Princess Emily the Emerald Princess of the Greenwood in the Jewel Kingdom was swinging herself back and forth happily and freely on the wooden swing that hung down from a great oak tree which her royal woodsman Crosscut had made for her.

Emily was the youngest of the Jewel Princesses at ten and a half years old now. She loved to play and have fun all day long, she also sometimes liked to get into mischief at the expense of others though she always meant well. She also loved all of her subjects and took care of them and helped them whenever and wherever she was needed by them. Lately though, her royal duties had grown immensely and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of them and so she took as much time out as she could to just relax and enjoy herself as she was now.

Then all of a sudden her carefree playtime came to an abrupt end as a small silvery white unicorn stepped up beside her and said softly, "You must stop now, Princess. It is time for your royal meeting with the fairy folk and the miniature elves in the castle."

"Aw, can't I have just a few more minutes, Arden?" Emily asked the unicorn who was her royal advisor.

"I'm afraid not, my lady," said Arden. "The matter between the fairies and elves is a serious one and cannot be put off for any longer."

Emily gave a sigh of resignation as she stopped herself in the swing and hopped off of it. "Very well." she muttered.

"Come quickly," said Arden as he bent slightly so that Emily could climb onto his back. "They mustn't be kept waiting for long."

So then Emily rode on Arden all the way back to the castle. Once they got there she hurried inside to the royal meeting hall where she met with fairy folk and the miniature elves. They were having this meeting today so that she could settle for them some quarrels they were having with each other and she knew they were too temperamental to settle these arguments by themselves, especially the fairy folk, she had to make a decision for them so that they would not have to result to waging war on each other.

The meeting went on and on for hours. Emily was having to listen to both sides of the parties time and time again, and then she was having to think long and hard about what should be decided for them without making things worse. She was having to ask many questions and then think some more. Then finally she came to a decision and announced it to her subjects and they agreed to it and then left with peace made between them.

After they had left, Emily let out a long yawn. She felt mentally exhausted from such a long and tiresome meeting. She was also feeling rather fed up now with her subjects as she wondered why they always seemed to have to come to her when they needed something to be settled and why couldn't they just simply work it out themselves with each other. It seemed like instead of them serving her she had to serve them at times it seemed.

Just then the bell rang that announced it was time for dinner in the royal dining hall. So she got up and went to have dinner.

After dinner Emily got ready for bed. She entered her royal bedchamber and took off her emerald green stain dress and changed it to her equally green and satin nightgown. She turned off the light and went to sleep shortly. As she slept she had a dream in which she was not a princess but just a simple ordinary young girl who ran around and played all day with her ordinary friends and animals in the woods without a single care in the world. She never had to think hard to make important decisions for anyone lest she disappoint and upset them.

When she awoke the next morning she felt a heavy weight resting within her heart as she knew her dream had been a mere fantasy and she would have to get up and start yet another day full of royal duties which would consist of making hard pressed decisions for others.

After she had breakfast, Emily went to see Arden to tell him about her troubles as she always trusted him as being the most understanding friend she had. She came to him in little hut just outside of the castle and said,

"Arden, I feel like I'm sick and tired of being a princess now. I'm just not happy with having so many royal duties all the time now, and having to make decisions for others. It just wears me out. I wish... I wish I were just an ordinary girl like the ones who live in the Greenwood village outside of the woods and could just run and swing and play all day long."

Arden looked at her thoughtfully with a light of understanding shining in his black eyes. Then he said, "Well, Princess, you must remember that many ordinary girls also dream of becoming a princess like you are all the time and long for all of the things you have here. Also you must understand it is your destiny to be a princess as you were born into it along with your three sisters."

"I know, Arden," Emily said. "But if those ordinary girls knew of all the troubles that come with being a princess they would be happy just being ordinary. And I did not choose to be born as a princess, I really didn't. And now I think I don't want to be one anymore at all, either."

Arden looked at her in great surprise. "Why, Princess! You must watch what you're saying! What if someone were to overhear you?"

"Then let them hear it!" said Emily in frustration. "I don't care! I really don't care! I just want to get out of this castle and lose this crown and scepter and go have an adventure somewhere far away from here with nobody knowing me as the Emerald Princess."

"Princess," Arden said cautiously, "remember you must be careful of what you wish for or it may come true."

"And I want it to come true!" Emily said. "In fact, I'm going to make it come true this very night. I'm going to leave my crown and castle far behind me and go somewhere far away where I can pretend to be an ordinary girl for once in my life."

Arden now looked at her in shock. "Princess! You can't be serious about this. I mean, who will govern the Greenwood in your absence?"

"Why don't you do that for me, Arden?" suggested Emily. "After all, you've always been much better and quicker at making decisions than I ever have. And please do not tell anyone about my plans."

Arden sighed in defeat. "Very well, Princess. I will do just as you wish of me. But if you will not take your crown, then will you at least take your magic flute with you? You know, for just in case of an emergency?"

Emily thought about this for a moment and then said, "Oh, alright. Now tonight at sundown I want to make absolutely sure that the coast is all clear for my escape."

And so Arden did. And Emily changed out of her royal green satin dress and into a pair of long green knee-breeches with pale green silk stockings, and dark brown pointed shoes along with a dark green tunic and a peaked green hat that half covered her long red curls. Then after she had fastened her special pan flute to the belt around her waist, she opened her window in her bedroom and climbed carefully and silently down the castle wall.

She landed softly on the ground and then she made a dash into the thick forest. She caught a glimpse of Arden in the corner of her right eye. His face looked quite sad but also hopeful. Hopeful that she would safe, and hopeful that she would soon come back.