Princess Iris

SIX YEARS LATER

The knock on my door finally stops. I turn to the door and look under it. I watch as the shadow moves away. Mother's perfume fragrance slowly fades away. She is still very persistent. Every week for the past six years she comes around and knocks on my door and I don't answer. She has never said a word when she comes visiting; I believe she doesn't know what to say and so do I. I wouldn't even know where to start.

I woke up two days after the fire accident and I was told Ri died. I remember standing up from my bed with a cloth around my head. I kept saying the words 'It is a lie; she can't be dead. I entered every room in the castle, I roamed the castle for two days straight without food and water, looking for a tiny possibility that my sister was still alive. On the day of the burial, I was told I could see her body before we headed to church. I can still remember that day like it was yesterday. FLASHBACK

"Your Highness, they are waiting for you," Bridgette says.

I stand up from my chair and walk to the door. I stand walking when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn my neck to the side.

"What did I say about you following me Bridgette?" I ask.

Bridgette lowers her head and takes a step back.

"This will be the last time I will have to repeat myself. Don't ever follow me or try to walk with me ever again. Do I make myself clear?" I ask.

"Yes Your Highness," Bridgette says.

"And the same goes for the rest of you," I say.

"Yes, Your Highness," They all chorus.

I walk out of the room, down the hall, out of the castle, and into the showcase chambers. When I enter, some priests are already there saying some prayers. Mother and father at a corner holding on to each other. I look at the casket in the middle of the room and my heart skips a beat, my hands start to sweat, and my breath has elevated. I couldn't stop my legs from moving as I climb up the stairs and walked toward the casket. I stop just an inch from the castle, there is a white cloth covering the body and from where I am standing I cannot see the face. I start walking around the casket looking at where the head of the body was. I start walking slowly as the face of the body is coming to view. Just then the face comes into view. I stand there looking at Ri's lifeless body. Her face is slightly burned from the fire. My breathing gets more elevated, the ground below starts to feel like I am falling and suddenly all I see is black.

By the time I woke up, I already know Ri has been buried. I turn my head and find mother looking through my window. I watch her for a while as she cleans her eyes with her handkerchief. I quietly sit up and remove the covers from my body. "Oh Iris, you are awake," Mother says rushing to me.

Just when her hand was about to touch my face I slap it away.

"Please don't touch me," I say.

I don't turn to look at mother's face as I climb down from the bed. I walk to my mirror, pick up a comb and start to loosen my hair. After a moment of silence and it seems mother isn't going to say anything, I decide the silence. "Shouldn't you be somewhere else? Shouldn't you be attending to the guests?" I ask.

"You weren't feeling well, so I decided to come to make sure you were alright," Mother says.

"As you can see I am fine. You don't need to stay, you can leave," I say.

"I was hoping we could talk before we go head downstairs, your friends have been asking about you, your father..."

"Mother, I don't want to see or talk to anyone. I do not owe anyone anything. I just want to be left alone for as long as I want," I say.

"Could we talk just for a..."

"MOTHER!!" I yell and turn to her. "I want to be left alone, now please leave my room," I say pointing at the door.

More tears fall from mother's cheeks as she nods her head. She walks to the door and opens it. She pauses for a while and looks back at me before closing the door after her. I stand there looking at the door and listening to the silence of the room. I break down and start crying.

"I can't stay here; I can't leave in this room any longer," I say to myself.

Just then a place comes to mind. I walk to the rope by the side of my bed and draw it down three times. I hear it ring inside the walls.

"Even in death, she comes to my rescue. Thanks, Nana," I say to myself.

REALITY

That day I relinquished my maids of their duties. All my things were moved by the east wind of the castle I couldn't stand staying in the main castle, I started to feel cluster phobic and like a stranger. So after Ri's burial, I had Paulina, Elizabeth, and Bridgette move my things from my old room to the quarters in the west wing. It used to belong to Nana. After she died father didn't know what to do with it so he had it closed off. It's mostly cut off from the rest of the castle. A big gate cuts it off from the main castle. Nana loved her privacy and I have needed the privacy of her quarters for six years now. I know I can't stay here forever but right now there is no place I will rather be.

I stand from the bed and walk to the balcony. I stare at the vast ocean. It's been quiet these few months due to the freezing weather. Ships no longer move on the sea. People are scared of freezing to death. I look up at the sky closing my eyes and placing my hand on my sore shoulders. I can feel the weather changing. It will start to snow soon. I look further into the cold forest and I drift away to one of I and Ri's earliest memories. FLASHBACK

"C'mon Iris just one," Ri pleads.

"I have been at it all morning Ri and I couldn't find one butterfly in the forest," I say.

"There have to be one at least. Did you check around the fallen trees?" Ri asks.

"Yes I did and for the millionth time Ri, I didn't find any. We will have to check again tomorrow," I say jumping over a log on the ground.

"Mother wouldn't approve. Tomorrow's Christmas eve," Ri says.

"Alright then, we just have to wait till Christmas is over."

"Where are we going?" Ri asks.

"To check on the snowman," I say.

Ri quickly runs past me and I follow right behind her.

"Ri wait, slow down," I cry chasing after her.

"Iris hurry, we need to go check on the snowman."

"That's where we are headed," I shout over my voice.

Ri doesn't listen as she continues running.

"Slow down Ri, it is made of snow, it isn't going anywhere you know," I tell Ri panting and trying to catch up with her.

"I had a horrifying dream last night Iris. Oh, it was very dreadful. The witch of the south took away the snowman's hands and eyes. She was so mean Iris. She's trying to destroy it."

"First the butterflies and now the snowman. I will have you know, there is no such thing as the witch of the south. It's just a folk tale and the snowman is fine Ri. Will you please stop running, I am getting exhausted," I say.

Ri stops, turns to me, and starts laughing.

"You look exhausted Iris. Where is your sense of adventure?" Ri says laughing as I catch up to her panting.

"You know how much I hate running. It's not fun at all," I say.

"Oh lighten up Iris," Ri says climbing a rock. "I can just feel it, our future is going to be an adventurous one," Ri says screaming into the cold air.

REALITY

All I have of her are our memories. I walk back to my room, looking around it. I should have tried harder to be more like Princess; I shouldn't have run out of the castle. I should have listened to father. My best friend is dead because I couldn't listen to my parents and stay a princess. I just had to be different. Just then I hear the distance bell. I walk to my room divider to change from my nightwear. I change into my riding outfit, brush up my hair and tie it up into a neat bun. I use the door attached to my room which leads down the stairs, into the kitchen. I enter the kitchen and I find Mrs. Paula cooking. I smile as the smell of the food reaches my nostrils. I walk to take my seat when Mrs. Paula turns to me. "Your Highness, good morning," Mrs. Paula says with a curtsey. "Good morning Mrs. Paula," I say taking my seat, "That smells nice."

"Thank you very much, Princess Iris, I am glad you approve," Mrs. Paula says.

Mrs. Paula was Nana's chef. Nana always said her cooking could turn a frown upside down and I find that to be true. I find myself smiling more often when I eat Mrs. Paula's cooking or when I ride Grenade through the woods. I watch Mrs. Paula walk to the shelf and get out a newspaper. She hands the newspaper to me.

"Thank you," I say.

As Mrs. Paula goes about her work, I flip to the front page of the paper

"KING THEODORE'S BURIAL"

Yesterday was King Theodore's burial. Poor Isabelle, I wonder how she is holding up. Losing her father must be hitting her really hard. I wonder how she is feeling. I wish I was there to comfort her. I turn to the first page of the newspaper and King Leonard is there. He looks indifferent about the burial. I stare at his picture for a while, I can't help but stare at how handsome he is looking. I have had to watch all my friends grow up through the newspaper.

"I wonder what they say if they could see me now," I say to myself.

I open the next page of the newspaper and I stop dead on my track. I carefully read the highlight of the page. "DUCHESS JULIANA TO WED KING WILLIAMS"