A Life Worth Living

The story that started it all

        "Father please! Why are you doing this?!"
     My father is King Able he rules and governs the southern land alone since my mother passed. I am princess Annabelle, who one day should take over my fathers position. I have been trained since the day i turned seven years old. To be prestigious to be kind, gentle, smart, fair and a good leader. My life has been planned out all i need to do is fallow instructions.

However that plan had been corrupted a while back when I fell for a lovely young girl around my age who was the daughter of our gardener. Her name was Katherine. Her skin glistened in the extravagant light, surrounded by cherry red roses her light brown hair reflected them. I felt my chest restless, my heart began to pick up pace. She lay on the cold, gray stone walk way with her head in a book borrowed from within the castle. She looked so innocent so charming. She was so beautiful.

Everyday i would watch her enter our library filled with books of all kinds much like the one from beauty and the beast. She would either take or return a book but every time it was the same book even if she had finished it so many times over. With so many why read the same over again? I had wondered so many times on what could be so interesting about it and so i took it upon myself to see it over. The book was about a young woman bearing extremely long hair cast in a high tower from where she was rescued by a prince. One day as i was nearing the end, Katherine had noticed me reading it.

    "Its a good book isn't it?" I glanced up. Seeing her so close i felt my face heat up.

     "Y-yes it is.." Her eyes were a beautiful emerald color that shimmered in the damp light of the library.

     "I love this story it gives me a sense of heroism."

    "Is that why you read it all the time?" Her eyes looked upon me wide open.

    "Have you been watching me?" My face heat up as it turned bright red. Oh no now she knows!

      "N-no! What makes you say that?" The corner of Katherine's mouth lifted up in a slight grin then she began heaving in a fit of laughter.

      "You'r funny you know!" After that incident we would meet in the library every afternoon.

        Spending time with her lifted the stress of my teachings off my shoulders and put me in the best mood. I loved her so dearly. My heart ached for her i yearned for her to be next to me. But i should have known our relationship had certain boundaries.

It was the day i turned fourteen that i had my first kiss. We were in the library as always swapping jokes and discussing different books. She looked irresistible i couldn't help myself. I placed my hands on her shoulders leaned in, our lips met in a clash of glory they tasted sweet like candy. My heart pace picked up rapidly. But as soon as it happened the sooner it was over. She pushed me away in a hurry, teary eyed and blushing hard. I never saw her after that. The incident broke me, i've resented myself since and began lacking in my teaching therefor has lead me here to this moment.

    "I can't have a child like you here! Your not ready to rule these people! Im sending you to live amongst the commoners in the northern kingdom."

      "Father please! Why are you doing this?!"

      "Guards take her out."

      "Father stop this! PLEASE!!" Two heavy hands clamped down on shoulders, a brown burlap sack was then placed over my head then black. It's been seven years since the incident with Katherine I've forgotten how she looked but I haven't forgotten my feelings for her. My heart still yearns for her.

The ground is so cold. Where am I? When i opened my eyes, swirls of black was all in sight. My head was spinning as if i had been dancing in circles for hours. The surrounding area smelled of a stable full of horses who had not been in care for a while. I lift my hands up near my head to feel a rough texture. A potato bag. I lifted the bag off my head. When I did, two damp stone walls sat in front and behind me there was a narrow opening at the end not far from where I sat.

On the other side of that opening I was able to view people's legs as they walked past, paying no attention to the girl who looked as if she had been kidnapped and left for dead. I leaned towards the opening suddenly feeling sharp pain coursing through my frail body. What the hell? Grabbing the wall to support myself I forced my body off the ground only to instantly regret the decision. My head ached and swirled, throbbed and pulled. It felt as if i had been smashed in the head with an enormous rock. My limbs shook as i began to head over towards the opening then hopefully find help of some kind.

When I passed through the opening, my feet met with a busy dirt road filled with people, caravans and horses hauling crates. However still non payed any attention to me. How could these people pass without slight concern? Marketers filled each side of the street advertising their products and luring in unsuspecting victims. I couldn't see very clearly, everything was somewhat spinning still but i could spot a small area a little ways off from this place full of houses. Perhaps thats where the people live? Where is this place? I stumbled off to what seemed like a local market man.

"Excuse me sir..could you..inform me..of where i am?" He gave me an annoyed glare then dismissed me as if i had been a troublesome drunk. I can't really blame him though, I do look like a drunk. My clothes were torn and ragged. Dirty and brown, i had not left the castle in this. Had they undressed me? Surely father would not permit such behavior to treat his one and only child. Something is not right about all this. I wanted to stop and ask about the areas whereabouts but my feet kept dragging me on through the crowd of busy people. My head kept spinning over and over. My throat suddenly feels dry.

I see two men standing by a shop for shade. Perhaps they may assist me? I drag myself over to them.

"Excuse me..please help..I dont belong..here" They look at me then at each other. A smirk sneaks across one mans face. My stomach suddenly feels queasy. It twists and turns. I have a feeling..that I just made a big mistake. The second man grabs my arm violently as his friend takes off. He pushes me against the stone wall, grabs me by my hair and bashes my head against the wall. His grip loosens then i slip to the cold ground. I can't think clearly. The world is spinning so fast I feel like I'm about to throw up. The lights dim and my vision becomes blurry. Father, why would you allow this to happen to your only daughter?

For a second time, i open my eyes to pure darkness. This time nothing covers my head, nothing blocks my vision. It's just black. Damp and smells like dirty wet rats. Where am i now? Maybe this is all a test to see how i might solve these situations? Barely thinking straight i lunge forward only to fall in a shallow canal filled with dark mucky water. My limbs no longer shake as well as the pain in my head has calmed down. I feel around my surroundings to find what feels like the outline of a door. I find the handle and pull hard. A series of squeaks and creaks escapes from the door. I'm met by light and fresh air after opening the door. Something isn't quite right though. I glance down to my naked body. They took my clothes?!? I soon realize this is least of the problem. What else had they done before leaving my there?

I search around for people. When I see there is no one around i head straight for the nearest house I'm able to find. The home is made of stone like the rest, but unlike the rest this one was a cream color. I knocked on the dark wooden door then crouched down covering my privacy. A woman opened the door, her eyes were were a beautiful green emerald color. Where have I seen that before?

"Excuse me, please he-", I faint of exhaustion. The last sight I beheld where her beautiful emerald eyes full of concern. A sudden thought then came to mind. A thought I hadn't thought in a long time. Katherine?