• The flowing wedding dress billowed around her ankles as she looked out over the grounds that were her domain and territory. A soft wind blew around her, drawing up the scent of roses from the bushes around her as a black speck could be spotted hurrying towards her from a neighboring hill-
    A sharp sound startled a beautiful young girl from her dreams.
    “Focus!” The screech from her teacher brought the girl fully from her daydream, “Now, where was I, Princess?” The old woman continued without a word from the girl, who had turned her unfocused eyes upon the book in her lap. “Spirits, once without a shell, will take on their true forms. All mortal souls have a true form, one that is not ever revealed to them until the day they die. Spirit souls are devoid of color...” This part of the lesson had already been gone over; the princess understood it well enough. One would never know the form of their spirit soul. Once their shell had died, their spirits would be free to wander, drawn either to their eternal resting place in the clouds, or doomed to wander the land in search of whatever had caused an untimely demise. She already knew all of this, it wasn’t interesting to her.
    ‘Stupid hag expects me to concentrate, when my love is returning home this evening! I should be preparing for his return!’ The thought brought a new wave of joy into the princess’ heart. He would return to her arms soon! A ball would be held, just like the one where they had met…
    “They are naturally drawn to objects that they once held dear--”
    Standing suddenly, the princess snapped her book closed. “That is enough. I am going to prepare for my love’s arrival. Tell my father, if you must, but I will not be swayed from this decision.” Without a final glance, the princess swept from the room and headed towards her chambers. Her favorite maid was already there, setting out a few things for the princess.
    “I’m almost done, Miss.” The maid said upon seeing the princess enter. “All I have to do is find the last of your gold… Have you moved it since you last wore it?”
    Lunari smiled at the maid, “I think I set it atop the dresser, I was looking for something else this morning, and must have forgotten to return it to its place.” While speaking, Lunari shifted her left hand slightly. The ‘something’ she had been looking for she wore below her white gloves on her ring finger…. The promise ring her love had given her.
    After the maid had retrieved the gold jewelry from atop the dresser, she helped the princess to get out of her informal dress and into the beautiful gown that had just been finished that morning. The gold crown went atop her head after the maid had finished styling and curling the soft locks into the perfect look. The maid finished the princess’ make-up in a matter of minutes, because she was so used to doing it. With a happy smile the princess looked at the maid. “Thank you Sasha, you have outdone yourself today. You may go and get lunch… I think I will eat in here. Send Edith?”
    The maid curtsied and smiled, “Of course. She will be up soon.” She departed and Lunari sat smiling at herself. The beautiful maroon gown complimented her tanned skin very well. The ruby lipstick and slight blush accented her facial features beautifully and her hair was the beautiful chocolate brown curls that Sasha always styled so well.
    The princess was still smiling at her reflection when there was a tentative knock on her door. “Come in.” She said simply. She was still smiling when the king, her father, stepped into the room, his hands held behind his back and a sad look upon his face. “Father? What has happened?” The princess stood quickly, her dress billowed about her as happily as if she was dancing, but the look on her face was far from happy; it was a face of concern.
    “This just came. Lunari…” He held out an envelope. The wax seal had already been open, and Princess Lunari pulled the letter out quickly, wondering what could have happened and fearing the worst… But her fears were outdone. Never in her entire life could she have ever imagined that she would receive this news…
    The color drained from her face and the letter fell to the floor, just as gracefully as her dress had billowed around her legs as she stood there, grasping her stomach… No, this couldn’t be! How could such a thing…? Her father stepped backwards, mumbling something about allowing her to be alone for a bit as she took in the news.
    Princess Lunari turned towards the open window; its beauty sickened her. Nothing should be beautiful now, the world was ending! With her heart beating against her chest, Princess Lunari ran across her room and threw herself across her bed, reaching for the box hidden just behind her bedside table. Inside was a rose, gilded in gold and a gold mask that she had worn the night she had met her love. Also inside the box was another letter, written in a different hand from the one she had just received, that announced today as the day of her love’s return from that awful war he was taking part in… a letter written only months ago. With her most treasured possessions in her grasp, Princess Lunari ran back to the open window and for a moment just stared West. West towards the war, towards his corpse—
    Then she jumped.
    ‘His spirit must be waiting… His soul spirit…’ was her only thought as she flung herself from the tower window, her gown billowing out behind her as she clutched at the last reminders of her love to her still beating heart. But soon it would beat no more, and the shell that held her spirit would break apart and she would be free to join her love.