Loneliness

"You want to escape this world, but that means much more than you think." The old woman smirked.

"I don't care. I don't want to live here anymore! I don't want to be a pawn or a doll or some political piece! Please..."

"But in order to do that. I need something of value."

"Name it! Anything!" She cried.

"I need a payment."

The princess nodded as she undid her necklace and handed it to the old woman. "Those are real diamonds...Here." She also took off her hair clip along with her earrings. "Each are real diamonds. Please just get my mom and-"

The old woman chuckled. "I'm not getting you both out of here."

"What...? But you promised to help me!"

"I 'promised' to help you my dear little poor princess. I said nothing about your mother."

"But-Then you can for-" The princess tried to grab the jewelry but it vanished. "What did you do?!"

"I put it away so you can't do anything stupid my darling. It was my payment so I must put it in a safe place and I must also make good on my promise." The old woman grinned.

"No...I...I don't want this anymore. I lied...You can keep the jewelry but-"

"No, no little one you want to leave this nasty palace, you want to be free from any ties with politics. You don't want to be used, or be dressed up so prettily anymore." The old woman cooed in the princess' ear. "My dear you're very naïve but you are resourceful, since you have found me when not many can."

"Please Miss witch...please...Let me get my mom...Let me bring her with me. I'll even double your payment!" She pleaded, dropping to her knees.

The witch cackled. “All you young people are like this. You always plead, always beg. But the world isn’t that soft or accepting. In the real world the decisions you make stay with you.”

“No they’re-”

“What do you know, princess. You’ve been locked away in the palace since you were born. You’ve been carefully cared for, do you truly know anything about the real world, the world outside of this perfect little cage? Have you walked the slums? Have you experienced death?”

The princess froze and stared up at the old woman. “No...but I can still learn I can-”

“Can you get over the smell of a rotting corpse that’s your next door neighbor? Can you truly make it in the real world? Can you even care for yourself?”

“I can embroider and sew! I’ll get a job and-”

“Would you be able to support two mouths with that good for nothing mother of yours?”

“My mother is-”

“A pure blooded noble. She’s never had a commoner job, never wore rags, never went a day without food. She would never be able to live as a commoner, or as anything other than a noble.”

“She can learn! I can learn! Pl-”

“That’s enough little girl.” The old woman snapped.

The princess stared up at the old woman, searching her face for anything.

The old woman scowled at the young princess. “You need to confront the real world and reality. Not the one you know but the one everyone else knows.”

The princess looked at the ground and nodded. “I...I still don’t think-”

“You made a deal. You can’t back out.” The old woman touched the princess’ forehead and the princess vanished.

When the princess, now ex-princess, woke up she was in rags and laying in a cheap, uncomfortable bed. She got up and looked around, noticing it was a commoner’s house. 

She bit her lip and sniffled. “I-I’m sorry mom.” She whispered. “I...I’m so sorry...” She hiccupped, covering her face.

There was a knock on the door of the girl’s now shabby living quarters.

She answered and smiled. “Hello.”

“Hello, I know you’re new here but I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Rose, it's nice to meet you.” The young woman, Rose, greeted with a warm smile.

The girl smiled back. “I’m Ophelia. It’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Rose!” A man called.

“Oh that’s my husband, Henry. I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.” Rose gave a nod and waved as she ran off.

“What a sweet and warm woman.” Ophelia smiled, watching Rose run. She closed her door and furrowed her brows. “But why does Rose sound and look so familiar?” Ophelia muttered to herself. She shrugged and went about looking for a job. As Ophelia earned a new job she noticed the tension in the village she was at. “Mrs. Gracie, what’s going on? Why is everyone so tense?”

“It seems the princess has went missing and everyone’s looking for her. Which means guards are everywhere making trouble and a ruckus at the mere mention of her name.” Mrs. Gracie sighed. “I even heard the first prince is looking for her.” Gracie glanced around and leaned towards Ophelia. “Himself, even. No guards, nothing.”

Ophelia gasped. “I can’t believe that. He must really love and miss his sister.”

Mrs. Gracie laughed. “I doubt that. I heard it’s because she might be pregnant. Or to do with the queen.”

“The queen?” Ophelia perked up at those words. “What about her?”

“It seems the queen is just awfully sick with worry about her daughter.” Gracie put a hand to her own cheek, shaking her head.

Ophelia balled her fists. “Oh really?”

“But I also heard that the queen was also having relations with the first prince. Then let-”

“That never happened!” Ophelia shouted. “I mean. I doubt the queen would ever do that. She’s just...she seems so loving and just cares a lot for the children.”

“I suppose so. But then why would the princess run away if something wasn’t happening?”

“Maybe she was kidnapped.”

Mrs. Gracie tapped her bottom lip with her pointer finger. “Could be. Or she could’ve made a wish. I heard there was a woman who could make people disappear.”

After work Ophelia went home and leaned against her closed door. “They’ll never find me. I hope not.” She paused and looked out the single window she had. “I wish mom was here. I wish...” She trailed off. “I wish I wasn’t so alone.” She whispered before hearing commotion outside.