Nothing's Fair in Love and War

Katherine took shaky steps in her room, gasping at the sight of her blank walls and the vacant space. “Winifred!” The maid came rushing in at the sound of her mistress’s scream.

“What happened here, Madam?” The maid’s words were an even higher octave than her own. The clicking of heels against tile brought their attention to the door; the low-sweeping, frilly dress of her mother’s was unmistakable.

“You will be staying in the guestroom downstairs from now on, until you move into Mark’s home. Do not consider this your home any longer.” Her mother left immediately afterward, a snide look embezzled on her face.

“Leave me, Madeline.” Her words were slow, the volume only a tad above breathing. Madeline left, curtsying before exiting the door that closed with a click. Katherine strode over to her window, cropping to her knees as she rested her head against the cool paneled glass. Tears stung her eyes and dripped to the floor; the small pattering echoed and accented the loneliness of the empty room that she had used her entire life. Everything seemed to be rushing past her now, waves of emotion clashing against the dams that held her tears away. She saw the smoke stacks rise from her backyard as they burned most of her belongings. A child would leave everything of their past behind for marriage, that was the basics here in this village that seemed all so new to her. “Brian… I miss you…”

“He’s not coming back.” Mark whispered. His leather clad legs and white shirt showed off his tan skin as he leaned against the door way. “You might as well give up now.” He stabbed a document into the wall beside him, the silver glimmering wickedly in the warm afternoon light. Mark watched her as she rose from her spot, approaching the document warily. That was when her world ended, flooded by the overpowering emotion, shaken to the core by its weight. It was the death list of those who had already died in the war, and who were taken hostage. Brian’s name was embedded on that single piece of parchment, under the list as a martyr for their country. That knife should have stabbed her instead- it would have saved her from the pain. “Forget him. Forget those cruel words I said only hours before. I love you like no other man could and nothing will stand in our way.” She saw the pain in his eyes as he embraced her, the strong arms felt wrong around her. It felt like she was already forgetting him, already betraying her lover.

She walked down the red carpet that might as well have led her to her doom. The veil hid her crying face from the world as she trudged gracefully onward towards the priest. This was her wedding, yet it felt like a funeral. She was crying enough for the people around her. Her frail hands wrung the bouquet that matched her beautiful gown. It was a gown she had dreamed to wear to her wedding with Brian, but dreams never come true and wishes upon stars were made in vain. Madeline was watching her proudly, crying tears of her own. The procession had gone perfectly and everyone had taken their seats to hear the holy words of the priest. Soon she was wearing a ring on her finger, shining sinfully in the candle light. Mocking her as she looked up to the man that wore the match. It wasn’t who she had fantasized about, not her prince in shining armor. But this wasn’t a fairytale, and she wasn’t going to wake up from this nightmare.

“I do.” The words came out robotically, rehearsed plenty of times in the past three days. Those simple words called up all the memories. The lingering remnants of a time when Katherine and Brian had played this out in the field, wearing the crown of flowers on her head as Brian slipped on the small daisy ring.

“You may now kiss the bride.” Brian had whispered those very words in her ear, as he trailed kisses down her jaw and moved his lips against hers. Mark unveiled her, showing her tears to the crowd. They all smiled at her, thinking that it was because of her ‘overflowing happiness.’ Mark bent down to her eye level, wiping away her tears as he pressed his lips to hers for the very first time.

“I’m sorry Mark.” He drew away from her as she spoke, more tears welling up in those blue ocean eyes he had fallen for, just like Brian. She drew a knife from her hair, slicing it against her neck in one swift movement. “I love you, Brian.” Those were here final words as Mark held her bleeding form, crying openly into her blood soaked chest.

“He’s not dead Katherine. It was-“She blanked out at those final words, but she couldn’t help but smile as she knew her loved one was still there. Fighting for his life as she died to keep her love alive. “It was all your parents. I’m sorry I told them.” But there wasn’t a response. She was gone, and nothing would bring her back. Except Brian was somewhere in the world, unknowing of what happened, still fighting to see her.

“I’m back, Katherine.” Brian hadn’t come back to what he had imagined all this time, to what he had fought for. What replaced it was cold stone that read:



“But you’re not here anymore.” He thought he would be able to hold her in his arms once more, to hear those sweet three words come from her lips. To spend the rest of his life waking up to that beautiful face, to be able to proudly call her his. Those wishes went unheeded, just like hers. “I had promised you flowers, and I will wear this ring till the day I die and place it in your hands. And forever you shall be known as the queen of my heart, and the apple of my eye.” Her grave was adorned in a ring of daisies and flower petals littered the ground around it. For the rest of his life Brian had worn the ring that held the soft sapphire that reminded him of her on a chain around his neck, until the day he died on her grave, a chain of daisies in his hand. Whispering his last words to the wind that he dreamed would carry it to her.

“If I could have brought you back I would sacrifice the world, but in the end I find myself happiest knowing I’m going to where you are, a place where nothing will stop our love.”