Chapter Text
Princess Lindsay Tuggey, heir to the Sunlit Kingdom, the White Coast, and various other bits of land, sighed once more. It just wasn't fair. Why did she have to marry some stupid prince she'd only met once as a small child and whom she barely even remembered? And why did she have to spend all her time in the castle, learning boring things like trade negotiations and embargoes and other similarly dull pieces of knowledge? Especially when she'd really rather continue learning how to use a sword and ride and shoot (and swear in a most unladylike manner that, more often than not, resulted in an hour long lecture from her mother) like she'd used to be able to spend her days before her birthday. The thought that she was luckier than most princesses never crossed her mind. She took it for granted that she'd be able to learn how to fight, along with the more traditional arts of sewing and music and how to properly run a household. Boring stuff, but worth suffering through if it meant she got to fight.
Now though, she didn't even get to learn how to fight. Instead, she had to spend all her time preparing for the stupid wedding. It wasn't that she hated Jeremy. From the limited correspondence she'd shared with him, he had seemed okay. She just hated the idea of being forced to marry and becoming a queen. Queens never got to do anything fun. The thought of losing her freedom drew yet another sigh from her. This then prompted the seamstress who was fitting Lindsay's dress to look at her, disapproval writ large in her expression.
“Does her Highness need a break?”
“That would be nice, yes,” Lindsay did her best to keep her tone polite, as befitting a royal princess, although she really just wanted to yell at people to leave her alone. But princesses are not allowed to do such things.
“Well then, I think we can wrap up for now. We're almost done,” the seamstress said, removing the pins that held the dress to Lindsay. Lindsay had to force herself to stay still, longing to get out the small stuffy room she'd been cooped in for hours. Finally, the heavy dress was removed and she was free. After quickly donning a normal dress, Lindsay all but ran out of the castle before making her way to the stables, where Michael should be.
Her best friend since childhood, Lindsay and Michael had gone on many misadventures together. They were both banned from ever working in the kitchens after the incident with the cat, the cake, and the ambassador. However, Lindsay's parents (her mother especially) were always quick to point out that due to their differences in social standing that their relationship was 'not beneficial' and should probably be discontinued. Lindsay always thought it was stupid. Especially because Michael was the son of a knight, just one who'd died before Michael was born, leaving his pregnant mother to become a maid. So Lindsay didn't see why she shouldn't be around Michael, it was all stupid adult stuff that didn't make any sense. She frowned about it once more as she searched for Michael. It wasn't fair.
Finally, she found him mucking out the stalls. Wrinkling her nose slightly at the smell, she leaned against the rough stone walls of the stable and watched him work.
“Hey Lindsay,” he said, looking up briefly from his work before resuming. “They done with your dress yet?”
“No, I have to go back in a few minutes and get jabbed with pins some more. It's so unfair! I don't even want to get married!”
“Yeah, but you have to,” Michael muttered, viciously sweeping the dung into a pile, face set in a scowl.
Lindsay scowled right back at Michael when she was certain that he couldn't see. He was being stupid. Everything was stupid.
In a huff, she stomped out of the stables and into the courtyard, gazing longingly out the castle gate. Freedom was so close, and yet so far. Suddenly, Lindsay realized that freedom was an actual possibility- there were no guards stationed at the gate. The forest loomed not too far from the castle walls, visible through the open gate, enticingly near. Lindsay had no doubt that the gate would be closed in minutes, but right now there was a chance for freedom that she might not ever get again.
Behind her, she could hear the seamstress call for her. Gathering her courage and her resolve, she hiked up her skirt and ran for the gate. The seamstress began shouting, and Lindsay ran faster. More voices joined the seamstress's as Lindsay dove deeper into the forest. A loud, defiant, and vaguely hysterical laugh tore itself from her lips as she ran. Calling upon all her knowledge of woodcraft, Lindsay did her best to lose her pursuers, dodging wildly through the trees. She ignored the burning in her lungs and legs, instead forcing herself to run faster. She entered a small clearing and slowed down, confident she was alone.
She was free.