Never Royals, After All

2: An Invitation

     "Alright, Zamira, I should really be going back to the castle now. But first.."

Charlotte hopped off of her enormous friend and walked over to the familiar tree stump.

Zamira watched as the girl slowly lifted the bottom of the stump and tried to push it up, but couldn't quite get it. Zamira shook her head, and then used her own (much larger) muscles to lift it herself.

"Thank you," Charlotte mumbled, "Now, let's make sure all of my stuff is still here..."

And it all was; every stone and spice and candle was still safely tucked under the hollowed-out tree stump. Charlotte sighed in relief just as she did every other day, living under constant worry that somebody would raid her stash of nature's gifts or, even worse, find out that she was the one who it belonged to.

Unfortunately, the society she lived in did not understand anything other than a singular God and his precious book of rules. To find too much harmony in nature, and to go as far as being a Wiccan- it was punishable by death at the stakes. And, naturally, Charlotte didn't want to die.

Zamira looked down at her, as if to say you really picked the middle of the sixteenth century to practice paganism?

But then again, Charlotte didn't even know if she was a pagan, much less a witch. All she had was interest, and whatever could be wrong with that?

"Alright, I suppose I should go then. Can't wait for a grand talk with Mrs. Johnson and the princess herself. It's a good thing she can't tell the difference between me, Agnes, and Emma, because if she knew I'd been absent from tending to her every need for a full twelve hours then she might just have me executed."

The last bit was only a hopeful joke, as the princess often confused the three maids' names. Charlotte had been a maid at that castle since she was a child, though, and assigned the princess's maid for three years. Of course she would notice her absence- and not only notice it, but loathe it.

Zamira nodded, worry of her friend's safety sneaking into her mind. But she knew Charlotte could handle herself.

"Well, goodbye then. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Charlotte finished, throwing the dragon a kiss and scampering off towards the castle.

She flew past every stick and pebble, noticing each one and wondering whether she should've been collecting them for future use. Alas, she continued on through the woods with her skirt in her hands, nearing the open fields beside the castle.

"Here we go." She whispered to herself, taking off across the grass in hopes that no one would spot the deranged women fleeing towards the castle.

Finally, she reached the back door and threw herself into it in exhaustion.

"I should really do some more exercising," She hushed to herself in heavy breaths, "Christ Almighty..."

After catching her breath, she hurried inside and muttered an apology to Mrs. Johnson as she flew past her and up the stairs to the main floor. She rushed through the castle towards the princess's bedroom, passing the dining hall on the way. In it, the royals all ate together, their voices drifting out into the hall where Charlotte was jogging by.

"I just can't wait to see your choice of who you'll dance with at the ball next week, Unraed," The queen said to her son, "I'll bet she'll be the most fair maiden in kingdoms near and far. Are you excited?"

Princess Greta rolled her eyes at the talk of her brother's upcoming selection of a bride. Somehow she always got stuck attending the same boring balls that he did, dealing with his suitor activities. Fortunately, a small handful of the noble ladies he pursued turned out half-simple or on the boarder of insanity, so that would always offer her some entertainment.