Lillium Wilt

Chapter 3

Early morning sunlight crept through her sheer curtains. The princess looked over to the beams of light dancing with dust. Her eyes felt heavy, hardly sleeping with the thoughts rolling around in her head of the two princes she had met... Well, three. But she wasn't going to even consider the fox. Knowing if she liked him, her father would just say "no." So might as well start from the beginning before attachment ever grows.

With a head swirling full of thoughts, she gets dressed hastily and goes for a walk on the cliff. To go through the forest and breathe in the fresh air as it pushes out the anxiety she was feeling.

With a warm cloak strapped on and her well-worn boots tied, she informs her handmaiden she will return within the next few hours. Just before everyone expected her to join them for breakfast. They never ate early anyway, allowing the sun to rise before sitting down for their first meal. Before, one would enjoy a bit of tea. But even that would be skipped for now.

Once out on her balcony, she allows her wings to stretch out. Feeling the warmth of the blood flowing through the fragile veins almost sends a shiver down her back. Though fragile, those wings easily picked her off the ground as she fluttered her way over the castle and onto the top of the cliff. It sloped downwards, decorated with a pine forest the entire way through. The trees have been so tall that only those who could fly would know it wasn't flat.

Standing at the edge, the trees would obscure the rest of the ground ahead. A beautiful forest, old and full of life. She could hear the birds from her window every morning, and they were three times as loud as where she stood now. It was in the warmer spring, though at this hour of the day, the sun had not the chance to warm the air.

The princess pulls her cloak a little tighter around her as her first breath freezes to mist. As the princess ventured deeper into the forest, the dense canopy of ancient pines enveloped her in a serene embrace. The scent of pine needles mingled with the crisp air, the increased humidity from the heavier rains clear. The forest floor, carpeted with a thick layer of fallen leaves, muffled her footsteps as she made her way through the groves.

Ahead, the distant sound of rushing water beckoned her. Pushing through a thicket of brambles, she emerged into a clearing bathed in beams of dawn light. At its center, a waterfall cascaded down from a section of cliff that had broken off, its fresh waters shimmering in the sunlight like liquid diamonds.

The cascade tumbled into a pond amidst moss-covered rocks and ferns. The pond, fed by the pure waters of the waterfall, glimmered with a mesmerizing clarity. Its surface rippled gently, reflecting the verdant canopy above like a mirror. Small fish darted beneath the surface, their silvery forms flashing in the sunlight as they danced in the cool depths. For the life of her, she couldn't remember this existing. The storms that had hit could have triggered the spring to break through. Or the spring itself slowly eroded the section of the cliff until it split and washed to sea. Either way, it was something exciting to explore.

It wasn't difficult getting to the bottom. She fluttered down like a graceful fairy until she stood on a slick, mossy boulder a few feet from the heavy mist of the waterfall. She laughed to herself, thinking how upset her mother would be to see her in the middle of the pond. It couldn't have been that dangerous after all. How deep could it be? Chrysalis looks over the edge, expecting the clear blue water to hint at a floor a few feet below. But she was very wrong.

The water was deep enough that light failed to make it through, giving it a dark blue, almost black appearance. With a soft gasp, she closes her eyes and steadies herself better on the rock.

Ok, so there was a reason for her mother to always be on the safe side. While she could fly, she couldn't swim. Butterfly wings were utterly useless when wet. Though a light misting was nothing to worry about, so as long as she kept her footing and didn't fall in, everything would be fine. Thrilling, even.