Chapter Text
Avyanna breathed a sigh as the door was finally locked, and her sisters poked their heads up from beneath their covers. Silently, without a word, they crept out to meet in the centre of the room. 12 beautiful princesses, as ethereal as the moon and as luminous as the sun. Songs and ballads had been sung about the daughters of King Eugene since the eldest, Airlia, was born.
Avyanna looked at each of her sisters, shifting nervously. Only 10, she was the youngest of them all. The overlooked one, the girl who’s destiny was to be married off to some faraway prince in a political game of cards.
These nights were important to all of them. The nights when they were nothing but their innermost selves, free of the cage they had been subjected to. Nights of rebellion, for these wild animals to fight against their chains.
Airlia went to her bed and briskly clapped her hands. The other 11 princesses held each other tightly and stepped back. Avyanna squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip as the grinding of the floor echoed throughout their chamber, the sound making her wince. She opened her eyes as the noise stopped, and was rewarded with the sight of a staircase going deep into the floor. Airlia the eldest started down first, followed by Victorina, then Macaria, Epona, Sallette, Floralba, Arcelia, Margeaux, Elettra, Inara, Leonara and finally Avyanna. The stairs were bright gold, the banister carved with twelve roses weaving down into the abyss below.
After an eternity of walking, they finally arrived at the bottom of the stairs. A small dock greeted them, lush trees partially concealing the glistening lake in view. Twelve small rowboats bobbed on the water, each containing a handsome prince, each prince smiling at his companion. Avyanna gave her own friend a smile. She didn’t know his name, but herself and the boy had become friends over the years of dancing. She loved his sense of humour, their mutual understanding that no matter what happened, they had the other’s back.
The rowboat set off, and Avyanna reached down to run her hand through the cool lake water. The ice cold liquid nipped at the edges of the long sleeve of her nightgown, and she pulled her arm back before her dress got any more soaked..
The boat pulled into an island of abundant greenery, decorated with archways and pavilions and a thousand warm lanterns.
It was to one of these lanterns Avyanna now walked, gently lifting it up. She took it to the water and slowly let it float, a melancholy smile drifting to her lips as it calmly drifted away. The first time she had come here, to the paradise beneath their feet, she had made herself a promise. A pledge to always set a lantern free on the water, should someone across the endless dark of the lake find it and trace its origins back to here - back to her and the princesses so yearning for adventure.
The music started and the princess yipped with glee, sliding her dance slippers onto her bare feet. She went towards the main pavilion where her sisters and the princes already danced, mouth wide in pure joy. Her prince found her and they spun around, using each other’s weight to balance themselves. He laughed and she giggled, and together, with her friend next to her and her sisters as joyful as her, Avyanna realised something - this was special. The love she had for her freedom, the dances they partook in and the magical music - this was all special, and precious, and the little princess would never dare give this up, not for all the riches and gold and anything else known to man in the world.
The princesses didn’t return until 3 in the morning. By then Avyanna was asleep in Victorina’s arms, her sister gently setting her into bed and removing her worn slippers. All 12 of them descended into the comforting oblivion of sleep, satisfied to rest until their morning duties called.