"If I have to listen to one more person complain about the lack of rain I shall surely vomit," Princess Morgana whispered to her maid, Helena, as the lady who had just spoken took a step to the side to join the rabble of peasants. Princess Morgana had stood, stock still, for almost an hour and it was beginning to take its toll on her legs and feet. An audience with the King was not a fun experience for peasant or Princess.

"Hush now, Lady Morgana, if your father were to hear you he would banish both of us to your quarters without so much as a thought," Helena muttered back, resisting the temptation to laugh at her mistresses comment. She too hated the King's audience but had to be in attendance in case her Princess needed her.

"And what a drag that shall be," Princess Morgana said behind her hand, ignoring the latest complaint from the people.

Princess Morgana always felt as though audiences with the King went on far too long as many complaints were merely repeats and if they had been said once, it hardly made sense for them to be repeated for a second, or even a third time. She always tried to stand at attention, like her father had asked, straight back, head held high, but it was always too stiff and ridged. Despite being a Princess, Morgana wanted nothing more than to be out acting like a normal child rather than stood straight-backed within the cold depths of her father's chambers.

The sun may have been shining beyond the walls of the castle, but inside it was a completely different story. The castle was as cold as ever and, even with her shawl wrapped around her shoulders, Princes Morgana was still cold. It was as if Winter, which had just passed, had decided to linger longer than planned within the castle, either that or her father's frosty demeanour was beginning to rub off on the castle walls. Whatever the case may have been, Princess Morgana wanted out before her fingers froze stiff.

"Thank you, my humble subjects for coming forward with these complaints. I shall be sure to attend to them in due course. In the meantime, please go about your daily duties," the King said, his strong voice echoing around the hall. The peasants around him bowed and were escorted out of the room by the guards who remained at every entrance, protecting their king as their duties commanded. "Morgana, Helena, Leanna, please stay, I wish to speak to you."

The King waited until all his subjects had been removed from the hall before turning to his two daughters and the handmaid. Morgana knew almost instantly that he had heard her comment and was more than likely going to scold her for speaking whilst the audience was being held. If that were to be the case, she did not understand why her sister had been asked to stay, Leanna had done everything right, it made no sense for her to witness the scolding.

Morgana, with her front teeth tucked over her lip, turned to look at her sister and caught the last remainder of a smirk as it left her lips. Leanna, despite being beautiful of face she was, as Morgana liked to put it, the reincarnation of a demon on the inside. Spurred on by hate and anger, entertained by the pain of others all whilst upholding her father's rules and ideologies. She was, in her father's eyes, the perfect daughter and the best hope for the kingdom of Veritas, whereas Morgana was more suited to remaining at her sister's side forever more.

Once the hall had been cleared of all those who did not belong, peasants, guards and anyone else who lingered, the King glared at his youngest daughter, daggers shooting from his eyes. "Well?" he asked, raising one eyebrow as if expecting Morgana to know what he was going to ask.

"Father?" Morgana asked, a muddle of confusing thoughts running through her head.

"You dare make a comment during Audience again and you shall be banished to your quarters without so much as a second thought! Do you understand me?" The King roared, his booming voice echoing through the hall. Morgana remained unmoved by her father's tone, having heard it thousands of times before. He had threatened to send her to her room an abundance of times in the past, but had never followed through with it, Morgana doubted he would this time.

"Yes, Father," Morgana said, bowing her head and staring at the marble floor as though it was the greatest thing in the world.

"Good. I have told you time and time again that in front of the people you are to remain still and silent, as a Princess should be," the King said.

"Yes, Father," Morgana muttered.

"Get out of my sight, I need to talk to my Guards."

"Yes, Father."

Knowing she had already stepped over the mark and deciding it was better to not do it for a second time in one day, Morgana gathered up the front end of her skirts and left through the back entrance with Helena at her heels. After the door had slammed itself shut behind them, Morgana let out a disgruntled scream. Her father was always going on about upholding the standards of the Royal Family, but he himself had never stuck to the rules growing up. From what she had been told, the King had always been more of a rebellious spirit but when the crown had been placed on his head, all of that changed. The King had always hoped the same thing would happen to his daughter, but as she was the youngest, the chance of her being the Queen was unlikely.

"The hypocrite! He was just as bad as I am when he was growing up, surely he understands how dull this can be!" Morgana yelled as she stalked down the corridor with Helena close behind her. Her footsteps echoed across the marble as Morgana tried her hardest to get as far away from her father has she could possibly be. Morgana knew that anywhere in the castle was too close to her father, even if she were on the other side of the castle completely.

With her anger still rising about her father, Morgana slammed open the door to her chambers and collapsed into a heap on her bed. Her dark hair lay around her like a halo whilst her brown eyes stared up at the canopy above her bed. She groaned loudly and pulled herself up, rearranging her skirts in front of her. "Your father is only doing what he believes to be best, My Lady," Helena said, folding up one of Morgana's extra dresses.

"Yes, but what he believes to be best isn't always best, not me nor any anyone else. You and I both know, Helena, that father only does what he believes will keep up our status and I, for one, am sick of it," Morgana replied.

"Do not let your father hear you say that, we are in enough trouble as it is." Helena placed the folded dress into one of the far cupboards and turned back to Morgana, strands of curly hair falling at the side of her face.

As much as Morgana hated to admit it, Helena was right. Were the King to find out what she was saying, Morgana would have been confined to her chambers for an extended period of time. Anyone who argued against the King and his wishes was considered a traitor, family or not. It would be a traitors act for Morgana to call out the King on how he runs the Kingdom, but she knew better than to say it out loud to anyone, even Helena. As a Princess, she knew not to trust anyone, whether they be a friend or not. The life of a royal was a dangerous one.

It was also a very, very dull one. Morgana knew very little about the world around her, only what she had seen whilst out with the guards or her father. Even then, she did not get to see much of what was around her. Nor did she get to talk to anyone, which she did not get to do so often. Were it not for Helena and a few trustworthy guards, Morgana was not sure how much her sanity could take, being cooped up with no one to talk to would have been unbearable.

Morgana played with a loose strand of hair in front of her face as Helena pottered around the room, straightening things and making sure all was in order. This was a common occurrence within the castle, the awkward silences and the lack of interesting things to do. Morgana wished to go outside, to explore the world beyond the castle without guards of her father being present.

"Helena, you know the stable boy, don't you?" Morgana asked, watching her maid rearrange the cloth on the table for the seventh billion time.

"Jack? Yes, I know him. What of him?" Helena tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and walked over to the bed to straighten out the folds and crinkles Morgana had left when she collapsed onto it just moments before.

"If I were to ask him something, would he follow through with it? No matter the request?"

"You are the Princess, My Lady, I expect Jack would do whatever you asked," Helena shrugged.

"Fantastic. Helena, do not allow anyone to enter my chambers, tell them I am sleeping and I am not to be disturbed. Do you understand me?" Morgana cocked her head to one side and looked at her maid, one eyebrow raised and her mouth pressed into a straight line.

"Yes, Princess. Pardon me, My Lady, may I inquire into your plans?" Helena asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I wish to go into the town, on my own. Just the Upper Town, I will go no further than the wall. I just wish to see the town for myself for a change, rather than with the guards. You must promise not to let anyone know where I am going, I shall be back for supper," Morgana said, pushing herself off the bed and pulling the mountain of pins from her hair. If she were to pass a peasant, Morgana needed to separate herself from royalty as she possibly could and that meant leaving the pins behind.

"I promise. Please be careful, My Lady, I would so hate it if something bad were to happen," Helena said, bowing to her mistress. Morgana bowed back only slightly and slipped from her chambers, her dress trailing out behind her.