Princess Awakening: Tower of Sand

Tearing Away the Cocoon

A cool draft issued from the open door, and Aurelie laughed out loud again, just to feel how good it felt. The sound echoed in the stairwell. Aurelie walked onto the landing and looked down. This time she could see the first few steps of sandstone by the light of the window. The rest curved away into darkness, but the darkness did not frighten her now. She had only to walk those thirty-three steps and pass through a few corridors, and she would finally be able to feel the earth under her feet, the wind in her hair and the hands of her people touching hers. There was no choice left inside of her but to go.

Aurelie glanced back and saw Sera, watching. "Are you coming?"

Sera shrugged. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Aurelie smiled. "Of course."

"I'm not really dressed for a party," Sera said, gesturing to her faded brown garb and rope girdle. She still held the jeweled pin, spinning it absently between her fingers.

"Come," Aurelie said, beckoning. "My father promised me dresses. I will find you one. Something lovely."

Sera shuffled her feet. "No commoner can wear a lady's dress without breaking the law. Did you know that, Princess?"

Aurelie shook her head.

"It's a different world out there," Sera said. "I hope you are ready."

Aurelie smiled, a big, flushed, happy smile. "We will figure it all out once we get out there."

Sera nodded. "All right, if you think so," she said, but she still lingered.

"Don't tell me you are feeling nostalgic?" Aurelie said.

"Maybe a little," Sera said. "I suppose there's no need to clean?"

Aurelie looked around at the room, a mess of bedding and chess pieces and coins, and there in the middle, the queen's fallen wimple, and she wanted nothing more than to walk away and leave it all behind. Even the books could be retrieved by a servant later. There was no need to carry any burden, no matter how small, out of this room.

"You don't even want to count the stitches on your new dress?" Sera said, her hazel eyes dropping from Aurelie's gaze.

Aurelie frowned, studying her old companion. Then Aurelie walked back into the room and gently took Sera's fidgeting hands in her own. "Ma chère, Sera," she said, "up until this moment I have been a mad princess, trapped in a tower, and you have stood by me. I am that no longer. Now I am just me, ready to seize my destiny. Will you go with me?"

Sera moaned softly, still avoiding Aurelie's gaze.

Aurelie sighed and squeezed the sturdy, old hands between her own. "I have not forgotten that you were a captive here too, all this time. I haven't forgotten all that you sacrificed to be with me. It can be overwhelming to suddenly receive the very thing we always wanted. We can go slowly."

Sera's agitation broke. "You must at least let me fix your hair," she said, looking up and smiling.

"Of course," Aurelie said, smiling back.

Sera clapped and gave a small skip of glee. "And I would feel more comfortable closing this door."

"You can lock it too, if you want," Aurelie said, handing her the queen's key.

Aurelie turned away toward the window. She gathered her skirts to step up on the sill, then thought better of it. She might fall in the heavy new dress, or she might tear it. Instead, she rose up on tiptoes, craning to catch a glimpse of the world outside through the clear pane of glass. She could just see, far away in the hills, another party of nobles approaching. She squinted, studying the banners. Then she gasped and dropped back on her heels.