In the early April spring was just another time to enjoy the magnificent colors from the meadows far away from the south London. Dulwich, Greater London borough of southwark was built far from the main road, near the Belair Park, many of the houses were surrounded by orchards and pine trees. The house at Dulwich looked well cared, sturdy, a little bit old but manage to keep it classical and elegant. Its affluent villagelike neighbourhood embroidered by row of indie boitiques and chic restaurants are something to be lived for. There wasn’t a stray stick or stone to be found in the yard. But the house certainly is lovely. But today, was something else. It was dark, fog-covered streets, with no sun peeking behind the bushy clouds. 

However, it is never a big deal for a young girl named Diana, people often called her Dee

. She is average, not too tall or short, fair pale skin, dark brown hair, and a gorgeous moss-green eyes. She tends to seek adventure, she likes to have fun, and aren’t afraid to take risks to secure glory. She always full of joy, laugh, and perseverance. She had often heard people say that she’s beautiful and gorgeous, Diana always thought that she wasn’t beautiful at all. 

‘I’m the skinniest, ugliest girl in the world, everyone is such a big storyteller’. 

At the moment, she was sitting in the backyard, reading under the big old oak tree, she heard someone whistling and humming, a young boy. She closed her book and jumped right where the sound was. Giving the boy a warm greeting.

“Good Morning Sawyer! How’s my best friend doing today?” She peeks through the wooden fence, struggle to see the black locks.

“I’m surprisingly alive and well, what’s wrong?” 

The boy named Sawyer McAllister said with a firm smile while holding a spade getting ready to dig a hole. He is around fifteen, tall, straight-face rarely smile or grin, blackish hair, sun-burnt skin, his shirt and face are covered with dirt due to his harsh job. He oftens to be seen roaming around with his peaky hat and overall trousers, sometimes looking a bit too conceited.

Diana had been really close with Sawyer ever since she met him in the garden planting a tree and taking care of horses. Whatever she saw that day took her breath away. Eventually, Sawyer had been working as a gardener in her residence, Diana grew up in a wealthy family and one of the richest in her land, but she never consider herself a missus or princesses, she never been spoiled although can be very stubborn about her opinion.

She just wants to be like someone else, normal, going to school, having fun, and free without any significant rule applied to her, to do anything without being told to do so. But her step-father never really agreed Diana being such an ignorant and snarky young girl it could give him a bad notoriety for the family.

In matter to do so, her step-father decides to give Diana a confined amount of time to go out exploring, and doing stuffs like normal people does maybe two times a day so she will have less conversation with Sawyer, but still, Diana broke the rule every day at any time.

“It’s funny how our friendship is being controlled by time and days frankly,  I would love to help you plant a tree or do things with hand but they won’t let me, I barely see you and it’s not fair for me not to see you every day, Sawyer” Diana exclaimed and sniffed.

He frozed a while and stared deeply with his brown hazel eyes at Diana. His eyes are intimidating yet enticing in ways she could never tell. 

She gripped tightly to the wooden fence, making her knuckles visible. As if his stare can cause a mass calamity or summon a doomsday. Somehow it is very unsettling but very convincing.

He glanced away to his own small house. His eyes unable to meet hers. 

“This isn’t so bad after what had happened two months ago”. He declared while plucking the wild grass. He shovels the weeds out of the lawn.

“When I sneaked you into my room to play snake and ladder?”

“Worst”.

“When we stole all the pastries from the pantry?” Her eyes widen, nodding.

“Fair enough, I had a delicious lunch, Di”.

She smiled playfully at Sawyer, sneering. “You know that I couldn’t live without being in trouble, right?” 

He shook his head disbelievingly. 

Diana couldn’t stop staring at Sawyer, looking deeply into his eyes, once again those dazzling eyes, the tiny specks of colors that could be seen from miles away and how wondrous if those eyes staring back at her, she would’ve faltered and rolled severly down the hill.

But she knows what might forbid her from doing that. 

Her father, irritable, stubborn, and malicious, none of the good things. 

“Hey, are you okay? You look weird today, not as usual, annoying.” He complimented while looking unsurprised.

“So, you’re telling me you like me better annoying? Well I’m impressed by your blatant honesty, McAllister.” She gave a smug, but then suddenly her eyes turn into a ball fear, she began stuttering.

“Oh no, I-I have to go, it’s the bell, I’m late.” 

She looked frantically at her pocket watch; her eyes are shaking. 

“You just got here, Diana.” 

“No Sawyer, I can’t run away again, I’ve been into a serious trouble. Maybe, I’ll see you soon.” She run through the big lawn of her own house, a very exuberant house.

Sawyer just confusingly watch her slipped away, gazing at her small vision knowing that he isn’t worthy, his filthy hand and dirty job will never be paid off to be standing in front of those regal door not even a slightest glance to look at her. Ravenna, her role as a princess and his role as a hole digger, useless gardener. Someday, she will find someone better than an odd-looking boy. He sighs continuing his job.

“And maybe someday I’ll bury myself here, where I used to dig a hole.”

He continues his job.

“Hello, father”

Diana slowly walked into her grand dining-room with a festive chandelier on top of the ceiling, blinding her eyes while the streets outside veiled with grey mist. She walked over through the table and sit beside her step-brother, Edmund Prince. Edmund gave her an assuring glance, it somehow calms her down perhaps it could be those shady hazel-eyes. Edmund is Diana’s step-brother but ever since Edmund came into her life it becomes more and more serene and enduring, Edmund is the brother everyone could ask for, He took advantage to defend my knit as a teenager, to play, to explore and make friends. Edmund just wants the best for me, to study and to have thoughts full of knowledge since he knows that I really admire a hundred pages of books. He even urges me to study abroad at university to hang out and take on the world. Well, it’s easy to say than done.  

“You’re late for the afternoon tea.”

“I know father, I’m sorry.” 

Her voice low and narrow. Diana’s eyes training down the teacup, her hands looking for warmth beneath the fringe of the teacup. Diana managed to settle her eyes to look at her fiercely looking father. She looks at her vision in the teacup filled with earl grey flavor. 

“If I saw you talking with that filthy boy again or even dare to sneak at midnight, he’ll regret it.” 

He replied cold civility and confidence filled his voice. He utters those words without mercy. Diana's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, colored, and doubted.  She just sits still, unable to open her mouth.

Edmund pleads her. 

“Father, she’s only thirteen.” He whispered sharply there’s intense pressure on his voice. Diana’s eyes are filled with fear, she’s scared of what will happen if Edmund loses his temper, Edmund is a down to earth and loving, but now Diana is just seeing the other side of him. 

“Is there anything you wanted to tell me father? Edmund, please stop defending me. I can do this myself”. Diana just stares back at his father’s eyes, fearless and gallant. She’s unafraid of what might happen if she dares say a word. 

“Are you confronting your own father?” He did not try to low his voice yet he speaks to us like we are a deaf person.

Edmund felt himself growing angrier every moment, yet he tried to the utmost to speak with composure when he talks. Diana holds his brother’s hand, she could feel uneasiness and anger from him.

“Stop defending your sister, Edmund!”

“Father, she’s only making friends because she doesn’t have any, let her be.”

“She shouldn’t be talking with an orphan, a hideous looking boy who works in our garden.”

“Father!” 

Diana was so angry, she hardly speaks but when those words came out from her father’s mouth, she’s losing control, her very own friend being blamed for this turmoil, it’s supposed to be her. 

“Father, I’m trying to be reliable here, but you never understand, you never want to listen, not a single word just please stay away from my life and how I wish mom’s here but she isn’t, she died! I just hope you could’ve done better for us for mom, apologies to me for being rude, and please do not look for me, I am going away far from here, far from this depth of despair, I just want to be happy like everybody else, I am tired and sick of all of this nonsense constantly breaking my sentiments and I want to be free, is that too much to ask?” 

Diana cried like she never been cried before, she is just a miserable little girl, unhappy and desperate, her eyes are puffy and red, she sobs silently. Edmund stood beside her, putting his arm around her, protecting her from all the evil things in the world, Diana leaned down to his shoulder and continue sobbing quietly. No longer, Diana slipped away from the dining room leaving her father dumbfounded.

“I must say I agree with her.” Edmund’s complexion became pale with anger, and the disturbance of his mind was visible in every feature. He went out without a single glance and slammed the door shut. Edmund looked for her, the place where she loves to be alone to think. 

“Hey, you alright?” He sat down beside Diana who is now plucking the grasses angrily.

“Sorry, Ed”. Her eyes fixated on his, as usual, the serene feeling from his eyes. 

“For what?” he demanded. 

“What you did was brilliant, you snapped him”.

“Um, I don’t even know why I did that”. 

Suddenly feeling proud of herself, she gave a warm smile to Edmund.

“Well, you can guess where that came from”. Intrigued by her answer, giving her a shove on the elbow.

“Ouch! What do you mean? Of course, I have it from mom”. Diana laughed mockingly.

“I know Diana but what is so wrong to make friends, all I know is you being locked up in a room reading hundreds of books, without going anywhere socialize”. said Edmund impatiently. 

“About going away from here, I mean it, Ed, I want to travel and learn something new, something incredible, where I can peacefully grow up without being anxious and scared of what others would say” Diana took his brother's hand and gave him an assuring look. Edmund saw her fidelity behind those eyes, and Edmund knows if he holds her any longer, her future will be shattered. 

Diana only giving him a lop-sided smile, she longed to speak but could think of nothing to say. She wishes that she could run from this utter mess and live alone without any shouting, fighting, tables-banging, and doubtful love. Even birds need to fly free.

“All I want is us to be happy, having dinner without arguments or scared of being blamed, but things seem to be the opposite”. She sighed leaning her back against the oak tree, her eyes slid through the slit of the tree canopy.

Edmund made no answer, and soon afterward got up and walked towards the horse stable. Leaving Diana staggered.

“I beg your pardon, Mister Edmund, I’m still talking”. Astonished by his sudden behavior.

“I wanted to show you something”.

“You’re joking”. 

“Am not, I’m walking to the stable right now and you’re obviously following me with your two legs”. He complements.

“Well-it’s wait!” She rhymes her walk with Edmund and manages to keep up.

“Edmund are you being serious right now?”

Gazing at his tall feature, his brownish hair covering his forehead. He puts a saddle on one of his black horse named Black, he is a fine horse witha black coat. Edmund pats his forehead softly and start putting a small saddle with a strap around the tail to double up, the horse started to neigh with joy.

“Hey, saddled up Beauty.”

“What?! No, I’m not going with you, it’s a bad idea.” 

“You’re afraid.”

“I’m not, I just want to stay out of trouble.”

“I thought you love trouble, fine then, Goodbye Ms. Stay-out-of-trouble.” He pulled the leash and the horse started to trot slowly.

“Fine! I’m going if something happened this is all your fault Ed”.

Diana went back to the stable and a minute later she led a beautiful white horse named Beauty. When they were a child, Diana and Ed had started to name their horses from a classic book Black Beauty so they started to separate those words to name their horses. Coincidently, they have a perfect horse to suit the name. Ed’s black horse is Black and Diana white horse is Beauty. They’ve been together on every journey, miles, and miles away. It’s been a good one.

“C’mon Beauty!” the horse started to galloped tracking the sense of Black’s smell. The air was thick with possibilities and adventure leading them into one. Their horses are now trotting in rhymes. 

“Ed, your horse is acting a bit weird today, he’s panting and every second his tail wagging anxiously, is he sick?” Diana asks warily.

“I think he’s fine though, c’mon we have to keep up, you don’t want to lose daylight”. He seems unimpressed and calm.

“We should head back”. 

“Diana if you think this is a bad idea and you would rather go back to find another bad idea. What would you choose? Me or Dad?” 

“Fine, Ed”. She sighed, Edmund could be a little bossy when he’s mad, he is too uptight right now.

Both of them are now standing at the edge of the cliff staring at the beautiful landscape.

“It’s really beautiful, I’m holding my breath now”. Di smiled looking up to his brother. Edmund smiled back with a strange look. 

“Diana, about you going away from here to travel and to learn something new, to be honest, it’s pretty hard for me to let you go, to let my sister lived alone without knowing if you’re okay, what if you can’t find that happiness you’ve longing to find, what if you cried from those beautiful eyes Rae, how will you tell me and how can you make sure that you’re okay?” Edmund hands smoothly patting Black’s head, he’s now standing beside my horse, looking up to me as a brother would do. 

“Edmund, I just-need to stay away from everything, to leave everything and open another page and what you were saying is indeed true and that is a part of life, that is where you want to start something, to discover that every beautiful thing has its own mess, believe me, I will take care of myself, and I promise you that I will always”.

Di pleads, tightening her grip on Beauty’s leash, curving her lips into a warm smile, her eyes are now filled with tiny specks of colors and excitement.  

It took a long time to reprise her words. Edmund's eyes are filled with agitation and fear. Diana looked at him, being able to read his mind. 

“Edmund, I am sorry if this was too much to ask, I’m not even surprised by your answer and maybe we should just go back.”

She gripped tightly to the leash and about to turn her horse and heard a low voice from his brother. 

“I don’t see why not, Diana, I am done seeing you being tortured and feeling empty here. I want you to be filled with excitement and spirit, the wonderful, and radiant girl.” He gives the most charming smile but behind those smiles, there’s something missing, it doesn’t suit his eyes, it went away and clearly visible. 

“Ed, if you’re not my brother I would just fall into you, but the story will end so now I have to find my own path.” 

He just laughs, even his laugh is very serene. 

They went back before dark, tranquilize by the atmosphere talking about the things they love and shares under the night sky the moon resembles a big gleaming volleyball that been hang down the background night sky on Ed balcony. They have drowned in words until both of them fell asleep, drifting through a plotted dream.