Waiting was something Penelope hated, apart from boredom. While waiting for her maid, Tracy, Penelope decided to sneak out for a walk outside the castle. However, she was caught at the entrance.
"Your Royal Highness cannot leave the castle without a guard," a stern-looking man spoke from behind her.
"Ugh, Julius, please, just a minute outside?" Penelope turned to face the man begging, but she knew the answer was no.
"Why am I being locked in this boring castle, deep in the forest? Am I supposed to be exploring, not sulking about why my parents abandoned me?"
"They did not and will never abandon you, Princess," Julius said, his face filled with sympathy for the lonely girl. "We've discussed this several times. They are protecting you."
"What are guards for? For tea parties?" Penelope ran into the castle furiously without looking back
"Your Royal Highness should not run," Julius called after her, attempting to follow. However, he was stopped by a guard who whispered, "They're here." Just in time, Julius thought.
Julius straightened himself up and headed to the guest lobby with the guard.
"Is her sister with them?" he asked the guard, who hesitated before speaking.
"No."
Great, Julius thought, she's going to be really sad after hearing this.
"Go call her, tell her her parents are here to see her," he instructed.
The guard nodded and ran off to Penelope chamber.
Moments later, the guard opened the door to find Penelope screaming, her long, curly red hair disheveled and her light green eyes brimming with tears. She was frantic.
"You!" came her shaking voice. "What do you want?"
She addressed the guard, who was dumbfounded by the mess before him: torn pillows, broken glasses, and a cracked mirror. Gosh, the guard thought, what a temper.
"Penelope, please stop. Just breathe and calm down," Tracy implored, trying her best to soothe her. She had been caring for Penelope since she was six years old.
"Ahem," the guard cleared his throat. "Your parents are waiting for you, Your Highness." He bowed slightly.
"Really?" Penelope wiped her running nose with the back of her hand, a spark of excitement igniting within her. The real reason for her frustration and confinement had arrived, and she was ready to unleash her emotions.
"She'll be down in a minute," Tracy spoke up, shooing the guards away.In the meantime, Julius was already at the guest lobby, a place showcasing the royal family's wealth. High ceilings adorned with intricate gold leaf moldings, marble floors with inlaid patterns of precious stones, walls lined with rich, velvety drapes and ornate tapestries, plush, oversized armchairs and sofas in rich leather, polished mahogany wood tables and consoles, and exquisite crystal chandeliers suspended from the ceiling.
Julius informed Penelope's parents about her welfare. "She is doing excellently well health-wise, but mentally, her health seems to be deteriorating due to boredom and loneliness."
"But she isn't lonely; I thought her best friend was Tracy," Penelope's mother said, concerned for her daughter. Just by looking at her, one could see where Penelope got her light green eyes.
"I don't think she has one," her father replied, a middle-aged man with short red hair and a serious face.
"Actually, she does," Julius corrected. "It's her sister, before Tracy. She would be really upset if she found out."
"Where is she?" Queen Celine asked eagerly.
"She should be here any minute," Julius replied.
Just then, Penelope entered, looking stunning. She stood poised, a vision of loveliness in her exquisite attire. Her long, curly red hair cascaded down her back like a fiery waterfall, framing her heart-shaped face and accentuating her striking features.
"Oh, Penny, my darling! Mummy missed you so much," Queen Celine exclaimed, standing up and running towards her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Where's Katherine?" Penelope asked, squeezing her eyebrows.
"She's sick, so she couldn't come, but she really wants to see you," Penelope's mother replied.
Penelope broke the hug with a worried face. "Is she okay?"
"She will be fine," Julius reassured, before leaving the family to have privacy.
Seeing Julius leave, Penelope asked a huge question: "Can I go visit her?"
Upon hearing this, Queen Celine's eyes widened in fear. "No, you can't leave this castle," King Ottis replied strictly.
"Why? Why can't I leave this prison of a castle? Why am I the only one locked up for no apparent reason? I'm sure the people don't know my existence, and even if they do, I'm sure they've all forgotten. I am nothing more than a forgotten princess. I only want to see Katherine."
Penelope sat on the sofa, her hands covering her face as she cried.
"No one has forgotten about you, dear. We also want you to leave this castle, but we have no choice," Queen Celine said, sitting beside her daughter, trying to soothe her.
"What do you mean by no choice? Why am I locked here?" Penelope looked up at her mother with pleading eyes.
"To protect you," King Ottis finally spoke up.
"From what? Why does everyone say that? Give me a good reason why I shouldn't be angry."
"It's... it's a secret," her mother whispered.
In fury, Penelope stood up and ran to her chamber.
"I hate this castle, and I hate everyone in it!" she exclaimed.
Upon hearing this, Queen Celine broke into tears. "Leave her; she's just a kid. She doesn't understand."
King Ottis tried to calm his wife.
They called Julius and told him they were leaving, and they left after trying to talk to Penelope one more time.
Meanwhile, Penelope locked herself in her chamber and walked to the window, staring down at nothing but tall trees, ignoring everyone who knocked on her door. While staring out the window, tears streaming down her face, Penelope saw a fast-moving shadow wearing a long, dark cloak in the forest. It looked like a human's shadow.
She quickly wiped her tears and stared intently at the forest. That didn't look like the guards.... Could it be another human? Penelope's grief slowly turned into excitement.