Flower Crowns

It was always the lights that caught her attention.

Isobel closed her eyes and took a deep breath, a smile creeping up on her face at the scents of spring. She gazed out into the city, where night was slowly falling. One by one she saw the lights in the streets igniting, up until the far wall of the city's borders, where they were no more than tiny pin pricks on the horizon.

The fabric of her summer dress swayed as another breeze washed over her face, feet dangling from where she sat in the tall tower's window. She had hidden in this same spot numerous times when she was younger, wishing upon the stars she could go out there and meet the people. To dance with them on the plaza, to make friends, to laugh and play and wonder about what lay behind the city walls.

But she had always known she couldn't. For no matter how big her dreams were, she was not allowed to leave the castle. She could count the times she had been allowed to leave in her ten years of life on one hand. And none of those brief moments, brief peeks into the lives of others, had given her the opportunity to talk to the people. Whenever she was required to show her face to the crowd, Father and Mother were always right there with her, as well as a dozen guards. There were rules put in place, and she was expected to obey.

Don't talk to the people.

Don't wander off.

Do not allow yourself to lower to their level.

It wasn't until Viktor shared tales of her family's actions, that she knew her parents' words were the result of a greed for power greater than she could imagine.

It wasn't until Viktor's words, that she realised she could never leave the walls of the palace without the fear of being found by one of the many people who opposed the king's reign. There were people out there who were out to hurt her, like her ancestors had hurt theirs. The castle, which had always been her home, started to feel more and more like a prison.

Isobel hummed to herself and traced the sound of music to a small gathering near the gates. A fire was lit right outside the walls, a group of guards gathered around it, cheering and telling stories. A breathy laugh escaped her lips at the joy as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She let the tones of the music wash over her. Instead of the envy she could often see in Viktor during moments like these, she let herself fill with wonder and delight. There was no use in reminiscing about the things you knew you could not have. Besides, what better feeling is there, than the one created by the knowledge that those around you were happy?

Isobel pulled her bare feet up onto the window's ledge and carefully climbed out of her spot, lowering herself into the empty tower room. She touched down onto the cold stone floor and reached out to pull the window shut, bathing the room in silence. It left a hollow feeling in her heart and she hurried out of the door, down the dim staircase. Though her feet were chilly from the contact with the floor, the warmth that the torches gave off was enough to keep her from shivering. Her rushed steps fell silently until she reached the top floor of the castle and slowed her pace.

Isobel took the next set of stairs down until she found herself on the ground floor. Now that she was no longer in the main part of the castle, the hallways were filled with silence. It was late at night, and all the workers had either left the castle or retired to their beds.

She knew no one would be up in her room to check on her this evening. Mother and Father had left earlier today to go off to Port Rano and negotiate with representatives from the countries up north. It left her to do whatever she wished without being scolded for disappearing, and she relished in the small freedom she had been given.