The leaves scudded over the ground and brought little flights into the air. As she swung her head back and raised her eyes to the sky, a smile formed from her lips. If it weren't for the bystanders, she would turn like a little girl she once was, arms out wide and fingers spread. Instead, she just kept her hands in the pockets of her gown and breathed in deeply.
After the unpleasant scene she had with her mother and father, she went outside the castle and took a stroll at the People's Park. She thought it was better to be out once in a while. Here, no one would pressure her to do things she'd rather not do.
Here, she's no one.
She wandered through the leaf-covered path and took in the sight of the surrounding people. Anyone who caught a glimpse of her bowed to acknowledge her presence. She did the same and greeted them with a pleasant smile.
The Royal Guards followed her as she drew near the white fountain that was the jewel of the square.
She took a seat on the ledge and looked at her reflection. A month from now, she'll finally be 20 and she didn't know if it should please her.
Allyria has loved no one aside from her family. The thought of being married didn't even sink into her mind until now. But she knew that eventually, all her siblings would have to be, especially Nikolai who was destined to follow their father's footsteps.
"Hi," the voice of a little boy took her back to reality.
He looked no less than 5 years old, wearing a knee-length woolen tunic paired with black leggings and a round hat just like the other commoners. But for some, the kid could be mistaken for a noble.
"Hello," she replied and patted on the seat beside her, "Come here."
He skipped towards her in high spirits and sat. "You must be a princess," he said as he observed her from head to foot.
Allyria was wearing an elaborate gown. Most of the people in high status do, but the only difference is that no one in her class would actually think of visiting the People's Park. The recreational ground might be for all sorts of people in the country, but the upper class regarded it as a park for the poor.
Allyria refused to acknowledge that.
"You're pretty," the little boy said, the amusement evident in his face. For his age, he sure knows how to compliment a woman.
The corners of her eyes crinkled, pleased. "Thank you. You are a very handsome gentleman, too."
He beamed and then said, "But you look sad. Why are you sad?"
The smile on her face faded, a sigh escaping from her lips. The thought haunted her again. She's been locked up in the castle ever since, her whole life spent living inside. She couldn't even explore what's out there. The farthest she's ever been to was the People's Park and now they will chain her up again, not to any place but to an unknown person.
"Aha! I know how to make you smile!" the kid fumbled for something in his pocket. When he could finally get a hold of it, he placed it in her palms, "Here."
A lollipop.
"Whenever I'm sad, I just eat a lollipop and I'm happy again." He beamed, a few of his front teeth missing.
She couldn't help but let out a slight laughter, "Thank you," she opened the wrapper and indulged in its sweet flavor.
"It's delicious, isn't it?"
Allyria nodded. They stayed like that for several seconds, staring at the passersby like two old people.
"Do you know that this fountain will make all your wishes come true?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Allyria shook her head and smiled at his knowledge. He looked well-educated for his status. Few many children she has encountered didn't speak fluently like him since the lives of peasant and noble children were very different; peasant children were poor and were mostly uneducated.
Only wealthy families had the access to excellent education while young peasant children were assigned duties such as scaring birds from the fields, collecting eggs from the chickens, harvesting crops and such.
Not everyone was given the same privileges as the nobles. The commoner children's only hope was to be educated by priests or family members who taught them a basic understanding of how to read and write.
Their system was flawed, she acknowledged that. She wanted to share what she knew, but she was still too young to be part of the Royal Council, her father and mother said. They only told her she would be given the opportunity once the time is right, and she now had the capacity to rule.
"Do you have a penny?" the kid asked.
"Nope," she showed him her empty pockets and laughed.
Princess, and yet she doesn't even have a penny.
"Here," he handed her a coin and Allyria took it from his hand, "All you have to do is close your eyes and make a wish. After that, you throw it into the fountain."
She did as instructed. Once she was finished, she tossed the coin into it, diving straight to the bottom.
"What did you wish?" he asked.
"Nothing special," she said, and played with the water.
He looked at her with hopeful eyes, "Well, whatever that is, I also wish for your dreams to come true."
'I can't believe I'm talking to a kid right now, but I guess it's better than having no one.'
She was about to reply when he suddenly heaved a deep sigh. Well, that was unexpected.
"You know, I was once sad like you," he pouted and slurped another lollipop he got from his pocket before proceeding to talk, "When mommy went to heaven, I thought I could never be happy again."
He continued, "But I know she didn't want me to be sad, that's why I'm not anymore. Plus, my brother is here," he smiled, "He always tries to make me happy."
She didn't know what to say, so she just mustered a smile for him to see and hugged him, "It will be all right," she said to him and maybe she was trying to convince herself of that too.
When she released herself from the embrace, he spoke. "My brother always told me the royal family is bad. But I don't think you are."
His words surprised her. Bad? In what way?
"Why–"
"Your Grace, it is time for us to go back to the castle. The sun has almost set," one of the Royal Guards spoke. She glanced at the sky and he's right. It's only then that she realized she already spent almost an hour out of the castle.
Allyria wore the cloak over her head and turned to face the little guy to bid her good-bye but he wasn't there anymore.
She bobbed her head around and saw him clutching his tiny hands in someone else's, their backs facing in her direction.
'It must have been his brother.'
What happened anyway that made him think that way?
But even she couldn't find any rational answer to that question. So she just shrugged the thought off and went back to the carriage.