I open my eyes to find disappointment, because my dreams about Callista were much better than the boring monotony that is everyday. I am snapped out of my head from a knock on my bedroom door. As I sit up to open it, I pray it is not my mother as I am not dressed and awake yet. When I reach the door, I open it to find Daria, my brother’s bodyguard standing there. “May I come in?” Her voice is timid and quiet. “Of course, Daria.” I step aside to let her in and she rushes inside quickly. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for how your mother and your brother treat you. I see it all and while I can’t do anything because he says he will punish me, I want you to know that I support you and that I am sorry.” I am shocked for a moment trying to process her words. “Of course, Daria. It isn’t your fault that they are the way they are. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I have nothing against you.” She smiles sweetly at me in a way that projects innocence. I can see the palpable relief on her face. “I’m always here for you, miss. I’m in your corner. If you ever need help or even just a friend to talk to, don’t hesitate to call me.” She curtsies slightly, then leaves my room and walks down the hall towards my brother’s quarters.


    I close my door and lock it behind me, and go to sit on my bed. I can’t stop thinking about her words. …because he says he will punish me,... I already knew that he was a terrible person. Watching the pleasure he takes in my punishment proves it. I didn’t know, however, just how much he takes after our mother.. I realize suddenly that it can’t keep going like this. This needs to end. My family cannot continue to get away with this. Maybe I deserve their punishment, but Daria, that poor, sweet, innocent girl could never deserve their abuse. They need to be stopped.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    I go about my day pretending that everything is normal. I smile, explore the castle, and make small talk with all of the castle workers. I ride my horse and pretend that nothing is bothering me at all. Once night comes, I quietly go to sit on my balcony, praying that Callista will not follow. She doesn’t thankfully. I look at the book that I stole from the library earlier. ‘Using Magic To Change Your Face: Fixing Your Ugliness Into Beauty’ I begin to flip through the pages, until I find the incantation for temporary complete facial transformation.  I begin to practice the incantation over and over and over again. Once I''ve mastered it, I begin to practice doing it with just a wave of my hand and the thought of the spell. It doesn’t take me long to master that, too. I finally sneak back into my room, satisfied with my work tonight. I fall asleep with the hope that tomorrow, I can get more work done.


    When I wake from my slumber, and repeat the same routine all over again. This time, I steal a book on voice modification, and once I get back to my room for the night, I practice how to do that too. This incantation is harder to learn, as I have to change my voice enough that no one would ever hear it and think about me. However, after a couple of days of practice, I learn how to do that, too. After perfecting both of the spells, I begin to devise a plan to sneak out. I am clever, but so is Callista, and I can’t have her catching me and stopping me. Eventually, I decide that my best bet is to learn a good illusion spell so that I’ll look like I’m still sleeping peacefully in my bed when she comes to check on me. After stealing another book, I learn how to do that, too, and now, the plan is set. In a couple of days, I will sneak out using the illusion spell and go into the village and inspire change with a different face and a different name.  As my head hits the pillow tonight after a week of little to no sleep, I close my eyes and pray to Thalian that Callista doesn’t catch me, as I drift off into a dreamless slumber.