She was special.

Born into royalty.

Brought home and crowned,

Washed and clothed in gold and diamonds,

And when she spoke and people listened.



Her hair was the perfect golden brown.

Its waves flowed down to the tips of her fingers.

Her bright wide eyes crowded with thick lashes were dark blue

And her tan skin bared just the right amount of freckles to compliment her rosy cheeks.

She was not to short; but not too tall and neither skinny nor pudgy

Her smile, white as the rapids, gave everyone joy.

Her name was Riley Elizabeth Monette;

And she was princess of Andoria.



The grass wasn’t green there; it was the lightest shade of pink.

And the air always smelled of peppermint and fresh apples.

The sky was blue and the clouds were always the perfect shape.

It rained warm,

And it snowed even warmer.

Science didn’t apply here, because everything anyone needed to know was already discovered.

Happiness.
***
Riley opened her eyes that morning to the bright luminescent sun shining warm on her face and the kind birds rushing in her window to tweet good morning.

Everything was captured by a cheery kind of quiet, like it always was at daybreak.

The fair princess looked around and smiled.

Her wood-paneled circular room, crafted by the finest woodsman in Andoria, resembled a tower top chamber you would find in long lost story tales.

The spiral staircase creaked as Riley headed downstairs for an early breakfast.

Fresh strawberry, apricot, and grape jams were already splurged over perfectly toasted bread when she entered the royal dining room.

Quit but homey, Riley sat in her hand carved wooden chair covered in velour cushions.

Just one bight of golden brown toast made an echo even the slaves in the laundry room could hear.

King and Queen Monette were at a civil meeting all afternoon so Riley was free of chores until the ball.

After she finished breakfast and took her bath, the wardrobe assistants picked out a dress and in no time Riley was out the door, diamonds and all, running to the water hole to meet up with Jeffery.
***
Running out of the castle, the wind softly carried her hair, no tangles, as if the world was on her side. Her golden heels kissed the ground fast with every step, not smudging.

For some strange reason it seemed as if Riley and the World were partners.

Nothing could go wrong.

She was entangled with the universe.

Even the smallest things were done with such grace.

After running through the light pink grass for quite some time, Riley came to the water hole.

The smell of peppermint in the air almost completely covered up the mossy, fresh, earthy smell of the forest.

She sat down on the stone slab, crossed her arms, leaned forward, and closed her eyes, Breathing heavily.

A few minutes passed, while Riley was daydreaming, before Jeffrey’s voice started to grow louder and louder.

When Riley heard that pounding on the muddy ground, she knew he was near.

She opened her eyes slowly, eye shadow crystals falling on her cheeks and onto the ground with the wind.

Their dark blue mystery brought Jeffrey closer. He sat on the rocks with her.

Neither of them had to say anything to understand what was going to happen next.

Riley took off her heels and swept her long flowing hair into a tight ponytail.

Jeffrey rolled up his sleeves and did a few pushups (for show).

They leaned over the well;

Cracked, crumpling, old, yet moist and firm.

Sat on the edge, legs flailing over.

Then, quick as a whip, cutting of the never-ending soft silence Jeffery said “ladies first”.

With confidence, a smile, and an unwinding will, Riley did so.
***
Remembering and thoughts of nostalgia consumed Riley’s brain on the drop down.

Spirals and spirals never unwinding.

Pictures and songs and laughter and memories and then. Clouds.

The thump seemed to be diminished as if covered with earplugs.

Slow-motion, rolling on the dark cold floor, then, silence.

Jeffery followed.

At the bottom of the well they awoke.

No it wasn’t any other magical land in a different universe.

But I seemed like it to them.

It was their getaway.

There secret stash of happiness that needed not to be shared with anyone else.

Crunching gravel in-between her toes and breathing in the wet surface, this was her only home.

Jeffery quickly got up, brushed himself off, and offered Riley a hand.

The two of them headed further down the tunnel, Jeffery’s trusty torch leading the way. It was dark.

They came to the oh so familiar wooden chain locked door and Riley took off her necklace.

The silver key around her neck unlocked the bolt.

A warm breeze wafted past them as they entered.

Anything but unordinary, there was a couch, a table and chairs, chandelier, and a bookcase; food for noshing, and a tape player.

The studying began.

But not normal studying, oh no, this was much different.