Long, dark lashes swept over the tops of lightly sunkissed cheeks. The rays of the fading sun beat down gently on her skin, warming her body. She laid in a picturesque and verdant valley, nestled amongst tall emerald blades of grass and fragrant wildflowers. Her glossy silvery hair gleamed, and fanned out beneath her—contrasting against the vibrant grass—she looked like some wild but lovely, ethereal creature of nature. Only the ivory dress she wore, decorated with printed florals of gold, lilac, and violet, made her appear plain and ordinary. Barefoot, in a peasants clothes, no one would suspect that she was the sole heir to the throne of Anadan, a kingdom lost to the power of draconic beings in a rebellion that claimed the lives of her family. She escaped their cruel fate, having been evacuated from the castle by trusted servants who cared for her still. Far from the overturned kingdom, in the countryside near a coast she had never seen, she hid away from the world. She looked forward to the scarce few hours she was able to enjoy the outdoors; the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. Otherwise, she was confined to the cottage where she was incessantly fussed over by servants who were determined to keep her bored despite her restlessness . . . Or, at least, that’s how she saw it.<br/><br/>“Vail!” A familiar voice called, carrying through the air. “Vail, it’s time to come in!”<br/><br/>The sun had nearly disappeared beyond the horizon. She opened her eyes, dark pupils swimming in pools of crystal blue adjusted to the light. Vail pushed herself up, resting on her elbows. She looked over her shoulder, able to see between the blades of grass a woman waiting expectantly with her arms across her chest. A mischievous smile appeared upon on her lips as she rose to her feet, staring at the elderly woman. Even from a distance she could tell that Melina was daring her to defy her, a look she could recognize with her eyes closed somehow. Vail lifted the skirt of her dress quickly and took off in the opposite direction, running as fast as her legs could carry her. The princess beamed while she ran, melodic laughter filling the air around her as she looked over her shoulder. The woman was taking large strides after her, ones that would never allow her to catch up to the speeds she sprinted at. She was running to nowhere in particular, only wanting to give the old women a hard time.<br/><br/>When she looked ahead of her, there was a young woman directly in her path, looking none too pleased. Vail skidded to a halt, laughing all the while as she turned to run to the left of her. Unfortunately for her, another servant had managed to position themselves in the way. It seemed that, after all these years, they had learned the tricks and games she played to allow herself a few more minutes of freedom. So, the princess slowed herself, finally stopping to let the women catch up with her and escort her to the cottage.<br/><br/>“Look at you. Faye made that beautiful dress for you, and you lay on the ground in it, running around like a wild woman. Bath, supper, then bed. No more mischief, Princess.” Melina demanded, ushering her to the path that would lead to the door.<br/><br/>“Of course. Cross my heart, no more mischief . . . till tomorrow.” Vail smiled, feeling somewhat compliant now that she was out of breath and winding down for the evening.<br/><br/>As they neared the path, the sound of hooves beating against the dirt caught their attention. The four women paused. It wasn’t often that travelers ventured off the main roads. There was nothing in the countryside for miles and miles, the next town being easier to access from the main road. Protectively, Melina stepped forward.<br/><br/>“In the house, the lot of you. Take the Princess to her room.” She demanded quickly and quietly.<br/><br/>Vail looked over her shoulder as she was being pushed to the door, curious to know who was coming. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen another person other than Melina, Faye, and Cornelia. Any time someone came around, she was banished to her room and locked away to pretend as though she didn’t exist. It was infuriating, but as much as she believed they were being too cautious she was left with no other choice but to trust their judgement. She went to her room and shut the door, listening as a key was turned to slide the lock in play. Beneath the floorboards, under the rug, was a hiding space for emergencies—in case of robbers or other criminals. Vail didn’t pull them up quite yet, pressing her ears to the door to listen for any signs of danger.<br/><br/><br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="929" data-username="@InfernoLucien" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/929/">@InfernoLucien</a>