Hazel's Character Backstory: -LeavyArts-

Instructions

Hazel was born as a princess, daughter to the King and Queen of Candyx Kingdom. From a young age, Hazel had always been assertive and confident in her personal motives. She knew what she wanted and she wasn't afraid to pursue these goals. However, as Hazel got older, she began to realize how much freedom came with being the princess. It was an odd thing, really. Sure she had royal responsibilities and sure she was expected to be obedient. And, sure, she was even expected to keep up appearances in the name of the King and Queen. But at the same time... Hazel could issue an order to the first servant she saw, any order, and it would be upheld. Over time, Hazel grew fond of manipulating these permissions, forcing servants to perform the craziest of tasks simply for her personal amusement. Hazel's parents knew they had to do something, but they were too scared of hurting Hazel's development to take immediate action. And so, Hazel continued manipulating people, taking advantage of every opportunity and basking in the glory of princesshood. If there was ever a servant who dared to mock Princess Hazel, then they would have mocked her for her arrogance and selfishness. Years passed and nothing changed in Hazel's attitude. Her arrogant ways eventually got so out of hand that she would neglect her studies and responsibilities on top of mistreating the servants. Hazel's parents knew that Hazel was one day destined for a government job, whether she liked it or not, due to her bloodline royalty. But if they didn't do something, then the kingdom would suffer beneath Hazel's rule. Then again, the palace had already suffered so much... Although it pained them, both Hazel's parents agreed that they couldn't let the behavior go on any longer. They held a meeting and decided the best solution was to change Hazel's environment, perhaps permanently. So long as Hazel was surrounded by servants, then she would never stop manipulating them. She was addicted. And so? Hazel was sent to work as a farmhand apprentice out in the countryside for one calendar year. No servants, no royalty, no nothing. Hazel protested the decision fruitfully, but in the end, that farm was precisely where she wound up. At first (and to no one's surprise), Hazel simply refused her new responsibilities. But as she would learn in time, refusing to do work as a poor farmer meant that you didn't get fed. Or clothed, or bathed. Or treated to any luxuries at all. Hazel thought the treatment inhumane, never once daring to consider that maybe she wasn't being fed because there wasn't enough food? No, of course that couldn't be it - her parents were simply depriving her for their amusement. Because they hated her. Yes, that had to be it! Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months. The work was difficult and arduous, long days spent plowing in the pouring rain without so much as a tattered shirt for protection. The house was cold, the food was scarce, and the work seemed to go on forever. But this lifestyle really started to put things into perspective for Hazel. She would watch the farmer she was apprenticed to, working hard for little reward without ever complaining. It made her wonder how people could live like this their entire lives. How people in /her kingdom/ could live like this. It wasn't fair, and yet Hazel had spent her entire childhood selfishly complaining about her life's grandeur. "Not fair" barely began to describe the horror of it all. Time continued to pass, and with it, so did Hazel's anger at her new life. She had grown to appreciate all the little insignificances of the farm - the sun sparkling on the grass every morning, the dew drops fresh on the spider webs, the tiny specks of moss sprouting up through the snow in the dead of winter. It was all so beautiful, Hazel thought. It was so beautiful that she could never even imagine abandoning it all. Unfortunately, the year eventually came to an end. Hazel received a proclamation through the mail announcing that she was formally requested back at the palace for "reinstatement." For a revival of her old life. Conflicted, Hazel spoke with her mentor about the situation. Smiling wearily, he assured Hazel that there was no wrong choice for her to make. She simply had to make one. He promised her that he would be proud of her, no matter what she chose. Although his words were kind, this only conflicted Hazel more. Hazel spent days mulling over the letter in the mail, smoothing her paws over the royal insignia on the bottom and memorizing the fancy font that was used in all royal documents. Hazel missed her family and her friends terribly... But she also knew that if she surrounded herself with manipulatable servants again, there was no telling who she would become. She had finally found peace, and peace was something she could never trade in, not for anything. Especially not for luxury. (con)