I'm going to enter my own contest, although I won't be a winner if there are any other entries. This is going to be just the beginning of a possible story I might flesh out further if I have enough people interested in reading further.
Maya looked out the window with longing. The gentle snow fell as a thin blanket over the otherwise lush vegetation. She could see her face reflected transparently against the quarter-panels of the brass-bound window panes. Her almond-shaped eyes, coaled on the bottom lid, stood out bright green against her bronze complexion. She frowned slightly, knowing she was already promised.
"Little one," began Farryn, her handmaid, "I know what you're thinking and I know it's not a good idea." She was only a few years older than Maya herself, but she acted like she was an aged adult.
Maya sighed and turned away, wishing she was bundled up in her fur-lined cloak and bounding around the piles of shimmering snow like the other kids her age. "As you are a Princess in the Royal House of Wyy," she recited from memory, "you are bound by certain customs and traditions that you must learn to appreciate. Other children wish they were in your place, and you would be well off if you provided them with a level of decorum befitting your station."
Farryn giggled before she could stop herself. "That sounds like your mother alright," she said. "She means well."
"I know, but I don't want to be married yet. I'm not ready for that. I don't want to be stuck inside all day and all night having babies over and over and over. I need adventure, I need some magic and mystery in my life."
"That is all well and good, my Lady. But you know that is not what you will get. Your mother and father, the Queen and King, would never allow you to go on some adventure."
"Then maybe I just need to take things into my own hands," Maya replied, lifting her bejeweled fingers and sliding off each ring one-by-one. "If you are going to go tattle on me, then go... otherwise help me out of my gown and into something more suitable for travel."
Farryn sighed regretfully, her eyes twitching between one thing and the next within the room. She would never be able to return if she did help Maya escape. She might even be thrashed and put to the chains for the remainder of her life. Maya couldn't help but feel sad over this.
"You and I will find the grandest adventure of our lives, even if our lives become far shorter," Maya proclaimed, placing one bare foot atop her Bed Chest. "I think, if we go South, we can catch a caravan around Saminsgaard heading towards one of the Port Cities."
"Oh, no, my Princess, we should not do that," she said, half sarcasm and half fearful recognition of the truth. "What if we just take a quick tour around the Gardens instead. You know the Castle Sorceror keeps them all in bloom year-round."
"You are just too much sometimes," Maya began, but sighed and nodded. "At least get this overabundance of clothing off my shoulders, please. I hate traipsing over the dirt and mud in these ceremonial robes. Besides, my Mother the Queen would throw a complete hissy-fit."
Farryn relaxed and her lips turned upwards in a smile, thinking she had won the day. Maya, though, had nothing but conniving schemes running through her mind. She would let Farryn believe her and then just find her way out the secret exit that she knew about. Even if she had to thump Farryn on the head and knock her out, she was getting out of Bluemount, Castle and City. She smiled back at Farryn innocently as her hand-maid pulled off the weighted buoys of dressing gown, bustle, pleated skirts, and bloomers. When she was clad in nothing but panties from the waist-down, she jumped into the closet as she often did.
'I hate being so naked in front of anyone, even Farryn,' she thought, digging quickly through her clothing racks. She pulled out a taught, stretchable fabric pant bottom and then removed her blouse and replaced it with a lace-edged camisole beneath a knee-length sweater-dress. She belted it at the waist and popped back out of the closet.
Farryn appraised her and nodded. "That will do nicely," she agreed.
After she laced up some nice walking boots, so she could step lightly through the snow to get to the Gardens, they left the room. She knew this could be the last time she saw the room, as long as everything went as planned. They flew down flights of scrollwork staircases and through corridors that most others would stop to gawk, Farryn rushing her to get the "flight of fancy" out of her system. Maya knew the girl was scared. Maya was seething with terror inside, even though she knew she would never see the touch of lash of chain. The condescending remarks, the blatant non-contact-of-eyes, and the sideways looks from the Fancies (as she called them) would be about just as bad. At least with the lashing and chains, you didn't hurt physically for long and you were basically left to yourself afterwards. She would be the constant point of scrutiny.
She was almost out of breath and panting by the time they reached the Black-and-White Room. It was called the Black-and-White Room for obvious reasons, as the checkered floors and white walls and black ceiling and matching, monochromatic furnishings would explain. The large black door swung open at the lightest of knocks, and Farryn spoke softly to the guard as she kept herself back a bit. The guard, one of dozens or hundreds that haunted the Castle, promptly acknowledged whatever request the girl had presented and swung the door further to allow them room to exit.
"What did you tell them?" Maya asked in a quiet whisper, curious.
"I told them," she began in an equally low whisper, "that there would be special treats if they looked the other way... and that, if they didn't, there would likely be a night in chains."
Maya's eyes shot up at that. Farryn smiled sweetly. The girl was more cunning than she had led her to believe. Maybe she should bring her... no, Farryn needed to stay, that was that. Maya knew she would miss her hand-maid terribly, but she was so stifled in the Castle. There was just no freedom at all.
They bounced happily through the short snows that blew around, their seeds crystalline water as fine as powder. Nothing would pack together this day, although Maya grabbed up handfuls and threw them at Farryn as if it were a tight-packed ball of snow. They giggled and ran on, both knowing they had little time to actually enjoy the afternoon before the Ceremony.
'It probably makes it worse,' Maya thought sullenly, 'being the Day of Vows and all. Merritt. I was to be wed to a man named Merritt. He's probably a sweet guy, but the name... then again, he probably thinks my name is strange.' She sighed as they crossed the white, billowy concourse and up the path to the Garden Gates.
The Gardens were more a structure of metal piping and clear canvas material, about 20 feet wide and 500 feet long. Outside, the air was crisp, the breeze was stiff, and the sky seemed to shimmer with fine white mist. Inside, the air was heavy with humidity, warm like a permanent Summer Day, the movement of air was slow and languorous, and jewels of watery mist shone with a rainbow of prismatic light. It was breath-taking to see all the vibrant colors and shifting patterns of foliage and blooms. The smell of chamomile and mint were heavy, just to drown out some of the less-desirable stenches that went along with plant-life.
Maya didn't know too much, really, having just a cursory interest in the subject. She knew enough to appreciate the hard work that went into it, but not much more. Beautiful scents and delightful colors made her smile. She didn't get to go here very often, rarely in fact, but she did enjoy those times. This time wouldn't be quite as nice.
"Don't you just love all the different flowers, Little One?" Farryn asked, sliding back into the comfortable nickname. "I do so enjoy a good walk through the Gardens. Look, there's the Hibiscus and some Everplum and the Roses... oh, so wonderful!" She would cup her hand gently beneath each bloom and take a sniff next to the petals.
Maya did the same thing as she became more nervous about the plan. She felt like she would sweat through every stitch of clothing that she wore. She just knew that Farryn saw right through her plan and would stop her. She knew she would have to take the stares and ridicule at her failure. She knew none of that really, but she felt as if eyes stared constantly at the back of her head. As they drew further and further into the structure and closer to the secret exit that she alone knew about, she began to glance around when Farryn wasn't watching. She saw trowels and hoes, buckets and other tools of the trade. Which should she use?
"Maya, come over here and take a look at this," Farryn called. "I'd like to give you this Lotus Blossom, for whatever happens today." She plucked out a Lotus that was vibrant with pale lavenders and pinks.
It was breath-taking. Maya held it gently and scooted back, letting Farryn reach in front of her again. When she came back, Maya was bringing down a small earthenware pot against her skull. The cracking sound was horrible. Maya flinched and opened her eyes. Farryn was just fine, except for a large swell to her wrist where she had blocked the pot, breaking it. She smiled tearfully at Maya then pointed right to the secret exit.
"Let us leave her, my Lady," Farryn breathed, pain evident on her face. She yanked Maya by the hand, using her undamaged hand as she tugged.
They passed through the opening in the side into the dead calm of a darkish forest, running as fast as they could through the ankle-deep snow. Maya gripped the Lotus Blossom to her chest and cried at hurting her friend. When they finally stopped, some distance up the path into the deepening woods, she sobbed against Farryn's shoulder and tried to weakly apologize.
"I will heal," Farryan said. "I just wish you hadn't been so bloody quick with it; and why a pot? Why not something softer?" With that the older girl nudges Maya in the arm with an elbow and hugged her close. "Let's you and I go have us an adventure now."
Link to the Contest: https://steemit.com/writingpromptcontest/@dbzfan4awhile/writing-prompt-contest-3-the-lotus-blossom