Princess Emma, daughter of Snow White and Prince James, called Prince Charming by most, couldn't take it anymore. She had grown up in the castle, protected by everyone. She was their only child, the heiress to the throne and she was threatened, but she didn't know that. The evil Queen was still out there, probably plotting revenge and her parents had kept her in the castle to make sure the queen could never ever touch her.
Emma knew of it of course, but after all those years, surely the Queen could no longer want her revenge. How long would someone wait for that? Surely the fire of the emotion would die down, reduced to a weak glimmer maybe, an idea, but one they would never go through with anymore. Maybe she was out of ideas, maybe she was old and tired and revenge was no longer on her mind. But she simply couldn't imagine it anymore. There was no reason to keep her in the castle anymore. But no one would listen. For safety. For her own good. To protect her life. To show her how it should be done.
Nothing held her there anymore. Sure, her parents loved her, but they were getting on her nerves. It wasn't like she wouldn't come back. She would. Emma took plain clothes from one of the girls helping and serving her. And then she just ran. The hood pulled down, she managed to sneak out and ran. For a day at least until she reached a city, her destination, she decided when she saw the harbor. From here she might go anywhere, wherever she wanted. Or so she thought at least.
For now the princess needed a break. She bought herself ale and bread and sat outside, watching the moonlight reflected in the water of the sea, while she ate. Her bag lay next to her, because she did not think she would ever need to reach for the dagger she kept in there - she didn't expect the evil Queen to attack her but she was still not dumb enough to leave the castle without a weapon she could wield. She should have kept the tales her father told her in mind. Sailors approached her, making remarks about her, her dress, how pretty she was, naming prices to her. They thought she was a whore - maybe her choice of dress was not the best idea for a place like this, but how would she know? She had never been to a place like this.
Emma tried to reach for her bag, but they kicked it away, moving closer, touching, making more suggestive remarks. They were three against one. Even if she could have knocked out one - she might have - three of them were too much, too good at working together apparently for her to make them stop.
"Stop. STOP!! HELP!!"
But she soon found out it was unlikely to receive help from any men. Some passed, but none even looked at her twice.
dashing-pirate