05:38. That's the time she read on her bedside clock. It was far too early, she'd had nowhere near enough sleep to endure today, she knew that. Rolling over and desperately willing her mind to stop screaming and her heart to slow down, she closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing.
This had been her struggle for the last few weeks, trying, and failing, to get a decent night's sleep, only to find her eyes closing later and opening earlier every time. She was truly exhausted, considering herself lucky to get a full three hours of sleep each night. Today, she prayed her nerves would subside and the worry would be for nothing, allowing her to finally rest once the day was over. She doubted her hopefulness completely.
Breathing a sigh of defeat she rolled back onto her right side and sat herself up on the plush mattress, stretching her tired limbs and rising to her feet. There was no point in making the bed, her personal maid would attend to it as soon as she was aware her mistress had risen, and she wouldn't be returning to it tonight anyway, or any other night.
Walking forwards she drew the full-length curtains leading to her balcony and pushed the doors open. The second sun was barely visible over the horizon, but the first was already shining brightly in the distance, casting a warm glow over the forest beneath her. She didn't like much about her home, the people were cruel and uninviting, their rulers even more so, but she could never deny the planet's beauty. A soft mist lingered over the vast sea of green before her, a warm and gentle breeze caressed her shoulders and the tiny voices of thousands of beautiful creatures played a sweet melody for her, each one a beacon of optimism for a beautiful day.
A wave of sadness washed over her as she realised she could not share in their joy, for her day was not destined to be beautiful or happy, today was the day she became currency. A simple commodity to secure her parent's high rank within the First Order. Today was the day her freedom and her life were sold to the highest bidder. Her siblings had recieved the same fate, each becoming another step on their parent's ladder to the top.
A single tear ran down her cheek before she hastily swatted it away. No. She had shed enough tears over her stolen future. Today she would wear the same stoic face she had perfected over the years as she suffered at the hands of her 'betters', she would not let them think she was weak or submissive. Although her heart was crumbling, she would appear strong and stable, she would win.
Walking over to the other side of her bed she rang the bell which would signal to her maid that her highness was awake and wished to begin her day. As she waited, she stripped out of her delicate nightwear and proceeded to her private bathroom, stepping into the shower and allowing the warm water to comfort her racing mind. She could her the bedroom door open and shouted to her handmaid that she would be out shortly. After reluctantly leaving the warmth and humidity of her shower behind, she wrapped herself in a soft towel and returned to her bedroom.
"Pru, I don't want anything too regal for today, I'm not dressing to impress them" she said to her maid.
Pru nodded with a smile and went about burrowing through her mistresses wardrobe for a simple, yet elegant gown to dress her in. Pru would never say anything, but she was devastated at the approaching loss of her mistress, she had always been so much kinder to her than the rest of Dannillion's royal family. The planet was known for it's harsh and unkind aristocracy, who believed it was their divine right to rule over their 'lessers' and took great pleasure in reaffirming that point when challenged, but she had never been one of them. Her kind and caring mistress had never so much as raised her voice at Pru, she was so mild-mannered, so gentle in her actions and the way she dealt with people below her own station, she genuinely cared for her subjects and went out of her way to show that she was opposite in every way to her family. Pru had no idea how she hadn't already been snached away by another royal family or ruling lord, her beauty was, in her opinion, unrivaled by any she had ever seen.
Tall and slender, but not too thin, with waves of shining bronze hair falling down her back to her waist, soft emerald eyes filled with such curiosity and wonder, framed by thick lashes, and a smile that could bring the most stubborn and angered man to smile back at her. She was a wonder, and she did not deserve her fate.
Pru was pulled out of her deep thought by the sound of her princess asking if she had found anything yet. Snapping back to reality Pru brought her the simple evergreen gown she had found within the depths of her enormous collection, silently berating herself for not thinking to pack some of her clothes yesterday, as she would need to have everything packed up before her mistress left this evening. Deciding to chastise herself later, she assisted her mistress into the gown and secured the delicate chain at the back of her neck that would hold it securely.
Not intricate, but definitely elegant, the dress fitted snugly around her upper body, with a thin gold chain forming a jewel neckline, the fabric cutting off at her shoulders showing her bare arms, hugging her curves down to her waist where it fell straight to the floor, leaving a small train of fabric behind her as she walked. Pru sat her down and finished the look with a simple half-up hairstyle, using small golden pins to pull her hair back and let it flow freely down her waist. No jewellery, like her mistress had said, she was not dressing to impress, she had already been sold.
After deeming herself fit for presentation, her mistress turned to Pru and gave her a sad smile. "I know it's not exactly the norm Pru, but will you accompany me to breakfast? It's too early yet for anyone else to be there and I want to spend this time with you, I don't know if I will be able to again". Pru felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes but blinked them away as quickly as she could.
"Of course Jay" she said, "Anything for you"