|| Runaway Princess ||

Chapter 1 - The Start of Something New

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"Your Royal Highness?"

Princess Elaine Everett looked up from her book and raised her eyebrows. She was perched on top of the windowsill – her favourite spot as it had the view of Jadevale and provided sufficient lighting – and was just getting up to her favourite part of her book. She straightened her back, and although she was slightly annoyed that she was interrupted, she didn't show it on her face. Elaine smiled sweetly.

"Yes?" Elaine said.

The intruder, who turned out to be one of her assigned guards, was still in a stiff bowed position, her brown hair in a neat low ponytail. Her name was Penny – Elaine took it as a challenge to try and remember all of her guards' names, she thought it more polite that way. Penny was still bowed over, her eyes looking directly at the floor. Elaine looked away. A very small part of her wished that Penny – or anyone, for that matter – would look at her. But she knew they couldn't, and hastily shook the thought away.

"His Majesty, the King, wishes your presence," said Penny.

Elaine's heart pounded. The King? Her father? Wanted to see her? She straightened her long, satin dress and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Now?" said Elaine, unable to control her excitement. She hadn't been able to see her father in weeks and she had so many questions unanswered from the last time she had been to see him.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness." 

It took no more than half an hour for Elaine to get prepared – a new record. Usually it took much longer but Elaine managed to persuade Penny (who helped her without eye-contact, of course) into just letting her blond hair flow down her back. It took about an hour off their usual time, which Elaine found relieving. Although it was quite annoying and itchy to get changed into a whole new dress, she found it was very worth it in the end. After all, she finally got the opportunity to talk to her father.

"Your veil," said Penny as she presented a thin cloth to her, "Your Royal Highness."

"Thank you, Penny. I nearly forgot!" said Elaine, taking the veil from her and putting it on. She could barely see through the veil, which made it difficult sometimes to walk. She heard Penny let out a small squeak at the sound of her name. "Shall we go?"

"Of course, Your Royal Highness, follow me, if you please – and of course," she said the next part in a hurried whisper, her head still in a bowed position. "don't forget to keep your head down as much as you can."

Elaine pressed her lips into a thin line. How could she forget when she's being told this fifty times a day? "Yes, yes. Of course, Penny."

They made their way to the King's chambers that was situated on the other side of the palace, one floor down. Elaine kept her back straight but her head down – though she sometimes slipped a glance at the things around her. The other guards placed around the palace knew more than to stare at her when she passed. Elaine followed Penny down the golden staircase, where maids and servants stopped to bow to her – avoiding her gaze, as was expected.

The palace was very large, with plenty enough space to explore and dwell upon. Her father was very fond of gold and riches, and by the looks of it spent a great deal of money decorating the palace with gold. The floors and most of the walls were made of a maroon carpet with her family crest embossed upon it – a pair of golden tusks with thorns entwined all around it. She let out a small smile at the familiarity of it. She was given a necklace that possessed the exact same necklace by her mother before she died.

"If you would please wait here, Your Royal Highness." said Penny before walking away to talk to the guard on duty. They had arrived at a huge pair of doors lined with gold and intricate patterns. They had interesting hand-carved doorknobs, and on the walls were paintings and murals that the greatest artists of the Kingdom Daine painted. Although Elaine had seen the paintings so many times before, she was still so mesmerised by the amazing paintings and the artists' attention to small details. Elaine had learned in Daine: The History of the Golden Kingdom by Miranda Bluepot, a book which she'd read on several occasions, that those murals were painted to illustrate the happenings of the Red War.