The Once and Future Princess

Chapter Seven

Sha'ara awoke one early morning, days after she and Gabri'el had talked. The birds of the region were happily chirping away as the day began. Spring felt as if it had reached its apex and started to slowly descend.

It was today! She realized with a start. How could she have almost forgotten her own birthday? Today, she was officially Sixteen. A smile found its way to her face, but then immediately left.

It would be her first birthday away from home, but more than that, it would be the first one she would be forced to celebrate without her father. His face came up in her mind, and she smiled. He had always said that she thankfully hadn't gotten any of his looks, but now she wished she had. It just wasn't right that his gentle, loving face would never be upon the earth again.

She stood on the precipice of crying out his name, when Gabri'el came to accompany her to breakfast, as was his wont every day since she had arrived. He hugged her and words of congratulations were about to tumble forth from his lips when he noticed her face.

"Sha'ara. What is wrong my lady?"

"Oh, Gabri'el!" she sobbed into his chest. "My Fatha – this is my first birthday where he has not been here."

"Where is he? I'm sure if he were here he would tell you how proud he is and how smart and strong you have turned out to be."

"No, no he would not. He is dead, murdered, and I cannot move past it! I have people counting on me and I am a mess. I just want to forget! I WANT HIM BACK! That is not strong, no matter what your definition is."

"Shh..." the man cooed into her ear. "I know I cannot possibly understand how you are feeling, but I do know that you are strong Sha'ara. Anyone that had gone through what you have would be just as affected, if not more, than you are." He began patting her back and shushing her once more.

"I know that this is hard, but would you please tell me about him? I'd like to know the man that raised such a lovely daughter, and it might help you to talk about what happened."

Sniffing was heard from her general direction, and she released Gabri'el. Her eyes were red and puffy, but he thought she looked beautiful.

"Let's go eat shall we?" He offered his arm and just like that night, she looped hers around, and nodded slowly while attempting a small smile.

Later, Sha'ara began to feel better and described her father to a rapt Gabri'el and some Shia'din. "He had this lovely lilting voice and often his words were only half said. And he always spoke in an old fashioned way."

Bri'nna sat across from her daughter, and one could see tears shining in her eyes. The last birthday she had celebrated with them Sha'ara had turned one. All these years Roux had every year alone with their children, now they finally could have gotten a chance to celebrate as a whole family, but instead he was gone. They had all been cheated, Sha'ara and Jonah most of all.

"He sounds like a wonderful man, and a great father Sha'ara." Gabri'el commented, and she was grateful he had been careful to not use past tense.

"Sha'ara, remember that time when you were about 6 or so," began a chuckling Jonah, "and I kept telling you that Element Eaters would come and arrest you?"

Sha'ara giggled. "Yes, do not remind me. I was scared so bad that I hid under the stairs cupboard for a whole day under some raggedy old blankets, and Fatha snuck me food every so often because I refused to come out."