PART ONE
It wasn't a horrible life. I lived in a palace, after all. I had servants to tend to my every need and desire. I had an amazing best friend who wasn't even human. The best part of the palace was my room. It had a spacious balcony that overlooked the town below, but it was the view above that I gazed at each night. I looked up at the stars and as a falling star flew through the dark night, I wish I could fly away through that same sky. It wasn't a horrible life. It wasn't what I had that troubled me. It was who I was expected to be. A stranger's bride. To give my life to a man I didn't know. To sleep next to someone and bear my body to him for the sake of children. To give myself completely to someone I didn't love. I'd sacrifice life in the palace just to give away everything that came with it. I'd sacrifice everything just to speak, just to tell my father that maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore. He doesn't hear me, no one does. No one can. I was born mute and so I was born without a voice. I've never spoken a word and I never can.
The night sky was clear. A perfect starless night, but I longed to be that falling star so to fall away from all sadness and pressure. My mother had been my greatest voice, but that was a long time ago. Now it's my father who tries his best and God bless his effort but even his greatest effort is not my voice. His voice speaks of wedding dresses and wedding bells and walking me down that horrid aisle to that horrid stranger. That's not my voice. I gazed at the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of my mother. She told me falling stars were loved ones sending us love from Heaven. It's been so long since I've seen that star. I had to go after it somehow. I had to leave. To disappear. To maybe find a voice somewhere. I gazed at the sky one more time just thinking that if I looked hard enough, I'd be gifted with a voice.
As I climbed the palace wall, I felt a tug on my robe pull me back, and heard a growl.
"Oh Rajah," I thought. I held my precious tiger close to me and almost regretted my decision to leave, but I couldn't stay here and have my life lived for me. He whimpered in my arms. My heart broke. I nuzzle my face into his fur leaving him with my tears. I let go, knowing I'd never see him again but it was a choice I had to make. I climbed over the palace wall, giving him one last look. For once I was thankful I could not speak, for speaking a goodbye would break my heart forever.
I left the palace on that starless night, not once looking behind me.