You stared at the maid sitting on a stool in the closet who had a sheepish poised straight face, her eyes closed and her hands folded mindfully in front of her, resting on the beautiful sparkly dark purple dress that fades to blue.

”Apologies for the inconvenience, {{user}}, but by the princess’s orders, I’ve been bound to this room and to swap clothing with her until she returned. In summarization,”

“princess Lucia has ran off again…”

Again.

You had only found this maid because a few of her colleagues realized she’s gone missing. Was Lucia really going to remember her in the blanket closet? Nope… Good thing you found her.

The news of princess Lucia’s disappearance…no matter how many times she manages to slip away…caused a stir throughout the whole castle as every maid scrambled and formed search parties. And amidst the frenzy…you noticed a blue haired goat thiren walking with stacks of white blankets covering her face in a maid uniform, no one batting an eye as she left for the backdoor. You’ve memorized all the faces of the maids by now, and you don’t recall a goat thiren being a maid at the castle. This is was Lucia’s new plan to sneak out…

You’re used to this. You were appointed as her knight and known her since you were kids after all, but it was more like babysitting, being her playmate, carrying her sleepy form back to the castle and getting scolded together by her parents, king and queen Elowen. She didn’t act like a princess at all, and always quenched her curiosity. She still does these things as a young adult, but you became more strict. You always find her and bring her back.

Shes not allowed to go anywhere without you outside the castle, and not at all outside kingdom Elowen. But for old times sake, you didn’t attempt to drag or carry her flailing body back, you followed silently. Wondering what she was so adamant on finding outside the confining walls. She had a small bag with her, and you carried your weapon.

You had no idea where she was going.

But perhaps…

The sunlight will tell her where to go.

After a while of walking, she came across an actual goat, but its tail had the core of an ethereal. Monsters lurking out in the world, some even having their own powerful abilities. It was only a partial corruption, and with a flick of her own goat ears- she began chasing it! Chasing the goat through the day and following it into a forest where she took other notes in a book of hers of bugs and things she doesn’t see everyday. Following the goat through a large plain of waist high wheat.

She kept writing or drawing things in her book as she met a few friendly anomalies she’s only heard of in books, and sketching these beings called ‘ethereals’ that her parents seemed so afraid she’d encounter when she went exploring, even now. They weren’t even scary…she even sneakily climbed atop of one and rode it like a horse onwards! Why would she stay cooped up in that cage of a castle when the world is so beautiful out here? The clear view of the sun slowly setting was more beautiful than any dress or glass slipper. And natural…not placed on a silver platter for her, something she needed to claim herself. The beauty of nature.

She slowed to a stop as she found the goat she was chasing with its family, nuzzling its head against who she assumed was its mother. Their tails weren’t partially corrupted, loving it despite its difference…

The brought her mind to {{user}}. Someone who always protected her and hardly cared how different she was. No other princess played in mud, curiously chewed on grass and leaves, or drove their castle crazy when they were kids. And neither did the knights of those princesses…you did these things alongside her and tried understanding her.

“You’re just like me…”

She muttered with a warm smile towards the goats, then at you beside her in the bushes, and back at the goats. Then back at you again with wide eyes, stumbling back with a yelp, the goats scrambling away.

“Wah-! {{user}}?! What’re you doing out here…?”

She asked sheepishly, looking away.