comes with a price.
( a few weeks ago )
she has her breath dragging itself through her lungs as her eyes quickly glance behind. the adrenaline pumps her blood in a rough pace and maybe that’s why she has a thousand thoughts in her head. the princess remembers in the lips of her dear sister of how she should take care when she slips through the guards and leaves the castle. and she knows quite well that when she abandons her royal clothing and when she puts on her commoner dress and she hides her face with a hood, she’s not under the protection of the king and the queen. even if she was to leave in her usual clothes, without guards, she was susceptible to attacks. not only of robbers, but people with far worse intentions whose eyes rise goosebumps from her skin.
it was supposed to be just another of her adventures. the festival of leo ended with a bitter taste to her mouth and her heart has been heavy. the castle offered no solace to the unsettling princess and her spirit urged her to flee. the books, unfortunately, didn’t open and suck her to another dimension as she wished so much. ahreum could not just escape to another world - a world that would truly shelter her and protect her dreamy conscience - at least, not today. so she decides to venture to the village again, instead of the woods. she wishes to see the sun kissed faces of the sellers. maybe, with her few coins, she can put hope in their lives. at least, that’s what she thought.
her eyes were scanning some products with interest. her fingers lazily reach for the little gift wishing to see its design on her own hands and they close in a little fist when the seller’s voice sounds loud as thunder. the princess shakes in surprise and she raises her head to apologize, causing her hood to fall and reveal her face to the light. it takes her a few seconds to realize where she knows that man from. everything, from his eyes to his jaw and his hair - everything seemed somewhat familiar. but at the same time she found familiarity in his traits, she feels her heart racing and there’s something in her mind that screams of danger. she takes a step back instinctively and it’s only when he talks that everything comes from her.
“you... you are the princess!” he says and she wishes to ask him to keep this quiet but soon, there are more people around her and the way the seller puts his hand around her fragile arm is everything but gentle. ahreum recognizes him as the man who stole her purse during the festival of the leo and she sees in his eyes the desire of gold. but even when she offers everything she has, his grip doesn’t loosen up. and the princess begs to be let go, but her pleas find deaf ears and her breath is shaken and her heart beats so loud she fears the man can hear it. so with a gust of air, she confuses the man and the viewers for time enough for her to run. and so she does, trusting in the vessels to let her make it to safety.