She was used to the finer things in life; freshly brewed coffee with the beans grinded the morning of, wine that had been fermented for a hundred years, and juice that was crushed from the fruits of Eden. But beer? Beer wasn't the kind of drink a Royal like herself should be drinking. Which is exactly why she did.
"Ugh." she gagged a bit as she forced the beverage down her throat. It wasn't that it tasted bad – it didn't have much of a taste to begin with – but it was dry and left a nasty after taste in her mouth. She smacked her lips for a few seconds; bitter, sour and woody and then gone. Was it the lingering ingredients she was tasting or her own bouncing emotions?
Sipping a bit slower this time she looked around the bar. The bar didn't have much indoor lighting so she couldn't see much, so instead she adjusted herself on the stool and listened. The bar also no television or radio so all she heard were the grunts of tired huntsmen, the chugging of someone trying to forget and the honest whispers of the drunk.
And the tick tocking of the clock above the bartender's head. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock….
As the clock chimed away, she had to ask herself, "What time is it?" It was late, didn't have to look at a clock to figure that out, but she didn't know the time. Hadn't known for almost two days now. Not since she packed a small bag with her belongings and walked out of Ever After High.
She hadn't brought a watch. Perhaps the absence of time wouldn't make her think. And so she wandered into the woods, seeking a peace of mind and renewed ambitions. But so far all she accomplished was a long lasting headache, insomnia and back pains from sleeping on the forest floor. "I really didn't think this through..." she thought to herself as she looked at her stained heels, torn dress and empty stomach.
"But I can't go back."
Going back meant giving up her future, her dreams, her desires… going back meant signing her life away.
"And I can't do that. I can't because…"
Because… Because….
She felt a tear run down from her left eye. "I didn't ask for this you know. I didn't ask to be the daughter of such a famous royal. I didn't ask to follow in her shadow. It's not fair." She wanted to be angry. Angry that her destiny was predestined before she was even born, but the tears that rushed down her cheek refused to stop.
"It's not, it's not fair!" She hiccupped and sobbed, wiping her runny nose on her cashmere sleeves. She could hear her mother's sing-song voice in her head: Rule #374: A royal should never do the nasty cry in public. But she couldn't stop. Her throat tightened as she let out a loud wail that shook her body till her curls fell out.
She didn't know how long she cried but judging by how annoyed the bartender was beginning to get, she guessed it was too long.
Suddenly then she caught her reflection in the glass bottle of her Heineken. Blood shot eyes, snot running down to her chin and smeared eye makeup. Staring hard at herself she began to calm down. Breathing heavy, she wiped her face with her hands. "Look at yourself. Crying over your beer in some run down bar… Get a grip!"
But that was easier said than done. She knew she would have to go back. There was no way she was going to survive with her phone at thirty percent and fifty dollars in her pocket. And deeper down, she also knew that was going to have to sign the book of legends.
"I just wish…"
Sighing, she took another sip of her beverage and gagged. Beer wasn't the kind of drink a Royal like herself should be drinking. Which is exactly why she did.
Nothing special, just a short drabble that suddenly popped into my head (it's 1:54 AM). Can you guess who's it about?
