Runaways

Chapter 1-The Final Ball

Kaia was bored out of her mind. The same old 'grown-up talk,' the same haughty laughter, the same monotonous chatter. She was so done with it. At 14, she had attended more balls than she could count, all because she was the king's only and beloved daughter. Every girl in the kingdom envied her, but what they didn't know was how utterly dull these gatherings were.

Under the castle roof—grand though it may be—there were strict rules that suffocated her spirit:

Only royal family and their servants could step inside the castle. (Translation: No interesting people to talk to.)Everyone must act properly unless behind closed doors. (No jumping around, no magic, basically, act boring unless in private chambers. Even then, flipping was frowned upon.)No magic was allowed in the castle (a remnant of the queen's tragic end).The king is always right. (This is how he won every argument.)No royal under 18 should leave the palace without permission, supervision, and must return within an hour. (No freedom whatsoever.)

Tonight, Kaia decided she'd had enough. Rule five was about to be broken. Her heart raced as she approached her father. She could feel it pounding against her ribcage, as if it might burst right through her blue gown. "May I go to my chambers for the night?" she asked, hoping her voice didn't betray her nerves.

"Sure, Kaia," her father replied, dismissing her with a wave.

Relief flooded through her. She thanked him and quickly retreated, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the ball. Once in her room, she took a deep breath, allowing the familiar scent of parchment and polished wood to calm her. With trembling hands, she packed her spell book, an atlas, and some food from her secret stash into a satchel.

Sitting on the windowsill, she took one last look around her chambers—the smooth sheets of her bed, the oak bookshelf lined with her favorite stories, the wolf pelt on the floor, and the flickering torch on the wall. It was a world that felt both safe and stifling. She opened the window, her heart racing again as she glanced down at the ground far below. Without another thought, she jumped.

The wind rushed past her, a wild scream of exhilaration escaping her lips as she plummeted. Just before hitting the ground, she reached out and grasped a vine growing along the castle wall, halting her fall. She climbed down, her hands aching by the time she reached solid ground. Morning would bring a search party; she had to get far away and fast.

Where would a princess be least expected? The ancient woods! Sprinting off in that direction, Kaia felt a thrill of freedom, the trees beckoning her deeper into their embrace.

But as she entered the woods, a shiver crept down her spine. Something was off. Her instincts kicked in, warning her of danger. A shadow flitted just out of sight, and the crunch of a twig snapped behind her, sending her heart into overdrive.

Before she could react, she felt a cold tip of a dagger at the back of her neck. "Who are you? And what are you doing in my forest?" a voice demanded, low and sharp.

Kaia froze, her mind racing. She turned slowly, her pulse thrumming in her ears. "I—I'm just—"

"Just what?" The voice belonged to a girl about her age, fierce eyes glinting from beneath a tangle of dark hair. She stood poised, dagger ready, with an intensity that made Kaia's heart race even faster.

"I just ran," Kaia said, her heart pounding in her chest, every instinct on high alert.

"From what?" the girl asked, her grip on the dagger tightening slightly.

"My home," Kaia replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

The attacker let out a heavy sigh, lowering her dagger just a fraction. "I guess you could stay at my camp tonight."

Kaia blinked, surprised by the offer. "You'd let me? Just like that?"

The girl studied her for a moment, the tension in the air shifting. "Look, I'm not heartless. If you really are running from something, it's better to have company. But you need to understand—this forest is not a safe place for anyone, especially not a princess."

Kaia felt a rush of gratitude mixed with apprehension. "Thank you. I just... I need a break from everything."

The girl nodded, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. "Then follow me, but keep quiet. We can't attract attention."

With a quick glance over her shoulder, Kaia took a deep breath and stepped into the shadows behind her newfound ally, ready to face whatever lay ahead.