As the Leaf Falls

Moonlight

Princess Lotus-Eloise sat in her chambers, her heart heavy with dread. Her father, King Florence, had just informed her of his decision to betroth her to Knight Ambrose Clarke, a powerful warrior from a neighboring kingdom. The marriage was to solidify an alliance between their two lands, but Lotus-Eloise felt nothing but despair at the thought of being forced to marry a man she barely knew. As she stared out the window at the setting sun, her mind wandered, wanting to escape the suffocating confines of the palace. She sighed, tears stinging her eyes as she realized that she was trapped in a life that was not her own.
As the night descended, Lotus-Eloise heard a knock on her chamber door. She wiped away her tears and composed herself before calling out, "Enter." The door creaked open, and Knight Ambrose Clarke strode into the room, his black hair glinting in the candlelight. His ocean blue eyes met Lotus-Eloises honey brown ones, and he smiled a charming smile that did nothing to ease the princess's discomfort. "Princess Lotus-Eloise," Ambrose began, his voice smooth and confident. "I understand that this marriage may not be what you had hoped for," he said, putting his hands over his heart. "But I assure you that I will do everything in my power to make you happy." Lotus-Eloise forced a smile, bowing her head politely as she replied, "Thank you, Knight Clarke." Princess Lotus-Eloise goes to face her window once more, but Ambrose takes her hand, kneels, and presses a kiss on her knuckles. After what felt like an eternity, Knight Ambrose left for his kindom, waiting to come back to be wed.

Princess Lotus-Eloise stood by her window, looking up at the glittering stars. Her mind wandered to the one person who had captured her heart: Alaric Aúna, a commoner who worked in the castle stables. Lotus-Eloise had met Alaric one day when she wandered into the stables; she was only 7 and Alaric was 9. Their eyes had met, and in that moment, Lotus-Eloise had felt a spark of connection that she had never experienced with anyone else. But Alaric was a nobody, a peasant who had no place in her world of royalty and nobility. Their love was forbidden, and Lotus-Eloise knew that her father would never allow her to marry a commoner. Her heart was heavy with the weight of her impending marriage to Ambrose. She knew she had to fulfill her duty to her kingdom, but the thought of marrying a man she barely knew filled her with uncertainty and fear. In the quiet solitude of her chamber, the princess found herself deep in thought, contemplating a decision and a question: happiness or duties?
My castle, once a symbol of my privilege and protection, now felt like a gilded cage, trapping me like the Jacana birds they keep, using their unique feathers for quills. She thought to herself, looking over to her window and letting out a deep sigh. They don't even use any other part of the bird, just the feathers. My father only wants to marry me off, so our bloodline and legacy continue and we stay in power...
As the weight of her responsibilities and expectations pressed upon her, she pondered whether to leave the sanctuary of the castle or succumb to the fate that awaited her within its walls. She yearned for freedom, for a life of her own design, where her heart could choose its own path. What if the world outside was harsher and more unforgiving than she imagined? Is it worth the chance to explore the world beyond the castle's confines and experience life on her own terms? The thought of being forced into a loveless marriage, where her desires and dreams would be brushed aside, filled her with a sense of dread.

Her mind wandered to the stories she had heard of brave women who made life-altering decisions, like Queen Sela, who went rogue, leaving the royalty life to run away with her true lover, Samuel Vienn, the hand to the queen. Queen Sela was her five-time great-grandmother; she was never to be seen again. She wished to be like her, to break free from the chains that bound her and embrace a life of authenticity and fulfillment yet, deep within her heart, she knew that staying within the castle walls would mean sacrificing her own happiness, her dreams, and the chance to find true love. She couldn't bear the thought of a life devoid of passion, where her every decision was dictated by tradition and duty. And as she gazed out of her window, her eyes fixated on the horizon, she vowed to find the strength within herself to determine her own destiny. As the moonlight bathed her in its soft glow, she made her decision.