Grace was a moonchild. She knew this. Her family knew it. Even the people in the kingdom knew. A moonchild. A wild child. It was a label given to unruly children. Those who were so stubborn that even their elders were close to giving up. Those who preferred the woods and rivers over the civility of the city. It was just that. A group description that gave up on those like her. Hundreds of years ago it was used to whisper about the children of hags, but now it was nothing more than a mockery of a nursery rhyme.
Funny enough, it was almost exclusively used to describe unruly girls. The boys were allowed to fight. To travel and explore. That wasn’t the largest issue in this situation – because Grace was the second daughter to King Gabriel, and Queen Ava of Northwind. And as a princess she was expected to behave. To be pretty and bow for the elders and her father. The only good thing about this was that she was not the oldest, or the youngest. She had three older siblings. The oldest, Greyson, was in line for the throne. When people saw him, they did not think ‘that man is born for the throne’, no they thought ‘the throne was made for him’.

Then there was Elanore. She was clever, polite, quiet. She held her head high as the future queen she was, as she had been promised as a wife to a prince in the east. After her followed Theo, the charming young prince who would swoon every woman when he grew older. He was only one year older than Grace, and he had started at the warrior academy when he turned six, just like their brother, their father, and every other male in the royal family.
Grace had a tight relationship with Theo. Their similar age had forged a bond between them that did not extend to the other siblings.

And the last was Princess Melody. Melody was the picture-perfect illustration of beauty, she was five years younger than Grace. Between the mature and strong Greyson and Elanore, and the beauty and charm of Melody, Theo and Grace almost disappeared. They took advantage of that, sneaking out and seeing the town. If Grace put on a hat and a dull dress, she would be mistaken for a maid if she kept her distance when her family was out in public. Her mother wouldn’t let her wear that kind of garment though. It had to be silk, embroidered with golden string and lace.
But silken dresses and white gloves didn’t do well for fighting. For running in the woods. For bathing in the river. Over and over her mother had scolded her for wasting her dresses and time. She should study painting, play the harp and practice her needle work, but Grace wanted to fight. She wanted the adrenaline of jumping from one rock to the next when crossing the wild rivers, but because she was a girl she was not allowed. And because she did what she could to do it anyway, she was named a moonchild.

Theo had tried to help her. When she had approached him when she was seven, asking him to share his training from the warrior’s academy, and teach. He had found it fun. They were best friends, and spending time on this was the best memory Grace had. She had the upper hand, as she could practice her sword skills and archery when he sat at a desk learning about politics and warfare, so she soon surpassed his abilities. Their father had demanded she stop. That she behaved, but she didn’t pay him any mind. Why should she? She was not in line like her siblings, she had her whole life to herself!

Only, she didn’t. After a stern talk with her parents at fourteen, she found herself simmering with anger and sadness. Because a princess only had two roads to choose from. Either she pursued marriage and produced heirs – or she joined the cloister as a nun. Those were the respectable ways for her adult life. Grace wanted to throw up at the mere thought. Anger simmered in her veins as she ran down the hallway towards her room, thought clouding her vision. She could not do that! None of that! She would find a way out, however possible. She would disappear, just like her and Theo had always talked about. So, she would talk to Theo. He would help.

As Theo returned from the academy she had sent for him, and when his usual teasing didn’t make her smile, a serious expression had settled over him.
“- how?” he asked. “I don’t know” she replied in frustration. “I’ll… I’ll figure something out. But I can’t do what they want! I just can’t!”
Panic laced her voice and Theo reached out, softly squeezing her shoulder. “I… I know” he whispered. “I’ve always known” he let his hand fall, the positive note in his voice gone. Silence settled over the room as they thought, Theo staring at the defiant little sister. He didn’t want to let go, yet he knew her better than anyone. They had been together since she could walk. Had secret sleepovers in the garden under the large willow tree, pretending to be outcasts on a desert island. He was fifteen now, and things had changed since then. Grace wasn’t a little girl anymore. Their time together was limited and they had drifted apart. Where he had made new friends, she was alone. He wished he could change it, but things were as they had always been and always would be.
“We’ll do it, we’ll figure it out” he promised and straightened his back. “You won’t be forced to marry, not even god” that pulled a smile from her, and he softened. He wanted to see her happy, and by gods he would help even if it meant she would be gone. And so… the planning begun.