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No Escape

Rated: E · Fiction · Fantasy · #2365322

Princess runs away from her fate.

The Princess of Marillion sighed in disgust. Once again the King, her step-father, was attempting to marry her off so he could obtain more land. Thus far she had thwarted all his attempts, scaring off the numerous portly and ugly suitors; but this time was different. Father had put his foot down so hard he had cracked the polished, imported Rosewood floor as he proclaimed that this time she would marry the Prince he chose...or else!

She scowled into her bedazzled bedroom mirror.

“My Lady, if you keep making that face it will stick like that,” the magic Mirror gently scolded. In response, the Princess stuck out her tongue and then sighed again.

“There’s only one thing left to do,” she said. She straightened her back and lifted her chin, resolved. “I will run away from this dreadful responsibility.”

“Not again!” Mirror exclaimed.

“Yes, again! I am sure I will be successful this time.”

She shimmied out her bedroom window, backpack of bare essentials firmly on her shoulders, and slid down into the courtyard. She stared longingly at the Royal Stable. It would be so much easier on her feet if she was able to ride her most gallant steed away from this place. She had to force herself to walk away from that idea. As soon as she placed a saddle on that beautiful equine back the stable boy would be tattling on her. It wasn’t worth the risk.

“Farewell, Castle Marillion! May we never meet again!”

She ran like a deranged fae all through the night, with only the man on the moon glaring at her with disapproval. When the day began to break she frowned and cast her gaze about for shelter. After her eyes bounced over far too many places that were plainly unsuitable for a princess to hide, she managed to squint and find a craggy looking tower in the distance.

“Out of the way, almost hidden from all of humanity...perfect!” she squealed, jumping up and down and clapping her hands in glee.

The building was definitely abandoned, she determined, after reaching it’s base. Far too many weeds and cobwebs clung to the structure for any sane human to be found habitating therein.

“Unless there’s a zombie inside,” she reluctantly conceded to herself. “Or a troll or skeleton.” She shuddered in fear, secretly thrilled at the scare she gave herself. Still, the sun was rising and if she wasn’t quickly hidden she would most certainly be discovered and returned to her gilded cage and a marriage of inconvenience.

She tapped a finger to her chin. “Now where is the door?”

“There ain’t no door, love,” a voice called out.

“Of course there has to be a door,” she scoffed, craning her neck up to roll her eyes at the man half-leaning out of the tower window. Not a troll, she wryly observed. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be in there now, would you?”

The man grinned and she could see mischief sparkle in his blue eyes. “Well, now, I was tossed in here with some strong magic. Only one way out, y’know.” He threw down a bold wink.

“I’m sure I do not,” the Princess retorted.

“The cure is an old cliché but one witches are very fond of using, I’m afraid.” The man shook his head and she couldn’t help but take note on how his golden hair gleamed under the sun. She twisted her own red locks around her index finger in dismay. As a Princess it was her duty to offer aid, whatever that may be, but...

“It seems I am unable to help you, sir, as I am down here and you are stuck far, far above me.” She was grateful to grasp at the excuse and nearly swooned in relief that she would not be obliged to break this man’s curse of confinement. “With our unfortunate circumstances of orientation, I will bid you adieu and—”

“Blow me a kiss, love.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’ll work just the same as a smack on the lips, I reckon,” he said with a shrug that almost had him falling out the window and into her arms. She took a step backwards.

“Surely you’re joking,” She gasped, arching one eyebrow.

“A prince would never jest about such a sensitive topic.” He had adjusted to lean on his elbows and gawk down at her, his expression serious and almost regal.

“You’re a prince?” she asked, highly doubting that was the case.

“Who else would an ugly old hag capture and imprison?”

She thought for a moment and finally sighed in defeat.

“Fine. I’ll blow you a kiss. But just one! And if it doesn’t work then I’m outta here!”

“Sounds like fine terms, love.”

She pressed her trembling fingers against her lips and then blew the kiss up, up, up, where he snatched out a hand and grabbed it. There was a creaking, groaning sound and the stones in the tower shifted until a door, once invisible, separated from the base and opened. In moments the man came racing out, a crown of gold perched on his gilded locks. Before she could think to pull out her dagger he had scooped her up and spun her around in his arms.

“I was destined to fall madly in love with the woman who saved me from this wretched prison. I could hardly believe such nonsense while I was trapped inside but now that it has happened I find the magic is much too powerful to resist. I love you!”

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” she grumbled under her breath as her new Prince began gushing about her meeting his parents. There truly was no escape for a Princess, she realized, as his hand firmly clasped hers and they walked away into the sunset.

Once Upon a Time ▶︎

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