The Princess of Alamon (Book 1)

1. The Escape

Living in the tower has brought me to realize how lonely I am. Spending days with no human contact is hard, and I often don't know what to do.

The ways I pass my time are reading my hundereds of books I have stacked upon shelf after shelf, while also keeping everything organized and perfect. I often take time to gaze out of my one window in the tower. It's very beautiful outside. You see green trees for miles with long, curved branches sticking out at odd angles. Animals often scamper up and down the large trunks, carrying nuts and berries in their mouths. The iridenscent river shines up at me reflecting the golden rays of the sun. Is this everything I have dreamed of? Yes.

My favorite part of the outside world is the abundance of different flowers littering the green ground. I have always had the urge to touch one of their soft petals, seeing how they feel. I've imagined a red flower in my hair, along with a prince kissing my cheek and calling me beautiful. These situations happen only in the stories I read. It's fun to imagine life outside the walls of The Tower of Garden's End.

My parents have kept me here for 18 years, promising me they would come back and release me so I can take over the throne. I am the last heir. The only problem is is that they promised I would be released when I was 17, and my 18th birthday was 2 nights ago. Does this confuse me? Of course It does. I do not know how much longer I will be here, but I am confident they have not forgotten me.

I wonder if the plague is still happening. You see, I have been locked in this tower because of the plague. My parents do not want me to catch it and end up passing on, not being able to continue on the family blood line. Bloodlines are important in the Kingdom of Alamon. The higher you are on the scale, the more recognition you get. I just happened to be born into the right family, even though sometimes I wish I hadn't.

My food is brought to me via soldiers of the 1st infantry. I have special meals deoxitized so I do not catch the plague. The food is all kept in special insulators to keep the plague from invading the food the higher classes eat.

Letters come to me from my father and mother often. They describe how the plague is beginnign to get better, and we have found a cure for the disease. I can only jump for joy because of this! The sooner this happens, the sooner I can be released from here. I haven't received a letter in over 2 years, but it's better to rely on the last one than worry about the plague being worse.

I hear a shout. "Lady Amethyst, you're food has arrived."

Finally! I have been expecting a meal today, but it's also late.

I hear keys jingling and the sound of the door becoming unlocked. The door opens to a young man with dark, buzzed hair. He's masculine, and has a small chip in his left front tooth. His uniform is made of cotton; I only notice because of all the studying I have came to do. He doesn't show a grim emotion on his face, only rock hard features.

"I have been instructed to bring you chicken with seasoning on the top, along with corn, and hash."

I nod politely, even though I'm blushing because of it. He's very good looking, and I have never seen a man like him come to the door. I am used to older men who whistle at my features.

He sets my food on top of the small desk in the corner of my room. My room is furnished with small decor, but I have pictures of flowers I have cut out of my books scattered upon my walls. I love the color it brings the room.

He only glances at me slightly, tipping his hat and disappearing from sight.

The food is the same as always; bland and not cooked all the way. I'm used to not being fed the right way. I have become thin, and my featuers are not as prominenet as they used to be. I have often requested my food to be a bit on the tastier, healthier side, but every time I try to talk to one of the soldiers, they ignore me with distraught faces.

There was something about the man who just came in moments ago. Yes he still had the same facial expression as many of the other men, no emotion I supposed, but he had a slight hop to his step, and he seemed eager to do his job. It only makes me wonder why. I have often heard soldiers outside my garden with prominent faces, who believe this job is only a bore. They wish they could be doing something more useful.

I look at my door with sadness. Is it such a terrible thing that I can't go out and even have a taste of the sunshine, or the fresh air? Being cooped up in a dungeon all of these years isn't what I wish for my future. But this way of life is what I have become used to.

I notice a glimmer in the crack of the door. Is there something wrong with it? I tiptoe across the floor and touch the dark oak paneling. My hand trails down to the handle. Am I crazy? It's locked. There's no possible way of this door being open.

But suprisingly to my taste, the door does open, wide in fact. My eyes look up in shock. This couldn't be happening! Did the soldier forget to lock the door? Of course he did. He is young, naive, and his main purpose to do his job the correct way. But trying to prove yourself doesn't always work out in the end because mistakes are made and you don't realize it.

Should I go out? No...I can't. Leaving this tower would mean I would be in grave danger. The plague could catch up to me and I might die because of it, but then again why should I be cooped up in this place? I deserve answers.

I decide to do the last thing I have ever dreamed my conscience would tell me. I left my tower.

The feeling was exhilarating and risky. I was finally free!

The tower had a set of winding stairs that led down to the bottom. I continued my way down the stairs, leaping up and down for joy as I became excited.

When I reached the downstairs door, I opened it and saw the green grass.

I was scared to touch it. All of these years and finally, finally I would be able to do exactly what I wanted to do! I touched the grass with my toes. It was soft, something I wasn't used to being cooped up on cold cement floors for over 18 years of my life.

I danced out into the middle of the forest and examined everything in full view. Grass was plentiful and everywehere. The sun shone on the land making it sparkle. I only smild and laughed. I fell back on the grass and soon relaxed and let my mind take me away.

I dreamed of living here, in the forest among the trees and the animals. Why couldn't I? On yes, because I have a duty to my kingdom that I still have to fulfill. I sighed. I would have to find my way back to the castle to find my parents, ask them what the heck is going on, and start my reign as queen. I deserved some answers after all this time being cooped away.

Just as my mind was slowly awaking, I heard a sudden yell.

"What the heck are you doing out of the tower?"