Colliding Worlds

Beginning

She sighed as she stared out her window. The warm breeze sent goose bumps up her arms as she breathed it in, giving her a sense of calm where there other wise was none to be found. Her life had been flipped on its head in a matter of seconds, and she didn't know how to feel about it. She leaned back in her chair and grabbed a flower off of her desk, slowly starting to pick off the petals as she recalled her earlier conversation with her father, the Rex.

"It's the only way, Willow." Remembering the look on his face when he broke the news to her tore her heart up all over again. There was such regret and pain in his tired eyes, it made her want to cry for the both of them. Hearing that she was to be married to a stranger for the sake of her sect was hard enough, but seeing the pain it caused her father added a whole new dimension to it. 

Even though all she ever wanted in this life was to marry a man she loved, she always knew that her position would make that nearly impossible. Their sect had fallen upon hard times, and she knew she needed to be the one sacrificed to pull them out. That's what it felt like at least; a sacrifice.

She didn't know much about what the world was like before the war, but she did have books and stories her family managed to save from before the war, and in every single one of her stories, her main character found love and lived happily ever after. It wasn't without hardship of course, but at least they were guaranteed a happily ever after. 

She was told that she's lucky that it's Milhigh she is being sent to, that she should be grateful she is being given to them instead of the one of the other five sects surrounding them, but she couldn't bring herself to be thankful. She couldn't help but envy her people who got to choose. She had everything in this palace of hers, yet she had nothing, and she hated herself for feeling that way.

She hated that she was so selfish. She should be happy to give herself up for her sect, but she wasn't. Not really. She would smile and promise her father it was okay, but it wasn't. She could have anything she wanted, except the thing she wanted most: love.

She slowly walked over to her closet, slipping off her dress and pulling on pajamas. Tonight was her last night to mourn her dream, so she would, but come tomorrow morning, she would do what she was raised to do; she would put a smile on her face, and convince everyone she was happy, and do what needed to be done for the greater good of her country. She loved this place as if it was an extension of her family, and it is because of her love for these people that she would marry this stranger. She knew it was the only way to save them. She knew that in order to make a lasting alliance with a sect it would have to be through marriage. She has known it for a long time. 

As she walked over to her bed and got under the covers, she couldn't help but fear the coming weeks. Tomorrow she was being sent to meet her future husband, someone who may never love her, someone who may treat her like gum on the bottom of their shoe, but in that she needed to be strong. There could be no tears, no running, no backing out. No matter who he was or how he treated her, she was stuck.

Silent tears streamed down her face, wetting her pillows as she took these final hours to grieve her freedom. "God help me." she whispered to herself. Maybe he wouldn't be so bad. Maybe he could learn to love her. Maybe she could really do this, she chanted to herself. She needed some hope to cling to.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thought of simpler times when she was younger. When her father would take her to the river and teach her what it meant to be a just and wise ruler.

"A ruler isn't measured by the amount of fear he instills in his people, or the obedience his people show, a ruler is measured by the respect he has earned and the things he has done for the sake of his people."  She could still picture her dad saying it as he brushed the hair out of her face. "Sacrifice is sometimes required of us my sunshine, and it is up to us whether we are willing to give it up for the sake of others."

A new sense of determination grew in her as she recalled his words. This sacrifice was asked of her, not demanded, and it is up to her whether she grows into the ruler her father raised her to be. Her heart was still heavy with the weight of her loss, but this wasn't just about her. She could do this, she could choose to be happy there. She just needed to remind herself who she was doing this for.

"Do you know why you are my sunshine, little daughter of mine?"

"No daddy, why?" she asked. 

"Because you are always happy, even when the skies are grey."

A smile graced her lips and the fear seemed to be a distant memory. "Even when the skies are grey" she said to herself before tucking herself further into the covers.