I know I shouldn’t have escaped. I know. Mother always warned me of the forest.

“My love, you must never leave the palace walls,” She had said. “Demons await there, and they’ll take your mind.

But why would I listen to my mothers useless lectures? That was what kept me going, running across the moat and far from the castle.

“Princess?”

A young peasant came up to me, smiling brightly. He looked about five.

I stopped for him, not wanting to ignore the child.

“Well, I heard you can grant wishes,” he said, his lisp quite adorable. “And I was wondering if you could grant mine.”

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I played along for his imagination’s sake. “Of course sweetheart! What is your wish?”

I kneeled as he whispered softly in my ear for a few minutes. The poor boy. I frowned sadly.

“I’ll try to help him.” I hugged him, continuing back on the path.

“There she is!! Get her!” A gruff yell came from behind me, footsteps close behind.

Oh dear. The guards.

I attempted to run in my dress but I stepped on the skirt and had to stop. Two guards held my wrists and turned me to the general.

“Ow, let me go!!” I tried to pull away. “Is this any way to treat the heir to the Lisbolia throne? I—“

Then I actually looked at the guards. They weren’t wearing the traditional uniforms for our kingdom. They weren’t even recognizable.

“Finally we’ve caught Princess Annabelle.”

He laughed, “Without even storming the palace!”

My eyes widened, breathing hard. I finally recognized his badge.

“You— Are you from Yèlin?”

Laughs erupted. “Of course!!” One guard smiled menacingly.

Oh no.

“No, no— Please no! “ I attempted to pull away again as they put my hands behind my back.

“You can’t get away Princess,” He smiled. “We’ve got you now. And there’s no escape.

I shook in fear as I was pushed further and further from my castle. My home. My freedom, more or less.

Slowly, we neared the forest, where three carriages waited for me. I knew this would be my last moment before they chained me up, so I needed to act quickly.

Suddenly, I stopped walking and stepped on the guards foot, giving me a moment to pull away as he was in shock. I screamed. I screamed as loud as I could, until my tonsils hurt. Then a guard clamped his hand over my mouth.

“Damn!!” The general swore, grabbing my wrists. “Dumb girl! Now we have to leave today!”

Then the guard took his hand off my mouth and walked to a carriage as I tried to get loose again. “Help!” I yelled before the general grabbed my mouth again. Then the guard came back.

“We’re ready if you are captain.” He said, saluting.

“Then let’s go.”

🩵

I wrote this at 2:00 AM, finished it now at 11:00, so I have no idea what it is 💀