SOLVED. Children's Book - Princess is locked in a tower by her Uncle/male relation. She escapes during a party and finds a mentor-type and his apprentice in a village. Travels with the two to a different kingdom to get help to overthrow her uncle. [s]

[Ro]

The princess is locked in a tower, it starts with her seeing her uncle (or other male relative) in the castle courtyard through her window. A party is thrown and she manages to escape (I believe through the kitchens). She travels through a forest until she reaches a village, where she is taken in by an old man/mentor-y guy and his apprentice. She stays the night and in the morning soldiers burn down the village. The three escape and decide to travel to a different kingdom together. The mentor might have known the princess's mother? I think he implies at one point that the uncle killed her parents in a carriage accident. I remember a point where the princess complains about how uncomfortable it is to ride a horse. They stay at an inn along the way, and she is disguised while in that city. When they reach the other kingdom, there's a lot of diplomacy stuff that I don't exactly remember. She gets dressed up as a princess for the first time. The apprentice and princess end up falling in love, I specifically remember a scene of them together in a clearing towards the end, but there are guards in the background because of her princess status.

The book had an ambiguous medieval setting, no magic. The cover of the book I owned was pink, and I believe it had the princess on it. I read this sometime in the late 2000s, possibly early 2010s but unlikely. The book seemed new.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Sonora]

Was it The Runaway Princess by Milly Howard?

[Ro]

Yes it was!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!

[Sonora]

You're welcome! I loved that book as a kid. :)