Masina descended from her ship, looking around her. This was her first time leaving the grounds, and her parents had been against the idea. Walking off on the dock, she enjoyed breathing in the fresh air and just taking a moment for herself.

There was so much noise, it was almost overwhelming. Between the animals calling to each other, people talking to each other and haggling over deals at the stalls around the dock, it was so much. It never got this noisy on the grounds, with the loudest being whenever her parents felt the need to tell her off. This felt so much more alive to her.

Walking closer to the crowd, everybody around her grew quieter and pointed and stared, before bowing to her presence. One of the young women came closer and kneeled in front of her. Her security started to move to grab her, but Masina waved them off with an annoyed flick of her hand.

“My benevolent and aweing Princess Masina, I offer you this apple from our orchard. My father spends all day working the fields and we would love to share what we reap with you.” Masina stared over her shoulder at the parents hovering at the stall, looking proud and incredibly anxious.

“How much?”

“M-My Princess?”

“How much are you selling the apples for? I would love to purchase one.”

The young woman looked up nervously, struggling to understand the words she was hearing. “Um…we sell them by the pound.”

Masina bit into the apple, tasting the sweet but slightly tart that complimented each other so perfectly. She had many treats that the kitchen staff could whip up for her, but there still something refreshing about being able to just bite into something so fresh.

“Rise child, there is no need to kneel for me,” Masina said, sharing a smile. She motioned to one of her security and whispered in his ear, with him going off to purchase more apples for the kitchen for them. The teen beamed with pride, while the dad handled the exchange with her security member, a little flustered at the thought of the princess wanting to buy more of his apples.

Masina turned back to the teen. “What is your name?”

“Star.”

“Such a very pretty name.” A couple of the others in the crowd laughed and Star’s smile slipped for a second. “What?”

“Some of the others say it’s fitting cause there is nothing special about me. That I’m just common and ‘another star in the sky’.”

Masina nodded along, seeing no fault with that statement. “And why should you want to be special? To not be unique means to have in common with everyone else and that is wonderful. It means being able to connect and share with others like you. One of the greatest things is being able to find people to have shared experiences with and share your life with. Common is just another word for connection. You are a star in a sky with a billion others just like you, there for you and shining with you.”

Star rushed forward and hugged her. The crowd held its breath until Masina broke out in joyous laughter and hugged her back. Security came back with a couple boxes of apples, loading them on the ship.

Masina guided Star back to the stall where her parents were. “Would you allow me the pleasure of borrowing your daughter to show me the sights? I promise she will be well protected with me and my security.”

“It’s up to you. You’re almost an adult, you don’t really need our permission,” the dad said to Star, chuckling softly. Star nodded, thanking him silently.

“It would be my honor,” Star said, turning back to Masina.

Masina smiled and gestured for her to lead the way.

Leaving the trading area, they headed down the path that led further into the city and to the forest. Masina could hear the people going back to haggling as they were walking away, now that the excitement was over. The trees bent over the path they walked down, intent on protecting them from getting burned from too much sunlight. Masina closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the birds singing to each other and the sound of children playing off in the distance. She used to picture herself having that kind of fun as a kid, until her parents convinced that was nonsense and not meant for her.

“Princess?”

Masina opened her eyes to see Star looking at her nervously. “Masina is just fine. Tell me, what is life like for you here?”

“Oh, it’s pretty boring. Mainly it’s just school, which I’m almost done with, and working with my family on the farm. Occasionally I get coffee or something with friends in the city, but that’s pretty much it.”

“It sounds wonderful,” Masina said, smiling. To Masina, it was marvelous, the idea to be able to have the freedom to go wherever and do whatever with other people. Even being allowed to take the trip here had taken so much begging on her part that she was not proud of. But so far it had been completely worth it.

“Hey Star!”

Masina watched as a young man came jogging over and gave Star a kiss. “Meet me later at Joe’s on sixth? I got some drawings I wanna show you,” he said, squeezing her hand excitedly.

“Sure.”

“Cool, see you later babe,” he said, giving a slight bow at Masina before running off again.

Star looked back at Masina, looking a little flustered and blushing deeply, looking ready to apologize or something.

“What’s his name?”

“Damian,” Star said, getting a dreamy look in her eyes before recollecting herself. “But he’s a just a good friend that I hang out with occasionally.”

“And you kiss all your friends on the mouth,” Masina said, grinning with an eyebrow raised.

“I—Well—No I don’t. That was…,”

“…the first time,” Masina guessed. Star nodded, if possible blushing even more. Masina could probably cook an egg on her face from how hot they were blushing.

“Sorry about that Princess. It was very rude to do in front of you and I do apologize.”

Masina burst out laughing at that. “Oh sweetie, there was nothing wrong with that. Young love is nothing to be embarrassed about. Enjoy it!” They kept walking, going further into the city. Masina loved being able to drink in all the interactions going on around her.

“Oooo, this place sells the most amazing coffee and scones, you just have to try,” Star said, pulling her towards a coffee shop. Masina let herself be pulled in, with two of the security staying outside to watch the door and one following in with her.

Inside it had to be rush hour for the coffee shop. There was a little bit of a line and so many of the tables were already taken. The smell was so divine, with fresh coffee beans being ground and the scent of fresh pastries made with berries dancing around her nose. Star pointed to a table for Masina to grab while she grabbed drinks for them. Sitting in the wingback chair, it felt so nice and plush. She could understand the business of this place, when everything about exuded comfort.

“This place looks a little crowded, Princess,” the security member said.

“It’s fine.”

“Your mother would not approve of you being here. Maybe we should—,”

“No,” Masina hissed, cutting out his sentence. “I was promised a day to explore the world outside the grounds and I’m getting that.” Star came back with the drinks and Masina gave the security member a look to keep his mouth shut.

Taking a sip of her coffee, it tasted so good. The flavors exploded on her tongue, with the freshness of the beans and a hint of chocolate and caramel underneath it all. Sure, they served coffee back at the grounds but it never tasted as good as this did.

“So can I ask something?”

“Sure.”

“What’s your home like? Cause you weren’t originally from here, right?”

Masina paused with the coffee. Security bristled a little at the question but didn’t say anything.

“I was born here, but no my family wasn’t originally from here. Unfortunately, all I know is from what I’m told and taught.”

“What’s it like?”

Masina had to take a moment. “It was different from now. I wouldn’t have been royalty probably. I would have been going to school, meeting other friends, having parties. Some of them looked so marvelous. There was one where people would purposefully hide their faces behind masks and dress up in the fanciest of clothes.”

Star just stared at her with huge eyes while Masina reminisced over a life that she never even had. It was crazy to miss something that she had never even really experienced and yet she couldn’t help it.

“Do you think you’ll ever get to visit?”

Masina just gave her a small sad smile. “No, I don’t think so. Earth was destroyed many moons ago.”

Masina watched as the words had almost no impact on her. It wasn’t a loss that she could understand. A loss that never stopped aching in her chest.

Someone at one of the tables coughed and the security guards head snapped towards them. He looked back at Masina. “I’m so sorry but it’s time to go.”

As much as Masina wanted to fight him and whine, she knew the conditions to her visit. Hell, she had already even broken one of them. Instead, she just sighed and stood up.

“I’m sorry to cut this short, but it looks like it’s time for me to return back to the grounds.” Star nodded and got up to give her one last hug. The person coughed again and the guard started ushering her out of the coffee shop and back to the ship.

“Stupid conditions, “Masina muttered sullenly.

“I’m sorry Princess, but we have to protect you.”

Protected. Stored away. When they had come to this new planet, they had accepted the earth travelers as something divine. They saw us as stronger and we had knowledge on how to advance in ways. We were able to help guide towards something better. We were instantly made to be royalty but then came issues with their common cold. A cold that had wiped out part of their traveling party. Now we had to be protected. With being the last survivors from Earth, this was the price of the new world. Treated like royalty but living in a glass bubble to ensure the last of them don’t get wiped out. “Protection that keeps me isolated from the world,” Masina whispered bitterly.

She walked back with her guards to her ship that would take her back to the grounds, isolated away from everyone and safe. People admired and waved, happy to see the princess that they had never seen before, only heard about. In another lifetime on another planet, she might have wanted this to some extent. Instead, it just felt more like a punishment somedays. She looked back at the crowds, drinking in one last look at society, and then quietly continued on.