The unsatisfied princess

Previously

…And as Flicker disappeared into the moonlit corridors, Princess Aurelia found herself standing by the window, looking out at the sleeping kingdom. The stars, usually so distant and serene, seemed to wink at her, like fellow conspirators in a grand, unfolding adventure. The thought of a life beyond these walls, a life of unexpected turns and delightful imperfections, no longer filled her with dread, but with a thrilling, mischievous glint in her eye. The gilded cage, she realized with a dawning sense of liberation, was merely a starting point. And the adventure, the real adventure, was just about to begin.