Chapter Text
Another ball. More dances with royalty from far-off, well-to-do lands. Her father’s eyes boring into the back of her skull as she excused herself from a dragging conversation with the latest wealthy prince he’d tried to set her up with. The guards sternly blocking her from the drawbridge when she tried to go find a place out on the marshes to rest. Everyone watching as she resignedly headed up the grand staircase to her room again, and the echoing sound of her father’s booming apologies to the guests following behind her.
Another month, another ball.
She curled her knees to her chest, still wearing her ball gown, staring at the skirt’s fabric resting atop her bedsheets. Waiting, waiting until she heard the telltale thumps of heavy boots upon the stairs and the sharp knock at her door that she’d known would come. Then came the lecture. The same one she’d heard so many times. She didn’t even listen anymore, just nodded along with her father’s insistences that she was of the age to marry and that the prince of Whatever was really a nice lad, if she’d just give him a chance. Made the same promise that she would try harder to get along next time. Next time.
She really did try at first. Every time, she’d dance with the eligible prince of the month, and talk with him for far too long, trying to make herself fall in love. But it never worked. They were all just so uninteresting, even repulsive on occasion. But it was a political matter at this point, and she knew her father was growing agitated. If she took much longer to find a groom, she knew the choice would be taken from her, and that threat of an arranged betrothal hung unsaid in the air as he left.
Princess Emmony removed her crown and wrapped her arms around herself as she sank back into her silk sheets, too tired to undress or take her hair down. She closed her eyes and lay awake for what felt like hours before finally drifting off.