Princess Avalon of Honey Falls (currently incomplete)

In The Woods There Lies A Runaway Royal

Breathing hard, I hurdle through the unfamiliar woods, leaping over fallen tree trunks, and avoiding the branches of trees that reach out as if wanting to pull my hair.

I stop running when the stitch in my side is unbearable, with no concept of how much time has passed. And no idea how far away from the palaces I have ended up. 

All I know is it is dark. Too dark for this time of day, which I blame on the thick canopy of tall tree tops. 

I lean against a tree, the rough bark scratching my shoulder, and I push away from it, breathing shallowly, trying to suck gulps of oxygen into my lungs.

I don't even want to think about what I've just done.

I didn't even apologize.

I just ran away. Ran away from all my problems.

I told my mother that I hate her. And I didn't even actually mean it.

And Atlas.

Poor Atlas.

He had to have known my behavior at the table was all an act, but I still feel very guilty.

He made all that food for us, and we didn't even get to take a bite of it.

And Blair, that- that- that AWFUL, HORRIBLE PRINCESS! 

I feel a fury so strong building inside me, that I start screaming. I start screaming in the woods, not caring if any strange creatures or nearby animals hear me.

Not caring if someone or something can hear me swearing and using language I have never dared to speak aloud until today. 

I start screaming about everything that has gone wrong, "FUCK! WHY IS THIS MY LIFE!? EVERYTHING WAS GOING PRETTY GREAT EXCEPT FOR STUPID BLAIR! AND HER STUPID HAIR, STUPID CLOTHES, STUPID FACE, AND HER STUPID LOVE LIFE!"

I kick rocks that get in front of my furious marching walk, and rip twigs off of tree branches and snapping them violently in half, breathing harshly, "I deserve some privacy, right? RIGHT?! WHY DOES MOTHER KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT MY LIFE?! IT'S NOT FUCKING FAIR!"

And eventually, I start screaming at myself, "Why did you do that!? Why'd you say exactly what's on your mind?! YOU'RE SO STUPID! YOU FUCKING RUINED EVERYTHING FOR YOURSELF! EVERYTHING!"

I'm marching angrily deeper into the woods, tearing my hair out of its braid.

The trees move past my vision in a blur as hot tears streak down my face, "I hate myself for what I did! Maybe I actually do hate mother! Maybe-" I trip over a stray branch and fly forward onto the dirt, a stinging pain instantly runs up my right elbow, which took most of the impact.

I roll over, hissing as I straighten out my right arm, the pain stretching to a fair amount of agony. 

Expecting the scrape to be worse than I'm picturing it in my head, I turn my elbow towards my face, wincing terribly, I squint my eyes and peer at my elbow and am relieved to see it's only very close to a rug burn, except its bleeding, covered in dirt, and hurts like the time I broke my left index finger when an unbalanced bookshelf fell on it when I was twelve.

I cringe thinking of how easily it could get infected, and slump back down on the ground, resting my injured arm across my chest.

I close my eyes and let myself cry silently. In my own wallowing state.

-

It isn't till I hear a groan from beside me that I know I'm not alone.