"Are you sure about this?"

"Positive."

"There's no way Dad can kill you though..you're his son. The next in line to throne."

I sling the leather pack around my shoulders. It's heavy.

"Maybe, but you know how Dad is with rules, and you know how bad treason is. He won't discipline me with any normal punishment. Closest thing to execution is to be banished."

"So why don't you stay?" My sister pleads. "Just to see?"

Sighing, I shake my head. "I don't want to take that chance. If I leave now, I'm guaranteed to be alive somewhere, at least. Besides, everything here is so uptight and..small. I want to be a normal person, and live without all these responsibilities!"

Diamond laughs, but it's more sad than happy. "You always did have the wildest fantasies."

We both exit through the open window, Diamond lifts me up, and I pull her over to the other side. Warm, humid air clings to my body, and clouds cover the stars above. 

"Must you leave?" Diamond whispers. "It'll be too quiet without you."

"You love the quiet!"

"There's such thing as too quiet, Shieldy. For example, when I'm expecting my younger brother to barge into my room for no important reason, and it doesn't happen, it's too quiet. It just feels like something is off, missing."

I chuckle at her sarcastic humor. "That's what siblings are for. But you'll get used to it, you're great at adapting to the situation. And you know why I need to go."

"If there's one trait you and Dad share, it's that you're both headstrong.." Diamond sighs, and looks at me. "If you really want to start over, you have to-"

"Pretend I don't know you, I know." I say halfheartedly, staring at the ground. "I have to call you 'Princess' Diamond whenever..if I see you again."

I return my gaze up to see desolation in Diamond's eyes. A knife carves a pit in my chest.

"Cheer up..maybe you'll get another younger brother or sister eventually..!"

"They wouldn't be like you, though."

I don't respond to that. Instead, I hold my arms out for a hug, smiling for positive encouragement. Diamond wraps her arms around me, like a protective embrace.

"I'll miss you," She says quietly.

"I'll miss you more," I tease. Despite that, I meant what I said.

We separated, and Diamond nodded. It was time to go.

I walked away from everything I had ever known, and didn't look back.