The Only Hope

Book 4: Chapter 12

Then

A low rumble of distant thunder rolled through the sky, as the rain fell down gently. It made the sand around me smell like fresh dirt, and blended in near seamlessly with the soft rolling waves.

“Leaves from the vine- Falling so slow.”

The day had started out well enough, the sun rose and shined with only a few clouds to block it’s rays. Like any other day. I had woken up, and gotten ready like any other day.

But it wasn’t.

I had sat at my vanity that morning, wrapping my hair back. Despite the sun, the smell of rain was in the air- which seemed right.

“Like fragile tiny shells- Drifting in the foam.”

The rain had plastered my hood to my head, and my dress to my body. I sat on the edge of the pallet that had held the few chairs from the service just hours before. I had taken a seat, and twirled the fire lily in my hand. It had been given to me as the service had begun.

Now it had been sitting so still that water had been able to pool in it and over flow the orange-red petals.

“Little soldier boy- Come marching home.”

My aunt and grandfather said nothing to me that morning. They didn’t scold me for not eating breakfast, or for not muttering a word to them. They simply sat there, eating their own meal.

When the time came to go to the service, they came. The ride to the beach was near silent, minus the Satomobile’s engine and the few bumps we hit on the road.

Looking out the window, wordlessly, I found myself playing with the ring on my left ring finger. With a small tug, the ring came free from my finger, and I held it in my palms. Looking down at it, I slowly closed one of my fists around it. That was when a hand reached over, and wrapped around my fist. Looking up, my grandfather reached his other free hand to my cheek. He stroked it once, before releasing me and sitting back. He and my aunt were sitting across from me, leaving me one whole side to myself.

“Brave soldier boy- Comes marching home.”

Miss Zabri Fa Princess of Fire Nation

The Great Uniter of the Earth Empire Kuvira has asked me express her deepest regrets and to inform you that your fiancé Kwon Bue was reported missing two weeks ago from the post date on this notification after his platoon was attacked by rebels and is now considered to be dead. The discovery of what is left of his platoon consists of three dead males, out of seven men and three women, and the uniforms of nine out of the ten. Kwon Bue was not one of the three bodies found but the distressed and tatter state of his uniform as with other evidence that cannot be listed has led us to believe him dead. We are sorry for your lost.

“…Come marching home…”

There was no body. There were only two letters sent out to inform us of his death, and that we would not be receiving a body.

Sana and Bao, Kwon’s parents, instead made up an altar of his things that would be burn in place of his body.The service was set to take place on the beach, as Kwon had loved the ocean.

Arriving, there was a small group of family and friends already gathered around the altar.  I marched with as high as a head as I could muster, towards the altar. As I came closer, people turned and looked. Upon seeing the royal family they gasped, but upon seeing Kwon’s Fiancée they parted to give me access to the altar.