Lost Eternity // Killian Jones

Once Upon a Time

3rd POV

Once upon a time in the enchanted kingdom, a little girl was born. Her name was Rose. She was the daughter of King and Queen, who ruled over the city of Eternelia in the southern part of the kingdom. The city was situated on the coast, and the royal castle was known to be one of the most beautiful in the country. Indeed, it overlooked the turquoise sea on one side and the rich plains with the city on the other. The country's wealth primarily came from maritime trade. Being strategically located on the main trade routes, the port of Eternelia was a major hub for the entire kingdom. But trade wasn't the city's only advantage. Eternelia also housed the largest naval barracks. Maritime trade and naval strength thus made Eternelia a powerful and prosperous city.

It was in this city that Marie grew up with her father, King Corio, and her mother, Queen Elisabeth. King Corio was a good king, brave and generous. For him, his only daughter was his entire world; he cherished and protected her no matter what. He could sometimes be a bit too protective of her, like any worried father afraid his daughter might grow up too fast. Elisabeth, the queen, was a very beautiful woman known for her beauty and adventurous spirit. She was loving and altruistic, adored by the people of the kingdom. Towards her daughter, she was kind and even helped her escape the castle so her father wouldn't see. Above all, she strove to be her best friend, someone she could confide in without judgment or fear. The queen was more of an adventurer and explorer. Unfortunately, she fell ill and could no longer travel.

Rose's childhood was going well; she had everything a little girl could dream of: princess dresses, loving and attentive parents, a good education, and much more. But it didn't seem to be enough for Rose. She wanted to explore the world outside the castle walls; she wanted to sail the seas like all the ships she could see through her window. But she knew very well that it would be madness, and her parents would never allow it, even though they loved her dearly.

Rose's POV:

To say that I'm bored would be an understatement. It's been two hours now that my tutor, Mrs. Lagardelle, has been reciting some boring story about the troll war that took place over 200 years ago. I'm currently in what I call the torture chamber, or more commonly known as the classroom. My parents set up this room when I started having a tutor. The room has a desk with writing materials and a blackboard where Mrs. Lagardelle writes down the important points of the lesson. Fortunately, there's a large opening to the outside, allowing light to come in and enabling me to see outside.

It's not that I'm not interested in the lesson, but the view of the boats through the window is much more interesting to me. I wonder where all those boats are going, what they're carrying, who's on board those boats, what they see of the world?

"Rose?! Are you even listening to me at all?" Mrs. Lagardelle says sternly with her arms crossed.

"Um, yes, I was listening," I reply, seeing in her gaze that she doesn't believe a word I just said. I see her looking out the window and sighing. She must have realized that I was once again watching the boats leave the harbor. "You know,Rose, as a princess and future queen of the country, you shouldn't be interested in boats. You should focus more on things that will be useful to you later on," she says seriously.

I can't help but think about her words. It's not the first time I've been asked to step up. After all, I am destined to be the future queen. The idea should make me jump for joy, after all, who wouldn't want to become queen? Yet I keep telling myself that it's not my place. I love my people, more than anything, but what really makes me dream is exploring the world.

I am interrupted once again in my reflection by Mrs. Lagardelle, who informs me that my lesson is over. "You should go get ready for dinner; you know your parents don't like it when you're late."

"Yes, I should go. Thank you, Miss Lagardelle. See you tomorrow."

I wasted no time and crossed the castle to reach my room. Upon entering, I was surprised to see my mother. She was on my balcony, gazing at the horizon, just as I had been doing a few minutes earlier.

"Mom?" I inquire. "What are you doing here?"

She turns around and gives me a smile, then approaches my bed and picks up the beautiful blue silk dress that was laid out on it.

"Can't a mother help her daughter get ready?" she says gently. Normally, it's Mrs. Jenny who dresses me, but whenever my mother has a bit of time, she prefers to do it herself.

"Of course," I say joyfully. I love these moments I spend with my mother. They're the moments when I feel most like myself and normal. Just a mother and her daughter spending time together getting ready.

"Mom, I saw you looking out the window. Do you also wish to travel?" I ask her as she styles my hair.

"You know,Rose, I had the opportunity to travel a lot before meeting your father. I got to explore many horizons. But unfortunately, that's no longer compatible with my queen status. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good. You'll understand that one day, darling," she says with a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

"Can you tell me about your travels later?" I almost beg her with my eyes.

"Of course, and you can ask me as many questions as you want. But don't mention it to your father. If he knows you're interested, he might worry. You know how he is when it comes to you and traveling; it's not his favorite topic," she warns me.

It's true that whenever I bring up adventures and travel to my father, he gets worked up. He quickly tells me that it would be dangerous for me to travel and that there are many risks involved. Then he tells me that as a queen, I shouldn't dwell on things as trivial and unnecessary as exploration. Something I obviously disagree with.

Later in the evening, after having dinner with my parents, I returned to my room. I love my room. I have a large canopy bed with a huge balcony facing the sea. I also have a beautiful vanity right next to my bed and a massive walk-in closet. As I do every evening, I watched the sun set on the horizon. It's as if it's disappearing beneath the water. And that's how, little by little, I fell asleep.

I wake up to the sun shining on my face. I forgot to close my curtains last night. I take advantage of this brief moment before Mrs. Jenny comes to wake me up to read a book. I found it when I went to the library with my tutor. I love this book; maybe I've read it three times already. It's not very complicated to read and it's especially suitable for my age. It's the story of a pirate who, for love, crosses the oceans to find his beloved.

After about ten minutes, I hear Jenny knock on my door. I quickly hide the book under my pillow and pretend to be asleep. Jenny enters my room and wakes me up gently. Jenny is an 18-year-old girl; she's the daughter of one of my mother's childhood friends. When I was born, she offered to take care of me. Jenny is like an older sister to me; she's always there to take care of me and play with me.

"Wake up, Rose," she says softly. I pretend to yawn and rub my eyes. "Good morning, Jenny. How are you today?" I ask politely.

"Very well! And on top of that, I have some good news to announce," she says joyfully with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"Really?" I ask, sitting up quickly. Usually, when Jenny gives me that look, it means we're going to do something fun.

"Yes, we're going to town to look for some fabric at the tailor's. I managed to convince your parents to let you come with me. I told them it's important for a future queen to be close to her people and to remain humble. Apparently, it was a good argument because they said yes!" she tells me, excitedly. Jenny knows very well that I love to get out of the castle and do something other than stay there all day.

At this news, I jump out of bed with excitement and hurry to choose a dress to wear. I don't want to waste any more time!