volcanoes melt you down... and that says it all.

Princess Victoria: Do you ever feel like a chess piece yourself? In a game being played against your will.
Prince Albert: Do you?
Princess Victoria: Constantly. I see them leaning in and moving me around the board.
Prince Albert: The Duchess and Sir John?
Princess Victoria: Not just them. Uncle Leopold. The king. I'm sure half the politicians are ready to seize hold of my skirts and drag me from square to square.
Prince Albert: Then you had better master the rules of the game until you play it better than they can.
Princess Victoria: You don't recommend I find a husband to play it for me?
Prince Albert: I should find one to play it with you, not for you.

Dancer

She braced herself for another pirouette, raising her arms and positioning them in front of her chest. As the music hits crescendo, she willed her body into a twirling motion. For a moment, she let herself get lost in the music. She wished she could pirouette her way out of this misery or shake off all of her misgivings and missteps.

And when the music ends, she found herself standing with her back erect and her feet in that dainty fourth position. For a while, she was disoriented as she eyed the dancers around her, seemingly mimicking her stance. Then it struck her, she was just another dancer... and everything is still the same. Misery, misgivings, missteps...they are still there. 

Thanks to http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/11/it-is-woman-who-pays.html and Florence and the Machine as well as to the lazy Friday afternoon.