A Winter Story: The Rebel Princess by Jack Jackson

We have now come to the end of the entries in the Christmas Short Story Contest. Thank you so much for participating. It was an absolute blast, and I was amazed by the talent and variety displayed. May you all have a blessed New Year!

The Rebel Princess

By Jack

Yesterday’s actions roll through my head over and over again. They are so vivid with color that it seems like I was reliving the whole thing at every step I took that leads me farther and farther away from the manor I use to call home. 
“Emily Rose!” My mother called. “Emily Rose, I have big news!”

“What?” I said curiously.

“You’re going to get married!”

“What?”

“To King Applebottom! Don’t worry I have everything planned out! The wedding is in a few days, so just make sure you’re ready!” my mom said enthusiastically as I rolled my eyes.

“Mom! I don’t even like him! Let alone love him! I refuse the marriage in every way.” I say turning my back on my mom.

“Emily Rose Fontaine! You will marry King Applebottom! That is final.” Mother says firmly. I still refused. I rushed to my room to start thinking out some sort of plan to ruin the wedding. I hear a sudden knock on my door that makes me jump.

“Emily Rose, come look at your wedding dress! It has finally arrived.” my mom calls excitedly. I slowly walk over to my door and open it to face my mom.

“If I come see it, will you leave me be?” I ask rudely. My mother nods and leads me down the grand stairs where a messenger stood next to a table with a long and graceful white dress. I make a face that my mother would disapprove of.

“Well, try it on,” my mother motions me to get a closer look at the dress. I take it awkwardly back to my room to try it on and come out to show my mom. She claps as I come out.

“Beautiful! Just beautiful!” She smiles happily. “Now that that’s taken care of I shall see to the decorations.” I gaze out the nearest window and see a bright blue sky. Then I get a sudden idea.

After dinner when everyone is asleep I sneak out of my room to “fix up” the dress to my liking, and let’s just say that it would matched the sky the very next day, and be easy to run in. I quietly sneak back into my bed and flop down on my soft feathered pillows enjoying the lavender scent they carried and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next day the wedding was to start early in the morning. I was awoken by the soft but constant knocking on my bedroom door that early morning.

“Emily Rose! It’s time.” my mother said cheerfully. When I heard her footsteps slowly disappear I creeped out to put on the dress before anyone could find out. I found it in its same spot only it was dry now instead of wet with dye. I picked it up and ran back to my room to put it on. It wasn’t long before my mother was back knocking on my door.

“Emily Rose, come out from there, let me see how you look in the dress!” my mother exclaims.

“Coming mother!” I say in the cheerfullest voice despite my disgust in everyone that planned this awful wedding. Quickly, I slipped on my red shawl, and went out my window. When I came out, I was outside in the cold. I climbed down my window, landed softly in the winter snow, and ran.

Running. That’s what I am doing now. Running from my mother, King Applebottom, the marriage! I can’t believe my mom! King Applebottom and I had been friends since childhood, so the marriage was probably arranged since a young age. But I mean still! Plus, he’s already a King. I want to get my Queenly-ship by inheriting it, not marrying into it! that doesn’t feel right.

But now I am running away. I am ready to ditch this whole thing and do something else!

I’ve been running all morning by now. The sun is was creeping up to the trees as dawn turns into morning. I stop to catch my breath, and collapse into the snow, gulping for air. I wish I visited the stables before I left. Misty will miss me for sure. I close my eyes and imagine Misty, my beautiful gray/white Newfoundland Pony sitting in the stables all alone. I'm sure the royal guards will be after me on horses.

I close my eyes and press my ear into the snow, to see if maybe they are following on horseback. I can only hear the sound of little animals. I sit up slowly, and brush the snow out of my curly brown hair. Finally free at last! Now to just survive through the night and return to the manor unharmed they might be able to see I can hand these choices on my own. I start looking around for fresh water which is quite frankly, harder to find in an unknown area with snow about one foot deep-even so I keep wondering, looking for a sign of even a tiny stream near by that would lead to a larger body of water.  As I keep walking I see a little bridge made of grey stones. There must be water somewhere around here.

I keep walking, when suddenly I hear the sound of ice cracking. I look at my feet to see I’m standing on a frozen-lake. What an odd place to put a bridge in the middle of a lake. I leap to the side just as the ice collapses into itself, making a massive hole. I creep towards it slowly, testing the ice as I go along. Finally finding a strong place, I cup my hands and drink, the cold water freezing my throat, but still refreshing.

Suddenly, I hear a soft “Mew?” I turn around and catch a small orange pelt moving through the snow. Is that...a kitten? What’s it doing out here alone? I wonder silently. Curiously I walk slowly toward the tiny scrap of fluffy orange fur. Sure enough it is a harmless orange kitten but it was a shivering kitten.

“Aww, poor thing.” I say softly while holding out my hand to the kitten. It sniffed my hand quickly and then walked to my knees and climbed up.

“Emily Rose! There you are!” My mother’s voice exclaimed. Turning around slowly so I didn’t disturb the kitten, I face were my mother’s voice had come from. my mother stood in the snow impatiently watching me from where I heard the voice. She wore one of her disapproving scowls on her face and then held out a hand to help me up.

“Mother...” I started.

“Don't ‘mother’ me, young lady!” My mother interjected. “You’re wedding is in two hours, and look at you! Covered in snow, freezing half to death, your dress torn down to a single layer, how did it become so blue?! And a kitten!? In case you didn’t remember, Prince Applebottom is allergic to cats!” Mother shooed the kitten off my lap and pulled me up. “I came by wagon, and luckily I brought the doctor. I hope you don’t have frostbite...”

I rolled my eyes and let Mother jabber on about the wedding. I heard the kitten’s meow in the back of my head, and suddenly didn’t want to listen to my mother anymore.

“How about you stop talking and let me control my OWN life for once!” I exclaimed, jerking my wrist from her grasp. “Honestly, you call yourself a mother of a princess?! You spend most of your time worrying about a future that doesn’t even appeal to me in the least! Aren’t mothers suppose to comfort and help their child achieve their future goals instead of forcing them to choose a path that will only make them even more unhappy?” As soon as those words exited out of my mouth I instantly regretted them, but at the same time I was strangely relieved by speaking my mind and letting it all out.

Mother just had a hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. She shook her head, looked me in the eye and said “Emily Rose, that is no way to treat your mother! I Have raised you for 18 years, and taught you better than that. You will marry Prince Applebottom, whether you like it or not!” She grabbed me by my hood and literally dragged me to the carriage while my newly befriended kitten followed.

“Shoo!”my mother said motioning for the kitten to move away but while my mom wasn’t looking the kitten jumped in and hopped into my lap and started purring. When we started moving along the surprising bumpy road of snow and ice I silently promised myself I would not talk to anyone anymore until my reasoning was heard out. With that thought still in my head I started petting the warm purring orange kitten in my lap. I think I shall call you Sara. I think to myself.

It wasn’t a long ride back to the place I hate to call my home. The castle looked very grey and joyless which made me feel even more unhappy. I slouch in my seat frowning at the the window and acting like one of those spoiled brats.

“Emily Rose, please stop being so difficult!” My mother exclaims annoyed by my poor behavior. Still pouting I carefully step out of the carriage, after it comes to a complete stop. Of course we were late because of me so the servants were rushing around trying to get everything ready. I spot another fancy looking carriage decorated with stunning diamonds and gold that glistened in the sun’s rays. Oh no....he is already here.

King Applebottom’s carriage comes to a stop and he climbs out eagerly. “Princess Emily Rose!”

“Hello, King Applebottom.” I mutter, giving a slight curtsy, as he is a higher rank than me.

He takes my hands. “Don’t look so down, my dear Emily Rose. It may seem awkward to say this now, but I have always liked you. I knew we would be married when we were older, and I’m happy it’s happening.”

I just stare at him in shock. “I’m just not ready for this!” I exclaim, stepping back. “We were childhood friends, and you want to get married? I want to stay friends, this marriage is completely arranged!”

King Applebottoms smile faded. “I-I’m sorry, Emily Rose. Let’s justs get this over with. But may I ask what happened to your dress? It looked like you took a bath in blueberries.”

“Well, if you must know I was running away from this nonsense. No person should be force to choose a different path other than their own choice.” I explain speaking my mind, which is never a very “lady like” thing to do, especially for a princess about to become a queen.

“I understand there's so much more you still feel like you must do before settling, but I promise together we will be able to do the unspeakable. Please, join me as my queen.” King Applebottom offers.

“No matter how much you try to persuade me, it will not work. I’m telling you I will not go down that way.” I insist trying to make him see my view on the matter. That is when King Applebottom leaned in and whispered something that helped me see why he was doing this.

“I too am planning to run away, please will you join me but not as a wife but as a dear childhood friend?” His words shocked me so much I hesitated and wondered if it was a trick, but then I saw that truthful look in his soft green eyes and I knew it wasn’t any trick.

After the wedding we said farewell to the all the people at our wedding and traveled by carriage with the little kitten in my lap the whole ride to a ship which would lead us to a new kingdom in a newfound area , where we could seek a new life together. Which after all wasn’t so bad, in this new area there was no laws about anyone telling you what to do. We remained married but it felt more like close friendship than anything else.