The Sad Princess

The sad princess stands on her balcony and overlooks her father’s land. She thinks about when the day will come that she will have land all her own.

She is pretty to see and her hair reflects the pale moonlight. Her skin glows softly as she stands alone. Her beauty is like that of a rose. She rests her hands on the railing and her dress is as still as she is. There is no wind on this night, only the glistening of stars.

The princess hears the fire crackle behind her but does not turn to look. She ponders life itself as if it could be understood. A tear runs down her cheek to the ground. There is no one to share her pain.

She looks to the ocean; it stands on the horizon. She thinks of the fishes and the sea creatures that are free to swim to and fro. She wishes to see the waves crash upon the shore. She wants to see the tiny birds scamper over the wet sand.

She imagines catching a bird in her hands. She only wants to hold the little one and feel its soft feathers touch her skin. She can almost feel its heartbeat in her hand. She longs to know the world outside, the world she must protect.

The chill of night has made her nose and cheeks rosy. As she turns to go back to the world she knows, she glances over her shoulder. The world below her balcony is alive, though it sleeps. She sighs and walks into her room, closing the door behind her.

She will cry herself to sleep. Her breathing will become lighter and she will drift off to another world. The sad princess will begin to dream.