Sezin's pace quickened as she ran through the dense forest, her heart racing and her pulse rising with each step she took.
"Leave me alone!" She shouted, quickening her pace even more, until she came in front of a being she couldn't recognize.
She halted immediately, fear took over her entire body as she was visibly shaken. She tried to close her eyes, but they refused to obey. She slowly moved backward, taken each step at a time until her back collided with the rough bark of a tree.
"Leave me alone! What do you want from me! You keep tormenting me! Just get lost!" She yelled even more, but the unknown being hovered around her as if trying to protect her.
"You are forbidden from marrying anybody!" The being roared, causing her to dig her nails into her palm, making her knuckles bleached white.
"You can't dictate my life, you don't know me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
This time the mysterious being didn't say anything else, it just laughed and walked closer to her. She had nowhere to turn to, she was stuck. She could not move her back from the tree she was resting on, just as the being was about to close in on her, her eyes snapped open.
Sezin sat up immediately from her bed, breathing heavily, her body drenched in sweat. It was another nightmare, the same recurring dream that seems to be taking its toll on her. She couldn't decipher the message the being was trying to pass, she couldn't fathom the connection she had with the being.
She slowly flung over the bedspread from her body, as she stood up trying to stabilize herself. After a few seconds, she walked to the bathroom and turned on the light. She walked over to the sink and turned on the faucet, the water rushing out gently. She cups her hands under the running water, and then splashes it onto her face.
Immediately the water hit her skin, she felt a wave of calm as if washing away the nightmare. She looked at herself in the mirror and wondered how life would have been if she wasn't a princess with duties and responsibilities. She took a napkin and gently patted her face dry.
Still staring at the mirror, she looked at her reflection as she arranged her hair which was black in colour with some strands of blue. She had black eyes, light in complexion and as everyone acknowledged, she was beautiful and captivating, at the age of 24.
She walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind and walked up to sit on a chair in her room. Being a princess and an only child comes with a great responsibility and duty for her.
She looked over to the wall clock, and it struck 5. It was another day and she needed to get ready for the day ahead. She brought out her mini dairy from her drawer and wrote down everything she could recall about the dream.
When she was done, she set the book aside and began to ponder on what to do concerning the frequent nightmare that started when she agreed to marry Prince Soren, the first born of the three princes from the Neighbouring Kingdom: Cora which was led by King Collier Ryan.
Her father king Morgan Kok wanted to form an alliance through marriage, to unite the strength and influence of both kingdoms throughout the continent: Tenoria, which had 5 major kingdoms.
Though her father's Kingdom: Livdin, was still a standout among other kingdoms. The kingdom of Livdin was a modernized monarchy that thrived in the 20th century. It was one of the largest and most influential kingdoms followed by the kingdom of Cora.
The kingdom of Livdin's leadership was respected and admired by nations around the world. The kingdom was a behemoth of a nation, with a rich history. In all honesty, her father was doing an outstanding job ruling the kingdom, and his legacy was admirable.
After a careful thought, she stood up from the chair and came to a conclusion regarding the matter. She was going to inform her father that she wouldn't go through with the wedding. Knowing her father, she knew he wouldn't take it easy on her; but she was determined to give it a try. She figured it was better to attempt it than to do nothing.
Just then, she heard a knock on the door and she knew it was Mrs. Donatelli, her caregiver. She walked to the door and unlocked it gently.
"Good morning, Princess Sezin," Mrs. Donatelli said, with a gentle curtsy.
"Good morning Mrs. Donatelli, hope you slept well?" Sezin asked, stepping backward to allow her into her room.
"Yes, my princess, thank you. How was your night?" She inquired.
"It was fine, slept like a baby," she lied, smiling gracefully to cover up the act.
Mrs. Donatelli nodded seeing right through her facade, but she decided to wait till she was ready to speak up. Then she announced, "Let's get you ready for today, today is the day you'll finally be meeting with Prince Soren."
Sezin nodded, it was the first time she would be meeting him. She had only heard a lot about him, but hadn't come face to face with him. She also suspected that the marriage was planned right from time. She only agreed to it because she took it as a duty, as she has been taught by her late mother.
"I'll prepare the bath and your clothes," Mrs. Donatelli said, breaking the silence as she walked to the bathroom.
She walked back to her bed, sitting down gently on it. She looked at the picture frame of her family, that was on top of her bedside drawer. Her mom was smiling widely as she held her, while her dad was seen planting a kiss on her mom's hands as he held them up to his face.
It was a beautiful sight to see, but it was only a bittersweet memory that brought nothing but sadness to her life. She gently wiped the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check.
"My Princess, your bath is ready," Mrs. Donatelli announced, coming out of the bathroom interrupting the moment.
"Thank you Mrs. Donatelli," Sezin said, getting up from the bed.
"No need to thank me my Princess, it is my duty to take care of you. I will prepare your clothes," Mrs. Donatelli said, and she nodded and walked into the bathroom.
Mrs. Donatelli, a woman in her forties, smiled as she had always admired Sezin for being strong, despite everything she's been through. She was more than happy to serve her, as sezin has been nothing but nice to her, just like her mother. Sezin saw her like a mother and someone she could confide in and trust, she was grateful with the connection she shared with her.
After some time, Sezin came out of the bathroom refreshed and ready for the day. She met her royal wear on the bed, she picked it up and smiled. She was glad to have someone like Mrs. Donatelli in her life, who was always there to help her and offer her support.
When she had finished dressing, she stood in front of the mirror, checking herself. It was a pink flowery knee length gown, it was beautiful and comfortable. Then she walked over to the dressing table, when she was about to take her seat; a knock on the door made her pause mid air.
"Come in," she said, as she took her seat and Mrs. Donatelli walked in.
"You look lovely my Princess," she spoke, as she got to where Sezin was sitting, gently setting down a tray with tea.
"Thanks," Sezin replied, as Mrs. Donatelli started to work on her hair.
Princess Sezin's life was carefully planned from a young age. She was taught how to behave, how to eat, what to wear, and how to act in public. Every day, she learned new things to help her become a great princess. She practiced her manners, learned about royal duties, and prepared for her future role.
"Mrs. Donatelli, can I ask you something?" Sezin asked, sipping from her cup of tea.
"You know you can ask me anything," she replied and Sezin nodded.
"Mother taught me that marriage is about duty, about alliances between nations. If I don't want to marry Prince Soren, do you think I'm going to disappoint her?" She asked.
"I thought you already agreed to marry him, what changed?" Mrs. Donatelli asked, surprise and concern written on her face.
"I honestly want to get married to him, but the series of nightmares I've been having since I agreed to marry him has been really tormenting. It's like I'm bound to someone or something else and it's trying to hold me back," she stated, a worried expression on her face.
Sezin's hands became shaky, as she recalled the dream which made her to unknowingly drop the cup in her hands and then it fell to the floor and shattered into pieces ruining her outfit in the process.
"Wow, just the perfect way to start a great day," she uttered sarcastically, looking at the mess she had just created.