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.