Stress.

Stress is overpowering me every step I take within the Castle walls.

"Up the staircase, Princess," I feel them give me a shove forwards. I suddenly hear the citizens outside chanting the words, "Give us peace!" over and over again. My stomach ties itself into knots as I approach the large spiral staircase that stands before me. Insanity keeps poking around, interlocking itself amongst the stress emotions floating around inside of me.

I reach the staircase and begin to ascend it, one step at a time. The Castle looks similar to mine back at home, because of the red long drapes hanging over all of the windows. However, my castle at home is made of white marble, this one is made from black granite. Its surface is rough to the touch.

Once we reach the top of the staircase, the throne room looms before me, with its tall dark double doors opened. I gawk as I see the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the tall thrones all the way on the opposite wall with stairs leading up to them. Large and long drapes hang from the ceiling across the walls, deep red and black, arching into each other forming many designs. I find myself eyeing them, following the gold and silver trims all the way up to the ceiling.

A loud sharp clank gets my attention as I sharply turn my head to face straight ahead. The tall King stands before me, several yards away, in front of his tall throne. He wears a deep dark blue hood and cape just like mine, and his hood is up, shadowing his eyes from me. He clutches his scepter in his right hand.

That must have been what made the loud clanking sound.

Then the king lifts the scepter again and quickly thrusts it down. The same loud clanking sound filla the room once again, causing me to flinch. Everyone around me stops walking immediately and bends into a bow. I feel a jab from behind me and I remember I am not bowing, so I do so as well.

Once everyone straightens themselves again, I get a good look at the King standing before me. He frowns once he sees my face, like bad memories and feelings are the only things he feels when he looks upon me.

I know... father... you do not have to remind me how much of a disgrace I must be to you...

I lower my face in submission, but then the firm voice of the King fills my ears, "Raise your gaze upon me, child,"

I immediately raise my eyes back to his and this time I keep them there. He then lifts his left hand and goes to lift the device clamped onto my arms. He moves it all around, studying it while looking to my eyes every now and then.

"You have done well, commander," The commander to my right bows once more,

"Thank you sire,"

Then the King's gaze becomes stern and he looks directly to me, "Did she give you much trouble?"

The commander shakes his head, "No sire,"

The King looks surprised, "No? Hmm,"

He raises his left hand to his chin and studies me some more, "Maybe she came to her senses and now. Understands. Her. Place,"

I wince as he emphasizes the last few words.

He sounds frustrated with me. I would not blame him if he chose to end me right here and now. I will understand, father.

"You disobeyed me, Star. You left this planet. After I told you an order. After you knew what you must do as princess. Then, you dishonor me and the royal family by putting your own feelings before your duties,"

I wince every time he raises his voice to place emphasis on those words.

He begins to walk slowly around me, keeping his eyes locked onto me. Once he enters my vision again on the other side of me, he turns to the commander standing behind me.

"I praise the work you have done for me, commander. I grant you permission to do as you please until further notice,"

The commander nods, "Thank you sire. Let me know when you need my services again," Then he turns and leaves the throne room with his crew following behind him.

Once he clears the room, the King turns his attention back to me. I block the feeling of wanting to wince when he gets that expression again from when he saw me the first time.

What is he going to do to me? What things did I run away from? I must be expected to go through with them now, right?

"Star, why did you do it? Why did you deliberately go out of your way to do the opposite of what I asked of you?" He slowly raises his voice as he says this to me, almost yelling once he finishes. Now he is staring a hole through me, waiting for my answer.

I cannot answer. I do not know why. If I do answer with 'I do not know', that will be just as bad as not answering at all. He will not believe me if I say that though, even though it is the truth.

"Staying silent will not go well with me, child," I wince.

Alright, I need to say something.

"I was scared, father,"

He raises a brow at me, "Scared? That is no excuse for not completing your duties, child,"

He runs his eyes over the grounded device I let hang down in front of me, pointing to my feet, "For your punishment," he begins, starting to slowly pace in front of me, waving his left hand about and using his scepter in his right as a walking stick, "I will keep that grounded device clamped to you and you will be sent to your chambers to think about what you have done. This is unbelievable. You knew someday this would come and you go and run away anyway," He shakes his head in disappointment. Then he mumbles something to himself.

I wonder what he is saying...

"You are a disgrace, child. Because of your foolish actions," He lets out a loud sigh and rubs his temple with his hand, "Because of you, our ties with our ally will surely become unsalvageable, possibly," He continues to mumble to himself.

He's going to do it. I have no choice though. I cannot oppose him like this. I am basically powerless.

"Did you really think that I would not find you? That you could just run away from your duties? Do you want me to punish you?" He continues to rub his temples and turns to look me in the eye, "Or is that your plan so you would be free from these duties of yours? How selfish of you, child. Leaving the kingdom like this, abandoning the kingdom that raised you. Abandoning your parents who only wish the best for their daughter and their kingdom passed down to them from their parents,"

An angered expression flashes across his face as he slowly approaches me. I can feel the pressure onto me as my lungs heave harder and harder. The stress is starting to get to me. I feel my heartbeat increase, faster and faster, as I feel my emotions start to spiral downwards. Those strong feelings of dread begin to make themselves apparent within me as the King's glare onto me feels like daggers.

I want so badly to say how I feel. I did not feel like a princess should in the presence of her father. But I know I have to obey him now, because I tried to run before which is not something a princess should do.

I deserve this. Even though I do not remember what I did, I deserve this anyway. I have already accepted my punishment, father. Before I was born, my duties were given to me. I understand. This is what every princess must do. I accept my purpose.

Then the King looks me over once more before grimacing, that same expression like he feels disgusted at the sight of me. Like he sees nothing in me but dishonor and disrespect. He raises his right hand, which is holding his scepter, and thrusts it down again, clanking it against the floor. Several other hooded figures rush into the room. Each one is a lady, probably his Castle maids like the ones my father has back at home.

Home.

I shake myself from my thoughts.

No. It was all a lie. I am home now. I am the real Dark World Princess.

The King waves his hands to me, like he was motioning me to leave his presence. The maids hurry me away out of the throne room and into another part of the castle. The next thing I know, I am in a chamber-like room where there are chains attached to the wall in the back.

Chains? Are they going to chain me?

I feel insanity begin to pull on me, stronger and firmer than ever.

This is it. It is going to take me. Everything I knew from before was a lie. This is who I am now. A disrespectful and dishonorable Princess.

Star is so stressed in this part, goodness. :0