The dress Venetia wears.
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I stepped into a puddle, splashing water onto my ankle as I passed a sign advertising a deal for dying your hair. I could use a new look, it could help against, well, everybody.

I walked into the hair place and I approached a woman with a black bob.

"Hi." I said. "I need a new look."

By the time she was done, my my long brunette hair had been turned into a blonde pixie cut. It was perfect. It wasn't me and I hated it, but that's just it, I needed a disguise that wasn't 'Princess Venetia'. I ran my fingers through my hair and smiled at myself in the mirror. Who I saw grinning back, didn't look like me. They looked like a stranger, yet I could still recognize myself, it was still my face and my amber eyes staring back at me.

"Do you have a credit card or will you be using cash?" She asked me.

I mouth hung open a little. I had completely forgotten that you need to pay for things, like getting your hair done. She and I walked over to the counter where a cash register sat, a faded blue from years of service. My hands rifled through my pockets as I desperately hoped for some money to be found. I gulped. I had no money, not even a penny.

I quickly blurted out a "Sorry" to the kind woman who'd done my hair, and ran. I ran for five minutes before I stopped, to tired to run any farther. I took a second to look at the vicinity. I was standing on the outskirts of a park, where about a dozen kids played on the playground with their parents chatting with each other on nearby benches.

I looked around and sat down on an empty blue bench. I could already feel the guilt of leaving without paying, stealing from her for myself, eating at my insides. I attempted to convince myself that if I hadn't, I would've been caught and arrested, but the guilt didn't waver. You're no better than any other thief. Stealing for your own benefit, just because you can

A policewoman approached me, snapping me out of my thoughts. Her dark hair rested in a low bun on the nape of her neck.

In an Indian accent she said, "Excuse me, have you seen Princess Venetia's look a like? She's about five and a half feet with long brown hair."

"Sorry, no." I said, forcing myself to look her in the eye.

"Are you sure, she might have been seen with Clarence Imari, he's African with short black hair." She replied, firmly holding my wavering gaze.

I shook my head. Although it seemed like our conversation was over, she didn't move but a look passed her face for a moment that gave me the impression that she recognized me. I bit my lip, hoping, that she couldn't recognize me.

"Is there anything else?" I said, avoiding her gaze.

"No, um, thank you for your time." She said as she made her way across the moist ground to some people to no doubt question them on me and Clark.

I let out a deep breath I'd been holding in and smiled, relieved that I hadn't been recognized or arrested. I saw her look back at me and I quickly left the park, not wanting to stick around. I wandered around, not having anything to do. It was relaxing to not always have to wear dresses and always be busy with my private schooling or being taught how to act like a lady/princess and a future queen. I smiled as I walked the streets of the town, eventually finding myself in a shopping center. I wandered around, venturing into stores, many of which were giving away tiny portions of free food.

At one store, they had these beautiful dresses. They weren't long and expensive looking, like so many of the dresses Mum had me wear around the castle, but simple, yet trendy, and short enough so they weren't scandalous, yet long enough so I wouldn't trip on the hem of it as I walked. I ended up trying on a few, well more like a dozen dresses.

I finished doing up the zipper to my dress and twirled around in the mirror, the hem of the dress flying upwards. The short sleeved dress was black except for the skirt which was white with a black floral design of roses.

Suddenly, all of the lights soundlessly turned off, the only source of light being the light from a flashlight sweeping the dressing room area. Oh. Crap. I forgot to leave when they said the store was closing. I blinked, and after a few seconds, my eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness. I opened the door a little, curious if there was anyone else in the store. Light shone in through the glass door, softly illuminating the boyish face of a security guard. He turned his head to the left, momentarily making eye contact with me. I quickly closed the door, making a small click sound which sounded rather loud in the dead silence. My breathing quickened as his footsteps resounded in my ears with every step he took, each getting nearer and nearer. A beam of his flashlight landed on my feet. I held my breath and quickly took a step backwards. The feet stopped outside the door of my changing room as my heart beat loudly in my chest. I hurriedly looked for a way out of the dressing room as the door's handle slowly turned.