SING ME A LULLABY OF ETERNAL SLEEP
Chapter 1: Once upon a December
Jo's POV
Sometimes I wonder if I ever disappoint my father. I mean, of course I do disappoint him, but how does he feel every time I don't act like the good girl and the beloved daughter I am supposed to be. I am the only heir to the throne, and he keeps telling me that one day I will be Queen and this land will be no one's but mine to rule and I have to comply with his instructions. Queen? Me? No no no. Quickly I pushed that thought out of my mind. I did know it was my destiny and now matter how hard I tried I could never escape that fate. But if it's my destiny then why can't I control it? Why can't I choose it and plan it myself? It's not like it's written in the stars as many people out there believe. We can change it. Being a princess sounds like the perfect dream that finally comes true. But if it is the perfect dream, then why do I feel so lonely? Why do I feel that my life is planned by someone else and what I have to do is to carry out orders? This kind of life is just not for me. I just want to be normal. My childhood was a mess. I had no friends and I wasn't allowed to play with the other kids. The peasant kids as father used to call them.
"One day you will be their Queen", he said, "you can't be friends with them because they don't see you as a friend. They use you." Father everywhere saw enemies after my mother's death. He always wanted the best for me, his little princess. How can I blame him?
It's December. That means I will grow one year older. One day I have to face that. Anyways, today is a special day for the court. Not for me though. The King organizes a ball to celebrate my 21st birthday and along with that my coronation. I will be crowned Princess. I shiver when I think about it. It's really nice people to respect you but not like that. Not because they are afraid of you but because they feel it.
The atmosphere behind these castle walls was suffocating, so I decided to ride my horse in the forest. I felt the need to free my mind and let this luxurious world behind me for a while. I was deep in my thoughts when my horse suddenly stopped, raising its two front legs in the air neighing. While I was falling down I closed my eyes in order to feel less pain. I kept them closed for a couple of minutes but no pain came. I open them slowly only to see that a handsome man was holding me in his arms. Where did he come from? And how on earth did he manage to save me? After that I lost connection with my brain. He was insanely beautiful and all I could was stare at him. I was feeling butterflies in my tummy. His voice brought me up in reality.
"My lady are you alright?", he said.
I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out of it. I realized I wasn't breathing for quite a long time.
"Y-yes! I am. Thanks to you", I replied.
He smiled and put me down to the ground.
"It's dangerous for beautiful women like you, my lady, to ride in the forest alone."
"Well, it's not that dangerous if I have a guy like you to keep an eye on me."
"My lady, I am Sir Kendall, knight of the Royal Army."
The Royal Army? How is that even possible I hadn't noticed him before? Plus I had no idea the knights were looking that hot!
"I'm the Lady Jos-… Jo!"
Jo? What the hell was I thinking? He took a bow and kissed my hand. Hehe he likes me too I guess. We were talking for a long time about stuff I don't even remember. By the time he was about to go I asked him if he would be present at the ball tonight. He still ignored my true identity though. He said yes and that was enough to make me smile wide. I replied saying "that's great" and "hope I'll see you there!" Kendall was all I could think. He had blonde hair and green eyes that looked straight into my soul. Shut up Josephine. Romantic things are not for you. Ugh who am I kidding? I laid down on the grass for a while and then rode back to the castle. I went straight to my chambers. I had to make myself beautiful for Kendall. My knight.