Would've, Could've, Should've -- KEITH KOGANE

FOUR

She stirred in her sleep. Her face scrunched up in distress. She was having a nightmare. A glimpse of the past that she had long since forgotten.

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"She is dying Zarkon", a woman's voice is heard. "She hasn't even been alive for long, it makes you wonder how weak one can truly be", the woman says worried.

The woman looked at the child in her arms. The babe was a pale purple. Her hair white. She seemed so fragile, so weak, and timid. How could such a creature handle the horrors of their world.

"My love, the child is still young she may surprise us if the time sees fit", a man replies. His voice is deep and menacing.

The child begins to cry. Her mother rocks her to sleep. But the child does not go to sleep. Instead she opens her eyes for the first time.

Her eyes were red as rubies. She looked at the man and woman. "Oh look, her eyes. They're quite intriguing", the woman says holding the child up.

"Could it be the effect of the exposure of quintessence?", the woman questions. "It could be, my dear I must go", the man says taking his leave.

The woman looks at her child. "I hope that you do not disappoint me Alarria".

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Deca-phoebs have passed and the child has grown into a very fragile young lady. Her mother's experiments still continued to haunt her.

Though she had gained a brother. Lotor. He was a quite child. She wasn't given the chance to really bond with him.

That day she had been called by her mother for another one of their lessons. She stood in her mother's laboratory. "Focus", her mother instructs.

Alarria had her hands out. A faint glow came from her hands. She strained to to keep it glowing. Beads of sweat forming on her head.

Then the light fades. She falls to her knees. She looks at her mother, she sees her disappointed face. "Mother I'm very sorry", she tries but her mother just leaves.

She sighs. Collecting herself she went up to her room. She sat on her bed. Her mind was void of any thought, her body numb despite the aching in her joints.

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"Alarria", her father calls. She quickly walks up to him. "Yes, father?".

"How old are you?", he asks. She sighs in disappointment. He didn't even know her age. "Fifteen, father", she replies emotionlessly.

"Well then why have I not seen any progress in your training?", he asks. "I am trying my best–".

"Your best? If you were actually trying I'd expect you to have mastered it by now. How are you to become the next ruler if you can barely do as your mother has taught you".

She says nothing and looks down. Her father gets up. "Look when you are being spoken to child", he commands. She follows.

Her eyes were numb. "I'm very sorry father", she apologized. Then she was dismissed.

While walking back to her room she felt a sharp pain all over her body. She gasped, then she fell to her knees holding her head.

"Princess", a few guards came to her aid. Her vision blurred. She gasped for air. Then everything went black.

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"She is getting worse by the quintant, we have to do something Zarkon!", her mother yelled. "What should you have me do Honerva?!", her father shouts back angrily.

"I want to put her to sleep, I hate seeing her in such pain", her mother sobs. Her father looks at the child, furrowing his brows.

Then he leaves. The woman's demeanor changes. "How useless. I expected great things from you Alarria", she says in an angry tone.

"Hold her down", she commands to her druids. "Make sure she forgets of everything that has happened. We can only hope that once she wakes she'll finally become less of a disappointment, and more of my daughter".

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Then she woke in a cold sweat. How could they do that to her. She cried. She hadn't cried in a long time.

She gasped for air that never came. She stood up. She waved her hands in the same way her mother taught her to.

Her powers worked. She sighed looking at her hands. She vowed to herself that she would never go back to her family. She would never look at them the same way ever again.

Tears were still falling from her eyes. She created a glowing light. Then she through it towards a wall. It made a sudden sound. The wall was burnt. But it still stood.

Then Kolivan came in. "Alarria what's this ruckus", then he stops in his tracks. He sees the tears streaming down her face. He goes up to her and hugs her.

She doesn't know why but that makes her cry even more. She hides her face in his chest. She cried and cried. All Kolivan could do was hold and comfort her.

Then a while later she looks up at him. "Did you know, I used to have light purple skin", she jokes through the tears. Kolivan just chuckles.

Red markings appear on her cheek. Altean markings.

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