Thrones : Falling For Snow

Willa - 3

"Willa won't you please tell us another story" the children from the village begged. "Tomorrow" I tell them as I stand up, dusting the dirt from the ground off me. "Fine, then can you please watch us play princesses?" Abigail chimes in. I giggle and fix her hair "Only for a short while, I must pick up some bread for dinner". Abigail smiles up at me then informs the group they are playing princesses now. I turn over a wooden bucket and sit on it. I remember when I was a child, my friends and I would love to play like we were the royals. I look off in the distance at the castle that loomed over the village. That was where the royal dark family lived, they represented everything to me, wealth, power, and love. Those were things I could only dream of, which I often did. I figured if I will never get those things, then why can't I day dream about them? If I had to pick one of those three, it would be love. I dream of being in love and sharing my life with someone. My mother often reminded me that finding love is unlikely.

I felt a splash of water on the bottom on my dress and snap out of my thoughts. "I'm a pretty princess" Abigail shrieks and runs around laughing. Her light brown hair flowing in the wind, she had a cute bottom nose and hazel eyes. I loved all the children in the village, but Abigail was my favorite. Her parents owned the bakery and were always busy, so I babysat Abigail often. "Abigail I have to go, it's getting late. Mother will be mad if I come home without the bread" I inform her as I stand up and grab my bag. "I will go with you, mama and papa are probably waiting for me" she says. She turns and says goodbye to the rest of the children then grabs my hand. We walk down the village streets together "One day I will go into the castle" she says suddenly. I look down and smile at her "Really? You think so?" I ask. She nods happily "Most definitely, I will go to the balls in pretty pink dresses. I will have tea with the queen and play dolls with the princesses" she beams. I giggle and swing our arms as we walk "Well I can't wait to hear all about it" I reply to her as we walk up the steps to the bakery door. Abigail stops and looks at me seriously "It will happen Willa" she says in a serious tone. I let go of her hand and caress her face, I didn't have the heart to tell her how unlikely that dream is. "It will" I hesitate "I can't wait for you to invite me to visit you" I tell her. She smiles big and hugs me "I love you Willa" she whispers. "I love you too, you are the sister I've never had" I whisper "Let's go in" I say and lead us into the bakery.

Later that evening I walked into our cottage. It was just mother and I now, my father left us once he found himself a younger woman. Mother was never the same after he left, she became obsessed with looking beautiful. "Willa is that you?" she called out. I walked into the kitchen and set down the loaf of bread "Yep, here is the bread" I say and set down the extra change on the counter next to it. She walks over and counts the spare change "Good, I'm glad you brought the change back" she mumbles then unwraps the bread. "I always do" I tell her while watching her. My mothers once beautiful and youthful face was now looking old and tired. She was a short fuller woman with red curly hair. She would get wrinkles on the side of her eyes when she would laugh, I miss hearing her laugh so much. "I'm going to head to my room, it was a long day" I say nervously. She looks over at me "Fine" she eyes shift to my hair "Do brush your hair Willa" she scolds me then walks back to the oven. "Yes mother" I reply and walk to my room.

I sat on my bed in my night clothes writing in my journal. I often wrote of what my life will be when I found my true love. Everything will be perfect in my life once I'm married, I just know it. The door to my room suddenly opens and my mother walks in "Willa you are writing again?" she asks as she sits on the end of my bed. I quickly close my journal "Yes I enjoy writing my thoughts" I tell her. She rolls her eyes "More like you enjoy writing of love" she says. I look at her stunned "D-did you read my journal? These are my private thoughts!" I say getting frustrated. She frowns at me "Do not get worked up Willa, it will give you wrinkles" she scolds me. I look at her and say nothing. "Willa my girl, you must stop with this foolishness of true love. You have had men but simply can't keep one it seems. You must remember, you can catch a man's eye for a night, but can you keep his heart?" she scoffs at me. "I know" I mumble. "You are eighteen now Willa, it's time you grow up and come to reality. You will never find true love" She says and stands up and pats my shoulder. "Yes, mother" I say then get under the covers. She walked out and shut my bedroom door behind her. My mother was right, I will never find true love. It's time I stop living in my head and come to reality.