Once upon a time, there was a little girl—not just a girl, she was actually a princess!  

There was a time when the princess had lost herself—she found herself far away, alone, and in an unfamiliar world. And then, after overcoming many trials and tribulations, the princess made it home. She found herself back where she belonged; or so she thought. 

After finally making her way back to the castle, the princess quickly realized that returning to her old life didn’t bring the inner-peace and happiness that she had thought it would. Although she was home, her heart was nowhere to be found. 

As the princess traveled through the halls of the castle, she heard them whispering. She heard the knights and the squires whispering. She heard the lords and the ladies whispering. She heard the servants and the maids whispering.

They were whispering about her—about how terrible of an experience she had gone through, and how unfitting of a princess such an experience was. Even her father—the king—seemed to be avoiding her.

For the princess, this was unbearable. Even though she was used to being alone, here it felt different; the people here were supposed to love her—they were supposed to revere her.

“Did you really slay the dragon?”  When the servant-girl who was helping to fit the princess’ dress worked up the courage to ask, she barely dared to whisper the question. 

“Yes.” Tired of answering that question, the princess let out her reply in a single, exasperated breath. 

“That’s amazing!” The servant-girl squealed as she was unable to contain herself while trying to whisper the words. The princess paused. She looked at the servant-girl with a furrowed brow, glancing up and down the other girl’s body as if trying to identify a foreign animal.

“Amazing?” The princess had answered that question so many times, but never to that response.

“Unladylike,” sure;

“A certain lie,” of course;

“Strange,” a few times;

“Amazing,” never—at least, not until now.

“Amazing!” The servant-girl echoed the word. “You must be incredibly strong to have slayed a dragon.”

“I’m a princess.” The princess replied, the voices of so many others bouncing around in her head. “A princess isn’t supposed to be strong.”

“And why not?” The servant-girl argued. “What’s wrong with a princess being—”

The servant-girl clasped her hand over her mouth as she suddenly realized that she was speaking directly to the princess. The princess found herself laughing in response.

“I suppose nothing’s wrong with it.” The princess found herself smiling as she spoke—she realized this was a feeling that had become foreign to her. “But everyone else seems to think otherwise.”

“Sounds like their problem.” The servant-girl replied starkly. The princess laughed again at the servant-girl's words, and the servant-girl joined in on the laughter as well.

The princess opened her mouth as if to say something further to the servant-girl, but before she could there was a knock on the door. The voice of her father immediately followed it.

“May I come in?”        “You may.” The princess answered in her most lady-like voice. Her dress was all but done being fit at that point.

After hearing that response, the king stepped into the dressing room. He set eyes first on his daughter, and then turned his expression to an unwelcoming one as he then laid his gaze on the servant-girl. The servant-girl left the room in a hurried fashion with no words needed to be exchanged. The king turned back once again to his daughter; he looked up and down her body.

“You look beautiful in that dress.” The king said to her. “Like a real queen—like your mother.”

The princess did not reply to the king’s kind words. Instead, she maintained firm eye contact with her father. His pupils were sturdy, but the princess’ were shaking.

“The ball tonight will be the biggest in many years.” The king told the princess. “All of the finest lords of the kingdom will be there.”

Again, the princess did not respond, nor did she break her gaze from her father’s eyes. 

“The duke’s son will be there as well.” The king continued speaking, not to be deterred by his daughter’s insistence on remaining silent. “A rumor is going around that he is looking to settle down soon. I know the two of you were always quite close—ever since you were little.”

“I have not seen him since I was a little girl.” The princess finally replied to her father with a cold, spiteful tone. 

“Yes, but the two of you got on so well then.”  The king tried to insist. “Surely you remember—there was no better pair in all the kingdom.”

“I do remember.” The princess sighed deeply as she closed her eyes for a moment. Her voice was a little softer now. “But we have both surely changed so much since then—or at least, I have.”

“I know this has all been hard on you.” The king’s daughter looked down to the ground as her father suddenly spoke to her in a loving tone that she had not heard in a long time. “I know that I have been hard on you. But you are still my daughter—still the same princess who was abducted by that dragon so long ago now. You don’t see it, but you just need to remind yourself of that. Before long you'll realize how true it is.”

“Perhaps.” The princess had now completely averted her eyes from those of her father. Her mind was racing and so she no longer seemed able to think clearly.

“Just one dance,” the king pursued his opportunity. “One dance with the duke’s son—that’s all I ask.”

“Very well.” The princess had now completely surrendered the conversation. “I will dance with him, but I am promising nothing more.”

“That’s enough.” The king nodded firmly, with a soft smile now dressing his face. “Thank you.”

Knowing the princess would want to discuss no further, the king turned straight away and stepped out the door of the dressing room. He made his way down the hall, passing the servant-girl who had stood outside the room waiting patiently. If the king noticed the servant-girl, he gave no such sign. As soon as the king had made his way down the hall, the servant-girl returned to the dressing room to make the final touches on the princess’ dress.

“The duke’s son is a fine man.” The servant-girl commented as she went back to work. 

The princess did not reply; in fact, she showed no sign of hearing the words as she continued to stare forwards with a completely empty expression on her face.

“I’m sorry.” The servant-girl fumbled the needle in her hands as she apologized to the princess. “I was waiting outside, and couldn’t help but to overhear.”

Still, the princess showed no sign of hearing the servant-girl's words. It seemed almost as if only a shell of the princess was now present there.

The servant-girl went about the rest of the fitting in silence, and the princess made her job easy by remaining completely motionless. When the fitting was fully done, the servant-girl packed up her tools and prepared to leave the princess alone in the dressing room.

“I don’t want to dance with the duke’s son.”  It was as the servant-girl was about to open the room that the princess finally spoke again. The servant-girl paused, and then turned back to face the princess.

“What?” 

“I don’t want to.” The princess repeated herself. Tears were now welling up in her eyes. “I already know—he’s lived his whole life in the comfort of luxury. How can he possibly understand me?”

Maybe—” The servant-girl began to respond before pausing and taking a moment to collect herself. Then she continued, “Maybe, he’ll surprise you. Most people wouldn’t expect a princess to slay a dragon; but you did.”

“Do you really think so?” The princess’ firm eyes looked straight at the servant-girl as she asked.  The servant-girl stepped forward, and took the princess’s hand.

“I do.” She said. “And if he doesn’t, then that’s his loss. You’re the princess, after all, and he is only the duke’s son.”

The princess drew in a series of deep breaths, and then swallowed aggressively. When she looked back up, the tears had disappeared from her eyes.

“Thank you.” She whispered to the servant-girl. “Maybe it won’t be so  bad.”

        With those words, the servant-girl nodded in comradery before letting go of the princess’ hand, turning back around, and walking out of the dressing room. The princess remained there alone, dressed in her finest dress and prepared for the ball to come.

        It was a few hours later when the time of the ball finally arrived. The king had scheduled it in the castle courtyard; it was a clear night and the pale light of a full moon bathed the attendees as they entered through the castle gates.

        The princess watched from a window on the third floor of the castle. She was waiting for the perfect time to make an entrance; a princess couldn’t arrive too early, nor too late. That would be unacceptable. 

        She watched from that window as the sun dropped below the horizon and music began to play. She watched as the upper echelon of their kingdom began to congregate. She watched as the duke, his wife, and his son entered through the courtyard gate.

        Her eyes lingered on the duke’s son—he had changed a lot since she had seen him. Just as she had grown into a woman, he had grown into the sleek and muscular figure of a man. When he walked into the courtyard—even in the high prestige of company present—all attention was naturally drawn to him. The princess saw why her father had chosen him: he was clearly fit to be king.

        Directly upon his arrival, the duke’s son began to socialize with the other members of the congregate. The princess watched as he bounced between lord and lady, leaving each of them with a smile and a laugh. 

        At this point, the moon was high in the sky and the stars sparkled brilliantly upon the celebration. The guests were settling now, with some engaging in deep conversation and others making their way to the central dance floor. The princess smiled as she watched the duke’s son begin talking to one of the prettiest ladies of the entire event: the time had finally arrived for a princess’ entrance.

        The princess did not rush as she walked through the castle’s hallways, and down its stairs towards the entrance. She knocked twice on the door and heard the trumpeters outside blast their horns in response. As those trumpets sounded, the doors before her swung open and the princess stepped out atop the castle stairways.

        Anyone who witnessed it would agree that it was one of the most stunning sights of their lives. Among those of the highest class of society, under the light of the moon and the stars, and uncertain if she even wanted to be there, the princess shone more brilliantly than any could ever imagine.

        As she looked out over the crowd, with every eye on her, the princess felt her heart racing. She had missed many ceremonies in the dragon’s lair and thus had never presented herself to the kingdom as a lady. She had never experienced what it felt like to have the world looking upon her, to be the heart of the kingdom.

        Her eyes finished their slow sweep across the courtyard and then wandered back towards the duke’s son. They settled on the man, as he instinctively stepped away from the girl who he had been dancing with not moments ago. The princess looked away from him, and began her descent down the castle stairs. 

        Now that she had arrived in the courtyard, it seemed everyone wished to speak with her. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, the princess found herself completely overwhelmed by the large crowd. 

        “You look so stunning!”

        “Who sewed your dress?”

        “Will you dance with me?”

        “What kind of gems are in that necklace?”

        They seemed to be shouting the barrage of questions at her, giving her no opportunity to answer or engage with any individual for deeper conversation. She found herself desperately glancing in every direction, looking for an escape as she tried to offer enough answers to appear interested in what was happening.

        Luckily, once the novelty of her arrival wore off, people began to spread away from the princess and return to the party’s other pleasantries. Although a small group continued to surround her, with them she was able to hold a focused conversation which was much more bearable.

        “We are so happy to see you here!” One of the middle-aged ladies said to the princess “And you look so amazing as well!”

        “Thank you.” The princess smiled politely at the lady. 

        “And now that you are here, do you know who you will dance with?” The lady pressed. 

        “Why should I have to dance with anyone?” The princess tried to challenge. “Why can I not just enjoy the party on my own?”

        “You are the princess!” The lady exclaimed in response. “Surely you know this means that you have all the power—that any eligible man here is yours should you choose him.”

        “The power to choose whatever man I want?” The princess shook her head. “That is no power.”

        “Of course it is!” The middle-aged lady continued to argue. “So many of us would do anything to be in your position.”

        Before the princess could respond, the group was interrupted by the duke’s son. All the ladies gasped as the man walked straight past them and to the princess. He looked straight into her eyes, as if he didn’t even see anyone else around them.

        “I’m sorry to interrupt,” he spoke with a silky voice, “but I was wondering if you may want to dance?”

        Taken aback by his sudden appearance, as well as eager to escape her current conversation, the princess took the hand that the duke’s son offered her. By that hand, he wordlessly took her out to the center of the courtyard where the two of them engaged in a slow dance.

        “We need only have one dance.” The man whispered into her ears. “I wanted to free you from what I am certain was a most wearisome conversation.”

        “Wearisome indeed,” the princess replied with a sly smile, “and I thank you for saving me as you did.”

        “I know what it is like to be trapped in conversations such as those.” The duke’s son looked into the princess’ eyes as their bodies continued to sway together. “And I know that you would want no part of them if you had your way.”

        “How can you know that?” The princess kept her eyes locked with the man’s as they continued the conversation.

        “I remember when we were little, how spirited you always were.” The duke’s son replied. “And when I heard you had returned after slaying the dragon yourself—I knew that same spirit still had to be within you.”

        “Really?” The princess questioned in reply. “Was I like that even as a girl?”

        “Do you not remember?” The duke’s son laughed as he reminisced. “I will never forget as a boy, how you would sneak into my room and make me go out with you into the streets of the city—how we would hide from the guards as we explored the areas of the city where our parents would never let us.”

The princess found herself joining in laughter with the duke’s son.

“I do remember.” She smiled as she looked deeper into the man’s eyes. “Our fathers would surely never forgive us if they learned the things we saw on those outings.”

“And yet, I would not trade those nights for the world.” The music paused as the band took a brief break, but the princess and the duke’s son remained locked in sway. “For they showed us a world beyond the sheltered one that we were raised in—that there are others who live lives so much more difficult than we could ever imagine.”

        “Then perhaps we should live another one of those nights.” The princess had now completely forgotten her surroundings as she was swept away by their conversation. “Let’s go out to the city streets and live like we did then.”

        “I’d love to.” The duke’s son answered. “But how can we?”

        The man let go of the princess and gestured around them as he spoke. Drawn out of her focused state, the princess suddenly realized that the two of them were now alone on the dance floor. They were the stars of this event under the stars, and all eyes were on them.

        “Of course.” The princess’ smile faded for only a moment. The sparkle disappeared from her eyes and then quickly reappeared before pulling the duke’s son in towards her body. She whispered into his ear: “But perhaps there is a way. Follow my lead and meet me in the gardens.”

        Not waiting for the boy to respond, the princess took a step back while simultaneously pushing him away from her. She held back a smile as she heard the gasps of the crowd around her.

        “How dare you say that to me!?!” The princess shouted at the duke’s son. “I am a princess!”

        Again giving no time for a response, the princess turned sharply and stomped out of the courtyard. Every step she took, she was certain to slam her foot against the ground so as to ensure that no one could miss the scene that she was making.

        “But princess—” The girl did not look back as the duke’s son quickly appraised the situation and joined in on the act. She continued moving away from him, making it clear to the crowd that he would have to chase her if he wanted to redeem himself. “Wait, princess!”        The duke’s son waited until the princess was out of sight to begin running after her. He left the crowd of the party behind, ignoring their snickers and loud conversations.

        “What a strong-willed girl that princess is!” One of the ladies who had been conversing with the princess earlier proclaimed. “The duke’s son sure has his work cut out for him.”

        The crowd around the lady laughed at her words and the spirit of the party brightened. The princess was a princess, but she was also a girl—and the duke’s son was a boy. This was how the two were supposed to act.

        With the party now behind them, the princess and the duke’s son met at  the castle’s garden. Under the bright light of the stars and the full moon, it was a beautiful and serene scene; full of color and life.

        “That was quite a performance in there.” The duke’s son laughed. “It will be the talk of the city for weeks to come.”

        “A princess is supposed to be the talk of the city.” The princess replied without hesitation. “I am only playing my role.”

        “Then what is next?” The duke’s son questioned. “Are we to go out to the city dressed as we are now?”        “Of course not.” The princess answered. She paused and thought for a moment. “I need you to return to the party.”

        “Return to the party?”        “Yes,” The princess reaffirmed. “There is a servant—very pretty, with light brown hair and eyes to match it. She’s around my age. I need you to fetch her for me.”

        “Very well,” the duke’s son answered, “but why would you not fetch her?”

        “If I return, then I will not be able to leave again.” The princess answered. “You may be the duke’s son, but I am the princess.”

        Needing no more convincing, the duke’s son headed back towards the party. The princess found herself alone in the garden of the castle under the pale light of the moon.

        Alone, she smiled to herself. It had been a long time since she had felt as she did at that moment. She had forgotten the life of luxury, and she had forgotten how it felt to escape that life—to defy it. There was a freedom in being alone, but it was nothing compared to the freedom in being yourself despite those around you.

        She was still smiling when the duke’s son returned with the servant-girl who had helped the princess to get dressed earlier that evening. The princess was in fact so deep in thought, that she did not even notice that they had returned.

        “You have a beautiful smile.” The duke’s son broke her train of thought with his words. The princess glanced around and re-aligned herself with her situation. She looked straight at the servant-girl.

        “Let’s go to the servant’s quarters.” The princess said. “Help me to get out of this dress, and let me borrow a change of clothes—we are to explore the city tonight!”

        “I have no clothes that are fitting of a princess.” The servant-girl replied.

        “Exactly!” The princess laughed at her servant’s words. “And all of my clothes are those of a princess. But it is not as a princess that I wish to enter the streets of the city tonight—tonight, I would like to be no more than a girl!”

        “Very well.” The servant-girl found herself stifling a laugh as she answered. 

        Not half an hour later, the princess and duke’s son were dressed in clothes that would be best described as little more than rags. They and the servant-girl made their way to a concealed passageway through the castle’s wall that could be used to enter the main city without going through the courtyard. The princess and the duke’s son headed through the passageway, but the servant-girl stayed behind.

        “Aren’t you coming?” The princess called back to the servant-girl after realizing she had not joined them.

        “Coming?” The servant-girl was taken aback by the question. “Why, I am only a servant—a servant should not fraternize with a princess in a situation like this.”

        “And a princess should not sneak away from the ball and out to the city streets.” The princess chided back. “Nor should a duke’s son for that matter. Now, I like you—I’d like for you to come with us.”

        “Very well.” The servant-girl smiled to herself before joining them through the passageway.

        That night, the streets of the city were rowdy; for when the higher-class parties, those beneath them are free to do as they will as well. The guards were all concentrated around the courtyard, and so the side streets of the city were open to all forms of debauchery.

        The princess took the lead, knowing without hesitation where she was headed. There was a tavern on the far side of town that would always welcome her on her little escapades. 

        As they traveled through the streets though, they found they did not have to go to a tavern to get a drink that night. The drinks were served out on the streets, where the people were dancing openly—laughing, and cheering, and singing.

        Once the group of three made their way into the crowds, they looked around themselves. Citizens of the capital were drinking heavily, stripping off clothes, and engaging in a variety of unsightly activities. There were a few already passed out on the floor already although the night was only young.

        “Tonight, we are free of the wretched royals!” One man cried out while holding up a drink. “For this night, the city is ours!”

        The princess laughed along with the crowd and held up her drink in return. The duke’s son and servant-girl both followed her lead, and then the three of them quickly drowned their drinks.

        The group had fun partying among this less-composed crowd for some time. They let go of their inhibitions and allowed themselves to feel free in a way in which their lives within the castle wall would never have allowed. As the night wore on however, the princess needed a rest. She ducked away from the crowd and into an alley between two stores.

        Looking for only a moment of relaxation, the princess slumped to the ground and sat with her back leaning against the wall. It was only a moment later, before the servant-girl joined her.

        “It has been a long time since I have had a night like this.” The princess said to the servant-girl.

        “So you’ve had nights like this before?”  The servant-girl questioned the princess. 

        “Of course,” the princess replied. “Hasn’t everybody?”

        “Not like this, no.” The servant-girl answered. “I grew up far from the city, out in the farmland. Life was much quieter there. And then, when I came to the castle—well, if they knew I was on the streets of the city on a night like this, then I would never be allowed back within those walls.”

        “I lived in the farmland once as well.” The princess looked straight into the servant-girl’s eyes as she answered. “So I know what you mean. It was hard work out there, but it was much quieter. I do miss it sometimes.”

        The servant-girl opened her mouth as if to answer but before she had the opportunity a deep, rumbling sound sounded from deeper into the alleyway. Both girls quickly jumped up and turned to face the noise.

        Another sound came from the darkness beyond them, this one more of snort than a rumble. The princess instinctively stepped towards the noise, while the servant-girl took a step back.

        As the princess slowly advanced, she saw the form of a person’s body laying on a tattered blanket. There was a small collection of trinkets scattered around him.

        “Just another man who partied too hard then.” The servant-girl said to the princess as she followed her forward. 

        “No,” the princess shook her head, with her eyes now growing wide. “He lives here. This man is homeless.”

        “Then—” The servant-girl began to respond, but quickly shut her mouth as she looked upon the princess’ face. 

The princess’ eyes had grown wide, but her pupils had dilated and were now shaking. Her skin was suddenly a ghastly white, almost matching the pale light of the moon. She appeared to be completely frozen in place.

The servant-girl put a hand on the princess’ shoulder, trying to reassure her. She wasn’t sure what to do. She wasn’t sure what was happening.

“I finally found you!” The duke’s son suddenly appeared in the entrance to the alleyway. “What are you doing back here?”

When neither of the girls replied, the duke’s son began to walk towards them.

“Princess—” He tried to speak softly, but she did not acknowledge him.

After another couple of steps, the duke’s son could see the man that the princess was staring at blankly. One glance at the princess’ expression made it clear that something was most definitely wrong. He grabbed on to the princess’ arms, preparing to pull her backwards—but before he could do so, she finally spoke.

“We need to help him.” She said in a soft, shaking voice. “We need to help him.”

“He’s just another drunk from the party.” The duke’s son argued. “Why should we help him?”

“He’s not from the party.” The servant-girl informed the duke’s son. “He’s homeless.”

At this point, the man who had been passed out on the ground suddenly began to stir. He looked up at the people around him, and immediately began scurrying backwards against the wall. The duke’s son let go of the princess, quickly stepping past her and dropping on one knee before the man.

“Is that true?” He asked. “Are you homeless?”

The man hurriedly shook his head violently up and down to nod. His wide eyes remained locked on the duke’s son.

“We won’t hurt you.”  The duke’s son spoke calmly to the man before standing up, taking a step back, and then offering him a hand. “Please, let us buy you a bed to sleep in for the night.”

The homeless man said nothing in reply, just stared at the duke’s son with his wide, shaking eyes. Both he and the princess continued to say nothing as the duke’s son took lead of the group and began directing them through the city to find an inn. They had to try a few different locations before finally finding one where the keeper was not out partying.

“I would like to pay for this man to take a  room for the night.” The duke’s son offered a silver coin to the innkeeper.

“For a year.” The princess suddenly spoke up. “We’d like to buy him a room for a year.”

“Very well.” The duke’s son nodded, reaching into his coin-bag before realizing he surely wouldn’t have enough for such a payment. He looked back up at the innkeeper. “I’ll pay you the rest tomorrow.”

“Of course, sir!” The innkeeper blinked repeatedly and shook his head slightly. “No problem, sir! Whatever you’d like.”

With that, they left the homeless man in his room. Before heading out though, the princess finally found her words again. She sat on the foot of the bed where the homeless man now lay.

“I slept in an alleyway once as well—for a long while actually.” She spoke in a distant voice, not looking once at the man who her words were intended for. “And when I did, I always told myself: ’if just one person would look at me, if just one person would care for even a second—if that happened I’d be able to turn this all around. It’s not my fault. I’m just trying to survive. It’s not my fault.”’

The princess took in a deep breath, straightened her back, and closed her eyes before speaking again.

“Well, we see you now.” She continued. “We’re helping you. And I’m willing to bet that you’ve said those same words to yourself. So this is your chance to prove it. Do so.”

        On the way back to the castle, the duke’s son ended up walking ahead of the two girls. All three of them walked primarily in silence, with the princess only breaking it for a brief conversation with the servant-girl.

        “Perhaps—” The princess said. “Perhaps you and my father were right about him. There were many people who came upon me when I was sleeping in alleyways, and not one of them ever offered to help.”

        “He does seem like a good man.” The servant-girl replied, not looking at the princess as she did so. After a moment though, her gaze did turn to the girl at her side: “You’re different you know—even for a princess, you’re different.”

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From the blog of XXXDragonPrincess666XXX:

        Life’s been better since the last time I posted. Sammi and I made up. It turns out that there was this boy—Justin—at the party and she was, like, really upset because she had been planning to ask him out but couldn’t work up the courage without me. I get that. I mean, not totally, but it’s like we’re supposed to go a little crazy about that stuff, right?

        Anyway, Sammi did end up asking Justin out later and he said yes! She’s just been totally over the moon, and I’m so happy for her. I don’t fully get what she sees in him if I’m honest, but if she’s happy then I am.

        Sometimes I’ve been hanging out with Sammi and Justin now—I know, I’m third-wheeling them but I really don’t want to miss out on opportunities to spend time with Sammi. This is our last year of school, after all—we’re not going to the same college or anything like that, so this time together isn’t forever.

        Other than that, not too much exciting stuff going on. We’re prepping for finals at school, which sucks—but at least I still managed to find the time to write a little bit! It’s good to just let my mind and pen wander for a while among all the stress with school and whatnot. 

        I hope you enjoyed this post! I’ll do my best to give you guys another one soon!

XXX

DragonPrincess666

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