The Fate of a Princess - the Opportunity Taken

Princess Layla, daughter of king Philip, had her life set since the day of her birth. From a young age, she was taught embroidery and the duties of a wife. Now at the age of fifteen, her parents had deemed her ready for marriage. In just a few hours, she would be married to Emperor Yongzheng doomed to a life in The Forbidden City. To a stranger looking from the outside, The Forbidden City looked like an exotic paradise with grand palaces filled with nothing, but beautiful people in luxurious silk clothing; however, Princess Layla knew better than that. The Forbidden City was truly like a jungle. The complex of buildings within its walls was inhabited by the emperor's countless women who struggled for power and competed for his favor. They plotted people's death and framed others with the sore thought of acquiring power which to these women had become the only means of survival. Just as in the jungle, it's kill or be killed, this law had been adapted into The Forbidden City. Just thinking about it made Layla shatter. In spite of all that, her reluctance to marry the king had more to do with her unwillingness to marry someone else when her heart belonged elsewhere than the fear of living in The Forbidden City. But now her fate was sealed. The king had picked her and no one could save her, not even her father, King Philip, the so-called "Great of Wells" was willing to help her. "Princess? Princess? Now, where did this girl run off to?" Anastasia, Princess Layla's maid, resulted to muttering to herself when she finally gave up on looking for the princess she was supposed to take care of until the wedding night, which was in just a few hours. Just as Anastasia rounded the corner, she glimpsed a wisp of dark silky hair and breathed a sigh of relief. I thought she had ran away. "Princess, your face is pale. What troubles ail you?" "You might be a maid, but surely you know that much", was Princess Layla's biting remark. "What's so bad about being married to the emperor. You get to have your own attendants, wear magnificent jewelry, clothes...", Anastasia kept babbling on without noticing the grim fire dancing in the princess's eyes. "Do it." An opportunity had presented itself to Princess Layla. If she were to not take it, the gods would surely punish her. "What?" "Marry the emperor." Princess Layla made sure to carefully enunciate each syllable, making it as tempting as possible; although, it wasn't necessary.