The kingdom of Kralan has been my home since birth. However, my parents immigrated from the Waedal empire in the south for a better future. At that time the emperor in Waedal had been engaged in ferocious battles that lasted up to months and years, During the Battle of Raven, my parents' village was raided by the enemy, where they captured women, killed men, and burned the houses down, pillaging and looting what was left of our livelihood. My parents' side of the family lost their lives, 22 people, my cousins, my aunts and uncles, grandparents, and their spouses, all murdered. 

When my parents arrived in Kralan through an illegal route, via ships and in between mountains, the kingdom had started flourishing. Their land and sea routes were opened, and their farmers were growing enough food per day to last 10 years. Kralen is an ally to the Waedal empire, supplying them with weapons and food, horses, elephants, and most of all assassins. Waedal was famous for training the most notorious assassins, who worked independently from the emperor in exchange for a huge payment of course. It was rumored that the House of Orion had its army which guarded the place. 

My parents made their home in the small town called Wimborne, which was located portside and made it easier for my father to work as a fisherman. My mother grew flowers in our small garden, black roses, golden tulips, and a rare breed which was a mixture of a sunflower and lily. The flower took 5 years to bloom, and the color was always a surprise. During that time, in the small town of Wimborne, in the small nook of a shabby house made of stones, I was born a year after they immigrated to Waedal, and on the same day, the princess of Kralen was born. My parents like to joke that the celebrations are for me specifically, which I believed until I was 6 and I saw the princess being paraded down the towns because she had been engaged to the crown prince of Waedal. 

She was like a beautiful flower. Dressed in the prettiest white gown, her black hair reached her waist, decorated with golden pins and diamonds. Verbena Astoria Dawner. I stared up at her with a gaping mouth, holding a piece of a banana bun, my blue frock dirty, my feet bare from playing in the garden, and my hair a tangled mess. We were a different side of the same coin, born on the same day, with different fates and that's when I wondered if I'd ever get to be in her presence. Suppose I'll ever step foot inside that palace where they celebrate the princess's birthday with such glamor and joy. 

On my birthday, my father brings meat from the bazaar and my mother cooks my favorite plum cake. We share our stories and they sing the songs of their village to keep them in their memories and we go to bed. Where I make my wish before the night ends, it's always been the same. 

To give us more, to make us live happier, and to have that kind of celebration just once.

I think the gods above must have heard me or something because on my 20th birthday, my father sent me to the palace where they were hiring maids to serve Princess Verbena, saying it would be good money and I'd have a bigger place to sleep and a lot to eat. I couldn't deny his request because maid or not, my dream had just started shaping itself and before I knew it it would get bigger and fatter with every step. 

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"Are you sure you have packed everything Colette?" my mother asked from the kitchen when I came out of my room with the bag. Two knights were waiting outside my house to escort me to the palace. 

"Yes, Mother," I replied, taking a look in the mirror again, my blonde hair was tied up in a neat bun, my face bare, my clothes washed and neat and not smelling like fish. My mother came to me with a wrapped box, and placed it in my hand, "This is plum cake I made two the other night, eat this tonight and share it with your new friends." she kissed my head, holding herself back from crying. 

As per the rules of the palace, I was not allowed outside the palace doors, without permission for two years. That means I was not allowed to meet my parents during that time unless it was for their funeral. "Thank you mother, I'll cherish your plum cakes, and will come soon for more." I kissed her cheek, the tears were burning in the back of my head. My father was already waiting outside with the knights, he had said his goodbyes last night, and I'm sure he didn't want to come back again and cry all over again. 

I exhaled, looking around my house for two years and after a while, I walked out. There was an old carriage waiting for me, the knight took the bag from me and kept it inside and the other one helped me get inside. I already felt like a noble lady, but when I turned to look at my parents from the window, my heart shattered. They had done so much for me. I was determined to come back with enough riches and buy them a bigger house with a bigger garden where my father could stop working as a fisherman and start his trade. 

The horses whined and started walking, and I grabbed the handle on the door to stop myself from falling as the carriage made its way to the palace. The main palace of Karalen was where the king, queen, and princess reside. The crown prince had his palace in the city of Luton, which was a 3-day ride from the capital city. My ride would last a day, to reach the capital city of Nearon and I settled back on the seat watching the townsfolk of Wimborne go about their day. In the 20 years of my life, I had never made a friend, most of the people were quiet, and others kept their children busy earning and working for noble lords, which was also the reason why there weren't many children my age in the town. 

The two knights were on horses on either side, protecting me as if I were a dear treasure. Was this how every maid was escorted or was it just for me because I would serve the princess closely? By the time the sun set, we had made it halfway and the knights stopped the carriage to rest, there was a field with grass sticking out. 

The knight who was on my left opened my door, "Come out, have some rest." his voice gruff. 

I did as told, and first headed straight towards the bushes, which hid me a little out of their view and peed. I had been holding it in for almost 15 minutes and my insides were starting to hurt. When I came back the knights had started a fire and were sitting on logs, opening tin cans and heating food. 

"Have some food, we can't have you fainting when you reach the palace." The knight smiled kindly and I nodded, walking over and taking a seat opposite them. 

He handed me a piece of rabbit, boiled vegetables, and dried meat which I gobbled down and drank the water the knights chuckled, "You have the appetite of a man." 

"My apologies." I blushed, looking down. I should act like a lady if I were to serve the princess, or else she would have me kicked out of the palace. 

"It's fine, eat eat." They were engaged in their talks about training and battles when my mind went to the plum cake sitting in the carriage. I should share it with them, I thought. They shared their meal with me. I got up, walked towards the carriage, and opened the door, taking out the wrapped box.

When I showed them the cake, the knight's mouth started watering and they held themselves back before jumping in when I said they could have some. We shared the cake in silence, they commented how delicious it was and I replied that it was the last one I would ever have.

"You can send a messenger to your parents, it's allowed." one of them said, licking his fingers clean. 

"Really?" I asked, and they both nodded in unison. 

" But the messages are inspected before being sent out, just protocol in case you are sending secrets about the royal household." 

"Oh, that's understandable," I said, munching on the cake. 

When the sun finally disappeared behind the clouds, we resumed our journey down the road and after a few minutes entered the capital city of Nearon. 

I looked out the window, ignoring the bazaars and the people dressed more expensively than in my town, my eyes fell upon the white tower in the sky. I gaped at it, and as we got closer, the carriage got slower because of the busy streets. The walls came next, white and golden. I heard there were three orchards inside the palace and a huge garden consisting of just black roses. 

"Move it!" I heard a vendor yell at someone and the person got out of the way, the carriage then sped up. 

Before I knew it we were standing outside the doors of the palace, where my new life was about to begin, a life full of opportunities and glamor, where I could closely watch the bright fireworks and the lanterns and savor that moment, secretly as mine.