"Accept was is.
Let go of what was.
Have faith in what will be." ~ anonymous

Six months.

Six months flew by in a twinkle of an eye.

Six months and the change was evident.

Perhaps it was the was the way she was taught. Perhaps it was the way she was. Perhaps it was something that she always thought. Perhaps it was the aura she carried.

The aura that made people smile more. The aura that humbled people. The aura that made people more respectful. The aura that taught people empathy.

It started of slowly. The maids, the guards, the grounds workers.

Even the prince and princess began to feel more alive.

The hard rock of a heart the councilmen had, gradually began to crack as they began to treat people as people and not as tools.

Everyone noticed the change.

Everyone enjoyed the change.

Everyone changed.

Everyone but Dakota.

Dakota, who was living the life she always had.

Who was still smiling, still running, still shining.

Remember who you are

Her mother's words echoed.

She sat on her stool humming a tune whilst subconsciously
twisting her hair.

She never expected to enjoy living in the capital.

Yes, she was still restricted to the palace walls. Yes, nobody outside knew who she was, and yes, she she still could not return home.

But the capital changed. It changed enough for her stay.

She spent the better part of her days with Trina, taking lessons with the queen's advisors and afternoon walks through the endless gardens.

At night however, she snuck of to the prince's bed chambers. Where they would stare and the stars and talk and talk and talk until they all faded away in the birth of morning light.

Her life was basic. Her life was organized and planned. She did not hate it, but she did not like it either.

Her heart held a longing for the wildness home.

To see her father's face with rambunctious laughter. To stare into her mother's wisdom filled eyes. To exchange cheeky conversations at midnight with her elder sister, to spend her free hours with Ally baking in the kitchen and to run away in laughter from her brother, whom she had mercilessly teased.

The capital may be where she lived. But home is where the family is.

She wished to see that home again.

"I always wonder what you would be thinking about when you sit like that." Trivia commented from her bed.

Dakota looked up in surprise. "I never heard you come in,"

"That's because you were deep in your consciousness again."

Dakota shrugged with a light smile. "Perhaps,"

"What were you pondering about this time?" Trina asked.

"I was just thinking about my family," Dakota said, fiddling with her fingers.

Trina visibly softened. "You really miss them, don't you?"

"Terribly," she whispered.

Due to the fact that the acceptance ceremony was only six months after The Royal Selection, Dakota was not permitted to return home. Even if she was just to visit, even if no one knew she was the queen regent.

"What has Theodore said about it?" Trina asked.

"He has not said anything at all. I last saw him two weeks ago. Due to the Cosmet festival he has been very busy," Dakota nonchalantly replied.

Her tone did not match her emotions though. She missed Theodore a lot more than she was willing to admit.

"Still, he should make time for you," Trina reprimanded.

Dakota merely said nothing.

"I wish you could come with me to the festival though, who will I talk to?" Trina pouted.

"Well, until the acceptance ceremony is over, I'm afraid I cannot leave," a smiling Dakota teased.

"Ah the acceptance ceremony," mused Trina. "I wonder what the capital will think of you."

"Why do you say that?" Dakota picked at her nails.

"The rest of the capital has not been influenced by you yet. I hope that when they meet you, they can change too,"

"I have not done much Trina, you praise me for nothing," Dakota brushed it off.

"You changed the entire castle within six months, even my parents are now dining together. Whether you believe or not, see it or not, you inflict change wherever you go. That is what I like about you, just by being you, you can impact someone's life greatly.

And I hope—I hope that one day the capital will see it too." She spoke with happiness in her voice.

And for the first time since Dakota left home, she finally believed her mother was right.

******

Two weeks was a very long time.

Two weeks since Theodore had spoken to Dakota.

And for once, it actually felt like a lifetime.

The Cosmet Festival was one of the only remaining cultural events the capital still respected.

Mainly because it involved a lot of partying and drinking, so it cannot be qualified as respected. It was more like the day was encouraged to indulge oneself in sin for a night and pretend to be holy the next day.

It was a day that was meant to be spent with thankful hearts of family and friends. Thankfulness for the lives they have, the assets the carry and the lands that they are blessed with.

Nonetheless, people have turned it into a day of wickedness and recklessness.

One prince Theodore never enjoyed.

However, due to it being a very important cultural event to encourage good morals between the people, the Cosmet Festival had to be done every year.

This is a complete waste of time, I have better things to do.

"There you are, are the preparations ready?" Trina asked, walking up to her brother who was standing at his favourite balcony.

"You'll have to be more specific on which ones," Theodore answered drily.

Trina rolled her eyes. "You know the ones made for Dakota?"

"Not so loud, do you want the entire castle to know what we're up to?" Her brother chastised.

"Answer my question!" She complained irritated.

"They're all ready. Just make sure to do your part and nothing will go wrong," he spoke in a low voice.

"I'll do it, I just hope we do not get caught for this," she replied and walked away.

******

From the view of her open balcony the Cosmet Festival looked rather bland.

Maybe it was because there was nothing festive about it.

Maybe it was because that the dancers looked uninterested.

Maybe it was because people were partying instead of celebrating a festival of thankfulness.

Trying to sate her boredom, Dakota scanned the people, ranking their scandalous outfits from worst to even more worst, whilst a voice in the back of her head chastised them for dressing inappropriately and her for ranking them.

Not knowing what else to do, she fell on her bed and rolled onto one side.

What would Andre be doing now? She could not help but wonder.

At least back home whenever she felt bored she could sate it with the company of her siblings. Here, without Trina or Theodore, she was only graced with the voices of wind.

The chatter from outside rose an octave louder, more people began to fill into the palace garden where the main festival was to be held. Those who did not come would celebrate in their homes or at pubs in the capital.

The point of this day, Dakota did not understand.

It was almost as if people were begging for one day to sin after all the perfect deeds they had done. If they had done any in the first place.

The capital was very corrupt, she questioned really why people insisted on living here. It seemed like the kind of place one would migrate to if they really wanted their souls destroyed.

Someday, one day, I hope to change that.

Midst her pondering, Trina burst into her chambers in a fit of breaths.

"Hurry!" She gasped throwing something on the bed. "Wear this, we are already behind with time!"

Dakota hurriedly stood up. "Trina, what is it?"

"There is no time to explain, hurry and put on the cloak!"

"Where are we going?!" She exclaimed, draping on the cloak.

Trina did not speak and she grabbed Dakota's hand and tugged her out the door.

"Wear your hood," she instructed, scanning the hallways.

"Trina!" Dakota said exasperated. "Where are we going?"

"We are sneaking out the palace to meet your family and we need to do it fast before the guards catch wind that you are missing."

And then Trina proceeded to drag her to an unfamiliar hallway.