When Your Feathers Flutter Down to Me

Chapter Four: The Princess And Insults

Unfortunately, being the royal she had been, Elisia had never even dreamed of a day coming when she wouldn't be protected by high castle walls and the power she had been born into. She had just assumed that she could do whatever she wanted because that was how it would always be. Now that she had fallen so far, Elisia was getting a brutal wake-up call that took the form of (quite literally) painful words.

"...Perhaps somewhere with no people," she finally said.

"Nope, no can do," Hanen immediately said back.

"Excuse me?" Elisia said, irritated. "I've given my decision. It is your job to follow it."

"Well, y'see," Hanen said. "If I did that, I wouldn't get to have my fun. Plus, if I took you out to where nobody was, who knows what kinda trouble you'll get up to. Better to be safe than sorry right?"

"Are you actually opposing me? I'm the first princess-"

Elisia curled over. Quickly falling back into her old habits had just caused her own suffering. Next to her, Hanen laughed loudly. "Oh wow, that's hilarious! I can't believe you just did it to yourself like that! And you call us stupid! Ahahahaha!"

"Shut your mouth, you foul mutt," Elisia said bitterly. "Now, do as I have said."

"Not happening," Hanen said, recovering from his laughing fit.

"Ingrate!" Elisia screamed at him.

"Insult me all you want, but the fact is you're not going anywhere by yourself or with no eyes on you, so get used to it, princess."

*****

The next several hours were excruciating for Elisia. Nearly every single person they passed made sure to address Elisia as "princess" when they saw her. Only a week ago, she would've been pleased by them understanding she was higher ranked than them (and also revolted they were even addressing her), but now she wished for nothing more than for everyone to ignore her very existence.

At this point, she was sure the branding spell had to be glowing red on her shoulder with how much it had been activated. With no mirrors around, it was impossible to tell, but it certainly felt like it. If that truly was the case, then Elisia just had to hope her wavy blond hair (now a disheveled mess) would be enough to hide it.

"Please..." Elisia groaned. "Just let me rest here for a moment."

"Aw, but why, princess? No one can see you here," Hanen smirked. Currently, Elisia had slipped behind a hut that seemed to be out of view. There was no one else around at the moment, but it was certainly possible that someone could come by. As she sat in the shadow of the hut, she leaned up against its cold exterior, getting some relief for her searing-hot shoulder.

Elisia had started out with dreams of persuading the people of the village to fall under her reign, then had even entertained the idea of escape. Now, with the brutal treatment she had already faced, escaping was beginning to sound like the only choice she had. "If I spend any more time here," she thought. "I think it may end up being the death of me."

Though, being the person she was, Elisia was also greatly frustrated. Why should she have to be the one running away? The thought of turning her back to the people she despised so much brought her no small amount of irritation.

"I'm the one they should be running from," she thought. "Why am I, someone of much higher status, even considering giving up here?"

To try and escape simply because she didn't like how she was being treated was far from the way Elisia usually handled things. In the past, if someone tried to come after her, she doubled her efforts, eventually steamrolling them into submission with a combination of power and superiority. So, why should now be any different?