She waited. She thought she heard silence, but it was actually my snoring.

"Joycelyn? Joycelyn?!"

My tutor practically yanked me out of my seat, waking me from my daily dose of snoozing during my afternoon sessions of "The History of The Crossing." Startled beyond measure, which was unusual since this was one of my routines, I blurted out nonsensically, "Spaz (my kitten) ate it! Honest!"

"Young lady, I am not paid to let you sleep. Your father will not be pleased." And she resumed her rambling, scribbling some words on the board, which looked more like chickenscratch, if anything.

That was what a typical day in the life of Joycelyn Pernes was like in the Pernes' Estate. I was born on the 34th day of the 7th month of Moliko the Balance in the year of the Iron Toad, 333. Raised among the wealthy, I was taught to become a highly esteemed lady, or supposedly at least. My parents' efforts to refine my behavior were praiseworthy, for they sought the best teachers from the farthest reaches of Elanthia. One actually came from an obscure island in Qi'Reshalia. Regardless, their efforts were proven futile, for my stubborn nature and aversion to the socialites prevented any ramblings uttered from my teachers from registering in my memory... well, most of it. I must admit, there were some days when one just simply cannot sleep through, like a warm, sunny afternoon. On such says, I was too merry to ignore my teachers' droning. Still, I had firmly believed that there was no use of such useless information when one had more money than could possibly be comprehend.

I was doomed to the boring life of a dame right from the beginning. Not to say in the least that I was some spoiled brat, though some might argue otherwise. Rather, I preferred the more adventurous life to that of a cooped-up hen who's lain one too few eggs. I've tried many ways to fight my reality. One mentioned before was to sleep right through it. It worked fairly well, until my father hired an elderly lady, learned from a school in Aesry Surlaenis'a, for she would not tolerate not even the slightest waning of attention from me. She would even threaten me with a lash, believe it or not. For a woman of my age even! The mere memory of it sends chills down to my garter. Anyway, by the time I reached the age of sixteen, my parents announced my arranged marriage to some lord of an even wealthier estate than the Pernes'; it was the seal that would bind me to the life of a dame. Dreading this since forever, I did what seemed to be beyond my ability at that time: I fled from my home.

I knew I would have been recognized if I stayed in one of the inns in town. So instead, I traveled a bit farther north and hid in the breaks of the woods along the western riverbank of the Jademist River. There, I wrote a letter to my parents.

    "Dear Mother and Father,

I send to you my everlasting love and gratitude for all you have done for me. But I fear that now is the time for me to run my life the way it ought to be. Please do not take this as an act of rebellion, for I could neither act nor speak against you, but as a chance for me to grow up. Have courage and wish me the best.

With love,
Your daughter
Joycelyn"