Once upon a time, in a castle far, far away, there lived a girl. She was always happy, always cheerful. She used to skip and sing with the birds. People loved her and respected her. Nothing could put her down. But then things happened. People started to use her personality to get the best of her. They used it against her. Manipulation became a part of her life. She was so used to it that when someone came along and was genuine with her, she couldn't believe it. Then, before long, she moved away from her castle.
She was so sad. Her castle was her home. But when she arrived at her new castle, she fell in love. Her window overlooked her land. Land that was new to her. Unbeknownst to her, life would become more difficult here.
Her queen was struggling. She didn't want to show her princess this, but her princess could see right through her lies. And she did the same with her king. He too was struggling. The princess didn't know what to do, or how to help. So instead, she internalised all she could, and kept her happy exterior. So no one knew what was wrong.
The only thing that knew when something was wrong, was the walls. Oh, if the walls could talk, the stories they'd tell. They'd tell of how the princess cried, how she worried, and how she'd dream.
How she cried when she heard yelling downstairs. How she worried that something would happen to her old castle, and her queen and king. How she dreamed that she would make it all better.
The walls soon became her best friends. They were always there for her, waiting for her with open arms and ears. And she would talk to them. Oh, the stories she told them. Stories of love and betrayal. Of hope and despair. But this too did not last long. Her castle disappeared, and they left again.
Their new castle had an evil tyrant living in it. The tyrant would hurt and accuse the princess. The tyrant would hurt and accuse anyone who stood in their way, including the princess's sister, and their noble steed. The princess did the only thing she knew how to do, she hoped. She hoped and hoped. Dreamed to her heart's content, but she knew, that this was going to change nothing.
Oh, how she wanted to fly off to Neverland with Peter Pan. Or to travel the universe with her Doctor. But these dreams would never become reality. Reality had always been a bit too much for the princess.
And when reality came crashing down on her, she did the one thing she wished never to do. She turned her wrists into a canvas and painted with her silver brush. Her habit only got worse and worse.
Old friends turned their backs and watched her decay. Teachers laughed and looked away. No one wants to know a broken princess. No one wants to watch as they decay and wither away, being swallowed whole by obsessive thoughts and unmethodical actions. The princess knew that painting was wrong, but it was the only thing she could think of to turn to.
Her queen and king had no time for her thoughts. They were busy trying to sustain their kingdom. The princess knew this and locked away her thoughts. Building a barrier between her and them. But this barrier extended, cutting her off from those around her, including her queen and king.
The princess slowly let her studies slip, her mind wandering and wondering what tomorrow would bring. Tomorrow always brought the same thing. Despair and hopelessness.
The castle moved again, this time they were forced out by the tyrant and their queen. Her new castle had a prince and a new king in it this time.
Her studies started to improve, but then her real king moved away. He moved to his own castle, with a guard dog and a small village. The princess stood strong for her sister. A shoulder for her to cry on if you will.
Even though her king left, she still loves him. She knows that he had to move to get a fresh start, to try to achieve what he could not here.
That's why our queen moved her princesses away too. The princess knows that both her queen and king fight for her. They would do anything for her, but sometimes all she wants is a friend.
She wants someone who will laugh and cry with her. A friend who will listen to her thoughts, and love her no matter who she is. Somedays the princess wants to be a prince. Other days she wants to just be the royal child. And others she just wants to exist. Exist without anyone telling her what to be and who to love.
Maybe her queen will accept that she can't do everything. Somethings just aren't for princesses.
But no matter what, she knows that her queen loves her and will always be there for her.
