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Once upon a time, a princess lived who loved her family and her kingdom, though neither of these could compare to her love of the outdoors and of adventure. She spent as much time as she was able to beyond the palace walls, exploring the forest and nearby villages, much to her father’s dismay.
Of course, her father had once been a young prince, and he certainly understood the yearning to be anywhere but where he was supposed to be. However, he was all too aware of the many enemies he had and how this might affect his daughter. It was for this reason that he’d had many a stern talk with his daughter about the dangers of the outside world and why she should not go exploring without a fleet of guards to follow her.
It was for this reason, that Princess Christine Daaé of the land of Garnier had slipped out the servants’ door and ran with reckless abandon to the thick woods surrounding the palace. She knew that her father had been in a council meeting, and he therefore would not notice her absence, as she intended to return far before his meeting was over. It would all work out just fine, and her father would be none the wiser that she had ever left the castle grounds.
Christine walked through the forest as a light rain misted down, settling over her chestnut curls and her silken clothing. It was a welcome relief from the heat of the summer day. The sky had clouded over, providing her shade when she wasn’t directly under a tree, making the exploring conditions altogether perfect.
The soft grass rustled with each step she took, and for the briefest of moments, she considered taking off her boots to feel the grass beneath her feet, though she dismissed it at the realization that her maids would be cleaning mud from her stockings and insides of her boots if she were to give action to the thought. Instead, she crouched down and gently brushed her hand over the green blades, smiling as they tickled at her skin.
There was something so beautiful about greenery in the rain. It was almost as if the green tones brightened in defiance of the grayish skies, wanting to bring joy to the world despite the darkness.
As she continued her walk, she ran her fingers along some low-hanging leaves, giggling when the action caused pooled rain to drop onto her arms and face. If only her father could focus more on the beauties of the world outside the palace, then maybe he wouldn’t worry so much about letting her leave. She had heard his reasons and did see some of the merit in them, but she was just too curious to stay cooped up inside. Besides, she could be a people’s princess this way, meeting her people. She was merely preparing herself for a bigger role as their princess!
After all, what could truly be so terrible about exploring alone in the forest? It wasn’t as though people were waiting to jump out from behind bushes, wanting to grab her at every turn and ransom her for money. She’d done this a hundred times before, and nothing bad had ever come of it.
Therefore, she wrote off her father as simply overprotective and continued on her journeys, which she embarked on far more often than King Gustave knew. This trip was the first this week after she had been stuck at the palace, engaged in diplomatic dinners and dances for the past three days. It was no less than torture, especially with the princes who had kept hounding her for dances and conversation.
Of course, she knew that she would one day have to step into her birthright as reigning monarch, but her father was still very much in his prime, so she wouldn’t be worrying about that for years to come. Therefore, she didn’t see a very pressing need to marry and have a husband at her side. For now, she allowed herself to be as carefree as she wished, and if it put off one or two princes, well, good.
With a content smile on her face, she continued her walk, picking a few little flowers and dropped leaves that she would take back and press to keep as permanent mementos of her journeys. She always tried to bring something back from her trips, keeping them and documenting the date and where she found it in a little journal that she kept in her nightstand. Reflecting on times like that, when she was happy and in her own little world out in the woods, beyond the walls, often made the most difficult days during her time as a princess a little bit easier.
As she picked another leaf from beside the trunk of a tree, she noticed a particularly smooth rock beside it, one that was far smoother than any of the others nearby. She thought this strange and chose to inspect it further, finding that it seemed almost as if it had been sanded and polished into shape. Even curiouser, however, was the small arrow that appeared to be etched on the surface.
Immediately, her interest was piqued and she set out to follow the path that the arrow was directing her down. It was different from the area of the forest that she typically explored when she was in this area, but she certainly wasn’t going to say no to a new adventure. Besides, if there was any trouble, she had a dagger tucked into her boot; she never went anywhere without her. Her father had gifted it to her and taught her how to use it after the first few times she had snuck out and he had learned that there was no stopping her. Now, she was equipped to protect herself, and she certainly would not hesitate to teach someone a lesson if she had to.
It was with this determination that she pressed herself deeper into the rapidly thickening woods. She was beginning to question whether or not this path actually went anywhere when she reached the edge of a small clearing with a quaint little cottage at its center.
She smiled at the idea of exploring this little home, which she had never seen before despite walking through this forest many a time. She approached the building, completely expecting it to be abandoned and decrepit, but as she drew closer, she was surprised to see that it seemed to be in good repair. The flower beds were full and well-tended, the boards were painted and the windows were drawn with beautiful curtains. It almost seemed as though someone lived here…but no, that couldn’t be possible. Not so tucked away, distanced from all other humans. Who would want such a thing?
Besides that, the cottage was quite overgrown. Surely, had someone lived here, they would have done something to cut back the ivy and hedges that were threatening to consume the structure. Perhaps the other details were somehow a coincidence. A trick of the eye, even.
Approaching the door, she reached out and warily gave it a gentle push, and when it didn’t budge, she tried the knob. That, she was happy to find, was not locked and she was able to open the door and take a wary step or two inside. She found that the interior of this little cottage did nothing to help her confusion, as it was nicely furnished and clean…it seemed lived in, but also seemed totally silent and abandoned at the same time.
What a terribly odd scene. How could something seem so inhabited and so abandoned all at once?
Perhaps the owners were here recently but had to leave abruptly, she surmised, for it seemed the only logical conclusion. It would certainly explain why none of the furniture had been removed and taken along to wherever the previous owner had gone.
It was a shame, really. It was a beautiful home, and Christine hated the thought of it falling into disrepair. It was clear that someone had once loved the place.
Determined to try and find out as much about this little cottage as possible, she began to make the rounds and explore. She found little signs of life all over the place, some that particularly intrigued her: bookshelves full of different novels and textbooks, paintings on the walls—both in frames and literally painted on the walls—and, upon entering a nearby bedroom, she found pieces of paper scattered across a desk. On closer inspection, she found it to be sheet music, which amazed her, even more so as she read through the composition. Whoever had written this was talented, that was plainly seen.
She decided to take one of the sheets as a souvenir from her exploration and folded it delicately before she tucked it into her pocket. She wasn’t sure how much time went by as she continued searching the room, but eventually, she decided to move on and went instead to the kitchen.
She looked through a few of the cupboards, finding most empty but seeing some jars of preserves and pickled items scattered about. Nothing truly sustainable, which furthered her theory that this house at one point was occupied.
Or at least, she thought so, until she opened one of the lower, larger cupboards and found a pair of wide, mismatched blue and brown eyes staring back at her.
Immediately, she jumped back and let out a shriek, her hands clutching her chest. When the owner of the eyes only responded in a similar manner, she couldn’t help the second shriek that escaped her mouth. “Why on earth are you hiding in a cupboard?” she eventually managed to ask.
“Why on earth are you in my house?” the other person—a young man, she now realized at hearing the depth of his voice—asked, still breathing hard after the scare.
“Why on earth are you living in an abandoned cottage?” Christine returned.
“Why are you snooping in places where you don’t belong?”
“I didn’t think that anyone actually lived here. It’s dusty, and it looks very overgrown from the outside. I thought an owner would take better care of it.”
“We don’t have the luxury or the time of being able to climb onto our roof whenever we wish to clean it off, you know.”
Christine frowned slightly. “You have time to hide in a cabinet, but you don’t have time to dust your home?”
“I did not- I dust!” the man exclaimed indignantly, only to frown and gently push her away so he could remove himself from inside the cabinet. “Whatever, I do not have time for this.”
“Do you not? And what is it precisely that you have to do?” Christine asked skeptically, glancing around the cottage before her eyes landed on the right half of his face. His cheek was sunken and his flesh twisted and deformed, the right half of his nose nothing but a hole in his face. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, despite her confusion at the situation.
“Remove you from my home,” the young man replied as he grabbed her by the arm to try and pull her up. “Go.”
“Excuse me, but this is absolutely no way to handle a woman,” Christine said with a frown, slapping his hand away. “I’m perfectly capable of walking by myself, and I’ll thank you not to touch me without my permission.”
The man scoffed. “The burglar is telling me what to do? That’s hilarious,” he said as he went to grasp her arm again. “That is not how this is going to work.”
Christine took a quick step back and pulled her knife from her boot, holding it out in front of her. “Don’t even think about it.”
The man quirked a brow as he looked between her and the knife. “So you expect me to just…allow you to walk about my home and do as you please?” he asked, and Christine noticed him move his hand towards his waist, likely for a weapon of his own. “You are naive if you think that is what is about to happen here.”
“I didn’t say that, I simply said that I am capable of walking to the door myself,” Christine said with a small shrug, though she kept the knife in front of her. “I’m not a burglar, and you have no reason to treat me as such. I’m a curious trespasser at most. I will leave quietly, but I would like to request that you answer one question.”
“And what would that be?”
“Why are you living alone in an abandoned cottage in the woods? Are you some sort of murderer?” Christine asked, only to frown slightly. “So that’s two questions, actually.”
“What does any of that matter to you?” the man replied, a suspicious look beginning to form on his face. “Who are you?”
Christine’s brow only creased further at realizing that this young man truly seemed to have no idea that she was the crown princess. Was she really that unrecognizable in plain clothes, or had he truly been so far removed from civilization? This seemed unlikely, seeing as how the village was perhaps only a couple hours’ walk at most, but then again, what else would explain this?
“Hello? Have you gone mute?” the man asked with an impatient sigh.
“No, I haven’t gone mute,” Christine replied, rolling her eyes. “I…my name is Lotte. I was exploring the forest when I found your cottage, and I didn’t think anyone lived here, so I decided to explore. Now, why are you living out here?”
“I…I just do,” the man said as he crossed his arms defensively. “Why does that matter to you?”
“Because I live in…in the village, and I want to make sure we don’t just have some murderer waiting to come slaughter us all,” Christine quickly replied.
“Well, you don’t.”
“How do I know? You do sort of seem like the type with a few skeletons in his closet,” Christine chuckled.
The man rolled his eyes. “I like my privacy, and you’ve invaded it. Forgive me for not being the picture of pleasantness.”
“You’re forgiven,” Christine replied. “Do I at least get the pleasure of your name after I’ve given you mine?”
“Why, so you can report me to the palace guards and have me apprehended?”
“Why would you think I’d have anything to do with them?” Christine asked with an awkward little laugh. “I simply ask, because that’s how introductions usually go.”
The man sighed and seemed to weigh the request for a moment, evidently not sure if he wished to answer her at all. Eventually, though, he met her gaze again and, his voice having softened a bit, said, “Erik.”
“That’s a nice name,” Christine said with a small smile. “I’m sorry to have invaded your home. I really didn’t think there was anyone here.”
“Yes, well, I know it doesn’t exactly look like the perfect, lived-in little cottage. I was being defensive, frankly, I understand why you thought that.”
“And I understand why you were defensive,” Christine replied as she slid her knife back into her boot. “Have you always lived in the woods?”
“I…yes, I have,” the man—Erik—said, the apprehension in his voice making it clear that he had not expected to be interviewed.
‘It seems rather lonely. Is there nowhere suitable in the village?”
“No, there is not with…” Erik began, only to trail off when he gestured to his face and only then seemed to realize that she had been staring at his bare cheek. Eyes blowing wide, he dashed off and into a neighboring room, throwing the door shut behind him.
Christine’s brow creased, turning in the direction of the loud slam. “Is something the matter?”
She received no answer, but after a minute or so had passed, Erik reappeared with a black mask over the right side of his face. He seemed to have a new air of confidence about him, standing up straighter with his shoulders set and more swagger in every step. “It’s alright now. I am sorry for that,” he said with a vague gesture towards his face.
“Oh, it’s quite alright, there’s no need to apologize,” Christine replied with as much diplomacy as she could, giving a small shrug of her shoulders. It had certainly not been the first time she’d witnessed such abnormalities during her outings, official or otherwise. It had been her duty as a princess to not discriminate, and there wasn’t a reason why he should be any exception.
Erik gave a small smile in response. “Anyhow. That is why I stay in here, secluded as I am. That has been my entire life,” he explained. “My mother insisted that it was safer this way and continues to say so.”
“Your mother is here too? Where is she hiding, in the pantry?”
“No,” Erik replied, rolling his eyes. “She is out shopping for us, in the next town over.”
“In the next town? The village of Roseshire has some of the finest markets in the Garnier Kingdom,” Christine said with a puzzled frown. “Why would she go out of town?”
“She just…prefers the other markets,” Erik said. Christine could tell that he was deflecting, but chose not to push the matter; she seemed to be getting somewhere with him and didn’t want to lose that.
“I see,” Christine replied with more than a little skepticism. “And you didn’t go with her?”
Erik shook his head. “I, um…I have never actually left,” he admitted as he started to frown, seemingly confused by his own statement. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this, this is ridiculous.”
Christine shrugged. “I’ve been told I’m disarming.”
“Right…” Erik replied, shaking the comment off and giving his best attempt at a nonchalant shrug. “Anyhow, that’s why, I’ve never left here. She goes out, does what needs to be done, and comes home. It’s just us.”
“Well, that’s no life for a young person,” Christine said softly as she started toward the door. “Come on, let’s go. I can show you around Roseshire. I have a bit of time.”
Immediately, her new acquaintance shook his head. “No, there won’t be any of that. You can be on your way,” he replied, gesturing to the door.
Christine rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t be such a stick in the mud. Come with me, it’ll be fun.”
“No, I can’t just leave.”
With a slight frown, Christine glanced around the room. “I don’t see anything stopping you. There are many places I shouldn’t go but do anyway, it’s quite easy. You just put one foot in front of the other.”
“Yes, I am aware of how to go places, thank you,” Erik replied, rolling his eyes, “but my mother has told me repeatedly not to leave. So I don’t.”
“And you don’t think to just go out by yourself when she isn’t around? You can’t be younger than I am, you’re old enough.”
“She would only get upset. I hate upsetting her.”
“Why are you so insistent that it’s impossible to leave? You’re missing out on quite a lot, you know. They’re setting up for the big festival tomorrow, and the vendors sometimes give you free food,” Christine said with a smile. “It’s always very yummy.”
Erik shook his head. “She’s told me what will happen if I leave, because of what I look like,” he said softly. “It’s safer here, that’s why she’s always told me to stay.”
“Erik, I guarantee you nothing will happen if you leave this cottage,” Christine said with a sigh, shaking her head. “The world isn’t so terrible as you’ve been led to think. But if you truly don’t care that this is no life for any human to live, then fine, enjoy your dusty cabin in the woods.”
She started towards the door again, fully expecting to leave without her new acquaintance in tow. She pitied him, she truly did, but if he wasn’t prepared to take advantage of the situation in front of him, then she was to be of no help to him. So, she placed a hand on the doorknob, poised to turn it, but paused when she heard him speak again.
“I want to leave,” he softly said. “I always have, but…if it’s so bad out there, why wouldn’t I just stay? My mother wouldn’t lie about something like that.”
“I’m sure the world is a far scarier place for someone half your size, yet I find very little wrong. Not with the surrounding area, anyway. Roseshire is quite nice, as are the people,” Christine said softly. “I’ll bring you back home after if you’d like to join me.”
Erik pondered that, worrying his lip between his teeth. “I…I have to be back by nightfall,” he eventually said. “Mother will be back in the morning.”
“I’m certain that can be arranged,” Christine replied as she tugged open the door. “Come on.”
“Erik, there are plenty more stalls this way, don’t get hung up on just one,” Christine said with a quiet laugh as she approached her acquaintance, who stood starry-eyed in front of a market stall selling a variety of little trinkets. “There’s lots more like this, I’ll show you!”
She shook her head fondly when he only continued to stare, seemingly not having heard her. Gently, she poked him in the arm. “See anything you like?”
“This one is beautiful,” Erik said softly, picking up a small glass paperweight in the shape of a monkey. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I wonder why,” Christine teased, producing a coin purse from her pocket before she turned to the vendor. “Pardon me, sir. How much?”
Erik frowned then and looked over at her. “Wh- no, Lotte, you don’t have to get it for me,” he said as he placed it back on the table. “You really don’t, please don’t.”
“It’s no trouble at all. My family is rather well off,” Christine replied as she slid the payment across the table. “It’s yours.”
“I…thank you,” Erik said softly, handing the ornament to the shop owner so that it could be wrapped up for protection. “That is very kind of you.”
“Of course. Something to remember your disobedience by,” Christine said with a quiet laugh. “Are you hungry at all? We could get something to eat.”
Erik nodded and smiled at her, watching as she adjusted the hood over her head. “That would be nice.”
“Yes, I quite agree,” Christine said with a smile, only for her eyes to widen as she glanced over her companion’s shoulder. “Hey, let’s turn this way, I think I saw someone selling meat pies.”
“Oh, alright,” Erik replied as he tucked his gift away in the little satchel he was carrying. “I do like meat pies.”
“Yes, good, as do I. Walk a little faster, please,” Christine replied as she picked up her pace.
“Why?” Erik asked with a small frown, glancing over his shoulder as he began to sense that they were fleeing from something.
“Oh, I just don’t want them to sell out of the good ones,” Christine said with an awkward little laugh, grabbing his arm and turning to cut between two of the booths. “Ah, a shortcut.”
Just as she rounded the corner, though, a quiet grunt escaped her when she slammed into a solid mass of…something. With a frown, she lifted a hand to rub at her nose, then looked up to see that what she had bumped into was a man dressed in golden armor—a man that she was very familiar with and who was looking at her with a very disapproving expression.
“Sorry about that, we were just passing through,” she said as she tried to sidestep him, only to sigh when he immediately grabbed her arm.
“I don’t think so, Your Highness. I’ve been sent to retrieve you, and I won’t be returning without you in tow,” the head guard replied, glancing over to Erik briefly. “Who’s your friend?”
“Oh, just…just a friend,” Christine said with a sheepish smile. “I’m just showing him around, Nadir, that’s all.”
“A likely story,” Nadir said with a sigh, glancing over to the other guards who had quickly surrounded the two. “You’re both coming back to the palace with me. King Gustave will be less than pleased, I’m sure.”
“Wh- the palace?” Erik asked, looking frantically to his side when two guards took hold of his arms. “Lotte, what is this, what’s happening?”
“Not even your real name this time, Your Highness? Some friend,” Nadir replied as he grasped the princess’ arm and began urging her forward.
“Well, he didn’t recognize me, so I didn’t see the need to point out who I was,” Christine sighed, shuffling along beside the guard. “Please, let him go.”
Nadir shook his head. “I don’t know what you two have gotten up to. He needs to come back with us, your father will want to speak to your newest little accomplice.”
Christine sighed, glancing over her shoulder. “I’m sorry about this. My father is a bit…overprotective,” she said softly.
“You…you’re the princess?” Erik asked with wide eyes.
“Yes, that would be me,” Christine replied with a nod. “I apologize for not telling you sooner.”
Erik stared back at her in silence for a moment. “You’re the princess,” he quietly repeated to himself in absolute disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re the princess.”
“Am I not the picture of royalty?” Christine teased, laughing quietly as she glanced down at her soft shirt and pants–something more akin to what a guard might wear under his or her armor.
Her new friend simply shook his head as he stared up at the palace walls beginning to come into view. “My mother is going to kill me,” he whispered.