I awake to see a small frail lady standing over me. 

"Your Highness," she says, bowing to me. As she straightens her posture, the light from the sunrise highlights the artificial grin that's plastered onto her face. "My name is Aline and I have come to prepare you for your special day." There is a grimace hiding behind her smile. The rotten smell is still lingering in my room.

My special day. My wedding day. When I was around seven years old and was just locked away, I would spend my day reading old tales of princes and knights sweeping a lady off her feet and carrying her away to a land where they could live in peace together. I wished to be that lucky lady. I was a princess, after all, an obvious prize for a noble man, so every morning and every evening I would pray for a brave man to come and save me by making me his bride.

I can't remember how old I was when I stopped saying that ridiculous prayer.

I stand up and try to stretch but my vision becomes blotchy and my legs stumble. The maid grabs onto my arms and steadies me. 

"I need...I need medicinal tea." My headache is a lot worse than I thought it would be.

Massaging my head I add, "one for headaches and put a dash of Luksul in it." According to Heven's Manuscript, a guide for healers, Luksul is a common weed found in Yakasu. It gives a bit of energy when consumed in tea and it also aids in calming the nerves. It is considered a miracle herb.

"Yes, Your Highness," she replies, "I'll have someone bring it to you right away but please let us first leave this room." The maid's voice is strained but she tries to have some composure. 

Also wanting to leave quickly as possible, I allow her to usher me out of the room. The maid slams the door behind us and breathes a sigh of relief. I straighten my posture and turn and look at her with a raised eyebrow.

Realizing what she had done she whispers "my apologies, Your Highness." She then gestures for me to take the lead in walking down the corridor. 

In my hall, there are only several doors and they are all along one side. The closest one to my bedroom was my bath chamber where I am only allowed to bathe myself using one bucket of water. A door down is my library which is only open during the day. Reading at night is prohibited for the risk of me setting fire to valuable texts by lighting candles too close to the fragile parchment. The following three rooms down are the chambers of my maids, manservants, and guards. The last room that was the farthest away from mine, was the kitchen, the place where flavor is considered unholy. 

And at the end of the hall, there is a great door the color of blood with golden eagle heads mounted onto the door. Every time I walk through the corridor heading to the bath chamber or my mediocre library I would always avoid looking at the door. The eyes of eagles always sent shivers down my back. I cried the first time I saw it.

Now on my path that is promising me a chance of freedom, this door is the one I must pass through. 

I walk past the chambers slower than I thought I would. Yesterday my heart danced with joy each time the thought of the future came to mind. But now that my chains might now finally break, I am…hesitant? 

Each step I take it feels as if my restraints are getting tighter. My knees feel weaker and my headache grows stronger. My posture is now suffering and my feet drag along the floor. 

I reach out to Aline for support but a new body grabs hold of my waist and steadies me. 

"My apologies, my lady," says a young voice,  "the barrier has not yet been dissolved. We were not made aware that you were leaving at this moment."

 My head shoots up to look at the young man. He was not made aware? How was he not? And that was not the most intriguing thing he said. He bows to me waiting for my approval to rise. Though I'm still recovering from the shock of realizing how trapped I truly was for all those years,  I tell him to rise. "What is your name," I ask.

"Sir Riueth, my lady." 

 "A barrier? You said there was a barrier? Where is it?"

The man dressed in armor carrying the Yakasu symbol replies politely, "yes, Your Highness, there is a barrier. It is on the door you see." He lets go of me and walks up to the door and knocks on it making pearly dust appear. 

I am in awe. I have never witnessed any form of magic before but I had dreamed of it, imagining what it looked like from descriptions in enchanted books. I once attempted to wield it but could not even conjure up a wisp of smoke. And now there's beautiful pearly dust in front of me dancing around in the air before disappearing.

Aline appears at my side and places her hand firmly on my forearm. "I am deeply sorry, Your Highness, I thought they would have got rid of the barrier in light of the upcoming event today." Her eyes are void of any actual emotion. "I should have checked beforehand. Please forgive my negligence." She bows her head and I am left staring at her balding scalp. She begins to cough.

I ignore her coughing fit and look toward the guard and ask, "what is the barrier for?" 

"It's to keep you safe, my lady," I glare at him, but the polite smile on his face does not waver. "As well as to keep you from leaving, my lady." He lowers his voice– his tone no longer pleasant, "you know your father would never want you to leave, well until today." 

A chill runs through my body though I no longer feel a sense of dread. Aline's cough gets louder, sounding horribly painful but I still do not turn to her. The guard knocks on the door again but this time no magic dust appears. The barrier is gone.

He then gives a firm push on the door and it swings open revealing a sight to me that I have not seen in thirteen long years.

Before me is a magnificent courtyard with a glorious pistache tree plant in the middle and a well-kept stone path leading around it. Its red leaves beautifully capture the light of the sunrise, shining a strong crimson color.

To the far left of the courtyard was a gorgeous fountain. A golden eagle about to ascend into the sky is wonderfully crafted as the centerpiece, water spraying out from all around it. To the far right of the courtyard rows of red flowers grow in large pots as well as along the wall. 

It was all so beautiful and well designed but for what purpose? The scenery was surely not for me to enjoy. Did the servants come out here to get a breath of air and space from me?

I look at Aline who has tears in her eyes from all of her coughing. Did she ever come here to take a little break? Rude Aline? 

I take a breath and begin to walk through the courtyard, my eyes focusing on the auburn double doors across from me. I can feel Aline following and without breaking my gaze or stride, I hold up my hand. 

"I am free now, am I not?"

"Uh, yes, Your Highness, but–."

"So I do not need to be shackled to you."

"But, my lady, I'm supposed to help!"

"I do not need you. I may not have been roaming the halls of the castle in recent years," my footsteps echo loudly on the stone ground, "but I am well aware that there are plenty of maids who can help me prepare." 

I reach the doors and ignoring my rising anxiety and golden bear heads carved on the door,  I knock twice. No magical dust appears this time instead the doors swing open in an instance revealing men clad in golden and red armor.

I fold my hands and tilt my chin a little higher. "Your Highness," they speak in unison all respectfully bowing at the waist. 

"Rise," I say, my voice clear.

They rise and one who appears to be the leader speaks, " My lady," he has kind eyes, "we were not expecting you for another three hours. Is there something wrong?"

Them too? What was Aline trying to do?

"So I have heard," I reply. " With that being said I request several maids to help me prepare and–," I point to Aline, "punished for her incompetence."

Aline's eyes widen in fear, " Please! Your Highness, I-!"

"Sir Riueth can inform you of the earlier events," I say ignoring her pleas. "King Tansei has made me aware that there is a chamber for me. Would you be so kind as to escort me to it?"