Chapter Text
“Oh, (y/n), I can’t wait to see you dazzled in the kingdom’s most precious jewels! You shall be the prettiest bride anyone has ever laid eyes on!”
Hearing your mother gush about your wedding brought upon a sick feeling in your stomach. You wanted to hurl and lash out but held a fake smile all throughout. That’s what you were taught to do. As a princess, your only duty was to act poise and marry a man you had most likely never met. Everyone at the palace made sure to remind you of your duties from time to time. But you refused to let it sink it.
Even now, two days before your wedding, you couldn’t wrap your mind around the fact. The whole kingdom was decorated with flowers and the palace looked even more elegant. Their princess was getting married. Only the best materials were ordered to be used.
You on the contrary wished to see the world. What’s beyond the horizon? You always wondered. Looking at the world through maps only made you sadder. Why dream about somewhere you’ll never see, right? If only you could run away. You refused to let the thought get you but it made you feel so good. By running away, you’d let down everyone. Your family, your betrothed, the entire kingdom and yet, it felt like the only right thing to do.
The night before your wedding, your mind went through the possible ways by which you could escape. You needed to have a great deal of courage to do it and you were ready for whatever awaited you. You thought of how you too, deserved to be happy.
Deserved freedom.
Deciding that it was finally time for you to escape this place, you put all your necessities in a small satchel which would be easier to carry around. The necessities included gold coins, silver, precious gems that you could trade and of course, your favourite tin of rouge.
A little red never hurt anyone.
You peeked out of the French window of your bedroom to see the number of guards around. There were many. They could easily spot a princess leaving even in the dead of the night. If only there was a way to blend in.
At this moment, you wished that you were a man.
No one seemed to question men.
An idea popped into your head. It sure seemed reckless but this wasn’t the time to be proper. You looked around, trying to see if you had anything close to mens clothing but as much as you expected it, you were disappointed when you didn’t find anything. You could ask your handmaiden if she could help but you didn’t want to create too much suspicion.
Realising that she was your only option, you decided to go with it. You called for her and she immediately entered your chamber, asking if she could do anything for you. “Do you think,” You started, carefully choosing your words. “Maybe you could find me some men’s clothes right this moment?” The maid looked at you in confusion.
“Please forgive me if I’m crossing my boundaries, princess, but may I ask why?”
“Oh, it’s for...” You thought of an excuse. “My betrothed. Yes! I’d like to gift my future husband a simple ensemble of clothes. Something that isn’t too glamorous.” She still seemed a little hesitant but chose not to question your order. “Oh and please make sure no one knows about this. I want it to be a surprise.”
You let out a sigh of relief when you saw her scurry out of your chamber. The next few minutes, you anxiously paced around within the four walls as you waited for your maid to return. She finally came back with a few neatly folded clothes in her hands and placed them on the table. “Will that be everything, your highness?”
“Yes! Thank you, you may go now.” You dismissed her.
You quickly unfolded the clothes and examined them. They were quite large on you but they did the job. You slipped in those men's clothes and wrapped your hair in a bun, avoiding it from falling on your face.
A runaway princess has no time for distractions.
Looking out of the window, you realised that your chamber and the ground had a height difference that you couldn’t just jump on without breaking a few bones. So, you opened your wardrobe to create a makeshift rope with your dresses.
Oh, how much you loved them!
But you had no choice. If you decided to go out through the halls, you were sure to be caught. The windows were your only option. You tied the end of each ballgown to another, creating a long rope. When it was long enough to reach the ground, you cautiously got down.
It was very difficult to say the least. There were moments when you almost slipped but thankfully you succeeded. You let out a small yelp of victory when your feet touched the ground. Trying not to create any suspicion, you started walking towards the palace exit but stopped on your tracks when you heard someone call you.
“You, right there!”