A bird sang nearby. The girl in the glimmering dress watched the robin from her seat on the grass and smiled. She quietly replied to the bird by humming a lullaby with the words in her head. The bird chirped back and it landed on her outstretched arm.
"Highness! Princess Stardust!" A rusty voice called. The quiet moment was broken and the robin flew off, shouting a song of terror. The girl sighed.
"Oh, sorry. Princess Starr." The man corrected sarcastically.
"What is it Butler Smith?"
"The King. He demands to see you."
She huffed. "Well, he can come, "demand" for me himself."
The Butler paused, then sighed. "If you insist."
She nodded curtly and turned her attention to a rabbit that was sniffing the ground. She quietly sung a soft tune, greeting the animal through her thoughts. The white rabbit turned to her and leaped in her lap, ruffling her thick, shimmering skirts. The dress was pink with silver strands woven in with the delicate fabric, her favorite dress to wear during a nice day during a spring morning.
Suddenly, the rabbit's ears shot up and it turned to watch behind Starr's back. Then, he thumped her dress and stared at her intently. Although Starr's understanding of the rabbits' language was still not exactly mastered, she could understand the rabbit's short alert.
Quick! The King is coming!
Starr bolted up and ran farther away from the castle. If the King, her father was actually out here to get her, he must been furious.
The white rabbit hopped beside Starr. It was chatting furiously. After a minute or two, Starr understood what it was saying.
King coming! Run faster!
Starr kicked off her shoes, which were heels made of cold silver. She looked up and realized the horse stables were in front of her.
Starr burst though the stable doors and jumped in the nearest stall, which happened to be a very familiar one to her; Starr's horse, Moonbeam's stall. Moonbeam tossed her head around, her black mane dancing like leaves in the wind. Her gray coat sparkled in the dim light.
Starr smiled as she realized she was safe from her father. The King hated the smell of horse dung, and that smell was plentiful in these stables. Before Starr could explain everything to Moonbeam, she was lifted in the air by a pair of strong arms.
Starr squealed, trying to hide her delight by the familiar laugh or her holder.
"Henry! You know you can't get this skirt filthied!" Starr protested as her friend set her back down.
Starr turned around to scold him again but was stopped by the teasing glint of his speckled eyes.
"You know Princess," Henry muttered, stepping closer," I don't think 'filthied' is a word."
"How would you know anything about real words Stable Boy?" Starr asked.
Before Henry could answer, Moonbeam stomped her strong hooves and cried to Starr.
Princess! Your father is just outside the stables!
Starr yelped silently and dove in a large pile of hay.
"What? What did Moon say?" Henry asked, alert filling his face. Starr held a finger to her lips in response.
Henry paled. "The King, he's here?" Henry whispered.
Starr nodded as there was a pounding on the stable doors. Henry's eyes widened and he rushed to open the doors.
Starr scooted towards a hole in the wood and watched silently as her father came through, his horse, Majesty, following behind.
