By Anonymous
Princess Catherine’s bloodshot eyes grew heavy as she flipped through another page in her book. She paused for a moment and sighed before sitting upright, glancing at the clock beside her. Two hands positioned themselves at 2:00, one moving achingly slow and the other not budging. The second hand ticked against the glass like a faint heartbeat, the stone walls of her chamber seemed to amplify every beat. Her tiredness loomed over her like a ghost. Everytime she leaned back onto the cliffside of sleep, her eyes would snap open and she would be back in the castle. Back to the same ticking clock and the same stone walls she had left behind a second before. She had had enough. She swept herself out of her chamber, doing it in a hurry so her mind wouldn’t have the time to tempt itself with more attempts at unsuccessful slumber. She flung a cape the color of the night sky over her nightgown and ducked into the black air. She shivered as she trekked across the palace grounds, diverging from the path lit by lanterns leading towards the gates, instead taking a detour towards the woods that flanked the castle, the woods that had guarded her and her family as well as any guard. She was on a quest to find a bed that would allow her to sleep.
The more she diverged from the small trail carved into the woods, the closer she felt to her destination. She let her exhaustion lead the way, and soon enough she happened upon a small cabin. A crackling fireplace deep within the cabin cast flaming shadows across the windows Catherine peered into. As she gazed inside the cabin through the glass, inspecting what looked to be the kitchen, her eyes appeared ablaze in the dancing amber light. Her curiosity was quickly interrupted by a croaking voice coming from behind her.
“What are you doing here little girl?” a woman’s voice spoke. It seemed to crackle in her throat like thunder from an incoming storm. Catherine jumped, startled by the sudden interruption.
“I’m so sorry miss, I was just leaving,” she stammered.
The woman glanced at her, seemingly assessing her up and over for a few painstaking moments before breaking into a welcoming grin.
“Don’t worry about that dear, let’s get you out of the cold. I have a warm fire waiting for you just inside.”
Catherine contemplated denying the request, but again, led by her exhaustion, she entered. She wiped her muddy slippers across the bristles of the welcome mat before stepping into the cabin. She was instantly overcome by warmth so tranquilizing she almost laid down on the kitchen floor and closed her eyes right then and there. However, her half-conscious mind begrudgingly resisted the temptation. Catherine continued to scan the room. There was a kitchen, another bedroom, a small table, and much to her surprise, a king side bed in the middle of the cabin across from the burning fire. She stepped towards it slowly, her footsteps creaking on the wood panels of the cabin. She allowed her fingers to graze over the mattress before dipping her palm into the plush comforter. She could have melted into it at that moment. But of course, she was a princess, she couldn’t forget her manners.
“May I lay down for a moment? I’ve had such a long journey… I promise to leave by the first light of dawn.”
The woman stared at her with wild eyes of disbelief, appearing over-zealous by the request. She immediately rushed to her side and pushed her into the soft mattress. She took off Catherine’s coat before covering her body with blankets that seemed to be made of the softest wool. Catherine was too exhausted to realize what she had just gotten herself into. But as soon as her head hit the pillow, it was too late.
Elements Magazine 