Graceling Project- Bitterblue's Journey

The fear paralyzes the small princess as she slowly climbs out of the rickety window after her mother. She knows what may happen when she gets to the bottom, and she fears what will happen if she doesn’t. All through the descent, she feels as if voices are whispering in her ear, telling her to turn back, back to the tranquil safety of her room. Clenching her teeth and locking the voices up in her head, the frail, gaunt girl finds the strength to keep climbing, all the way to the bottom. She and her mother know that though the way may be ambiguous, the only one thing that really matters is to escape; escape her father, the king of Monsea, and his terrible power.



King Leck, Bitterblue’s father and king, seems to be just what he appears: A kind, loving ruler, that takes care of injured animals and helps the weak. His uncanny ability, or “Grace”, of deluding people’s opinions and suspicions about him is something very few are able to resist and repel. Princess Bitterblue is one of those few people, and so is her mother. This horrible king has dark plans for the both of them, and therefore they were forced to leave behind the people and possessions they loved and run away.


As Bitterblue and her mother, Queen Ashen, run blindly through the pounding snow, the young girl frantically considers their condition. Just a ten year old girl and her weakened mother. How were they ever to survive the harsh winter? If they did manage to escape the clutches of Leck and his soldiers, where would they go, where would they live? The princess’ head swarms with doubts and confusion as they proceed onward.


Suddenly, from a far distance, Bitterblue hears a noise that resembles shouting. She turns instinctively toward the sound, but ends up wishing that she hadn’t. Even from the distance, the endless troops of soldiers were conspicuous. “They’re coming for us”, Bitterblue’s mind whispers to her, “They’ll never let us get away”. The girl knew her mother had noticed the uprising dilemma, for she was quickening her pace at rapid intervals. The stark panic on her face was obvious, she didn’t attempt to hide it from her daughter as she might’ve in the past. As if in a trance, she turns, wild-eyed, to face the girl beside her. “You must run! You must run far away so they will never catch you! If they catch you, all will be lost, for you are the future of Monsea!” And with that, Queen Ashen pushes the girl into the thickets and takes off in the opposite direction, leading the oncoming soldiers away from the girl and toward the edge of the forest.


Confused and abandoned, Bitterblue moves the branches out of her face, blinking rapidly.
She stares in blank shock at the empty space where her mother once stood, before she remembers that she has to run. The reality of the situation crashes over her like a tidal wave. Gripping the knife she carried at her side, the small princess begins to move away from where she had last seen her mother. She knows she can’t be seen by the soldiers and by Leck, for they are so much faster than she is and will overtake her immediately if she pauses for even a sheer moment.

As time passes, Bitterblue wonders what has become of her mother, and if she has made it to safety. It seems to have been hours, days even, since she left her home in the castle. By this time, the girl is following one of many streams leading away from the valleys of the kingdom and westward, toward the mountains where she will be safe from the corrupt search parties of her father. Though she stumbles in the darkness of daybreak, she refuses to let the soldiers gain on her. Thoughts of those she has left behind race through her mind like photographs.

Eventually, exhaustion overtakes her, and she starts to feel dizzy and tired. Summoning up her last bit of strength, Bitterblue climbs her way into a nearby tree stump. She grips her knife in her small fingers and hugs her knees to her chest, unsure of what is to come. All she knows is that whatever she may face next, she will have to do it alone.