The Runaway Princess: Episode One

This whole story starts the day of my engagement ceremony. In our kingdom, it's tradition that when a girl turns fourteen, she makes promises to the people and to the kingdom, telling them that she will do her best to rule the country when she comes of age. It's kind of like getting engaged to the kingdom. Then, there's a presentation of suitors, along with a tournament. Whoever wins the tournament, wins the maiden's hand in marriage four years later when she begins her rule. It's a huge deal. Everyone in the kingdom celebrates!

Well, everyone except for me.

I had the morning off, presumably to get ready for the ceremony and presentation, but honestly, does a girl really need eight hours to get dressed?

"I'm never going back--the past is in the paaaaaast!"

Nope, I don't think so.

"Let it go, let it go, and I'll rise like the--"

"Oh, ah, hello Mother."

"Honestly, Allison, you're supposed to be preparing for your ceremony. That's why we gave you the morning off, you know."

"Well, I didn't think I'd need the entire morning to get dressed. And I never get a break anyway!"

"I wasn't expecting you to be dressed by now, Allison. I expected you to be studying."

"Um, what for? I already know everything I need to for the ceremony."

"A future queen should always need to know more about her country. Her heritage, her cultures, her tradition."

"But Mother, I live here! I know all those things!"

"Well, we'll need to have a discussion later. Now, where is Ella? She said she'd send your clothes up here so you could get ready. Did your final fitting go all right?"

"Sure, I gue--"

*knock knock*

"Ah, your things must be here!"

We walked over to the door, where Ella had put the clothes I was supposed to wear for the ceremony. It's another tradition that the royal family wears clothes authentic to when our country began, long, long ago. Stinkin' tradition.

"Wow. That's a lot of boxes."

"Indeed it is, my dear. Now, the top box has your shoes, the second one has your undergarments, and the bottom one has your dress. Be down at the salon by three, I told Lauren to be ready for you. "

"Okay."

"Well, let's have a look."

"Oh, these look pretty! Super uncomfortable, though."

"Oh, my. That's a lot of lace."

"And now for the dress..."

I though I already I knew what the dress looked like. I tried it on two days ago during my final fitting. It was velvet, green, and wretchedly hot, and I hated it.

But something was different.

This new dress was made in the style of the old one, but it was a thousand times better. It was made of pink, floaty silk instead of the ugly old velvet. I twirled around. I absolutely loved this new dress--

The question was, where had it come from?