Her Beginnings

1

One moment I was surrounded by the kids I was playing with and the next moment it was just me and the Third Empress. "Little girl with white hair. What is your name?" The Third Empress asked as she crouched down to my height.

I hesitated to speak, I closed my eyes and swallowed the fear that I felt I was about to choke on. I opened my eyes and started into hers. "My name is Josephine Mali, my Empress." I spoke with courage. Her strong and stern eyes went soft around the edges. She smiled at me, but her smile wasn't sinister, it was warm and sweet.

"How old are you, Josephine Mali? You do not look older than 9." She spoke again. "No, my Empress, I am 8 years old." I answered her.

"Hmm, I look forward to seeing you again soon, Josephine Mali." She said as she stood up. She started to walk away further and further away from me. And I stood there in the middle of the street being surrounded by the other kids I was playing with. They all started to bombard me with questions and comments about what had just happened, but I was too stunned to say anything. It was getting dark soon, that meant it was time to go home. I got to my home where my dad was waiting for me. Dad was in the kitchen cooking. I was going to try and sneak up on and surprise him, but he turned around when he saw me from the corner of his eye. My dad has always been good with his green eyes. He used to always tell me that his eyes could see through lies and people and could see better than anyone else and see things that others couldn't, that his eyes are special and that he has passed this on to me.

"Dad, the most amazing thing happened to me today!" I shouted with excitement. My dad turned to me with a smile on his face, waiting for me to tell him what has me in a frenzy. "I met the Third Empress today! She was as beautiful, no, even more beautiful than what you told me before. She talked to me and asked my name and age! It was incredible, and she even smiled at me and said that she'll be seeing me again soon!" I couldn't contain my excitement when talking. My dad chuckled as he ran his hand through his white hair, he opened his arms telling me he wanted a hug, and I was not going to let those arms go to waste! I jumped up into his big arms and squeezed as hard as I could to show him how happy I was. My dad hugged me tight, but it didn't feel like a happy hug that I would usually get. I felt drops of water fall on to my shoulder. My dad set me down gently and began to wipe his eyes as if he was trying to hide the tears. Why was he sad? Shouldn't be be happy that I got to meet the Third Empress? "Daddy? I don't understand why you are crying." I said. Dad went to sit on the kitchen chair. I walked towards him calling out to him again. He looked up to meet my eyes. The white part of his eyes were now bright red. He gave me a sad smile. "My dear....you are going to grow up to be a brave and powerful woman, and many people will look up to you, never forget who you are, and that things are not always what they seem to be." He said in his hoarse voice. I couldn't help but giggle at him, I thought he was being silly. "Daddy, I'm already brave because of you!" I said to him. My dad's sad smile turned into a happy one, and his tears dried up.

Three days had passed when a sudden knock on the door rang through my dad's and my small two-bedroom home. I was at the kitchen table eating breakfast with my dad. Dad looked at me with a warm smile before he got up and made his way towards the door. He sucked in a big breath of air before opening the door. A tall woman with short brown hair and a tall blonde-haired man carrying a large sword, as long as my body on his waist, walked through the door and followed behind them was the Third Empress. I jumped out of my chair and rushed over to them. "Good morning, Third Empress!" My dad and I said in unison. The Third Empress smiled at both of us. "Josephine Mali, do you know why I am here?" She asked in a serious voice, her smile slowly despairing. I shook my head, I'm sure she could see the confusion in my eyes. She nodded to the people who came with her. The man spoke in a scary tone. "You, Josephine Mali, have been chosen as the Third Empress's aide." I looked at my dad with big eyes that were full of excitement. I heard that if you are chosen to become an aide to one of the Empress, then you will have a good life and your family will also have a better life than what they have now. At least that was what I had heard from the other kids. The Third Empress nodded to the lady that came with her. "Because you have been chosen, you are to come back with us and live in the Third Empress palace. You will not need anything, as we will provide you with everything you need. Please say your farewells, we will be leaving shortly." The lady said with a soft voice. I looked at my dad again, now sadness clouding over my eyes, now realizing why my dad was sad the other day. He knew this was going to happen, that I would have to leave him. I sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it before speaking. "My Empress, I appreciate this opportunity that I have been given, but I must reject this offer." I said calmly with head bowed to show respect. I could hear the man snort. I lifted my head to look at the man. "You are not understanding, little girl, you are chosen by the empress. This is not a-." The man was cut off by the empress. "Josephine, I will treat you well and train you personally so that you can be ready for what your future will hold for you. This is not something that you can reject." I looked at my dad again, looking for a sign about what I should do. He smiled and nodded at me. "What about my dad? I can't leave him here by himself, I am all he has!" I shouted while bawling up my hands at my sides! All the adults looked at me with an unusual expression, they were probably surprised, even the empress was staring at me. My dad was the first one at my side. He crouched down to meet me, eye to eye, and grabbed my hands gently. "Listen, my dear, my dear Josephine, this is your path. We will see each other again, I promise you. And the next time we see each other, you will have grown into a powerful woman. Never forget who you are." He paused as he tried to hold back his tears that were already breaking through. He put his hands around the back of his neck and took off his necklace and put it around my neck. He never took this necklace off, and I have barely seen it above his clothes. This was something that he always kept on him. I felt my tears run down my cheeks. "Do not let your guard down and remember that things are not always what they seem to be. Think things through carefully when faced with choices and decisions. Never forget what I have taught you." He closed his eyes and pulled me into a tight hug that was filled with love and warmth, and I warped my small arms around him as best as I could. "I will always love you, Jo, no matter where you go, you will always have my love with you!" His words gave me the courage to speak. "I love you too dad and I always will." We released from each other's embrace. The empress held her hand out for me to take and I did. The tall lady and man walked out of the door first. The empress stopped and said, without looking back at my dad. "You did a good job at rasing her these years, Jonathan. I promise that I will take good care of her and try to give her as much love as you did these past 8 years." She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "Thank you for rasing an incredible girl." Her voice sounded sad at the end. As we left, I felt like my heart had dropped into my stomach. With my free hand, I wiped the tears that had escaped. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. I can't turn back now, now I must look forward and grow up into the powerful person that my dad wants me to be.