The princess goes to the river for a swim

Not far from the castle grounds is a lush grassland with a river cutting through it. The Paradise River is said to carry water directly from the gods' spring, and as such, its use is restricted to the royal family. Farcadia has no problem with this (royalty deserves to have the best all to themselves, after all), but what does perturb her is the limited ways her family chooses to use the water gifted to them. The only uses the Paradise River has for her castle are religious services and as an additive to royal wine. As far as the princess is concerned, these pale in comparison to the best use of the river's gifts: bathing.

Farcadia frolics through the tall, green grass, still in her underwear and looking like a nature spirit, before coming to the water's edge. The river is deep, its waters a deep and sparkling blue that seems to hide a golden sheen just below the surface. It's like the heavens themselves were passing through the gardens, which is only fitting and proper for the quarters of royalty. "Finally," Farcadia says to herself in a melodic tone, "I can rest and relax on my birthday. That's a much better present than playing nice with all those tight-faced nobles in some uncomfortable dress all day."

She undoes the strap on one of her high-heeled dress shoes and steps out of it onto the grass. "Why did I even bring these in the first place?" She asks, wriggling her toes in the soft, dew-covered greenery. "It's not like I'm going anywhere." Abandoning her shoes by the shore, the princess steps down a small incline toward the water and dips her toe in. The water isn't cold to the touch like one would expect from river water; rather, it's exactly the temperature Farcadia wants. She lets out a giggle, excited to jump in and start swimming, but pauses for a second as she considers her remaining clothes.

Her undergarments are far from acceptable as full attire, but that doesn't mean they aren't delicate finery. The pink lace panties and brassiere were supposedly imported from the high elf kingdom as a gift for Farcadia, and as such are as delicate as an elven princess. Farcadia herself may not care much about their well-being, but it would be very difficult to explain to her father if they got soaked and destroyed in the water. He might just tear out the last bits of his hair, and he doesn't have much left to spare.

Thinking nothing of it, Farcadia unlaces her corset and drops it to the ground, followed by her underwear. She carefully folds them and places them all on a stone ledge hanging over the river. Now, nothing covered her skin save for the morning sunlight peeking through the trees. The princess's fair skin is more familiar with the sunlight than her family woudl prefer, resulting in freckles spotting her intimate areas where no one would ever see (not even her caretakers). Indeed, Farcadia may have a reputation for sneaking out of the castle and performing all sorts of un-princess-ly behaviors, but she keeps the details of those affairs to herself. As such, no one in her staff had seen the slight pudge of her legs and belly, nor her unkept auburn hair once it was released from its bun. Her personal grooming habits aren't quite up to her parents's standards, but she's an adult now! Surely she can make her own decisions about her appearance, if anything.

Which is why she has no qualms about taking a running leap off the outstretched rock and curling herself into a ball before landing with a big splash in the divine waters below. Unsightly for a princess? Possibly. But fun as all hell? Absolutely. This is shaping up to be an unforgettable birthday.