Choices

I sat in my castle window looking out at the kingdom. I could hear the screams of children laughing and playing in the distance. I yearned for the freedom of those children. I am Princess Seychelles. I have gone unmentioned and unnoticed for a long while. My kingdom is very secluded from the outside world. I plopped my head down on the stone ledge of my window. I looked across out the vast Indian Ocean. I never traveled to any other places other than my home. My heart ached for adventure in other countries. I sighed and blew a stand of hair away from my right eye. I was never allowed to do anything but be proper and ladylike. My bosses were very strict about everything from my looks to my brain. I straightened my red ribbons that tied my two pigtails and pushed myself away from the window. I took off my crown and placed it on my white dresser. I threw on my plain blue dress and threw off my pinchy purple shoes. I opened the door and peaked out of the hallway. Not a sign of a noble, maid, or other living soul. I knocked twice on the left wall. I waited then heard five knocks. It was the signal to my best friend and Lady- In- Waiting, Elizabeta, to prevent anyone from entering my room for an hour. I pushed my dresser slowly so that it wouldn't make too much noise to send people flying up to my room. I kneeled down and opened the little wooden door in the wall. I crawled inside and then stood up when the ceiling was higher. I walked down the long dark steps. I didn't need to see; I already knew the whole way by heart. When I saw light at the bottom of the steps I ran to it. I pushed back the branches of the hedge that covers up the way up to my room.

Grass tickled my toes, wind blew through my hair, sunshine warmed my tan skin, and the sweet smell of the castle flowers wafted up my nose. Euphoria is the word for how I am feeling right now. I closed my eyes and inhaled the sent. I opened my eyes and twirled around. I stopped on my heel. However, I'm not in the clearing; I still need to get out of the palace grounds. I ran through the apple orchards. I grabbed a basket from the ground and picked a few apples from the branches. At the end of the row was a brick wall. I walked with my back to the wall. When I reached the gate I peeked from around the corner and saw guards. I smiled. It was cute how my bosses thought guards would keep me inside the palace; little did they know that I had other ways to get on the outside. I ran down the orchard again to the maze. I was the only one that knew the way through and back. I tried teaching Elizabeta, hoping that she could escape the palace life with me, but she hopelessly got lost and I had to rescue her. It only took me five minutes to make it through the hedges and out onto the streets of my kingdom.

You would think it's funny that a princess training to rule over her kingdom can't even step into its heart. Well, that's how my bosses think. They keep stressing that the world's full of dangers, it's no place for a princess, and that they are just protecting me. I know they mean well; but, I just feel like a caged bird. It's weird how that when adults try to keep children away from the outside world it just makes the children try harder to break out; but, when adults let children be free they usually stay inside.

I walked through the streets and into a market. I blended in with the crowd. No one had even seen the princess; so, no one could ever tell me from a teenager on a walk from an escaped princess. I stopped at a booth that sold jewelry. The owner of the booth, a lady in her mid forties, smiled at me. My eyes were fixated on a ring that had a turquoise bead strung on it. It was simple but elegant. It didn't scream obnoxious but didn't blend in either. It was unique, it ran to it own beat. There was only one but, sadly, I didn't bring any money with me. I walked away from the booth upset that I couldn't get it. I wasn't watching where I was going and I bumped into a complete stranger.

"Oh! Désolé monsieur!" I looked up it the face of the person but he/she was wearing black cloak that hid their face. That person must be sweating buckets under there since it's eighty degrees here.

I dropped my basket of apples and the masked figure dropped some books when we collided. I quickly bent down to pick them up. I handed the books to the person and put my now bruised apples back into my basket. "I am so sorry. It's my entire fault! I just hope that your books didn't get damaged." I babbled.

I saw the head move in a 'thank you' motion then scurry away with the books.

Some people have no time to even thank someone.

I looked at the town square clock and figured that the time it took me to get back home would be when my hour's up. I took one look at the town before running back home.

I moved my dresser back into place and slumped against the wall tired. I couldn't get my mind off who was that person in the cloak. But it quickly dissolved from my mind when I saw a pile of books and papers on my desk. I walked over and saw a note. I saw the chicken scratch handwriting and could tell it was from Elizabeta. After reading to many notes from her I could easily decipher her message. She said that a new tutor was arrived today while I was out. She distracted him by telling him that I was having a horrible cough and couldn't speak to anyone. However, he pushed work for me to complete.

I groaned at the amount of work that I had to complete by tomorrow. I picked up a pen and started opening textbooks and jotting down answers.

By the time I finished, it was late at night. I closed the last textbook and plopped onto my bed exhausted. Soon I felt myself drift into a deep sleep.

I woke up to sunshine streaming through the window. I stretched and stumbled around the room. I rubbed my eyes and blinked twice. I looked around the room and saw a girl sitting in my chair with her feet up. She had straight, long, brown hair except for one string that had a wild zig-zag in it. She had a cute, silk, flower patterned dress. Her face was done up with makeup. She is Mei- Mei, my other Lady- In- Waiting.

"Bonjour, Mei- Mei." I greeted.

"Hello, Princess."

Something was wrong. Mei- Mei is usually peppier than this. "What's the matter?"

"They're talking." She only said.

"Who's 'they'?"

"Your Bosses."

"About?" I was getting a little impatient.

"They want you to get married."

That hit me. "W-what?" I asked, hoping that it was a mistake.

"They're sending suitors for you. Some are arguing that you're not ready to get married or rule yet. Others are saying that it would be good for you and your kingdom."

I sat down on a chest. I held my head in my hand. This isn't happening. She's tricking me! Any moment now she's going to jump up and say "just kidding!". I'm dreaming, yes that's it! This is all just a bad dream! I'll wake up and this nightmare will be gone.

Mei-Mei walked over to me and held my hand. "This is happening, Princess. You can't make this into something that's not happening."

"I know. But… Why me!"

"Look, I know you're scarred but you have to grow up. You're going to rule over your whole kingdom one day and finding a husband is one small step."

"Why do I need one? I can rule alone and I'm still young!" I protested.

"I'm not the one you should be bringing up these points with."

I couldn't bring this up with my Bosses. They would over rule me and send me back up to my room where I belong, being a perfect sitting doll used only when they needed me.

"I say just let what happens, happen." Mei- Mei let go of my hand and left the room. She closed the door silently.

Alone. I was always alone. I'm sick if it. I knocked furiously on the wall.

Elizabeta was in my room within a second. "I heard about the news." She walked over and hugged me.
I could count on Elizabeta for anything. She was my best friend, no she was my sister. She would never leave me alone to crumble. "I don't want to get married."

Elizabeta knew the reason. I didn't want to lose my freedom, to be tied down, but most of all she knew that I wanted love to come naturally not pushed. "I know." She stroked my head gently.

"What do I do?"

She pulled away from me and stared me into the eyes. "You have to drive them away."

"How?"

She leaned in and whispered in my ear, and I was starting to feel more positive.

I smiled and skipped around the town square again. I was so relieved to get out. I had a whole line of suitors to get rid of. I could tell their type just by looking at them. If they were snooty I pretended to have no manners; if they were nice I pretended to be mean. And if all else failed, I told them I couldn't cook (one thing I've learned is that no man likes a women who can't make a sandwich). They didn't last more than five minutes with me before storming away.

I stopped mid skip. Two feet away from me was the mystery cape guy. I decided to go up to him.

"Bonjour!" I said cheerily.

The person turned around to face me.

"You may not remember me but-."

I was interrupted when the person spoke. "You're the one that bumped into me yesterday."

I could tell it was a male by the sound of the voice. He had a funny accent. "Well, yes."

"Is there something that you want?"

"Well, I was wondering about you. I have never seen you around here before."

"Maybe you just didn't pay enough attention."

"Maybe." I smiled.

"L-look, this may sound odd, but I have some food and was wondering if you would like to join me." The strange figure asked.

"Sure! I have the perfect location!"

I looped his arm around mine and skipped along.

"That was a lovely story." I said after Mister Mystery Man finished reading. I was lying down on the grass under a willow tree.

"There's a whole collection of King Arthur Tales." He replied.

I bit an apple. "Can you read more?"

I could almost see the smile in his face. "How about everyday I read one for you."

"That sounds like a good deal. Meet me at the corner under the town clock." I said.

"Deal."

"Monsieur?"

"Yes?"

"What is your name?"

He stayed silent a while. "Call me, Kirkland."

"Ok, Kirkland. My name is Seychelles."

I saw a smile peek through the darkness in his hood. "Nice to meet you."

I laid on top of my bed. I smiled up to the ceiling. Even though I just met Kirkland I felt different with him. I didn't have to be fake with him like I have to be with my Bosses. I was myself, and he didn't expect anything from me. I could be one hundred percent me with him. It felt great to have a friend that just thought of me as an ordinary girl. I decided to keep Kirkland a secret. Something told me that if my Bosses found out I've been hanging out with a masked stranger things would get ugly. I drifted into sleep. And for once I was totally happy with my life.

Hello! I saw a Princess Seychelles story with the couple France X Seychelles and England being an evil villain that locks up Seychelles. I started to ponder that what if France came to rescue her but England cries and says that the only reason he locked her up was because he wanted to be with her. I'm not changing that author's story but I decided to try my hand at a Princess Seychelles story with England not being evil. Sorry if I failed! R&R!