Reblogged from new2writing in response to the photo prompt:

I disappeared through the gap in the bushes, leaving the palace and my troubles behind. My mother would not approve, she didn’t understand, I needed time, a life of my own, solitude and most importantly escape.

I climbed a tree to the top and watched the procession come in. The suitor they had picked for me would be amongst them. I didn’t care. I wasn’t ready. Why couldn’t things stay as they are? Jumping back down onto the path I began following my trodden trail, grimacing as my gown snagged in a bush. That would not go down well either. Maybe he would take one look at me and not want me, then things would stay as they are and I could still escape to the forest whenever I needed to.

Further up, I came to the lake and began skimming stones. The act numbed my mind, my tongue was held firmly between my lips as I concentrated on making each stone bounce further along the water than the last.

“Wow, how do you do that?” the voice had me startled and I turned to find a gangly looking lad behind me his eyes still looking out at the circles where my bouncing rock had finally sunk…

Read the rest of the story at new2writing