Fiction

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Once, there was a little girl. She ate lasagna everyday for every meal. and in between meals, she would eat chocolate and pineapple...because she was privileged like that.

She was not a princess, but in fact the King's baker's daughter. And she lived among the servants and helped people whenever she could, because that was her heart's greatest desire.

She was not very rich, but got to eat such delicacies because the King favored her very much. And whenever she could, the girl would sit in a place unnoticed by all but the King and watch him as he interacted with people and worked and toiled with matters of the kingdom all day long.

Before I go further with my story, I suppose I should make it known that the girl was not just known as "the girl", as you may be thinking at this point in the story. Her name was Sorrow, for when she came into the world, her mother left it, and left with Sorrow's father only that. For he loved his wife very much and could not be comforted, and refused to ever love again. So he worked for the King, and the King let him alone, understanding completely what grief tasted like, as he too, had lost not one, but many he loved to the ways of a wicked one, and was deeply grieved.

Sorrow's father took good care of her, and brought her up well, and gave her anything he could to satisfy her girlish fansies, but the Sorrow wanted very little, only to be loved, and that she knew her father could not give her, and yet she was content. And was very thankful to have a father. Everywhere that Sorrow went, she brought with her a Joy that was unmistakeable as to what it was, but uncomprehendable as to where it came from. For times were hard in the Kingdom, and battle raged everywhere, up to the very gates of the castle.

Sorrow was the King's greatest comfort, and although she preferred the world to see her as little as possible, she loved him very much, and was never very far from him. She would spend hours and hours in his presence. Just learning and loving. And as time went on, she grew into a beautiful young woman, entirely dedicated to the King and offered him her very life if it would help him any with his many troubles.

One day, the King asked her; "why do you stay here with me, when you could be living your life the way you want to live it?" And Sorrow replied, "This is the way I want to live my life. I can't imagine being alive and not in your presence."

To this, the King replied, "my dear Sorrow, if I were to send you away from me for a time, would you go? Would you be willing to risk your life that you might save the people of my Kingdom, would you be willing to leave, even if you or I should die in your absense?" and with a tear in her eye, and not a moments hesitation, Sorrow replied "I would do anything for you, my King...even submit to death if it would bring you peace and satisfaction."

The King, now openly crying, said in a hoarse whisper "Sorrow, not in a million years would I ever want to subject you to danger, and I don't know how I could part with you without dying myself, but you are the only one whose heart is big enough and willing to go and bring salvation to the people of my land. Will you go for me? Will you go and battle the Wicked one who tries so hard to conquer this land? You're the only one who can defeat him, for he is only defeated by the power that Love itself carries. I would go myself, but my Love has been grieved just too many times, and I have not the strength to defend my lands, and defeat the Evil one with the amount of strength I have yet left in me." And Sorrow, when she thought herself the weakest, proved herself the truest, and said with unwavering words "What would you have me do, my Lord?"

The King, trying to regain control of his emotions, explained his mission to Sorrow, and gave her what little provisions she could carry, as she would have to go on foot, and with a weak smile, a tear or two glistening on his cheek, said fairwell, possibly forever, to the girl whose life meant more to him than his own.

So Sorrow set out...past the gates that had kept her safe and sheltered from harm all her life...out into the world mostly given over to darkness and despair. She traveled with the darkness as her best shield from those who desired nothing more than to destroy her. The provisions she carried would not take her far; just a week or two before she would run out of food, no clothes but the ones on her back, a letter of advice and encouragment from the King, and from her father, and a sword to defend herself with, that she had no idea how to use.

With no one for company, she struggled along, and through many dangers, just hardly escaped, Sorrow's love kept her pressing on. For 3 years she was out in the world of men, battling and risking her life time and again. For Sorrow's will would not be broken, and her love for the king was of the truest kind. She fought bravely and learned a great deal. When she started to hear rumors among the towns people she would encounter every so often that the King, her King, was deathly ill and would not live another month, Sorrow grew desparate to be near him again. But She pressed on with her mission, for the sake of the promise she had made.

Having traveled all over the land, and was many miles from home, Sorrow finally found the subject of her mission...and battled against him for 2 days without rest and or food. Finally on the dawn of the third day, battered and bruised to unrecognizable state, Sorrow collapsed, no longer able to elude her enemy, and not having the strength to face him.

The wicked one laughed scornfully and mocked her harshly before he would show her the evils of torture. "How dare that King of yours send but a girl to fight me! Is he so weak and shameful that he could not find someone who could match me? And to think that its said that he loved you. That shows you how much love can do."

Sorrow, now realizing the power of Love, though weak and more vulnerable than ever, said to the man who mocked love for his lack of knowing it, "take my life if you wish. My death will only justify the power behind my love. Because of you, I have been taken away from the One I love most, I set forth to find you that my King might have life, knowing that my own would be lost, and because of you, my purpose is complete. I will not die in vain, for my love is more powerful than death itself, and it will live on. Killing me will fullfill my name and bring upon you and only you, Sorrow, that can never be comforted and will torture you for all of eternity." This made the wicked one turn red with rage, and as he rose to bring an end to Sorrow, she cried out with everything that was in her "I forgive you! And hope that you could someday come face to face with Love."

Before he could kill her, she died with those words of forgiveness on her lips. And the weapon he held was thrown to the ground as he crumpled to a heap beside her, and said with shaking voice, "I HAVE come face to face with Love, and because it was foreign to me, I denied it the right to live. What have I done that Love would choose to forgive me?!?" And with great sorrow in his heart, he gently lifted her, and carried her to the One who Loved her most. And when the King saw him carrying his sweet Sorrow, he wept bitterly. But with his tears, the power of love came back to him, and as the one who had lived so wickedly fell to his knees and begged the King to forgive him, the King stood, and with great emotion, went to the one he had spent his life hating, offered grace and the men clasped hands that bound them in friendship because of Love.

And the Kingdom was saved, the people rejoiced and kept Sorrow alive in their hearts by carrying on in the example she had set of Love.

The End (of this story, but Love its self knows no end.)

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