I reached the school entrance on resumption day, standing at the gate as a light breeze grazed my skin and the sun emerged to greet me. The scent of garden roses filled the air, and I sighed in relief. Finally, I could breathe fresh air, unlike the stale atmosphere of the manor. With me were two suitcases and a maid, a gift from the Duchess Dowager. Everyone else had already moved in; I was the last.
My maid carried my belongings as I made my way to my assigned room. I opened the door, and the windows, left open, welcomed me with a burst of fresh air. I walked to the window and was awestruck by the beautiful garden. The view was stunning, and the sight took my breath away. I watched little creatures play in a carefree manner, with butterflies and bees flitting about as if they owned the world. Their wings reflected the sunlight as the clouds parted, and the sun shone on me through the window. A tear fell; I wished it could be like this forever, a carefree life where every day was paradise. I longed to play in the fields.
Standing by the window, I reminisced about a made-up memory of me and my siblings running through the fields, blissfully unaware of life’s struggles. If I could live like that—with loving parents and caring siblings—I wouldn’t ask for anything more. Life felt much too painful and disappointing. I stayed by the window, refusing to look back when the maid entered to drop off my things and clean. I was afraid that if I turned away, I would have to return to fighting constantly to be seen as human. I hated this… Why was I born with the eyes of a commoner? It wasn’t fair. I bit my lip and held back tears, my fingers digging into my skin. In that moment, all I felt was resentment and pain. "I just want to be loved," I mumbled to myself. I couldn’t hold it in anymore; I cried for hours until the sun went down.
Eventually, I went downstairs to the garden. When I arrived, I laid down and watched the evening sky before slowly drifting into sleep. A tap on my shoulder roused me, and I opened my eyes to see a boy—young and with eyes the same shade of blue as mine. A commoner. I didn’t even notice his dirty clothes at first; all I saw were his eyes.
“Play?” he asked.
I got up and looked down at him. He was quite short. I stared blankly, unsure of what to say. He handed me a paper kite. I took it and looked at it, then back at him, confused. He pointed to some other kids in the distance, who were flying kites. Who were those kids? Peasants weren’t allowed on school grounds. He grabbed my hand and urged me to follow. Without thinking, I joined the children, flying kites and laughing with them. Before I knew it, everything turned dark, and I woke up breathing heavily. I looked around for the boy and the other kids, but I was alone in the garden. My head throbbed, and I covered my face with my palm, sitting there for about five minutes before heading back to my room. What was that dream? I thought, pushing it aside to focus on my plans. I washed up and went to bed. The maid must have gone to her quarters, I thought, before drifting off to sleep. What a random thing to think, I giggled to myself.
