Tereo was a strange town, Celia reflected.
Built right on the coastline, the capital city was located right where the nation's largest river split in two, forming a Y-shaped junction that cut right through the centre of town. The section of the city located on northern bank of the river was largely residential, and housed the larger part of the city's residents. Across the water, down on the southern side, commercial buildings and inns could be found, along with the marketplace and churches. Every day, several barges would flit back and forth between the two almost constantly, taking people out and home again for not so much as a single bronze coin.
Small fishing boats launched from the river's banks before heading out to sea, and the two constantly had to swerve and weave to avoid collisions that would end up with everyone in the water. It still happened on occasion, but was often met with laughter and playful curses as all the residents scrambled back towards the shore. Accusations were only made on rare occasions. Most people simply took such occurrences as a part of life, something to laugh about and bond over. Most everyone who lived in the riverside town knew how to swim, so the risk was usually minimal, and there were always plenty of people nearby to help out if need be.
Of course, aside the two public districts, there was one more section to the city. Right by the break, where the two forks of the river met the ocean, the small patch of land marooned in the middle played host to the royal family's palace. The tall spires of the castle towered over the rest of the city and the ocean alike, providing for a spectacular view whether one wished to view the sprawling expanse of the city or look out over the serene ocean. Like the rest of the city, visitors were carried back no forth by wooden barges, though these ones were usually smaller, and more exclusive. It also meant that the palace had what amounted to its own private beach, hidden away from the rest of the city behind the very palace itself.
Sometimes living in such a strange town had its advantages.
This small little beach was where Celia sat now, relaxing by the water in the fading light of the afternoon. With her formal business finished for the day, she had shed her weighty formal gown and the mantle that accompanied it, donning instead a plain and comfortable white sundress. Her long golden hair was pulled back into a single large ponytail, though her fringe had been left hanging low, as to cover the silvery crescent-moon birthmark that branded her forehead. She had forgone shoes, too, to better feel the sand beneath her feet. Most importantly of all, the place was still technically on palace grounds, which means she was not required to have at least two bodyguards escorting her every second of the evening. There were soldiers close enough to hear if she called - the girl knew that from personal experience - but beyond that, she was finally blessed with some time to herself.
The princess reclined comfortably just a few metres back from where the water met the sand, humming somewhat cheerily to herself as she meditated on her time spent in court, her stroll through the city, and her time spent holding public audiences earlier that day. The view of the sun setting out over the ocean was spectacular, and she even hummed softly to herself in something akin to contentment. As she tried to run her hands through the sand, though, a gentle twinge reminded her of the scar on her left palm, and the way the fingers would not bend properly anymore. She paused at that, lifting her scarred palm from the ground so that she could glance over it briefly. It stared at her impassively; the scarred flesh as puckered and red as always. A reminder.
"...It's been months since I last thought of those days. Of Lorenz. Why now?" She grumbled softly to herself. Her good mood was quickly obscured by the darker thoughts that were suddenly looming, threatening to ruin her free evening. With a defeated sigh, Celia would bury her hand back in the sand once more, not wanting to look at it any longer. She was a princess. She had to remember the mistakes of her past, but not lose herself in it as she tried to shepherd her people towards a brighter future. Her father's words, combined with her own motivation to be something more. Something better.
For now, that started with banishing her own frustration and enjoying the rest of her night while she had the chance.
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