Kingdom of Korata: Adventure of a Girl
By TMS


The water's surface stood still, unrippling. Unbraiding her fire red hair, the girl sat and looked at her reflection that was not hers. Within the mirror surface of the water, she saw the woman with the black hair who sat humming, rocking a child in her arms. The child's soft wavy hair was like a pink and red sunset. She drew in a deep breathe, untied her high laced sandals, and broke the image by wading into the water. The cool water welcomed her into it's depths, surrounding her pale ankles and climbing up to her knees swiftly. Her milky skin quickly became tainted blue through the water surface.

"What am I doing?" she thought out loud. "This is no way to behave, running from my problems..." She turned back to look at the small house in the distance. Her father was probably worried sick by now. "Only about the uncooked dinner and the dirty dishes." she mused. "I'm halfway there... Better finish."

She pushed her way through, letting her toes squish in the mud. It felt strangely refreshing to feel the common mud of the great river. It was strange to everyone else how she loved her common life and didn't long like other girls for riches, jewels and clothing, but she was happy with what she had, no matter how simple. She had only one wish within the world, and that was for her true love. Often times, she imagined dancing with him, wether it was in a great palace or a small shabby barn.

Her hair floated on the surface, a constant reminder of who she was and what she was doing. She was a poor girl from a poor town and a poor trade. Her father made little money in the business of ferrying, and what he did make went on the supplies for the next job. He had to scrape every last cent just to feed himself and his three daughters.

Elizabeth was the youngest and the only red-head within the town. She now sighed thinking of her two beautiful elder sisters and wondered why they had not been married off. She supposed it was the fact that her father told them to marry well and to be picky, for they were extravagant beauties, fair skinned and raven-haired. She herself was thin and lanky with pale skin and fire hair that always seemed too long and awkward, but she dare not cut.

This was the sole reason for her escape into the night. Not long ago, she had made a clutz of herself in the market by turning too quickly when a nobleman had addressed her. Her hair had flung out and sent the nobleman tipping into a barrel of old fish heads. Then, in further embarassment, when she tried to pull him out, she tripped and sent another barrel, this one full of an oily substance used to preserve some of the fish, right into the man's lap. He was furious to say the least as he had come on her father's request to see about courting her, hearing of her rare hair color and meek demeanor.

"Atleast maybe I'll find someone I love now and it won't matter if he's a stable boy or the king of an enchanted place!" she fumed. She had no idea that while she was wondering, her true love was already pining away for her, having wiped away the dirt smudges he had put on his face to hide the royal blood that ran trough his veins and gave him his unique face.

This young man was indeed the soon-to-be king of the enchanted land of Korata. However, while his evil uncle ruled the land over him, as it seems the case in almost all times where kings die, orphaning their only son, he snuck out unnoticed to pretend to be the very stable boy who worked for Elizabeth's father, when her father had work, that is.

Elizabeth frowned as she heard the fast hoofbeats of a horse following her path. "That's not fair! Someone out looking for me already?!"

"Looking for you? Were you missing?" The royal garbed man asked as he came to a halt behind her.

"Oh... Dear... I'm sorry... I..."

"It's alright... But have you seen Prince Robert around here?"

"I've only seen you, actually."

"Well, Robert seems to have snuck out once again. If you should come across him, we at the palace would be most thankful for his safe return."

"I'll send him home if I see him."

"Thank you, miss." With that he turned around and left.








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