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I hate these get-togethers our parents set up. It’s nothing but tea parties with these girls. They refuse my ideas of fun, claiming them to be unladylike and rude. The closest thing we’ve gotten to doing something we all agree upon was horseback riding. I wished to take trains that day and race, but all they did was walk laps in the field gossiping. Whenever I ask why the things I wish to do are unladylike like I’m told that I, as a princess, have to do what is expected of a princess. According to them that means speaking when spoken to, being quiet, always being clean, and seeking to marry someone that will boost my parents rank among royalty.
Do they not live? Life is not about status or how others see you, it’s about being happy with your life and decisions. They force what makes them happy on me knowing well that it makes me miserable. They do not care if I’m miserable, they only care that I don’t fit it so they may make themselves feeling better by rejecting me.
This day had begun like any other Friday. My lady in waiting awoke me and read me my duties for the day as servants insisted on dressing me. They were always the same; look nice and keep my mouth shut during any court trials, have a supervised visit with any princes that sought my hand in marriage, and have tea with the princesses from neighboring kingdoms. My mother demanded the last one after I boldly claimed to never marry and become a knight when I was a young child. That was many winters ago yet my mother refuses to let these meetings end. From the first tea time I shared with those girls I was rejected for being different, for not fitting their mold. Mother always said that this time I would understand my place and take my role seriously. Oh how wrong she was.
With every tea party or get together some girls pushed me further away while others used me as entertainment or to make themselves look better.
“Miss Atria? Did you hear me” oh, I was supposed to be listening to my duties.
“I apologize, could you repeat that?”
“Oh course madam. You were invited to a gala at the neighboring kingdom of Avalor. You’re father the king demands you attend as a representative of the Kingdom of Flura. The seamstresses will have a gown prepared by the end of the day. Do you wish for any specifications to be made?”
“You know that anything I would wish for will be denied. Have the seamstresses do as they please”
“Yes your highness. Now, today’s court will so consist of-“
And that is my cue to stop listening.
Court was boring as always. It is only ever farmers fighting over land, livestock, or goods. Court is always an easy duty to fulfill. My opinion was unwanted in the court, and therefore no one asked anything of me but to sit there politely. I always took this time to daydream.
Luckily so suitors came today. I do not believe I would be have the energy to deal with them and then the princesses tonight. Suitors always drained me as I had to discourage them from seeking my hand in marriage without angering my parents. This is very hard as I have to act ladylike, cannot outright voice my opinion, or threaten any men. I had to very sly with my mistakes, such as tripping to many times or acting as if I have trouble listening to a thing they say, asking them to repeat again and again. Without suitors my days are much longer and I can spend more time at the cottage.
In the woods there is a cottage me and my friend will meet at. We had both found it without the other and met each other on a day we were both there. I came home with a dress tarnished with dirt that day, which angered my mother, but I did not care; for I had a friend.
I told this friend my dream of being a knight, a dream we soon came to share. The difference was they could pursue our dream and I could not, as they were a peasant and I was a princess. No one expected anything of them and everyone expected everything from me. In recent months my friend had become a squire, but instead of leaving me behind we agreed to meet at the cottage so he could teach me to fight and have someone to practice with. Today was one of our meeting days. Luckily it’s always easy to get away from the castle.
“Mother, May I take a horse and practice riding? I would like to have a skill to impress suitors instead of bringing shame to the kingdom by acting a fool” is what I asked my mother one day. She quickly agreed and I am now permitted to ride through the woods if I am back before dark and do not dirty my dress. After over a year of doing this I no longer have to ask permission and instead just allow the stable tenants to notify my parents that I am riding.
As I wait for a stable hand to get a horse ready I am interrupted by a servant
“Ma’am? You have the gala tonight. The princess from Yetra has sent a message saying she will be here to ensure you’re properly prepared for the night. Do you think it wise to go riding at this hour?”
I let out a heavy sigh. There goes my free time “I will only be out for a short while. I’m sure I’ll be back before she arrives”
“If you say so madam” the servant says as he walks back towards the castle as the stable hand brings me the horse. I allow him to help me mount the steed side saddle and have the horse go at a slow trot towards the woods. The moment I am out of sight I right myself forwards on the saddle and ride like the wind. The faster I get to Joshua the more time I’ll have with him to train.
I arrive at the cabin in record time, but Joshua is already there as always. I leap off the horse and tie its reins to a nearby oak before running into the cabin.
Joshua has the equipment ready as always and we get to work immediately practicing forms on the dummy we made from the chair and straw pillows left behind. We always talk about our days during this time, Joshua about the lady he is smitten for and me about the court happenings.
“She gave me a loaf of bread today! Granted, she made one for the knight I serve as well but still!”
“Yeah. That sounds fun”
“Atri, Are you alright? You seem angry today” he says as I thrust the sword into the dummy with more force then I intended, knocking it over before sighing. “I have to go to a gala tonight and Maria of Yetra is going to be at the castle to ‘ensure I’m properly prepared for the social gathering.’ We both know she’s just going to insult whatever she doesn’t deem ladylike.” I say with hate dripping from my voice.
“Oh. ‘m sorry ‘bout that. Anything I could do?”
“Not a thing Unless you kidnap me.”
“A right shame then. Well, you should be heading’ back if the miss from Yetra is gonna be wanting’ to prepare you”
“I know you’re right but I don’t want to. Same time next week?” I ask before heading out the door of the cabin.
“‘Course Atri! I wouldn’ miss these sessions for the world!” Josh said starting on the trail to town as I mount the horse and begin on the trail home
“See you soon Josh!”
I arrive at the castle soon after, pushing the stead to its limit before slowing down and turning to its side saddle. A stable hand comes running to take the horse and help me off which I take graciously, trying to practice being ladylike in preparation for Maria. I arrived in my room to find that my hand maiden had prepared a bath, which I gladly took. Shortly after I finished being bathed and dried a seamstress walked in with a gown and a form. Knowing how this goes I put on my under layers and stand where she points. After what seems like an eternity my hand maiden walks in with Maria in toe, followed by her own seamstresses with her gown. “Oh I knew they’d be pinning you when I arrived! The seamstresses here always take the most time!”
“Hello Maria! So good to see you” I say, trying my hardest to hide the disdain I feel for her as the seamstress sets up a place to pin her gown as well. Maria soon begins to share all the gossip and hearsay she heard since we last saw each other, giving me plenty of reason to tune her out and begin to daydream, but it doesn’t last for long as I take a pin to the small of my back. I jump a small bit but don’t say a thing.
I decided to take notice of the gown at that point. Thai proved useful as I realized this is a new style. Instead of petticoat jupon petticoat it’s a cage of some kind. The dress pieces and cage are held up by strings at the back. Not only does this dress feel much lighter but it will be easier to remove once the party is over.
“I see your parents arranged for you to get a hoop skirt, Mine did as well. Feels much better doesn’t it? I feel as if I could hide a whole man under this skirt!” Maria says before giggling.
“Indeed there is much more puff without all of the material. Mush easier to get on and off I presume”
“Like you wouldn’t believe!”
For once, I’m enjoying this conversation. Maria was always the kindest of the princesses that came over often. She shared my disdain of the large dresses that encouraged our ability to walk but that was about it. At the moment I’m trying to find the best plan of action to hide a weapon in this dress.
Soon enough the seamstresses finish their work and we have time to admire the dresses. As much as I hate the role I was being into I can appreciate the beauty of this dress. A beautiful emerald silk with silver accents. Not only breathable but very comfortable. Maria wore a muted red with yellow accents around the seams that was equally as beautiful. The servants brought our jewels and styled our hair, making us seem even more beautiful than before.
Excited to get to the gala, which was going to be behind within the next few hours, wanted to leave immediately in order to arrive on time as Avalor was not exactly nearby. As she rushes me out the room I manage to grab my dagger out of the bedside table and hide it within my dress. When we reach the doors of the castle I realize that she did not intend on traveling alone as Terria from the kingdom of Qarth is already waiting for us in her carriage.
“Hello Maria! Did Atria slow you down? What am I saying, of course she did. The servants probably had to wrestle her into the bath after she played with the pigs this afternoon” she said before laughing. This was going to be a long night.
The ride was exactly as I thought it would be. Maria and Terria gossiping while the latter took every moment to insult me, saying that I shouldn’t be going to the gala at all. I tried my best to ignore her words, instead deciding to focus on the road out the window. After about an hour and a half of travel I noticed the carriage picking up speed. I didn’t think much of it until I noticed a horse and it’s rider again on the carriage before more of them around the carriage. At this point the other girls had noticed what was happening outside.
Bandits were trying to stop the carriage to rob us.
Not moments after Terria started screaming did the carriage come to a halt along with the horses. The closest rider leapt off his horse and ripped the door of the carriage open shouting “all of the valuables! In the bag now!” Terria and Maria give up their jewels quickly but I refuse. I had counted the bandits, there were only four of them. Only two seemed to carry a sword, one of those two being the one demanding I put my jewels in the bag he held in front of me. While I don’t care for jewels or Terraria, no one threatens Maria.
“No” was all I said before drawing my dagger and plunging it into his chest, taking his sword, and jumping out of the carriage screaming at Terria and Maria to get on the floor. Luckily there was only one door. The coachman was on the ground but there were no signs of blood. Most likely he had been knocked out but a rock or something of that caliber.
The bandits were surprised to say the least. They had just seen their comrade be cut down by what they had assumed to be a weak princess who was now holding his sword with practiced skill. One of the two who had a dagger stupidly charged. I had only to thrust my sword into his abdomen as he raised his weapon above his head. He fell to the ground beside his dead friend. The remaining two bandits talked amongst themselves, trying to come up with a plan before leaping back onto their horses and charging at me.
I don’t know what the bandit with the dagger was thinking by rushing ahead of his friend with the weapon more suited for the occasion but I merely had to throw dirt from the ground into the eyes of his horse, causing it to rear up onto its hind legs, throwing its rider to the ground. I didn’t have time to watch him fall as the second bandit swung its sword at me which I quickly blocked. Obviously the bandit had not thought his plan through because his horse ran into the carriage I stood in front of. The impact did not hurt the horse but it’s reins were caught in a bit of railing. The bandit leaned forward to fix this problem, so I took this opportunity to plant my sword in his back, earning a scream of pain as he fell to the ground, burying it deeper and killing him. I looked to the bandit that was thrown to find his head had landed on a large stone as blood pooled around it. With all the attackers dead I deemed it safe.
I opened the door to the carriage to find Maria holding Terria as she cried in fear.
“It’s alright, the attackers have been taken care of.” I said calmly before shutting the door again, going to check on the coachman who has stirred at the screams from the final bandit.
I may not be a lady or the perfect princess, but I’m happy with who I am. I’m a fighter, and I don’t care if that means I don’t belong. I doubt the princesses will pick on me after Terria tells them of what I did today. They may continue to reject me but I do not mind in the slightest.