Vow of Grace

...The story ends.

Aricia knelt at Morterum's lake's edge, listening to the sound as she gazed at her reflection in the water. No - it wasn't her reflection. Her father came up behind her. She whipped around to find darkness.

Sounds of bloodthirsty cheers and screams ached Aricia's ears, as she was carried through the swarming crowd surrounding her. She recalled everything that had happened recently: visiting the fairy queen with Lyle and Flavia, being taken to Morterum and... now she was carried on a plank of wood over creatures of all sorts reaching up and trying to grab her. She was being held by two ogres marching through the crowd.

Finally they came to a stop, and lowered her onto the ground. She instantly sprang off to find herself face-to-face with the leaders of each kingdom. She spotted the fairy queen amongst them, and... right in the centre, the elf king, her father. "Is this the betrayer? The disgusting human-lover?" he stepped forwards. "I never imagined it would be my own child."
"Yes, your majesty," the ogres dipped a regal bow. "You have the right to decide her punishment, as you are her guardian."
"Indeed. I have chosen..."
Something caught Aricia's attention from the side of her eye. She turned slightly to see Ashanti waving frantically at her, standing about a foot behind Asahi and a stern-looking woman with a tight bun twist. Aricia couldn't decipher what she was trying to warn her.
"Something suitable, although of course I will go easy on her since she is my own..."
Ashanti stood on her tiptoes and started mouthing words, 'he's trying to-'
"Begin!" someone screamed, and Aricia's vision went blank.

Honeyed sunlight beamed through the silk curtains that were draped by the windowsill. The sounds of shuffling and shifting of cotton blankets and covers reverberated off the stone brick walls. An early morning yawn escaped Aricia's lips as honey coloured sunbeams danced around across the lavishly furnished room.  Priceless art pieces encased in golden frames hung on the walls. Ivory coloured stone bricks lined each wall. Tall rectangular windows allowed natural light to pass through the thick glass panes. Silk curtains dipped in violet dye hung over them, the draping allowed light to pass through. Beside the window, a white tea table and chairs stood in the centre of the room, basking in the sunlight with a light breakfast prepared atop.

With eyelashes fluttering open, she was welcomed by the sight of sunlight. Groggily, she turned aside to hide from the light. Another yawn escaped her as she shoved the cotton covers aside. Her eyes turned to the reflective mirror that sat in the corner room. They flickered to the food laid out. She rose from the bed sleepily, walking barefooted to the table where breakfast was laid out for her. Butter, bread, jam, and a plate of various aged cheeses.  A pot of freshly brewed tea sat beside your breakfast with a cup and saucer placed on the table. Floral designs were engraved into the silverware that was placed on each side of the plate with gold lining the brim. The plates were clean, immaculate and pristine. Everything was flawless and exemplary - everything was as it should be, right?

After she'd finished eating and preparing for her day ahead, Aricia made her way down the immaculate staircase to the grand main room of her mansion. She had her hair swept up high, ringlets bouncing around her head, and a pastel yellow dress trailed behind her. She had to look the part of the elf princess, as usual. Her mother greeted her at the bottom, explaining her father had gone out for a meeting.
The day continued in the normal way - at lunch she met with Marigold, her best friend, also the princess of fairies.

They were in the middle of a walk, Marigold chattering about as usual, when a sentence slipped out that Aricia wasn't supposed to hear.
"... And speaking of humans, is there a reason you were so attached to those nasty little creatures?" 
"I- what?" Aricia looked at her enquiringly.
"You know. You were saving those creatures. Flavia and- what were they called? Everest and Lily?"
"No? I don't remember saving anyone."
Marigold gasped suddenly. Then she smiled falsely. "Never mind. Silly me... getting my storybooks mixed up with reality... forget I said anything."
At that moment, memories Aricia wasn't sure were hers came flooding into her mind.

i can't be bothered to finish it. maybe some other day.