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I ducked behind the wall, hoping to conceal myself from my tutor.

"Karina!" she called urgently, but I didn't respond. I sprinted away, in a very unladylike way, lifting up my skirts. If my mother saw this, she would scold me for hours - my ankles were exposed!

"Princess Karina! Your parents have very important news for you!"

She had used this one on my several times, and I wasn't stupid. I wasn't going to fall for it again. I ran all the wat to the lake, knowing that she wouldn't follow - my tutor hated the outdoors.

Slowing down, I noticed that my soft silk gown had gotten filthy. I brushed it off, disgusted. I may not have been a proper lady, as my parents wished, but I was still a girl who was brought up as royalty. I preferred to smell and feel clean, although at the moment that could not be helped.

Regaining my breath, I saw something... peculiar. Next to the lake, under the huge weeping willow tree, was a tiny little cottage. I went to investigate, frightened but curious.

Peering in, I saw that Inside was a lovely circular structure, with white horses on it, and cushioned chairs, laced with gold. The horses were obviously fake, with gleaming gold poles sticking out vertically from their bodies. They were beautiful nonetheless.

Carefully, I went to go sit in one of the ornate chairs, but they were not as comfortable as I had imagined. It struck me that I was probably not allowed in strange place, but I was a princess - who could punish me?

I stood up and climbed daintily onto on of the horses. stroking its smooth head. It was a statue of a horse, but more colorful than any statue I'd seen. A soft, tinkling melody started to play. It was soothing, and I soon lost myself in the music.

I was awoken from my trance, though, when the whole contraption started to spin. I realized that I really should not be in here, but I was paralyzed, too terrified to flee. I was frozen in shock, as I could not find the power source of the motion.

I must have entered a witch's cottage. I panicked as I spun around, faster and faster. The world blurred and I suddenly smelled a lovely floral fragrance, like the lilies in the castle garden. Maybe it wasn't so bad...

---

I woke up in a dream haze. I sat up slowly, reaching for the glass of water that was always set on my side table by someone. But me fingers grasped empty air, and I noticed that something was wrong. I opened my eyes to find myself in the same room before, with the beautiful horses staring down at me.

I shook my head in an attempt to clear away the confusion. I realized that I was sitting on the floor and jumped up immediately, cringing away from it.

I dusted myself off and headed towards the exit. I reached towards the door handle and pulled, but the door wouldn't budge. Determined to get home and out of this mysterious place, I placed both of my hands upon the handle and tugged on it. The door swung open, but I toppled over and onto the floor once more.

But that may have been a good thing, because the sight I saw made my legs weak, and I would have collapsed anyway.