Azara slowly scaled down the vines that were tangled underneath her window, her nimble hands gripping onto the roots before she landed in the foliage below.

“Ow— curses…” she muttered, sitting up and dusting her gown off while picking the leaves out of her curls. She stood up and sneakily climbed over the Remiran Palace gates and ran down into the forest. Her sandals pounded against the grass beneath her feet and the damp woody air filled her nostrils. It made her feel alive. Like she was more than just the ‘kingdom’s little girl’ that sat on a pedestal.

Soon, her legs grew to tire and her heart was almost beating right out of her chest. She slowed down and gripped onto the bark of the closest tree, doubling over to catch her breath. Her chest heaved for a minute or two before she managed to straighten back up. Where was she again? This girl had no sense of direction. Being raised in the palace all her nineteen years of living, the only places she knew how to navigate was her own home. Her head whipped around, messing her hair into a feral style as her heart rate elevated again. Only, this time, it was out of anxiety.

“Dear gods.. Um… hello?” She called out hesitantly, the only response being the whistling of the wind and the twigs beneath her shoes.