The grand hall was filled with murmurs and disguised glances at Princess Anastasia, as she was declared the next queen. Slow and awkward applause swept along the hall. Anastasia stood stiffly on the dais, her hands trembling at her sides. As the courtiers bowed and smiled, their eyes betrayed their act. Revealing anger and disgust against their future queen.
Princess Anastasia bowed and waved at everyone before lightly lifting her beautiful purple silky dress, slightly revealing her diamond heels. She stepped down the stairs and walked with her head up high, still processing all the duties and responsibilities that she has been given.
As she walked down the hall she felt the walls grow closer and closer as her breathing intensified. Her heart pounded growing exponentially faster by the second, feeling like it was going to explode.
The guards opened the door for Her Highness and bowed. As the doors closed shut, the room that once was quiet quickly overpowered with raised voices and overlapping conversations. The tense atmosphere turned into a chaotic mix of discordance and brawl.
Princess Anastasia rushed to her room, and threw herself on her bed as droplets of tears fell off her face, she cried a stream of sadness, feeling worthless at how her people have grown so much resentment towards her.
She lifted her buried face off her pillow and walked over to her big golden mirror. Her halfway-broken lamp is the only thing that lights the dim area, filling the void with worthlessness.
Examining herself, she realized how true her people were. She understood their hatred towards her. She understood that she was not fit to rule. She was different. She did not think like the other princesses. Her hair was usually tangled, with each curl pointing in a different direction. She doesn’t wake up with stunningly lovely hair. Her skin was not flawless, and her cheeks lacked a natural flush. She had untidy freckles. There were no dimples to make her “cute” and her eyes were “muddy” brown rather than lovely blue.
She looked at her gown, beautiful and elegant, but still not enough to make her glamorous.
The more she looked at herself the more disgust she felt, the more disappointed she felt with her imperfection, and the less confident she was to be queen.
Queen she thought. Just two days before her coronation, forty-eight hours before the scariest event in her life, two thousand, eight hundred eighty minutes before all the rushed emotions that she has felt explode in a matter of seconds.
The next day, Princess Anastasia was assigned to go dress-fitting for her coronation. She looked at all of the pleasant designs and materials displayed around the store. However, she was led into the silk and cotton area, where she was amazed by how fine and rich the material felt in her bare hands.
She was given different kinds of dress styles to pick from, yet she decided to stick with a pure white fluffy long dress that was tight on her upper body, with short tight sleeves, and golden patterns of glittery butterflies.
Princess Anastasia was brimming with excitement about her new dress that she had forgotten about her worries and problems. Until it was time to take her measurements to ensure the dress fit perfectly.
She quietly noticed that no dressmaker wanted to assist her, even though she was royalty. She noticed that they all looked up and down at her through a large mirror, where she was looking at all her different curves. Her legs were more fuller, and her waist broader. Her stomach is a few inches thicker than average. The lush curves of her body were far from perfection.
Once a dressmaker approached her she greeted her with sweetness and with a warm smile, masking how defeated and ashamed she was for herself.
Princess Anastasia’s heart sank as her dressmaker signed after each measure, her stomach felt an uneasy feeling. Her eyes, the muddy brown eyes that were once looking at her herself through the mirror are now looking at the carpet floor wishing to leave and just lay in her precious bed.
That same night Princess Anastasia felt more worthless than ever before. She sat hunched over on the edge of her bed. Her heart pounding like a fierce drum in her chest, each beat sharp and upsetting. Her breath came in quick, as she placed a hand on her chest trying to calm herself down. Her mind raced with unsettling thoughts, each more alarming than the last.
She wanted to escape, go to a place that made her feel safe, a place that made her feel like she could control time and stop it at any given time that she wanted. A place just like The Celestia Forest. A forest that she has loved ever since her mother’s death.
Without a care in the world, Her Highness quickly roamed around the halls to a hidden back door, escaping the palace. She traveled throughout the village as her people glanced at her in confusion, but she did not care. The only thought occupying her mind was reaching the forest.
As she ran, she felt her tears whisk away in the breeze. She felt herself drawing closer and closer to her destination. Guided by the shimmery butterflies, she arrived at the heart of the forest, where a magical tree stood in the center.
The tree was decorated with different shapes and colors of leaves. Fireflies embrace the warmth of the tree and the bushes. Dancing away through the night enjoying their little lifetime. Gold and white butterflies sing in choruses as they flap their wings to stay in the air, collecting the smell of the magical leaves.
Her highness’s wild beating heart tempo slowly began to shift. The once-wild drumming starts to unwind, and her breathing patterns start to shift.
Princess Anastasia slightly lifted her night dress and kneeled before the tree. Touching the grass and inhaling the beautiful smell of peace and magic. She raised her hands, interlocking her fingers together, closing her eyes as she took a deep, calm breath.
She prayed and prayed, wishing to be like everyone else. Wishing to have better hair, to have beautiful ocean blue eyes, to have the “perfect” body measurement, to have that tint of blush that everyone wished for and small but cute dimples that would light up a room when she smiled.
The tree did not respond to her wishes, instead, it said, “Perfection? You are perfect just the way you are my dear.”
“No, my Celestia tree, I’m far from perfection. Even my people believe that. They have grown so much hatred for my looks wishing that I was not their future queen.” her Highness shakingly replied.
“But that’s not true my child, you are unique. You are a beautiful lady, who has grown over the years” the tree said in determination. “Your people have not seen the real you, the real Princess Anastasia who will do anything for others. Remember all of the valuable accomplishments that you have succeeded for your people. Remember my child.”
Anastasia opened her eyes, gently lifting her face as all of her memories rushed through her head, each one coming in hard, all piling up. Tears dripped from her cheek onto the grass, each droplet leaving a stain of glow on the ground.
“Regarding your appearance, it’s what makes you unique. Your luscious curls, messy but defined, each spiral with effortless grace.” the tree continued, whispering slowly and gently. “The curves in your body, each tell a story of grace and strength. Like if it was sculpted by an artist who understood the delicate balance between softness and strength.”
Princess Anastasia thanked the tree before whipping her tears, taking a deep breath, and standing up. She realized that the tree was right. She is far from perfection, but she is unique and special just the way that she is.
The day has finally come for her Highness’s coronation. A day that she has been so frightened for has become a day she has dreamed of having. Princess Anastasia wore her beautiful fluffy white dress with patterns of gold butterflies and white heels. Her hair half up and half down showing off her curls.
Trumpets blasted a beautiful melody before Princess Anastasia walked in. Everyone rose to their feet, unable to tear their eyes away from her. Angelic piano music played as she reached the throne that was set at the far end of the room. The high priestess then proceeded to lead the ancient ceremony.
Princess Anastasia knelt before the altar, where the high priestess gently pressed a gilded sword on her shoulders. As a symbol of her duties as protector and ruler of her people.
For the final act, the high priestess must place the crown on Anastasia’s head. However before he could do so she carefully stood up, leaving everyone speechless.
The high priestess moved to the side giving everyone’s attention to her highness. Princess Anastasia cleared her throat before opening her mouth. She expressed her feelings to her people. She shared with them and her royal guests all the achievements and hard work she had dedicated to them.
“Perfect, is what you all wish for me,” she said slowly. “But I am far from perfection, and I know that you all believe that, because I see the way you all look at me” she stopped before saying, “the way you are all looking at me right now” she motioned her hands toward her people.
They went deadly quiet at how guilty they felt. Some looked down at the ground, others looked at their hands, and some looked at her highness eyes with guilt and embarrassment.
“I understand why you all have felt this way towards me because I felt it too. However, I have learned to love myself the way that I am, because a friend of mine told me that I am unique, my curls and my curves are what make me who I am.” She stated.” “My freckles, messy but powerful, each telling a different story. My eyes, known as “muddy” brown but to me they are “chocolate” brown.”
“So honored friends, believe me when I tell you that no matter how different I am, you are all too, and that’s what perfection is. And believe me when I say that I will rule this nation to the best of my abilities,” she said confidently.
And with that, her people stood up all at once cheering and clapping for her highness.
Princess Anastasia smiled, her eyes filling with tears. She experienced a warmth she hadn’t felt in a while. It was a magical feeling, it felt like she was floating and touching each cloud in the sky, counting each glowing star.
As the high priestess gently placed the crown on the new queen Anastasia’s head the hall erupted with cheers and applause from the crowd, filling the hall with jubilant echoes. Queen Anastasia’s eyes sparkled with tears of joy and pride.
To this day, I have grown into a stronger queen than ever before. Sharing my story with all the children, including my own.