Criminal

"Father, can't I just leave the palace once? It's Nienna's birthday!" I whined. My father never let's me do anything. He always commands me to stay in the castle, because it's not safe outside of this giant stone box. He doesn't understand that I am not a child anymore.

"Idril, you must stay here where you can be protected." He said gently and placed a large hand on m shoulder. "There will be other birthdays."

"Not any that I will be allowed to attend." I huffed in frustration.

"You don't know that." He muttered defensively.

"Yes I do!" I shouted. "You never let me do anything and you never will! It's like I'm a prisoner of my own home!"

"Watch your tone young lady!" He roared back. "I may be your father but I am also your king. You will never address me in that tone ever again!"

I laughed, and shouted, "watch me!" His face flushed, I snickered. Defiance is my only form of entertainment here.

"Go to your room, young lady!" He growled and shot daggers at me from his eyes.

"Ooooh what a punishment." I screamed, sarcasm dripping from my tone."It's so different from the rest of this god forsaken prison you've kept me locked in all my life!" I turned and stormed off to my favorite hiding spot in the garden. It was by the crescent lillies tucked away in the southeast corner of the wall behind the garden keeper's shack.

There was a stone missing which gave me a miniscule window to the outside world.

"Hey, are you okay?" Nienna's voice sounded from the opening. I sniffled and forced a laugh.

"No, my father still refuses to let me out of this cage. I'm sorry I'll miss your party."

"That is perfectly okay.... As long as you send a stellar gift." She giggled, then became serious. "The night will not be as pleasant without you. Just... Stay occupied and avoid angering your father again. It' is my birthday and I wish for you to have a good time."

"I will try not to hang myself." I laughed and bid her farewell. Little did she know I was leaving tonight. There is no way I am wasting my life trapped in this castle.

I left my hiding spot and climbed up the ivy that flowed down from the window of my bedroom. Once I reached the top and pulled myself into the room, I opened up the storage box at the end of my be and pulled out the bag I had packed and the outfit I had worked so hard to achieve. It is a complete set of commoners clothing and a piece of spell paper that would cover up my royalty mark. Our royalty marks show up once we mature and grow with us for the rest of our lives, or until one breaks the law, then it is taken away. Luckily mine was only two butterflies near my right eye, and this spell paper would keep it covered so no one would notice me.

I slipped on my commoner clothing and placed the spell paper on my cheek, then it spoke to me.

Please say a password, choose a word or phrase you will remember but will never say on accident.

I laughed, I knew the perfect one. "I love my father." There's plenty of ways to modify that incase I have to tell someone that I love him. It's perfect.



I waited until night had fallen to leave. I climbed down the ivy and weaved between the trees and bushes in the garden, leading up to the gate. We only have one guard at night, and he was one of my few good friends. We had grown up together, he had to train here in the castle and I would sit and watch him. We'd go on little picnics and he would come to every tea party I threw, and he'd also teach me all the moves he had learned that day. He was my very best friend, and I was really going to miss him. But I knew that he'd let me out of this place.

"Elwe?" I whispered.

"Idril what are you doing here? Isn't it past your curfew?" He asked all guard-like, then pulled me into a hug. "Aw I know you just missed my beautiful face."

"Of course!" I laughed and hugged him back.

"So what's up Ida? Have another brawl with your father?" He paused. "Wait don't answer that. It wouldn't be a normal day if you didn't, also everyone heard that shouting match. Hold on, why are you dressed like that? Where did your royalty mark go?"

"Elwe... I'm, I don't know how to say this..." I took a deep breath. "I'm leaving."

"Like running away?" Concern clouded his handsome green eyes. "Idril, you can't! Who will I talk to and spend all my extra time with? Who will I laugh at when they fail at the moves I'm trying to teach them? What about tea parties!?"

I laughed and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Tea parties? Aren't we a little too old for those?"

"You're never to old to sit around a miniature tea set with your favorite girl's favorite stuffed animals!" He huffed, and I laughed.

"I cannot take being trapped in here anymore, Elwe. I love you to death but..." I trailed off and stared into his eyes willing him to understand.

"You want to go see the world and experience life. I understand. Everyone would want to do the same thing if their parents imprisoned them for that long." He nodded firmly. "I promise I will not tell them where you have gone, if you promise to write to me whenever you can. Just so I know you're okay."

"I promise." I hugged him again, giving him one last squeeze. "Please refrain from being slain in combat."

He laughed. "I will try not to. Now go, the sun will be up in a few hours and you need to get as far away as you can. Stay safe." He pecked me on the cheek and pushed me out the gate. My cheeks are probably bright red and I feel extremely flustered. Why did he do that?

I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I have to get moving. There is only four hours until sunrise.