Aquila knew a lot of things. She knew about animals and the history of the kingdom.  She knew every nook and cranny of the tower and all the secrets it held. Aquila knew about the men who took turns guarding her tower and the maids that came up every day to bring her new food and clothes and books. Aquila’s favorite thing was the night sky and all it’s stars. She learned about the planets that were so far away and wished she could touch them.
She also knew why she was in the tower in the first place. They feared her rebellion, they wanted the perfect daughter to become the perfect queen. So when she turned 13, they put her away to learn and grow away from the influence of her other peers. The only time she is allowed to go out is when there is a event that she has to be shown. She doesn’t ever do much. She just would sit there for a long time and look pretty, then she went right back to her tower.
No one in the kingdom knew that the princess was hiding in a tower. Every year, there was a annual ball at the kingdom that she attended to. Here, she talked to people, and she danced with men. She wanted to tell them of what loneliness she felt with the year’s passing, but she never did. She didn’t know why. She just couldn’t bring herself to tell people her secret.
At the parties, many of the boys flirted and attempted to charm her. She knew why, she was the heir to the throne and quite a beautiful girl, it would be a smart political move to seduce the future queen.
But Aquila didn’t care for them, she didn’t like any of the boys that flirted with her. Her parents told her that once she turned 17, she would have to choose a man to marry but they would much rather choose for her. They pretended she had a choice. Aquila knew once the day came, she would be forced to do things she didn’t want to.
Recently, Aquila just turned 16. Which meant she had one year to marry and then another year until she became the queen. Aquila personally thought it was stupid that she was still in the tower. Shouldn’t they be preparing her to be queen?
Aquila especially wanted answers when suddenly she heard a great ruckus from below her, at the base of the tower. She looked out the window and saw the guards fighting something-someone. It was a person in armor and a great sword.
She watched the fight for quite a while, but the person in armor couldn’t get past the strong watchers of her tower. Soon, the armored knight backed off.
They took off their helmet to reveal a very young man who shouted, “I know you are up there, princess! I will come rescue you one day and make you my bride!”
Suddenly the very interesting scene became an very annoying one. Aquila huffed and flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. The young man looked to be a couple years younger than her, he would never get up to her.
To make more of Aquila’s point, the man-more like a boy- runs off into the woods, and Aquila never saw him again.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t see more knights trying to rescue her. In fact, it became a regular thing. Aquila would be trying to sit down and read or chart the stars but she would the clanging on steel swords below her. It completely put off her focus and she began trying to find unique ways to drown out the sound. Such as trying to cook, while dramatically banging the plates, pots and silverware on the table to make her own ruckus. Also playing her many instruments scattering her room and singing very, very loudly.
Once when none of these worked, she just opened her window and shouted, “GO AWAY!”
It startled the knight so much that he ceased his fighting just in time for one of the guards to hit him with the hilt of his sword, making him fall completely unconscious.
Many months passed and none of the knights were able to go into the tower. Aquila’s father, the King, added more guards to watch her tower during the daytime. No one came at night for the men were more interested in making a show of it than actually ‘saving’ the princess.
Aquila was against all of this. She didn’t need to be saved, she was just fine here. And she definitely not by a knight in shining armor who expected her to just fall in love with him once she saw him. It was ridiculous and impossible and definitely not her.
One night, Aquila had turned in early. Not one, but two knights had shown up today and one wore a heavy load of gold armor. They, of course, were knocked out quite easily in the hot summer sun. Aquila didn’t even stay up to see the stars, she was in such a bad mood.
She had only been 16 for five months and she was going to be assigned to one of these stupid men by the end of the year. She knew already she wanted nothing to do with any of them. Ever.
The princess was sleeping soundly when she heard a noise that woke her up. It was the sound of her window closing. She thought it was just wind turning until she heard a large thump follow and a noise that sounded close to a squealing cat.
Aquila hopped out of her covers and grabbed her knife from under her pillow. After the oncoming of the men, she began to keep it close to her.
“Whoa, whoa! Sorry, don’t stab me!” shouted a voice of a boy.
Aquila quickly lit the lamp beside her with a matchbox beside it. Once she could see better, she walked closer to the boy, knife pointed in her hand.
“Who are you and how did you get up here?!” She sneered.
The boy put his hands in the air, “I-I...I climbed up the side of the tower.” He took a deep breath and puts one of his hands out for a handshake, “And my name is Clifford, son of Tredway. But it’s Cliff, really.”
Aquila doesn’t shake his hand but she puts his knife down some. The boy looked about her age, and wasn’t much older or younger like the rest of the knights coming in. He had dusty blond hair and a rounded face, compared strangely to his thin body. He was a scarecrow of a boy. He looked pretty dirty and wasn’t in steel armor like the rest of them. He was just in normal clothes with leather belt around his waist, that hung many bags and pockets.
Clifford, with his hands up, went to his feet. He was quite a bit taller than Aquila and she took a step back to regain her powerful stance.
He seemed pretty harmless, if anything clumsy, and Aquila put her knife down all the way.
“So why are you here?” Aquila crinkled her nose in distaste, “To come set me free and take me as your bride?”
Cliff mimicked the disgusted expression much to Aquila’s surprise, “Yeah, pretty much. I mean, that sounds kinda aggressive. I guess it is aggressive...I don’t know.”
Aquila raised an eyebrow in confusion. “So you...don’t want to marry me?”
Cliff sat down on the ledge at the window, “No. I don’t really want to marry anyone, ya know?”
“Like ever?”
Cliff shrugged, “My mom keeps trying to get me to find a princess to marry. But I don’t really like girls, ya know? And then she thought that maybe I would like boys, but I don’t really like them either.” He began mumbling, “I kinda just really like gems…”
Aquila picked up the murmurs, “Gems?”
Cliff smiled, “Yeah,” He brought a shiny swamp green rock out of one of his little bags on his belt, “Look! This one is called a Peridot!”
Aquila grinned, “Great! Let’s go!”
Cliff’s expression lowered, “What? You actually want to go with me?2 But I just said I really didn’t want to marry you.”
The princess said, “Exactly, that’s why you are the best person to get me out of here! We can be friends and show them that they can’t tell us who to marry!”
Cliff grinned and smiled at the idea. “Good idea!”
“Hold on, let me get ready. I need to get some things together.” Aquila said.
The princess grabbed a large satchel and began throwing many things in it. She thought it was too bad that she didn’t have any money, but she had many royal items she could use. She brought along her little telescope and her star map so she could still pursue her hobby.
As she got ready, she asked Cliff, “Why is your mother so dead set on you marrying a princess? Couldn’t you marry a lady-in-waiting like the other knights?”
Cliff was now sitting on the quilt of Aquila’s bed as she rushed around, playing with his gems absentmindedly, “Well it’s because I’m not a knight, I’m a prince.”
“Really?” Aquila said, pulling a pair of red cloth pants from under him as he shifted out of the way, “I guess that makes more sense. And second, what made all the knights come? How did they know I was here?”
Cliff played with a red colored rock while he said, “They put out some kind of announcement out a few months ago. It was mainly just for the knights of your kingdom, but the word spread fast. They said that whoever could come and rescue you from your tower would be worthy enough to marry you. Of course, each of the men going through very specific training and background checks to make sure they were right for you first.”
Aquila tightened her grip on bag, “Do you go through it too?” She said, sarcasm lacing her voice.
Cliff looked up at the princess a bit concerned but answered her question, “Yeah. They weren’t as strict on me as the others although. I mean, obviously, since I’m no hero type. Your parents were really pleased to see me, being another royalty and all. Well, they probably wished I was big tough guy like the other knights, but you have to take what you can get, I guess.”
The dark haired girl nodded again. She decided she should change out of the nightgown she was wearing and into the red pants and a white blouse. She didn’t know if she should move into the other room because she wanted to keep an eye on the boy on her bed.
“Uhm, I’m going to change. Don’t look.” She said.
Cliff looked up and shrugged, “If it makes you more comfortable, but remember, I’m not interested.”
The prince turned around and looked at the wall. Aquila took a moment to think about that. But she shrugged and got dressed.
Once she finished, she put on her shoes, got to her feet and headed to the window.
Cliff got up to, “Are we leaving?”
Aquila nodded and opened the large window, looking down below. She saw the rope that Cliff climbed up from. She looked to see if any of the guards were there before she climbed down the rope.
It was a bit a bumpy journey down the tall tower and with Cliff above her, Aquila held her breath that the clumsy boy wouldn’t misstep and take them both down with him.
Luckily, there were no casualties and once their feet touched the ground, they ran off into the woods.
They just ran for a while, Cliff led the way. He had left a very shiny clear stones in branches of the trees he had been past. They were very easily spotted and shined beautifully against the glow of the moon. Cliff carefully picked them up and put them in one of his bags.
The two run until they get out of the forest and begin there way to the kingdom. They had to go through a few villages until they got to the castle but they were on there way and should be there before nightfall on the next day.
Aquila was able to watch the moon to chart the time. It was about 2am and even the earliest risers wouldn’t wake for a while.
They walked quietly through the village for a while. It was a little awkward. Aquila wanted to make conversation but wasn’t sure how to start it. So instead she just kicked the dirt under her feet and readjusted the bag on her shoulder.
The princess was relieved when Cliff spoke up for the both of them, “So, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you so against marrying one of the knights? Or why were you in that tower in the first place?”
Aquila look back at her home that she recently abandoned, “Well that second one is a very long story. And for the first one...well I just don’t want to marry someone I don’t want to. I want to get married because I love a person and not because my parents think they are fit for me. Does that make any sense?”
Cliff just shrugged, “I dunno, maybe.”
Aquila sighed, “You are no help.”
Silence fell again and they walked a few more miles. Soon, the sun began to rise and they decided to find somewhere to take rest.
They went to a nearby motel and walked in. It was quiet and dark, but it was open.
Sitting at the front desk, there was a teenage girl lounging lazily. She had mocha skin that contrasted with her light eyes. She looked like she half asleep and half awake, and was staring at a painting on the wall.
She looked up when the two came by and grinned, “Hello there! Are you checking in?”
Cliff said, “Yes, for one night please.”
She said, “Alright, for one room?”
Cliff looked at Aquila and she shrugged and nodded. “Yes, that’ll be fine,” Cliff said.
“Great! That’ll be 30 Dosh please.”
Suddenly realizing he had no money, Cliff looked to Aquila for help. She rolled her eyes and shuffled through her bag, bringing out a solid gold pair of earrings and a few silver bracelets.
“Will this work?” Aquila asked.
The girl’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped, “Uhm, yeah! Definitely.” The worker looked up to Aquila and said, “Hey, you like the princess!”
Aquila gave a small smile, “That’s me.”
“You are Princess Alisha? Oh my goodness! It’s so nice to meet you, my name is Tanner.”
Aquila cringed at her real name, “It’s Aquila, actually. And it’s nice to meet you too.”
Tanner nodded, “Well I hope you enjoy your stay! If you need anything, just tell me.”
They nodded and then went up the room. Cliff complained because the girl didn’t recognize him but Aquila just threw her shoe at him and then he was quiet.
The next day they wished goodbye to Tanner and headed off. It was a very very long walked through the villages but they were able to finally make it to the castle before the sun fell.
In order not to be recognized, Aquila put on a large hat and put her hair up in it. Cliff wanted a disguise as well but Aquila told him not to worry about it.
But as it turned out, many people were talking about him anyway though no one knew what he looked like. In fact, it seemed like the entire kingdom knew about the knight’s quest to bring back the princess. Everyone seemed to know before the actual princess did.
The two overheard conversations and rumors that the princess was out of the tower. Some people said that a strong knight had rescued her and they were on their way to the castle right now. Others, that Aquila preferred, said that she had escaped herself. 
By the time that they had reached the castle gates, Aquila knew much more about the people of her kingdom than ever before. Even though they didn’t know her, they were kind and polite. Aquila remembered how Tanner’s expression changed when she learned who she was. 
Cliff turned to her, “Are you ready?”
Aquila looked at him and nodded, “Yes.”
They walked up to the gates and were immediately stopped by the guards.
“What are you trying to do?” The guard said gruffly.
Aquila took off her hat and looked them in the eye, “Going home,” she said.
The guards instantly call up and tell the men to open the gate. Once it’s open, they bow to her as she walked through.
Aquila grinned and whispered to Cliff, “Not so shabby.”
They walked up to the door of the castle, where the doormen immediately opened it for them.
Once they got in, a thin, balding man greeted them.
“Princess Alisha, it is good to see you.” He said.
Aquila huffed, “It’s Aquila.”
The man raised an eyebrow but didn’t question her again, “Please follow me.”
The throne room was majestic. There were three thrones on a stage that was covered in royal ruby carpet. There were two big thrones beside a smaller one on the right of them. The two larger thrones were covered in green emeralds that probably made Cliff drool.
Aquila looked over to the boy who was looking very frightened, and was paying more attention to the people in the thrones rather than the thrones themselves.
The King and the Queen were very imitating. They were decked in purple and red robes and jewels. Aquila’s mother was beautiful, her dark hair poured over her cloak and was topped with a golden crown. Her full lips and dark, mysterious eyes grinned when she saw her daughter.
“Welcome home,” The Queen said in a silky voice.
Aquila huffed, “Hardly.”
Aquila and Cliff walked forward in front of the royals.
The King smiled, “I see that your hard work has pulled off, Prince Clifford. You will make a good groom to my daughter.”
Cliff shuffled his feet on the ground, and didn’t make eye contact with the King, “Actually, uhm, we agreed-”
Aquila spoke up for him, puffing out her chest and standing tall, “We agreed that we are not going to get married.”
The King and Queen looked at the two teenagers, shocked.
“You have to marry him.” The Queen said calmly. “He went out to go save you to marry you.”
“That’s just it!” Aquila said, her voice growing louder, “Why did they have to save me in the first place? I didn’t need saving! And what were they saving me from? My boredom? My adolescence? No, the only thing I needed saving was you! You are the one who put me in that tower! And now you are trying to force me to marry someone I just met!”
The room grew quiet. Cliff looked up to Aquila with an expression mixed with astonishment and fear. Aquila stood tall in front of her parents.
The Queen picked up her head, jutting out her chin. She didn’t comment on her daughter’s accusation of her villainy but she did say, “Then what do you expect from us?”
The dark haired girl took a breath and explained, “Let us choose who we want to marry. Let us grow up and make mistakes. Keeping us locked away will only make us thirst for freedom more! It’s alright if we mess up every now and then. We learn, we grow. We will have our hearts crushed and tarnished by people we love and that’s okay. And we need to learn that so once we find someone we do love, we will be all the more happy to have found them.”
The royals looked at each other after their daughter’s speech. They whispered to each other for a moment before turning back to the two teens, rising up in their chairs.
“Very well. We agree to let you choose your own love and-” The Queen looked towards her husband and he nodded and continued, “and for you to come home and live in the kingdom with us.”
Aquila beamed, “Can I get a room with a big windows so I can see the stars?”
They sighed, but nodded.
Aquila smiled, “Thank you.” She turned to Cliff, “Sorry for making you come all the way out here for nothing. But I would like to thank you for joining me on this adventure.”
Cliff shrugged, “Maybe my mother will let up some now that your kingdom has. And no problem, I had fun too. And I made a new friend.”
Aquila shook Cliff’s hand, “Me too.”
Then the Queen cleared her throat, “But you still have to find someone before you are eighteen. That is a traditional rule of the kingdom.”
Aquila nodded, she wasn’t happy about having to marry so young, but she had already bended so many rules.
Suddenly, she thought back to Tanner, the girl at the motel and she smiled, “That shouldn’t be a problem.”
The King grinned at his daughter, “Welcome home, Princess Alisha.”
“Oh, another thing, I kinda changed my name while I was locked away. It’s Aquila now.”
“Aquila?” The Queen asked.
The princess nodded, “It’s a constellation, in the sky. It’s an eagle.”
The King and Queen exchanged looks and then nodded, “It looks like our bird has finally flown home.”