Forever Tide: My True Identity

Chapter Ten

Watching Mama, and Papa on our island was bitter sweet. I had always felt that I was their little girl. Somehow in my head I had imagined that I would be my Papa’s princess the rest of my life. With Papa I had been protected from the evils of the world, he has been my rock, and my hero.

 It scares me to truly think about leaving my innocent perfect life I have been excited, and fearless for the last few months. While training it was easy to keep my mind off of the reality in front of me.

 Now that the time has come for me to leave, I don’t want to. The selfish and childish side of me is winning right now, and this island seems like the place I should be running to. Morals, the morals instilled in me by Mama and Papa are the only two things that are keeping me from backing out.

Wave, after wave breaks along the shoreline each one barely brushing the tips of my toes. Hour after hour I sit just looking at the water trying to think of a solution to my fear. Morals, I say is why I can’t back out. Yet family is supposed to come before anything else, how do I leave my Mama and Papa.

Papa was approaching me. I could hear his soft shuffling footsteps in the sand. His deep breaths told me that he was nervous. I wonder if Mama and Papa were as scared of me leaving as I was.

“Hi Papa, I was just thinking. Is dinner ready?”

“Almost Emi Doll but that is not why I came out here. I came out here to see what you were doing and share something with you.”

I paused for a second. Do I tell Papa that I am afraid of leaving him? That I don’t think I will have what it takes to leave my life here behind. Or that I love being his perfect princess, and being safe.

“Papa, I am afraid.”

“Afraid of what, afraid of leaving, are you afraid of leaving what you know, or of what Mama and I will do without you?”

“No Papa, not just those things. I am afraid that I am not good enough. I am afraid that I am going to lose the safety that I have here. Out there I have no hero to protect me. Here I have you; you are always there when I need rescuing Papa.”

“Emi do you think that an ocean would keep me from you if you needed me; that an ocean could stop me? If you needed me I would be there no matter the cost. You are my one and only daughter, you are the only thing on this earth that is worth living for. I promise you that no matter where you go I will follow you to the best of my ability. And if you need rescuing I am always there.”

“Am I going to be good enough?”

“Are you going to be good enough? Did I hear you correctly? Emi you are the most spectacular person that I know. I am not saying that just because you are my daughter. I am saying that because it is true, you are compassionate, caring, thoughtful, stubborn, and a fighter. You will take care of the people that earn your love. You would die for a cause that meant something. You my daughter are meant to be a queen and will never disappoint you subjects.”

“Really you think all those things?”

“I don’t just think those things I know those things.”

Papa was fidgeting, I am not sure if he even realized it but he was playing with something in his pocket, and he kept looking down while talking. He only does those things when he is nervous.

“Papa why are you nervous? Are you afraid for me?”

I watched as shock spread across his face, I was right I knew that I was right Papa was hiding something.

“I am not nervous about you leaving. Well not entirely I am afraid that your Mama and I are going to be mighty lonely without are little girl around but no that is not why I am nervous. I have a present for you; I just don’t know how to give it to you.”

“Papa anything you have to give me would make me happy you have no need to be nervous.”

“Daughter this present is not from me. This present is from your mother. She gave this to me; I was not to give it to you until you were ready to fulfill your destiny. I think that you are now ready to fulfill that destiny don’t you?”

“I think that I am. It is okay to be afraid right?”

“Of course you can be afraid.”

As he spoke I was focused on the box that he was pulling from his pocket. It was old, and looked like at one time it had been a grand piece in and of its self. I think it was made from shells, which would make sense if it were a gift from my mother.

“What is it Papa, it looks worn, yet beautiful.”

“This child is just the box, the real beauty lies within.”

With that he pulled out a locket. It was shaped like half a heart with a pearl like finish. It was when I opened it though that I saw the real beauty. Inside was a mirror black as Obsidian, and inside it showed my Papa and I right now standing side by side. It was the best gift I could have received, and all it was, was a simple locket.

“I love it Papa. Why does it show us together just as we are?”

“Emi I have no clue. Your Mama has tried time and time again to open that locket and it never has opened, yet today it opened without a problem. It is yet another thing that I think has more to it than it seems.”

“Papa I think everything has more to it than it seems. My life is not one of normal things.”