As I gazed into the Princess's hopeful eyes, I found myself grappling with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I couldn't bear to disappoint her by refusing her request; after all, she had been so kind and helpful to me.
On the other hand, I knew deep down that I couldn't possibly agree to take her place and marry a prince in a foreign kingdom where I would be discovered in no time.
Just as I was about to voice my concerns, the Princess interrupted me with a sense of urgency in her voice. "Amara, please don't reject me. You are my only hope," she pleaded.
Her words caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but wonder how she knew my name.
"Princess, h-how... how do you know my name?" I asked, bewildered.
The Princess looked at me for a moment before her gaze shifted, and she lowered her eyes. She inhaled deeply, as if bracing herself, but then exhaled heavily. I observed her actions with a frown, trying to understand the reason for her hesitation. She looked as if she wanted to say something but was unable to say it.
"Princess?" I prompted slowly.
"Amara, there are things that I cannot reveal to you," she spoke softly, trailing off. "But I do know that you need to journey to the kingdom of Aarathorn. And the only way you can do that is by taking my place."
"But princess -"
Once again, she cut me off and looked into my eyes. "Amara, why do you think I let these guards camp here in the middle of the forest at this time of the day?"
I fidgeted with my fingers nervously and spoke in a low voice. "To... take... some... rest..."
Princess Amelia chuckled. "No. I asked them to camp here because I knew you would pass by. I was waiting for you, Amara."
I looked up. "Why me?"
"Because it had to be you," she smiled gently.
I continued to stare at her, unable to say anything.
"I don't know why you want to go to the Kingdom of Arathorn, but if you assume my identity, you will be able to enter the kingdom without any hindrance," she explained, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Moreover, I believe that your destiny is tied with the Kingdom of Arathorn. You will surely find your heart's desire over there."
I mulled over the Princess's words carefully and took a deep breath. Since this was the only way for her to reach the Kingdom of Arathorn, I nodded my head slowly. "Okay, I agree to the Princess's condition, but I do want to know one thing."
"Yes, yes, what is it?" she asked excitedly.
I could see the happiness on the Princess's face when I accepted her condition. "What about you, Princess? If I swapped my identity with you, what would you do?"
"Don't worry about all that," she smiled, waving her hand. "I have already made plans for my journey, but for now, let's focus on turning you into a beautiful princess."
I nodded slowly.
The Princess quickly held my hand and let me further inside the tent. She quickly asked me to clean myself up. I walked behind a screen and looked at my unkempt and ugly appearance in the small mirror.
I wondered how a person like me would be able to impersonate the Princess of the Kingdom of Ellendale. But what was done was done. Now that I have agreed with the Princess's condition, I couldn't turn back.
As I washed away the dirt and grime from my skin, I couldn't help but feel nervous about pretending to be a princess. Would I be able to pull it off? Would anyone suspect that I wasn't who I claimed to be?
A few minutes later, I emerged from the bath, my hair still wet and my face scrubbed clean. The Princess greeted me with a gasp of surprise and admiration. She quickly handed me a dress and a pair of shoes, urging me to change quickly. And as I slipped into the luxurious silk dress, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness wash over me.
When I emerged from the dressing room, the Princess was awestruck by my transformation. My long jet-black hair flowed down my back in loose curls, and my emerald green eyes sparkled brightly in the light. I looked every bit the part of a beautiful princess.
The Princess couldn't help but shower me with compliments, repeatedly praising my newfound beauty. "Amara, you look absolutely stunning," she said.
I responded with a small smile, feeling grateful for her kind words. "Thank you, your Highness. But I could never match your beauty. Are you certain that what we plan to do is the right thing? What if we get caught?"
"Don't worry," the Princess replied, exuding confidence. "As I've said before, no one knows what I look like, so our plan will stay a secret."
Under the spell of her kind eyes, I could feel my nervousness slipping away. Since our time was short, the Princess quickly got down to business. She taught me the proper way to walk, sit, and speak like a princess. And although I stumbled a few times, I quickly caught on and mimicked her every move to the best of my ability.
With a mischievous glint in her eye, the Princess decided to teach me a few tricks to help me blend in perfectly without being awkward. She showed me how to twirl my fingers gracefully as I spoke, how to flutter my eyelashes to seem coy, and how to laugh lightly at the appropriate moments.
And as we practiced, I couldn't help but feel like I was living in a fairytale. But our transformation wasn't complete without one final touch. The Princess handed me her heavy, long cloak and a veil, instructing me to cover myself fully so the guards outside wouldn't suspect a thing.
Once I was ready, the Princess's eyes sparkled. "And now, we are done."