Princess Elara woke up to golden sunlight spilling through the tall arched windows of her room. Today, there were no lessons in etiquette, no royal audiences, and no endless discussions about treaties. For once, the palace calendar was blissfully empty.
She slipped out of her silken sheets and tiptoed down the marble hallway, still barefoot. The guards pretended not to notice—after all, everyone knew the princess had a mischievous streak. She dashed straight to the royal gardens, where dew still clung to the roses, and climbed her favorite oak tree. From its branches, she could see the sparkling fountains and the maze-like hedges. She loved pretending she was an explorer overlooking a grand kingdom.
By midday, she had gathered the kitchen staff into a game. With aprons flying and flour dust in the air, they held a pastry-making contest. The princess, laughing so hard her crown slipped sideways, managed to cover her nose with more sugar than she put on her tart. The head chef pretended to be scandalized but couldn’t help grinning.
Later, she and her younger brother raced through the palace corridors with wooden swords, their echoes ringing from one hall to the next. They declared the ballroom a “castle under siege” and defended it valiantly until they collapsed on the velvet carpet, out of breath and giddy with laughter.
As evening fell, Princess Elara joined the musicians in the grand hall. She picked up a tambourine and twirled across the polished floor, her gown fanning like a flower as she spun. The courtiers peeked in, startled at first, then smiling quietly to see their princess so joyful.
That night, when the stars blanketed the sky and the palace lanterns flickered, Elara whispered to herself, “Being a princess isn’t just about duties. It’s about joy too.” She fell asleep with a smile, already dreaming of tomorrow’s adventures.
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