Inktober 2022

Day 1: Crossroads

Princess Ophelia got up late in the night and made her way to the garden outside of the back of the castle. She began looking around and calling for her love. "Henry? Henry? I'm here." She said quietly. Henry stepped out from behind the bushes and smiled as their hands interlocked. "I didn't think you'd get out without your families guards behind you." Henry said. "I know me neither. But I'm here now." Ophelia said. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? You won't be able to come back if you change your mind later on." Henry said.

Ophelia thought about it for a minute as she glanced around. She was to be queen in a few days as the eldest of her parents children. She knew how it would go. If she didn't have a "suitable" husband by the time she was queen then she'd have to marry whoever her family chose. That was the deal her mother made with her. But she couldn't find someone other than Henry. She loved him but of course her mother would never approve. He was, in her mother's words, a mere commoner. She hated that about her family besides all other things she hated. She looked back up at Henry's hopeful face. She wanted to be with him but it would mean running away.

"I don't know. On one hand I would love to be Queen and make the towns lives better. There's so much my parents don't deal with around here that I would be more than happy to meddle with. But than I'd have to marry someone like my father and he would have more control then me so I wouldn't be able to. My only path to the life I want is running away with the one I love. And that's you. I don't really have a choice." Ophelia said. Henry kissed the backs of her hands. "My Princess, there's always a choice. There are other ways to insure the life you desire." Henry said. "Like making you seem like royalty?" Ophelia asked looking up at him.

Henry shook his head. "My dear, if your parents weren't in the way there would not be anyone to tell you who you should be with. Then you could choose who you marry. Or we could run away and start a new life together." Henry said. "How would we get rid of my parents?" Ophelia asked. "Well we could poison them tomorrow at breakfast." Henry said. "That wouldn't work. My father's immune to poison. He's more strict than my mother. They have to go at the same time." Ophelia said. "Well the next best thing is in their sleep." Henry said. "They're asleep now. But I don't think I could. I don't have the stomach." Ophelia said.

"It's up to you. This is your choice. And I'll help with either path you choose." Henry said. Ophelia looked up at the castle then back at Henry. She than nodded. "Okay let's do it." She said, fully aware of the choice she was making. She squeezed Henry's hand as she made her choice. He nodded and let go of her hand as he went inside the castle.