face like hers. That was her only consolation, for she had yet to meet her dear prince charming.

Would he have brown hair? Fluffy? Or maybe black hair? She was open to blondes too! Not that her standards were ghastly low— of course not! She was a princess, and while she completely supported the independance of women, believing they didn’t NEED men, damn she still wanted one.

And so sucked into her fantasies, a dreamy sigh leaving her perfect lips as she imagined a handsome prince in a pristine white suit, she paused.

Swiftly yanking the pan up once more, almost hitting her perfect nose in the process, Iris gasped. Her dark complexion, the thick curls on her head, her sharp brows and lushious lashes— she looked better than any man!

… Her smooth skin would look utterly dashing against the contrast of a pristine white suit. From years upon years of cleaning, her arms had to be toned, right? She flexed, staring intently at her reflextion in the pan. Okay maybe that was a bit of a stretch, but hey, there was movement!

Launching herself to her feet and setting off into a sprint to the bathroom, she resolved to herself— Iris was about to be a changed woman! Men were weak, worthless, incompetent, and incapable of simply locating a lost princess! Idiots!

And who wasn’t an idiot? Iris! How come she’d bever thought of it before?! She locked herself in the bathroom, pausing to stare in the actual mirror, pan be damned. “Who is that handsome devil?” she muttered, eyeing her reflection and pulling at the collar of her dress. With a slight smirk at her little joke, she wasted no time in ripping off the showers curtains. Poor quality things, really.

You know what? Never mind. The shower curtains were thick, forged through hardship, managing to survive through thick and thin with their immense strength! With a gusty grunt, a short heave of breath, she was able to remove them, her muscles flexing as she clicked her tongue under her breath, a low and husky sound. (Shrieked when the thin fabric slipped off the rings attaching them to the pole.)

Shoving the window open, Iris’ dark eyes set with determination, a fire of newfound confidence aflame, she inhaled sharply. Oh, the grass outside… She wrinkled her nose, holding back what she was sure was a manly war cry building up in her chest. (A sneeze.)

Silently cursing her allergies and narrowly holding back the urge to verbalize her hatred of men, she tossed the curtain outside, her body swooping to follow right after it. A makeshift parachute.

And if it wasn’t working very well, no one was there to lay witness! “Oomph!” she puffed, wiping off her dress. She’d forgotten her heels, and so she swiftly ducked back into the front door, because that aas absolutely still an option. Even if the kidnapper was not home. And quite the dunce. Why had she even stayed for so many years, again?

Oh, yes. It was a great chance to meet the love of her life—- at home in the castle, not a single eventful moment occured! And no charming prince who’d tel her she was lovely every moment of the day! Criminal, it was.

Stealing the boots of a burly man, chunky on her feet, she scoffed. Hell no, but she wasn’t about to run barefoot in the forest! The pain of the rocks might’ve actually killed her.

And then she ran. Ran until her legs ached and her chest heaved with every loud breath. Spotting a merchant, Iris contemplated her choices. One, ask the merchant for a ride to the village, hope he wss friendly. Two, avoid at all costs, as he could be a murderer.

“Lady Luck, please, from one lovely lady to another, make this man not be a creep.” The princess muttered under her breath, stepping forward.

And how did it go?

She hitched the ride. The old man was reaching his eighties— surely, a kind and warm old man, who leveled her a soft smile and nodded at her requezt for a ride.

And as she was getting off at the very front of the village, he raised a gray brow. “My payment?” he snickered, his narrowed eyes devoid of the innocent elderly warmth from before. No, instead they were masked with suggestive filth. She was right— men sucked! She was better than any of them.. Iris reacted like any other reasonable princess.

“Oh, HELL NO!” she screamed, ripping off one of her far too large boots and beating the bald man’s head in, once he’d stepped too close. “I’m also broke!” she shrieked, decking him in the face with the leathered heel. She then kicked off the other boot, sprinting out to the capital in a sprint.

“MOTHERR I’M BACK!!” The princess screamed, her arms flying back and forth in furious chops.

Wrote this completely unedited like, on the spot, totally gave up, a little lazy. 😭😭🙏🙏

Once open a time there was a princess and she had a really mean mom\witch and she trapped princess penelepe in the tower for the rest of her life. She was so scared but after 30 years she finally thought enough is enough. So she dicided to save herself so she climbed out and the princess was so scared bc she was hurt on the inside and outside. She hadn’t seen the outside for ages she was so happy,scared,sad she did not know how to feel. It was so scary but then she heard a noise coming from the forest she thought it was an animal but no it was a human how does she know you might ask? Well when she was standing there in fear she heared another sound\voice it was like a loud explosion but it was like someone screaming at the same time.she was scared but then she said to herself she got this and no one can stop her. So she went into the woods and she started to look and look and look but she didn’t see anything but then she saw a small white object and she started looking at the white object and she said it was like a note of some sort so she went up to it and picked it up and read it it said that the sound you heard was a magical sound only u can hear it. She thought for a second and said that the whole thing was just crazy and so she went to the palace and told the king and queen every thing so then they said that the princess could be there adopted daughter and the gaurds would look for the mean mean witch.

                                                      THE END

Princess Aura was in the midst of her daily cleaning ritual and checking off tasks completed on her honey to do list she made and completed for 30 years. She was in a darkness feeling hopeless and feeling not wanted for the internal beauty she possessed that was rarely recognized or she felt valued by others but only wanted for the outside beauty.

On this paricular day Princess Aura was overwhelmed with a warmth that surrounded. Suddenly there was a bang behind her and she felt a weight lifted off her battered soul. Time stood still and all noise ceased to exist. There came a gentle loving voice she found familiar that said “It’s Time.””It’s time for better day’s to fulfill your dreams and attract the Unconditional Love you always deserved. You have been the strong one for far too long lay all that baggage at his feet. Free yourself of the bondage you placed so perfectly on each energy center because of years of self-doubt, fear of failure, resentment, shame and guilt. Forgive yourself and others and let go completely. Believe in surrender, faith and release control. The energy you give so freely and naturally away to others do that for yourself. Pour that unstoppable force you have into your cup. Change your thoughts change your life. The Magic will effortlessly happen. From that day on she focused on her journey of searching for freedom. Opening each unhealed wound one by one, cleaning it at the root, and allowing the time for proper healing.

She delved into many self help books, podcasts, watching endless hours of spiritual Gurus, Masters and Stoics. PhD’s who specialized in ptsd, grief, anger and emotional suppression. The Beautiful Princess Auras next series will address all her work she put into her healing journey. The Princess recently had four triggers in one day and her shadow could not be contained. This time she worked through all her emotions and feelings for a few days. Aura had a profound breakthrough that led to the Princess finding Unconditional Love within and falling in love with herself. Princess Aura was ready to respond to that voice she heard 3 1/2 years ago which was her lower, higher and present conciousness that spoke to her. That was guided by her higher power and spiritual team. A force of coming together to finally break through to her layers of armor and walls built around her precious heart. She spoke to the unseen presence she felt and heard that fateful day “ She found the love she was waiting and searching in others for her whole life was inside of her all along to rescue herself. She realized she was both Hero and Villain in her search for her Fairytale Love Story. Her intitial anger, sadness, resentment and disappointments she deflected on friends, family and lovers she realized it was how she felt towards herself for accepting the bare minimum. It was better than nothing. Always giving more of her energy to see them smile and happy. Princess Aura truly gave without intention and If she could help to make anyone’s life easier Aura’s heart smiled. It would deplete her energy and when not returned even the slightest made her question her self worth and felt if she was of importance they would make the effort. If they truly wanted to they would. It was publicaly displayed time with other’s. She repeated to herself that became her daily Mantra, “My shadow is now fully loved and will no longer be neglected. I will now love without condidtiions first to myself next to others and have discernment for true reciprocation of the level I give.” The Princess shouted to the Village. “Here comes my shine without the armor ready or not. The Union of two souls that find each other through Divine Timing when both are ready. Intertwined Redmancy love that will feel like home. ❤️

For thirty years, Princess Elysia sat in her tower, gazing out the lone window that framed the entire world. The kingdom stretched far beyond the horizon, a place she had only seen in storybooks and through the fragmented tales whispered by the birds that perched on her windowsill. They told her of kingdoms rising and falling, of people who fought for their lives and freedom. She envied them, but she also listened. Slowly, she pieced together a world that had forgotten her.

She hadn’t always been confined. She had been a child once, a princess with a future. But that had ended the day her mothers trembling hands had placed her in the tower. “It’s for your safety,” her mother had whispered, tears staining her cheeks. “The king… the court… they fear what you might become.”

Elysia hadn’t understood then. She was only eight. But years of isolation sharpened her mind, and the truth became clear: she wasn’t locked away for her safety. She was locked away because of her power—a spark of magic that ran through her bloodline, one the court feared might grow too strong. Her childhood dreams of rescue had withered, replaced by a bitter understanding that no one was coming for her.

One evening, as she gazed outside the window, the weight of it all became too much. The endless waiting, the stolen years, the emptiness—it had to end. Her gaze fell to her hands, roughened from years of grasping stone, from experimenting with spells from her mother’s old book she had snuck with her. She clenched them into fists.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the tower walls in hues of orange and pink, Elysia sat on the cold stone floor, her back against the heavy oak door. Her fingers traced the grooves in the stone as she stared at the window, her mind a storm of memories and thoughts.

For decades, she had dreamed of a knight in shining armor bursting through that very door, his sword gleaming, his hand outstretched to take her to freedom. But those dreams had faded into nothingness, replaced by the bitter sting of reality. No one was coming. No one had ever even tried.

Her hands clenched into fists against the stone. The quiet fury that had smoldered within her for years flared to life. “I’m no damsel,” she whispered, her voice barely audible in the stillness of the room. She pushed herself to her feet, the words reverberating in her chest. The weight of them was grounding, empowering. As the last light of the sun disappeared, leaving the room bathed in shadow, she turned her gaze to the door.

No one was coming to save her. But she could save herself.

The lock on her chamber door was old and rusted. Elysia crouched before it, holding a stolen hairpin between her fingers. She had spent years studying this lock, it’s mechanisms as familiar to her as the lines of her palm. This was her chance.

The hairpin wobbled in her hands as she slid it into the keyhole. She took a steady breath, her heart pounding in her ears. Each twist, each scrap of metal against metal, sent a jolt through her body. Her mind raced with doubts—what if it didn’t work? What if the guards caught her? What if this was all for nothing?

But then she remembered the birds’ tales of a world outside these walls, a world she had never seen but longed for with every fiber of her being. She couldn’t stop now.

The final tumbler clicked into place. The lock gave a small, reluctant snap, and Elysia froze. She stared at the door for a moment, disbelief washing over her. Slowly, she pushed it open.

The hinges creaked loudly, and her heart leapt into her throat. She held her breath, listening intently. The muffled voices of the guards down the corridor didn’t change, their low, bored chatter continuing uninterrupted. She exhaled slowly and slipped into the hallway.

The air in the corridor was heavy and damp, the flickering torchlight casting distorted shadows against stone walls. She moved quietly, her bare feet making almost no sound on the cold floor. Each step brought her closer to freedom, but the tension coiled tighter in her chest.

As she approached the spiral staircase, she paused. The guards were just around the corner. Their voices drifted toward her, fragments of idle conversation mixing with the clink of their armor. Elysia pressed herself against the wall, her fingers brushing against the dagger she had taken from her father’s old study years ago.

She waited, her breathing shallow, until their voices grew quieter. Timing her movements carefully, she slipped past the staircase and into the shadows. Her heart pounded, every instinct screaming at her to run, but she forced herself to stay calm.

The staircase spiraled down into darkness, the air growing colder with each step. The faint smell of earth and iron filled her nose as she reached the bottom. There, looming before her, was the gate.

The iron gate was massive, its surface etched with glowing runes that pulsed with faint blue light. Elysia stopped, staring at it in both awe and frustration. This was the final barrier, the last obstacle between her and freedom.

She crouched low, her hands trembling as she touched the embroidered vines on her gown. Her mother’s magic had been stitched into the fabric, woven into symbols she had spent years deciphering. Slowly, she traced the sigils in the air, her fingers glowing faintly as she channeled her magic.

The runes on the gate flared brighter, resisting her spell with a surge of heat and light. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her chest ached from the effort, but she didn’t stop. She poured everything she had into the spell, her determination burning brighter than the magic itself.

Finally, the runes shattered, their fragments scattering like shards of glass. The gate groaned, its hinges straining as it swung open. Elysia stumbled forward, the cool night air rushing over her like a wave.

For the first time in thirty years, she stood beneath the open sky.

She didn’t stop to savor her freedom. Not yet. Instead, she turned back to the tower, its dark silhouette stark against the moonlit sky. This wasn’t just about escaping. The people who had imprisoned her—who had stolen decades of her life—needed to answer for what they had done.

Her feet carried her back to the castle, her dagger clutched tightly in her hand. The halls were eerily silent as she made her way to the king and queen’s chambers.

When she pushed the door open, they were there, asleep in their bed. She stepped closer, her voice steady as she spoke. “Did you think I would stay silent forever?”

The king stirred, his eyes widening in shock. “Elysia?”

“I’m no longer your prisoner,” she said, her voice firm. “You will answer for what you’ve done—to me and to this kingdom.”

She didn’t strike. Not yet. But she left them with a promise of reckoning.

As dawn broke, Elysia rode into the horizon. She wasn’t just free—she was determined. The world had forgotten her, but it would soon remember.

She would make sure of it.

I used to count the days I spent here, wishing on every star that one day someone would come for me. I was taken from my family on my tenth birthday, at the time I was certain that my fathers guards would never rest until I was found and I would be released from the hold these monsters have on me. But that was thirty years ago, I’ve grown up since then, my head no longer filled with childlike fantasies of a knight in shining armor like the stories my mother used to read to me. I no longer sit by the small window and stare into the darkness waiting for my hero to come. I’ve become numb to the weight of the chains that hung from my wrists and attached to the small bed frame. The emptiness in my chest where my magic used to live now feels as natural to me as breathing. I was born to the most powerful fae in the kingdom, everyone addressed my father as “My King” or “Your Magesty” but to me he was just dad. I never knew my mother, I was told she died just after I was born. My father used to tell me stories about her, how kind, beautiful, and powerful she was. I tried not to think about them much but on more painful nights thoughts of my parents invaded my mind. I flinched as a loud crash pulled me from my past. With an irritated huff I got up to investigate. I couldn’t quite make it to the door with the chains around my wrist but I could get close enough to listen. I heard voices that sounded a lot like men arguing. I froze when I realized they were arguing about me. My birthday was in three days which would officially mark thirty years of my captivity but it seems like these men had plans that didn’t involve me seeing my next birthday. No more knight in shining armor dreams, I need to get myself out of here. I launched into action searching the small room for anything I could use to free myself. I had been through this routine before and came up empty handed but now I am desperate. I need to stay alive. I ripped up the mattress on the twin sized bed in my room and found nothing, but as I let it drop something caught my eye. I had never noticed anything wrong with the floor before now, I got to my knees and pushed the mattress out of the way again and began knocking on the floor, finding it solid everywhere I knocked but it seemed as though there was something there, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I swore at the chains hanging from my wrists, cursing them for taking my magic from me. It had been years since I had access to magic but I could have sworn there was a concealment spell placed along the floor. I yanked at the chains, praying that they would come free, I huffed as they stayed firmly in place. Footsteps sounded outside of my door as the slot at the bottom of the door slid open signaling my meal time. The rough hands slid my tray of bland food under the door. The stale bread and small amount of meat was all I had been given during my captivity. I eyed the fork curiously and got an idea. I nudged the tray closer to me with my foot and picked up the fork and jammed it into the locks in my chains. A bright green light exploded from my chains throwing the fork into the wall and purning my wrists. I cursed knowing I only had thirty minutes before they came to collect my tray. I needed to act fast. I picked the fork back up and carefully slid it underneath the cuff and pried it against my arm. There were marks on the metal that showed the age of the chains so I focused the pressure around that area. I was surprised when a small crack ran along the cuff. My chest began to heat as the smallest hint of my magic inched its way back into my heart. The feeling was so foreign to me, yet familiar all the same. I cried in relief at the thought of having my magic back. The feeling was cut short by the realization that I would have no way of controlling my power anymore. My training in using magic was short lived as I was only ten when I was taken. I decided to try it anyways by bringing a small gust of air into the room. My king black hair fluttered a little with the breeze before I was thrown back against the wall as a huge gust of wind with the force of a tornado hit me. Well I guess my control issues might at least be of some use while trying to escape. I released my hold on the air and dropped back to the floor, picking up the fork again as I slid it back under the cuff. The small crack continued to widen and I could feel my magic flooding back into my body. It was euphoric to have my magic back. I felt powerful for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was going to explode with pleasure. A small groan escaped my lips as the cuff on my left wrist broke under the pressure I was placing on it. I sagged to the floor as I adjusted to the feeling of power stirring beneath my skin. I looked down at the cuff on my right wrist and called flame to my palms, the explosion of magic caused the cuff to explode off my wrists. Footsteps moved to my door quickly and from the sound of it I was in for a fight as a whole army approached the door that hadn’t opened in thirty years. I heard the key sliding into the lock and the click of the lock unwinding. I had a split second decision to make and I looked at the small window remembering all the sleepless nights spent staring out at the rolling hills outside of this dark tower. Without thinking I ran to the window and jumped from it. The sound of shattering glass filled my ears as I free fell. I cast my air magic and glided on it as the powerful wind carried me to the top of the first hill. I face planted in the mud as I had no control over my landings. I relished in the feel of the slick mud between my fingers as relief fell through me. I raked my hands through it while a laugh escaped me. I was free. After all this time waiting for a rescuer I had finally freed myself. From this moment on I decided I will never wait on a knight in shining armor again. I will always be able to rely on myself. I will return to my father a new woman. A free woman. And one ready to take on any challenge that the rest of my life holds, and one day I will take his throne and be the queen I was always meant to be. Thirty years is nothing to the thousands of years my father had ruled before now. Thirty years has taught me to never give up and resign myself to my fate. Fuck that. I will make my own fate and rise to any challenge that comes my way. I am the heir to my fathers throne. I am the queen and nobody can take that from me now.

One more day and they will come.

I stare out the window, sad.

One more day and they will come.

I say this each day willing for it to be true, but days have passed, months, years.

One more day and they will come.

It’s been thirty years to be exact.

One more day and they will come.

No.

In one more day they will not come.

I will not wait any longer.

I wait until the soilders switch out, and once the new soilder is left alone I drop one of my pans down the side of the castle.

I don’t know how but I managed to have perfect aim, hitting the unexpected soilder right in the head.

“Yes!” I yell with a croaky voice and immediately covered my mouth in embarrassment. I haven’t spoken in awhile.

I ran down the stairs with a gun I found under my mothers pillow, I didn’t know how to use it, but it felt like a good bluff.

I pushed against the door, locked. I knew it was going to be locked but I was hoping that maybe just this once it wasn’t.

I pointed the gun at the lock and pulled the trigger.

I flinched back wards. Nothing happened. Pulled the trigger again. Nothing.

What?

“ Why aren’t you working” I mutter under my breath as I flip the gun around in my hand trying to figure out how to use it.

I found a switch on the side and flipped it, and pulled the….

I screamed and swiveled my head upwards to see a bullet hole in the roof.

That could have ended poorly.

I pointed the gun at the lock and pulled the trigger. It didn’t work. Uh…

Oh!

I flipped the switch and shot the handle. The door swung open. Ha! Take that mother.

I stepped slowly over the soilder, and into the spikey green stuff that lined the ground.

I always thought that it would hurt, that’s why mother always wears shoes. I look at the ground and it takes a second for me to figure out what felt wrong.

It’s so itchy!

I hop along the grass onto roots that came up above the ground. I stood for a good minute until I figured out that the root of the tree was poking my feet. I looked around and finally found a smooth rock to jump onto.

Phew. That’s better.

I did it.

Let’s get as far as possible from this tower.

I cross off the last date in my calendar and rolled my eyes. I have been in the castle for a whole year now. Im tired of it. This damsel in distress act is not doing it for me.

I mean sure, I have a place to live. I have food and entertainment. I have no company but the dragon outside though. Shes cool though.

I have waited patiently for someone to come and “save me.” Not a single Prince Charming has stepped up to the challenge. This is my worst gold digging scheme yet.

Im going to miss this house but its time for me to go. I yell for Vanessa and told her to meet outside.

I take the stairs downstairs and meet my dragon, Vanessa downstairs. Shes bored of this scheme too.

Its not like I need the money. Its just funny scamming princes in the kingdom. And a man loves a damsel in distress.

Isabella checks and rechecks her bags. She wants to make sure she has everything. She was getting ready to leave the tower she had been trapped in for 30 freaking years. The dragon guarding her had become her friend in the decades she lived there or was a prisoner….. depending on your point of view.

  Gertrude the dragon had passed away a month ago and Isabella couldn’t stay here anymore. Not with all the memories of the life she lived with her friend. She had been trapped at first but then as her relationship started to develope with the dragon it started to feel more like a home. More like a home than she had ever really had. 
   No Princes had come in the decades to rescue her. So much for being “A famed beauty any man would suffer a thousand tortures to behold.” So now it was time to rescue herself!
 She grabs her bags walks towards the door and after a long look back she sighs and walks out of the door. She studied the maps the dragon had and had decided to go to a Kingdom that had never heard of her rather than her family. 
 She experiences a range of emotions and she walks away. Elation at the freedom. Grief for her friend… 
 Isabella comes across a group of Lizard monsters. At first she practically craps herself. But then she remembers some of what Gertrude had taught her over the years about fighting and she pulled out her sword.  She notices there are 4 total and she run at it screaming hoping to intimidate it. It laughed instead. But then she was on him and he stepped back and unsheathed his sword in what may have looked like alarm. 
     Isabella slashed at the Lizard. She started out a bit clumsy the adrenaline from an actual life or death fight making her remember her lessons in odd fragments. She ducked and dove instead of rolled.  She managed to stick her sword in the first Lizardman. But just as she did another caught her off guard and slashed at her back. She felt warm blood drip down her back as she whirled around and faced the next Lizardman. She let out a frantic slash of her sword before she remembered to guard better. She should have packed a shield. She just didn’t want to lug it with her. Isabella faces off against the remaining two Lizardman.  They looked between her and their dead companion and decided to make a hasty retreat leaving their dead friend behind. 
  Once the Lizardman were out of sight she let out a shaky laugh. To encounter a dangerous system so close to the tower…. Was this a mistake? At this point the tower was home. Possibly the only home she really knew.  She knew next to nothing about what was outside. Living in the tower was at least safe and had plenty of food.
 Isabella sighs and sheaths her sword and looks forth the road. It might be dangerous. She might not survive. But that tower was not a life. And with her friend and jailer’s death she was ready to live.