A princess in a gown holds a lantern, looking back as she approaches a stone gate in the rain with a castle behind her.

The Princess and the Pea People believe that being a princess means ball gowns, banquets, and everything going your way. I wish it were that simple. In truth, being a princess can feel like being trapped in a story someone else is writing for you. You’re expected to act a certain way, marry a certain prince, and NEVER EVER step outside the path that's been chosen. But I've never been good at following rules. A few weeks before the stormy night, I left my family's castle, not in secret, but not with much fuss either. I’d grown tired of being shown off in front of visiting princes like some kind of tournament prize. Every admirer claimed to want a “real” princess, but none of them wanted to know me, what I liked, what I feared, what I dreamed about late at night. So I left, determined to see the world for myself. I wanted to find my own way, not just as a princess, but as a person. The journey was harder than I expected. The weather turned, roads turned into rivers, and every inn I passed was already full. My chariot got stuck in mud miles away from any village, and I sent my chauffeur ahead to find help. I waited as long as I could, but when the storm got worse, I knew I had to keep going on foot. I finally found what seemed to be a castle so I walked up to the gate, my dress was soaked, and I could barely feel my fingers. I had no idea who lived there, but I knew I needed shelter, and this might be my only chance. I knocked. And when the heavy doors opened, and I saw the See more