Where the forest lies

Escaping the Palace

I sit staring out my window. I open it, letting the excess rain water drip off it, I chuck a long line of rope outside, tying it the lock part of the window frame. I slide down the worn down rope,  running into the open forest. I quickly hide behind a tree. Hearing my dad call out my name. I look back to see him walking around my room. I smile to myself, running further into the forest. I wore armour underneath a brown cloak, a dagger strapped to my left thigh and black shin high boots. My h/c hair was tied into a high ponytail. I go over to my usual spot. It was a spot where the trees left a circular area in the sky, where the sun shone on to a log with red mushrooms growing all over it. The grass was lush and green. The trees were all tall and had green leaves. I sighed out, sitting down in front of the log and resting up on it. I close my eyes, letting the warm sunlight hit my face. 

I hear a couple of crunches from behind me. I jolt up, pulling up my hood and pulling my sword out, turning around to see a girl that looked to be my age. She wore a simple white shirt underneath a blue dress which had a little apron with flowers sown into it. She had pale clear skin and blue eyes, her hair went down to her back, half up half down and was light brown. She held a woven basket in her hand that had a bunch of different flowers in it. "Hello?" She said in surprise. "Who are you?" I ask. "Umm, I'm Lacey. And who might you be?" She said, pushing the sword out of the way. "Uh, I'm...." I think for a name to use, knowing that if I say my real name she'll know who I am. "I'm... Athena!" I said. "Like, the Greek god?" Lacey asked. "Yeah, my parents took quite a liking to the gods." I said. turning away from her. "Anyways, why are you here?" I said. "I was here to collect some my flowers." She said with a smile, pointing to her basket. "You live in the village?" I asked her in surprise. "Yeah don't you?" She asked. "Ah, no I have come from another village." I said. "Oh, that makes a lot more sense." She said with a laugh. She looked over at the big castle then looked back at me. "We should be careful though we are very close to the castle." She said to me putting her finger over her mouth.

I nodded. "You need a place to stay for the night?" She asked me, picking flowers off of bushes. "No, I'm quite alright." I said with a smile. "Well, Athena. I bid you a very good afternoon." She said with a smile. "Yeah... you too." I said, waving goodbye. I sigh out, watching her figure disappear. I stare off into the distance again. "She was nice." I whisper aloud to myself. I quickly rush back through the forest and onto kingdom grounds again, pulling myself up the rope. I quickly get changed into a white dress and white corset, putting a forest green skirt on top of the dress and the necklace my father gifted me. I brush my hair quickly, putting on my tiara and confidently walk out of the room down the stairs to where the thrones sat. I saw my father and mother sitting there, their assistant reading aloud a letter. My parents looked over to me with worried expressions. "Y/n, lovely where have you been?!" My mother exclaimed. "I was taking a brisk walk outside the castle, why?" I ask. "The neighbouring town has declared war on us." My father said sternly. "What?!" I exclaim out. "Honey we are trying our best to calm them all down but they are running out of patience." She tried explaining to me. "Why are they even doing this?" I ask in shock. Both the parents fall silent, averting eye contact from me. "Well?" I say. "That is a matter we will bring up with you later, if they refuse to listen to reason." My father said. "Edward." He said turning to the assistant. "Bring my quill and paper upstairs to my office." He said. "Yes your highness." Edward said, bowing and then quickly walking towards the stairs. 

 "As for you y/n." My father said to me. "I want no silly business. You do what you're told when you're told." He said, getting up and going towards the lightly coloured stairs. I stare at him as he goes up. "You heard him dear. Please try your best to listen alright?" My mother asked me. I fall silent for a bit, staring at the ground. "Yes mother." I say, turning and walking towards up the stairs. I go down the empty halls, the usual light that shined through the wide window seemed to be gone. The more steps I took the more lonely I felt. I opened my bedroom door to show my wide room, blue support beams around the whole room with a cream like wallpaper. My floor was a marble and in the middle of my room was a big fluffy white rug. My bed was king sized and had curtains surrounding it all. There was a couple of small windows all around the edge of the room, and one big window near my closet, the window I always used to go into the forest. I always went to that one spot for my whole life, ever since I was 9. It was almost my 18th birthday, meaning I was going to have to marry a prince. I sighed out as I leaned on my window. Slight rain started to pour from the sky, the general mood seemed to bring the weather down with it. I think back to the girl in the forest. "What was her name again... Lacey, that's right." I say out loud. I thought back to how nice she was, and the flowers she was picking. I smile lightly, closing my window and turning back to my lonely room.