Commoners and War

Princess Luna couldn't believe her ears. She still wanted her freedom. She didn't want to be 'sold' as someones wife. But she knew not to try to argue with her father. She decides to not let it show that it bothers her. She knows her role as princess. So instead, she brings up another conversation with the King.

"Father?" Luna asks.

"What's your question child?" The King replies.

"Am I still to go live with the commoners?"

"After your birthday celebration and the meeting of Prince Adem." He says, not caring to look at Luna from his spread sheets.

"I'll go pack." Princess Luna tries to excuse herself.

"No!" he father says sharply. "I've already had the maids provide you with a pack of commoner clothes. You're supposed to live with the commoners to feel like a commoner. I will not have you offend my people dressing in your Royal garments while they stand around you in rags."

"Why don't you help them then?" Luna starts, knowing that her everyday plea will have the same answer.

"When the King of Suvan pays his debt I will have goods imported for our people at no cost. But until then money is tight." He sits down at his desk to continue looking at his maps and sheets. Knowing this as a sign that her father was finished and wanted to spend the rest of his evening trying to find a way to better his army, she turned and left his study.

After her father had defeated Suvan, he had sent his troops to Kliget. His troops have been stationed there for a year now. As a Princess she was only allowed to learn about certain aspects of war. From the little she heard about the war now was that the army of Kliget was stronger than her father had anticipated. She had asked her father once what he was planning to do. All he said was he would send more troops, food, and supplies. She didn't know if he actually did or not though.

...

Luna met with the maids about an hour later. They gave her a pack of old plain clothes to try on. Even though they were displeasing to the eye, they were extremely comfortable. Most of the clothes that belong to Princess Luna were not made for comfort. They were made to enhance her beauty (not that she needed it.) But these clothes felt like water flowing over her smooth skin. Though the comfort of them was probably due to the material being worn thin and they were way lighter than her summertime gowns. She took the clothes to her chambers and stuck them in a knapsack. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Princess Luna, your highness. King Philly has requested you to the ballroom dressed in you wear for this evening." It was a boys voice. She opened the door. What she saw nearly broke her heart. A boy of about ten or eleven was standing on the other side. His blonde hair was hand cut and choppy. His clothes were almost three sizes too big and his cheeks were sunken. She knew her father was having the commoners who couldn't pay their takes work for him. She knew that sometimes the parents would send the kids because they themselves were busy working the farms. She hadn't known that her father meant that they would be treated as slaves.

"Thank you." She says, then adds. "What is your name?"

"Zacion." He answers her.

"Well, Zacion," she says. "Give the butler my ring. Tell him to have the maids prepare me a meal. Tell him I also said I want you to have a bath and eat my meal for me. You see I had news that made me queasy and I'm not hungry. So you can eat my meal tonight. Also tell him I said to get you some clothes that don't look as if they are about to fall off your body. If he doesn't believe you tell him I said that I will be furious and that he can come talk to me." She figured if her father wasn't willing to put forth some time to make his people happy she would have to step up and take that role before she got the throne.

Zacion on the other hand looked as of he just saw an angel. "Thank you, you're highness! Thank you! I will not forget the kindness you have shown me. I will follow and support you through blindness to death it's self "

"Now, now. It's just food and a bath. No need to promise your life to me. Now go. Father will be mad if I'm too late." She says

With a coursty the boy took the ring and whisked off to do as he was told with a wide smile on his pale face.