I saw a theme of a longing for indepence and an appreciation for freedom in all of the memories. Even such a little thing as looking through a fence at flowers somehow conjured up a feeling in me where I felt really alive. Something about the wildflowers makes me think strength and independance, probably because they can grow anywhere, survive tough conditions, and are still beautiful. They are free because no one is taming them, even the owners of the garden let them just grow wild, they weren't constrained to rows or separated into species. Princess Cimerone was a fiercly independant person as well. She ran away from home in order to avoid marriage, she didn't put up with nonsense from anyone; not the dragons she worked for, the wizards who tormented her, or the princes and knights who tried to rescue her. She didn't strive for greatness though, she only wanted the freedom to live her own life the way she wanted to. This is very similiar to the Cherokees as well. They were the last of the five "civilized" tribes to be ousted, and they actually declared themselves a soveriegn nation that could enter into treaties with the United States. In the end though, in order to keep their freedom, they had to compromise, sell their land to Georgia, and move to Oklahoma. This opens up another level to the theme of the freedom to live how you want to live: the sacrifices inherent in choosing the path less traveled or valuing freedom over comfort, family, and conformity.