Beauty
Diana walked along the empty halls of the palace, the echo of her footsteps filled the quietness. But once she left the main doors the roads of Themiscaryia were busy with women and children. Diana looked down at her basket. She had just finished reading the book about "King Arthur and the sword of Excalibur" and was going to return it at the book shop. She loved fiction that monarchy was placed in. But she also especially loved a good old history lesson, even if it was written in another language. Diana was considered a strange girl. She hardly goes out. The only time she would go out would be to return a book or grab a new one. As Diana walked past a group of women, she could hear their whispers. She didn't care. She liked the way she was. To the citizens of Themiscaryia, Diana was a princess. But to herself, she was a regular common girl. Slowly she walked, humming a tune her mother would sing to her. More intimate whispers surrounded her. She walked faster. As childish as she was, she jumped into a puddle.
"Hi Diana!" A little girl with dirty blonde hair ran up to Diana. Diana smiled.
She knelt down. "Hey Lacy, what's up?" Lacy was always enjoyable to hang out with. Lacy was the most enthusiastic seven year-old Diana knew.
"Are you going to Alexa's bookshop again?"Lacy asked. She looked at Diana's basket. "Who's King Arthur?"
"Yes. Maybe you should read the book."
"Can I go too? Mom is helping the teens train." Lacy asked. Her mom was the chief of the army. She trained thirteen year-olds for war. Besides being the strangest girl, Diana was the best warrior Lacy knew.
"Sure." Diana replied. Hand in hand, they walked to the bookshop.
"Oh, hi Diana." Alexa said, just finishing putting a books back on their shelves.
"And Lacy!" Lacy added, pouting. "And Lacy." Alexa corrected. Diana grabbed the book from her basket and placed it on the counter.
"Wow. Finished already?" Alexa asked. Diana nodded. "Couldn't put it down. It was that good. Do you have any different books?"
"Once again, no. The travelers don't come back until two more weeks. But that's good, it gives me time to get your birthday present." Alexa smiled at Diana. Diana rolled her eyes. The road to her Independence was coming to an end. She was going to turn seventeen in three weeks and she couldn't be more excited. Once she turns, one more year and she will be crown princess of Themiscaryia. The only part that sucked was more duties were put upon her and she had to marry the one and only man in Themiscaryia. Dominic. Second best at everything. Diana was first. At least in Lacy's opinion. Diana hated responsibility. It was a burden to her. She never wanted to grow up. Sixteen and more childish than a five year old. Not only was Dominic annoying, but extremely vain and quiet. She would try to have a conversation with him but it would so silent, a cricket could be heard.
"You're lucky you get to marry Dominic." Alexa said, interrupting Diana's thoughts. Alexa had a crush on him ever since they were kids.
" Alexa, when he tries to impress me he talks way too much. Do you know how gullible he is? Extremely gullible and very vain and really quiet." Diana explained. "You know he's not my type. Too lazy. Thinks poorly about women. And yet women still fall for him. Honestly, you guys need to get a better taste in men."
"Alexa," Lacy suddenly interrupted. "I wanted to read that book Diana gave you."
"Of course." Alexa said, shooting a look at Diana. Diana knelt down.
"Lacy how about you go and find Marisol? Alexa and I will finish talking." Lacy nodded and waved goodbye, running to look for her best friend. Diana stood up.
"Sorry. But it's true. Just because he's the only man here, doesn't mean I have to fall for him. But maybe if we can go to the mortal world we can-"
"No Diana. We're forbidden there. You know that."
"We're forbidden everywhere woman! We can just sneak off like we used to do when we were kids." Diana said.
"You are truly the most stubborn and persistent person I know. You just want to see that boy that you saw when you were younger." Alexa replied crossing her arms. "Don't bring that up Alexa. That was one time and I was thirteen! He's probably dead since he lives in the most dangerous city." Diana had sneaked off on her own on her birthday. She met a boy in the mortal world whom she fell deeply in love with. When she returned, she told Alexa. And Alexa has made sure Diana didn't go near the release portal.
"Let's go on my birthday. It can be considered your present to me. Please!" Diana begged.
"...Fine. But only because it'll be your birthday."
"Thank you!" Diana hugged her closest friend tightly. And with that she walked out of the bookshop. Then a familiar man stepped in front of her.
"Diana. How are you, my wife?" The man asked. She looked up and sighed. "I'm not your wife. And I'm fine." She crossed her arms. "What about you?" As Diana expected, he didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to a silver platter and started to fix his hair. Diana rolled her eyes.
"Dominic, my love I must go now."She said in her best possible sweet voice (which she was terrible at).
"Alright my wife. Be home soon." Dominic replied, still not looking at her. She walked away.
That night she opened the door to her balcony. A cold breeze passed through her. Her long raven hair flowed behind her. She looked up and prayed to the gods. Then a shining light came from the ground. She looked at the forest of green in front of her. A bright yellow light, shining in the middle of the forest. Suddenly the light evaporated. Diana recognized that light from somewhere, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Feeling uneasy, she tried to shrug it off when she went back to bed. But what she didn't know was that a little girl with dirty blond hair, was going to the most dangerous city to find a special boy for a princess she knew.
