Chapter One
“I’m on top of the world!” I whooped and shouted with joy. I rode on the back of my beautiful Pegasus. She was a creamy brown color with light cream flecks on her wings. I named her Sky. It seems stupid perhaps, but I quite liked it and it suited her.
I flew in circles around my huge stone castle. I saw pillars of smoke rise from the chimney as the cooks were preparing dinner now. There was to be a grand feast and noble families from around the country and from other countries too would be there to dance and mingle.
I was supposed to be getting ready into my ball gown. I supposed that is why I was up here, riding in the sky, watching the people in the courtyard gaze at me and wonder:
Who is that girl in the sky?
No bother to them, I had to descend and make an appearance or both my mother and father may just stick me in the dungeon. Mother has threatened it but it is dingy and terribly rank in there. I doubt they would stick me in a hole like that for more than five minutes.
I walked in from the stables and decided to do my best to avoid mother. I was wearing riding slacks, a tidy black button-down vest, and a white undershirt. She would throw a fit if she saw me so unprepared for a dance that was going to be held in a few short hours.
My hair was naturally curly and thick. It did not take much styling so getting my dress on was the biggest fuss. And a fuss it was! I hated the tight corsets and the heels that pinched my toes and hurt my heels. I preferred ballet flats but no- princesses wear heels.
I silently walked past servants who gave me wild stares and went back to their jobs. I walked up several staircases to get to my bedroom on the middle level. I wasn’t allowed a room on the roof in case of invasion. I barely haggled my room next to the armory and weaponry that I have now. I had my own little place up there to hide out on though.
I slipped into the room past my wooden door and saw my dress lying over the back of my chair at my vanity. My caretaker, Lindsey, immediately started fussing about my clothes and how I smelled of cold air.
“What am I supposed to smell like?” I snorted.
“You are- and smell like- a lady,” Lindsey said and helped me undress. I got into my corset and felt the breath get sucked out of my stomach and I choked. I hated corsets with a deep, burning passion.
I was wearing an ankle-length ball gown. The skirt puffed out and the top was sucking the life out of me. It was light blue and the skirt was glittery and the top was encrusted with some blue stone which I assumed to be sapphire. I sat on my bed.
The covers were blue- I really liked blue. I looked out of the window and watched the peasants watch the wealthy families of this and other countries filter into the courtyard. I felt a pang of sadness that they could not attend the joyous occasion. If the ladies needed dresses they could certainly use some of mine. I wore them once and almost never saw it again.
“Sit up! You’re lucky your mother didn’t catch you flying without a helmet. At least your hair is intact other than the fact it looks like you sat in the worst of a windstorm,” Lindsey grumbled and toyed with my hair. She knew my whereabouts at any point in the day. She even seemed to know where I was when I showed up there out of pure rebellion.
“Hello, Lindsey, how is she looking?” My mother sauntered in wearing a long sea foam ball gown with matching jewelry. Her hair was a cascade of golden curls. She looked stunning.
“I have to put her tiara in her hair and put on her jewelry,” Lindsey stood to face her.
“Well, we are meeting her father in the main hall in less than an hour and she is to pull no funny business,” My mother said pointedly at me.
“Whatever could you possibly mean?” I asked in a fake innocent voice.
“You look red in the cheeks darling. Calm down a bit,” My mother patted my face and left the room with a flourish. I rolled my eyes and laughed.
“Your mother can be a bit daft when she’s under pressure,” Lindsey grumbled and I snickered. She straightened up my curls and set my tiara in place. She clipped my necklace, which a small sapphire pendant, and I put in my earrings. They were small sapphire studs. I was obviously big on sapphire today.
“How do I look,” I asked turned and asked Lindsey.
“Gorgeous,” She smiled. I was surprised to see sadness in her eyes. She undoubtedly wanted to attend the ball too. She was not much older than I. I was only fifteen and she was seventeen. She was also unmarried and very loving- too loving to be unmarried. We were roughly the same size.
“Hold on!” I smiled and walked smoothly on the ballet flats I was allowed to wear tonight and looked in my closet. I selected a larger dress and told her to put it on.
“Oh your Highness,” She said graciously, “I could never!”
“Yes you can and you will,” I shoved some heels in her face and selected some rosy jewelry to go with her light green dress.
“Your mother wouldn’t allow it,” Lindsey said, the bundle nearly falling out of her hands.
“When does that stop me?” I snorted.
“Are you sure?” She asked one last time.
“Yes now get ready before I lose my patience!” I smiled. She dashed into my closet and shut the door. She came out moments later looking beautiful. I helped her tie her long straight hair up into a bun. She was no match for my mother, but she was no dirty coal miner either.
“You will turn some heads tonight Miss Lindsey,” I smiled and took her by the hand and spun around as she stumbled and laughed.
“I’m getting dizzy!” She laughed and stumbled. I stopped spinning and watched her balance herself.
“You’re missing a hairpiece! I forgot!” I said and fished around at my vanity. I pulled out a rosy pink hairpiece, somewhat like a tiara, and placed it on her bun.
“Oh thank you so much your highness!” Lindsey hugged me.
“I must get downstairs before mother throws a fit. Shall we?” I asked in a posh voice.
“We shall,” She agreed and we walked downstairs, catching all the servants’ eyes for a split second and we approached my parents.
