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Part One . . . Centuries Ago
Frantic footsteps echoed from the hallway. Small giggles and whispers of anticipation followed suit, bringing a frustrated groan from the Princess. Cassia paused her own anxious pacing to debate throwing the worn leather book in her hand at the bedroom door. She was running out of time. If she didn't make up her mind soon she would lose her chance, her last chance of sweet freedom.
Her eyes went to the extravagant ballgown laid out on the bed. She tapped the book against her hand as it called out to her. Her life would be much easier if she would just put it on. There were hundreds of important people waiting for a show downstairs, waiting for her to officially accept the engagement of a man she never met. Her life would be much easier if she would just accept her fate.
But the book in her hand gave her another option. It was meant to be a tale of warning but unlike the rest of the children of Adella, Cassia wasn't afraid. Worse, she was intrigued. The story told of a mysterious figure that whisked away children to a far away island forever. Most saw the entity as a demon, Cassia did not. It was the key to escape. She had read the book a thousand times, and each time the figure was summoned with two simple words. Two words could take away her heavy burden.
For as long as she could remember, she'd been engaged to a man she'd never met. As the princess of Adella, Cassia understood her responsibilty as next in line for the throne but deep down, she refused to accept it. Forced to grow up too quickly, she had reached her breaking point. She tried to make her life her own all while keeping up with her duties, but responsibility always beat pleasure. It was one or the other, she couldn't have both. As the next queen of Adella, Cassia could not have both.
She turned her head toward the blue-black sky; it had already begun to freckle with evening stars. There was one that shined the brightest, the North Star. In the story, it served as the pathway to the island. The island was supposedly a horrid place of punishment, but she could help but wonder if it was wrong. There have been other tales of a land beyond the Northstar, where time stood still and no one aged. A land without worry or misery. They completely contradicted Adella's story. Cassia didn't know who to believe.
Party commotion grew louder, reminding her of the time she had left to make a decision. Her mother could be at her door in any second, ready to scold her for her tardiness. Cassia would rather not be on this side of the door when she did.
She opened the window and dropped the book on the sill. Rushing over to the closet, she pulled out her riding cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. Her thoughts overwhelmed her as her fingers struggled to tie the string at her neck. If she left, she would be abandoning everyone, her family, her kingdom. The disgrace would scorn her if she were to ever return. The burden of an arranged marriage would most certainly fall onto her younger sister and she would forever have to live with that guilt. Most importantly, there was no turning back after she said those words.
