𝕰𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝕬𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕳𝖎𝖌𝖍: Princess In A Shining Armor #EAHWattyAwards2018

Chapter 2: A Blessing Or A Curse

The morning sun glared brightly upon all over Ever After. The green fog lifted from the surface as the sunlight scanned the ground, wholly submerged with bright light as the mid-rays reflected a large pond nearby. Silverswans honked, roosters crowed, white doves sang, and dangling small pixies buzzed in the Enchanted Forest.

Darling stood still in her dorm room and looked at herself in the mirror, and gave it a glare as if unsatisfied.

"Do I really have to wear this?" Darling pressed. She was wearing a lovely pink corset with embroidery stitches of bright flowers on the sleeves and a floral lavender skirt with a silver hem.

Rosabella stared at her, long enough as if examining every edge of Darling's dress.

"You did ask for it," Rosabella acknowledged. "Just earlier, you have told me you want to wear these kinds of clothes."

Darling slouched her back and muttered quietly, "I want to make a good impression."

Well, certainly more than good, Darling thought, peering at the tight corset on her chest.

Darling would rather be a hero of her own story than be a dainty princess. She knew that her dearest mother would disapprove of such behavior.

After all, she is the only female among her siblings. Perhaps it is because she is really destined to have a brand new start, or maybe she will technically sign her true destiny in Legacy Day. She will sign eventually; whoever is intertwined with her future doesn't want them to be put at risk. Everyone believes that refusing to sign means both you and your story will vanish forever after.

Poof!

Rosabella pulled Darling's corset strings at the back even tighter than before, causing her friend to swallow back a hideous loud scream.

Darling coughed. She felt her insides shrinking in. "I can't breathe-"

"I'm sorry," Rosabella quickly responded with a tone that has said otherwise. She started to released her firm grip from her friend's corset.

Rosabella requested Darling to wear the plump-heels and thought it'd look perfect on her roommate. The heels were no more than eight-inch and have a dark shade of mauve with golden leaves scattered around the heels. She tried to persuade Rosabella politely that she has no plan on wearing it. But it was without any success. Darling couldn't hesitate any much longer.

"C'mon, Darling. Don't be such a scally-wag," Rosabella teased. "You look so beautiful."

Darling looked at her reflection; the flat surface was shimmering like fairy dust. Instead of doing her signature hairstyle, she'd already brushed her long hair and hung it in a french braid-which made her hairless longer than before.

She and her mother looked so much alike.

So much like her mother.

She gulped and looked at her own reflection once again. Darling got her father's eyes—those magnificent bluebell eyes. Darling missed him so much, more than he could have known. For the whole five years, she and her brothers' have waited for him to come back home.

"I'll be back," their father once have said. "I'll be back before you know it."

But he never did.

Darling's eyes were almost glistening as if trying not to cry, forcing herself not to whimper and wiped away the fallen tears. She knew her father was working in the royal council in Camelot with King Arthur the eighth.

Why can't she just accept it?

"Darling," Rosabella looked upon her with worry. "Are you okay?"