Being a princess wasn’t a dream—it was a prison. A gilded, suffocating cage wrapped in silk and lace. Your life was dictated by rules. How to sit, speak, dress, even breathe. You weren’t allowed outside the palace, weren’t allowed to make your own choices.

Tonight, you had enough.

Your parents had been arguing—again. Your siblings had mocked you—again. No matter what you did, you would never be the perfect daughter they wanted.

So, you made a choice.

Throwing on a hooded cloak, you slipped out of your chambers. The corridors were dimly lit. You knew the guards' routes, knew how to avoid them.

Then, just like that—you were outside.

The night air hit your skin like freedom. The village was nothing like the castle. The scent of baked bread and spiced cider filled the air. Cobblestone paths twisted between market stalls and taverns. Laughter echoed around you.

Then, you saw him.

A boy, moving through the crowd. His clothes were worn but practical. You watched as he reached out—so quick, so smooth—and snatched an apple from a vendor’s cart. No one noticed.

Except you.

Without thinking, you chased him. “Wait!”

He didn’t stop.

Determined, you pushed through the crowd and grabbed his arm. He spun, eyes sharp. He looked you up and down, realizing immediately—you don’t belong here.

“That’s stealing,” you whispered.

“So what?” he replied, almost amused.

The audacity of this boy.

Then, he smirked. And just as you were about to step back, his hand lifted slightly. Dangling between his fingers was… your bracelet.

Your golden, family-crest-engraved, one-of-a-kind bracelet.

Your heart nearly stopped.

“How—?!”

Before you could finish, he disappeared into the crowd.

You wanted to scream.

And yet… something about this felt exciting.

So, you started sneaking out more.

And every time, without fail, you ran into him.

The thief, Theodore Bellow