Disclaimer: Disney owns all.
Freedom
By WinterPolaris
"Elizabeth! We're going to be late! Please try to hurry!"
"Yes, father! I'm trying. My garments don't seem to like me very much. I can barely breathe in this!"
I tried to suck my stomach in so that Estrella could tie my corset together. Alas, no luck. These things were going to be the death of me. But for now, they were just going to cut off my air supply.
"Estrella, will you please hurry?"
"I'm sorry, sir. Miss Elizabeth and I are trying to hurry..."
"I'm sorry about that, Estrella. I just wish that we don't have to do this right now, and that I don't have to go to that stupid ceremony..."
"No need to apologize, Miss. It's my duty. And why would you not want to go? It is such an honour to be invited to a ceremony where the Queen, her Majesty, would be present, don't you think?"
"To everyone else, it is a tremendous honour. But I would much rather be somewhere else..."
My eyes caught the brilliant sight of the ocean. The sound of waves crashing onto the rocks seemed to be calling me. It was calling me out, back to the ocean. It was calling me to the never-ending freedom the waters represented. It was calling me to break out of this prison, to be my true, adventurous self again.
"Where could it be that is better than all this, Miss?"
"The ocean."
"The ocean? But there's nothing in the ocean..."
"No, the ocean offers everything. It can give you more freedom that you could ever imagine. It allows you to throw everything away. You can throw away your duties, your reputation, and your reality. But at the same time, it lets you keep everything that you hold dear to. You still have your dreams, your fantasies, and a sense of carefree..."
"That does sound tempting... But wouldn't you get homesick, and wanting to go back to where you came from?"
"At first, that's what I thought, too. But once you are in the middle of the ocean for long enough, you'd realise that it's your home. I don't really know how to describe it. It's just a feeling, a feeling so strong there is no word close to justifying it."
"It does sound very lovely. I wish I would have a chance to feel that. Maybe you will be able to go back to it someday."
"Yes, maybe. And don't worry, Estrella. I'm sure you can experience this someday. It will be the most exhilarating moment of your life. I guarantee it." I took out a seashell that I picked up before Jack and I left the island that day so long ago. "Here. I want you to have this."
"Wow... Thanks, Miss." She finally tied my corset together. I thanked her.
"Elizabeth! Hurry!"
"I'm coming, father!" After a quick glance at the ocean, I left my room. Someday, I said. Someday, I would go back to the ocean, where I belong.
Freedom
By WinterPolaris
"Elizabeth! We're going to be late! Please try to hurry!"
"Yes, father! I'm trying. My garments don't seem to like me very much. I can barely breathe in this!"
I tried to suck my stomach in so that Estrella could tie my corset together. Alas, no luck. These things were going to be the death of me. But for now, they were just going to cut off my air supply.
"Estrella, will you please hurry?"
"I'm sorry, sir. Miss Elizabeth and I are trying to hurry..."
"I'm sorry about that, Estrella. I just wish that we don't have to do this right now, and that I don't have to go to that stupid ceremony..."
"No need to apologize, Miss. It's my duty. And why would you not want to go? It is such an honour to be invited to a ceremony where the Queen, her Majesty, would be present, don't you think?"
"To everyone else, it is a tremendous honour. But I would much rather be somewhere else..."
My eyes caught the brilliant sight of the ocean. The sound of waves crashing onto the rocks seemed to be calling me. It was calling me out, back to the ocean. It was calling me to the never-ending freedom the waters represented. It was calling me to break out of this prison, to be my true, adventurous self again.
"Where could it be that is better than all this, Miss?"
"The ocean."
"The ocean? But there's nothing in the ocean..."
"No, the ocean offers everything. It can give you more freedom that you could ever imagine. It allows you to throw everything away. You can throw away your duties, your reputation, and your reality. But at the same time, it lets you keep everything that you hold dear to. You still have your dreams, your fantasies, and a sense of carefree..."
"That does sound tempting... But wouldn't you get homesick, and wanting to go back to where you came from?"
"At first, that's what I thought, too. But once you are in the middle of the ocean for long enough, you'd realise that it's your home. I don't really know how to describe it. It's just a feeling, a feeling so strong there is no word close to justifying it."
"It does sound very lovely. I wish I would have a chance to feel that. Maybe you will be able to go back to it someday."
"Yes, maybe. And don't worry, Estrella. I'm sure you can experience this someday. It will be the most exhilarating moment of your life. I guarantee it." I took out a seashell that I picked up before Jack and I left the island that day so long ago. "Here. I want you to have this."
"Wow... Thanks, Miss." She finally tied my corset together. I thanked her.
"Elizabeth! Hurry!"
"I'm coming, father!" After a quick glance at the ocean, I left my room. Someday, I said. Someday, I would go back to the ocean, where I belong.