[[ I do NOT own this art or music. I do NOT claim to be the artist of either.

Please enjoy my story and if you see any grammatical errors or oopsies please PLEASE call my ass out (nicely) thank you]]

Another swat to the young princess's shoulder made her jump upright.

"Sit up properly!" The tutor demanded, clutching the thin, wooden switch in his right hand. The princess bit back a retort and calmed herself before adjusting in her seat. "You're lucky this is the end of the lesson today... I should make you kneel for two straight hours for your atrocious behavior." The old man scoffed; slamming shut a thick book on the cultures of the world.

This particular tutor was always brash, and cranky. He would often swat the princess with the switch, as the king and queen would allow whatever means necessary to produce an unmatched princess for suitors. The other tutors didn't hesitate with the switch either, but this old man was a little too happy to swat her shoulders.

The princess stood, bowed to her tutor, and left without a word. She truly felt bad for a man like that. She often wondered why he was so angry.

In the hall waited her long-time friend and personal guard, Silas. When she saw him, she smiled brightly, skipping over to him.

"Si!" She patted his shoulder roughly.

"Truly princess, please try and act more ladylike." Silas huffed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his slender nose.

He wore an Imperial uniform, a crisp white jacket and boots, with a deep black high neck dress shirt and trousers. It was accented with gold detailing trim and dainty chains, he carried his sword sheathed on his hip.

"Oh, not you too," The princess giggled, beginning to walk down the grand hallway, hands clasped behind her back, her jewelry clacking together with every move she made.

"I just spent an hour with mister sour-puss lecturing me on how to be a woman." The princess sighed before grabbing Silas's shoulder, pulling him down to bring his ear closer. "Something tells me he wouldn't know about that in the slightest." She whispered even though they were the only two in the hall. Silas rolled his eyes and continued on towards the princess's quarters.

When they arrived at her room, she immediately tore off her headdress, made of gold and precious jewels. It is so heavy. The princess cast it aside on her vanity haphazardly, secretly wishing it would break. Silas stood by the door and made no comment on her reckless behavior with the traditional crown.

She made haste removing the rest of her body jewelry. Her gold armbands, the several bracelets, her waist chains, the annoying layer of beaded and encrusted necklaces, even plucked the earrings from her ears.

With it all over she felt twenty pounds lighter and happier. She always loathed the number of accessories she was obligated to wear.

In Taycia, her kingdom, the royal family drips in wealth, and per-tradition has always worn an excess amount of jewelry and fine clothes. Even their hair was a symbol of the royal family and status.

The princess herself now had hair that pooled on the floor when it was let down. She often had it in a single loose braid like today to keep it from dragging behind her.

The princess made her way to her balcony, the thin skirt of her traditional wear swished around her legs. It was a beautiful [F/C] color, matching the bandeau-like top she wore, embroidered with golden thread. She leaned against her banister, looking down over her kingdom. The evening sun shined down with orange light, casting a warm wash of color over the town. It looked so prosperous, so beautiful. But she has heard the rumors. The King and Queen have done nothing to fix poverty!

The King declined the forms to abolish slavery!

The queen had twenty families hung for protesting...

Her parents were evil and greedy, she loathed them too. As much as she could anyway. She rarely saw her parents, partly because they have her wrapped up in studies and lessons, and partly because she actively avoids the two. Though she is the princess, she has never once visited the village below. She watched them day after day, wandering about like ants, free to do as they please. She envied them. The princess was always being told what to eat, how to dress, how to walk, talk, bow, breath! It infuriated her to a point that was unlike her usual docile and kind nature.

"Princess [Y/N]..." Silas spoke suddenly, making her slightly jump. Silas had a way of silently blending into the background. The Princess had gotten so used to him being so close to her that he became a fly on the wall. 'Princess [Y/N]' was the closest Silas would ever get to saying just her name, he never once said her name without her title, it annoyed her.

"Silas, what is it like?" The princess breathed, bending down to lay her chin on her banister.

"What is what like, princess?" He came to stand beside the lowered girl.

"That," She pointed to the people below. "To be able to be free."

She peered up to her personal guard with her gorgeous [E/C] eyes. His heart clenched in his chest, he wanted to soak in that sight of his princess gazing up at him.

The way her [S/C] skin looked under the sunset, the way her lashes batted for him, that way her lips parted ever so slightly. Silas especially loved her long hair, the hair he would play with as children, falling effortlessly down her back. Silas wanted to freeze this moment when she was looking at him and only him.

"It is nothing special, princess. They lead dull lives." The princess could tell he was lying just to make her feel better.

"You're better off in the castle." Silas thought to himself, feeling shameful immediately after.

"Yeah..." The princess silently agreed, not paying attention to the look in her guard's eyes as she gazed at the village once more.

She appreciated Silas the most in her life, he stood by her since they were kids. Even when he was offered a better, higher-ranking position he stuck by her. Silas was a constant source of familiarity and kindness... but sadly also reminded her of her status.

"One day I will leave this place, Silas... I'll be free." She whispered, and it was her means of justifying her plan that did not include him. With her logic, it was her warning to him. That day is today.

As if on cue a small rapping came from the door of her bedroom.

"Come in!" Princess [Y/N] mustered up all the cheeriness she could into her voice, turning to walk towards the door. Silas in her shadow, he was always close by. The door slowly opened to reveal a maid with dirty blonde hair, and hamster-like features, her accomplice. In Cassandra's arms, she carried multiple gift boxes, thin, but wide and long.

"P-Princess," The maid bowed as best she could. Her eyes flickered to Silas who was eyeing her down. "S-S-Sir Silas," The maid bowed again.

Cassandra has always been a meek girl, and often staggered on her words. It worked out perfectly, no one would suspect where the nervousness sprouted from, or second guess it. With Cassandra the plan will remain secret until it was too late to stop the Princess.

"Cassandra!" The Princess came to give the girl a warm hug. "Oh, gifts?"

How is my acting? Am I being too obvious?

Though the princess started to become nervous she never showed it, she was good at that.

"Y-Yes, princess, imported f-from the e-eastern kingdoms." She shifted awkwardly, but the princess wrapped a reassuring arm around the maid.

"From suitors no doubt, huh? Always pestering for an alliance!" She guided the maid further into her room, her braid swaying side to side, tickling her ankles.

"P-p-perhaps," Cassandra stuttered out, not sure how to respond. The truth was, with one of the most feared men in the kingdom five feet away, her mind was going blank.

"Well, Silas." The Princess patted her guard roughly on the shoulder again, as if they were drinking buddies. "I have clothes to try on, please wait outside." She smiled innocently. Silas lightly shook his head in annoyance at her once again doing her signature shoulder patting. She has done that to him since they were children, and though Silas acted as if it bothered him, he relished every time her hand landed on his shoulder.

"As you wish," He bowed to his princess, gave one more look over the maid, and left the room. When the door shut the princess gripped Cassandra's shoulders with excitement.

"Have you got everything?" She could almost squeal, she was so happy.

"Y-yes, p-princess." Casandra nodded; worry was engraved in her features. "But s-should you really be d-doing this?" The princess gave her an earnest smile and eased her grip on the maid.

"I know... I know this could get you into a lot of trouble, I am truly a selfish person for asking something like this..." The princess almost second-guessed herself and wanted to call off the whole thing. But with a quick glance to her balcony her mind was already made up. "We have a plan, if we stick to it you won't be at fault."

"Y-you're not..." Cassandra spoke. "You're not selfish... Princess, you have always been so kind to me, that's why I want to help..." It was the first time the princess heard the maid speak without stumbling on her words, it surprised her, but she smiled dearly at the young woman.

"That makes me so happy," The princess hugged the maid. "Okay, let's see what is in those boxes." She pulled away from the hug, determination that filled her body, spilling from her pores.

The princess could barely take her eyes off her own reflection in the mirror. She wore a simple commoners dress, a pale brown linen dress, which came just to the middle of her calf, over a white undershirt. She wore white stockings and a pair of brown boots. It was a vast change from her normal exotic clothes and gems. She could not help but smile and twirl her body, so the hem of the dress fanned out. As she did this, she caught sight of her floor-length hair swishing as well, she frowned. I will have to do something about that, the princess thought as she turned to Cassandra.

"Are you ready?" The princess asked apprehensively. Cassandra hesitated but nodded.

"The corner, sit in the corner." She gestured; the maid followed. The Princess took the rope from one of the boxes and trailed behind the maid.

"I won't tie them too tight, okay?" The princess said as she began to tie the rope around the maid's wrists and ankles. The plan was to make it look as if the princess took the opportunity that the guards were away to overpower a docile maid and runway.

"I'll put this in your mouth, okay?" The Princess felt especially cold as she stuffed a handkerchief into the maid's mouth. "Give me a two-minute head start and begin making all the noise you can. Silas will come in, so you have to act injured- say I hit you over the head. We've hidden my clothes... what else is there?" The Princess thought to herself as she looked at her worried, gagged maid.

"Oh!" The princess shot up and went to her desk to open drawer after drawer, finally finding the scissors. She knew she could not cut her own hair here; it would be evident that she looked different and they would know they would be searching for a girl with short hair and her description. Hopefully, they will also be looking for a girl draped with expensive and bright clothes.

[Y/N] slipped the scissors into her stocking, the cold metal against her thigh sent a shiver up through her. She went back to the balcony. Okay, I just need to climb down, make my way to the hole in the fence, and I should be home free. The Princess nodded, encouraging herself. She looked once more to the maid tied in the corner.

She smiled softly, "Cassandra...Make that three minutes."

And with that she slipped from her cage, freeing herself from her golden prison, into a quite fateful night.