Freedom comes at a price and a young Earthal princess must live the life of somebody else, even if it means facing evil threats and impossible odds.
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As someone who craves freedom, Princess Clarabelle cannot just stand by and let her life be take...
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"I COULD report to your father, King Cassius, such disobedience, Your Highness," Clara repeated begrudgingly the same words Madam Fern threatened her with when she refused to leave the library sooner than she wanted.
Willow had gone to Groven House as soon as Clara stepped out of the library's Restricted Section. And as she stood outside, looking past the three-headed gargoyle longingly, Madam Fern had emerged from a row of bookshelves, searching for her.
One of the hardest parts was to suppress the nagging curiosity which could only be pacified when provided an answer needed. And Clara could only do so much to restrain her feet from retracing their steps back to the library.
More than an hour ago, she went off to find an answer. Yet a single answer led to more questions which soon would become uncertainties.
Clara stomped her way towards the lake—the one which she fell on the very first day—where the small wooden bridge that led to the Royal Residence was. She faltered in her steps when a small tingle erupted in the pits of her stomach, a strange sensation she only felt when that certain person was somewhere nearby.
Almost completely concealed by the darkness of the night in his black dress robe, Prince Emir emerged from the front doors of the Royal Residence. Even by the feeble light of the glowing fireflies, Clara could see that a great change had come over the prince. He no longer looked composed and hard to read. No more laziness in his steps. She considered it a rare occurrence and could only count on one hand the different emotions she witnessed from him. And right now, he looked very white and strained. His eyes were restless, darting from here and there. And his steps were wide and fast-tracked, a sense of urgency kept his feet on that pace.
Clara quickly ducked behind a bramble bush. She let out a hiss when some of its thorns pierced her skin, careful not to be found lurking outside this late at night and unaccompanied.
Could he have discovered she was gone from her chambers? But then again, the prince's normal reaction for that matter would be anger. And Clara wasn't able to grasp a hint of that emotion from him.
He couldn't be worrying about her, could he? Because for him, and he made it clear, she was nothing but a thorn in his side, a responsibility he ought to fulfill. She made a wry face at that thought.
But Clara didn't exactly know why she left the safety behind the bush and chose to follow the prince. Her gut told her to set after him and find out what he was after at this hour and what made the tough prince so nervous.
Not wanting to be seen, Prince Emir walked as fast as possible towards the redwood and past it towards much larger trees. The trees were so thick she couldn't see where he had gone. She tried to catch up to him with just a safe enough distance that she almost tripped on the roots and fallen logs. Once her foot crunched on a broken shell of an acorn, she watched with bated breath to see if the prince ever heard her.
