The Raspite Prince

"I won't have control over them, you will. I want to know what is really going on Patrick." I jerk away angry at him. I don't want to be someone's slave. I have just told him the truth and I was a bit terrified that he would react differently somehow.

"Please, Laoonica, I am not marrying you for control over you." He says begging me to calm myself. The sound of his voice is soothing and I want nothing more than to trust him.

"How do I know that?" I ask looking down instead of into his eyes.

"I love you with all that I am, and I will not try to control you after. I love who you are and there is nothing I would want to do to change you." He uses his finger to gently pull my eyes to him.

"Your father didn't want me to be mad at you, he said none of this was your idea yet again he didn't tell me what it was I need to know." I demand. I won't let him distract me, I won't.

"I want to tell you but if I do then you won't understand, Laoonica please just..." He starts but I interrupt.

"If you won't trust me how can I trust you?' I am hurt and I show it. Perhaps pouting a bit will get an answer from him.

"Laoonica, thank you, for letting me know that my father is okay on the other side. I am sorry that I can't give you what you want at this point. Just know I do love you. If you decide you do not want to marry me then I will not push it anymore. I will let you go and not look back." He insists.

"If you let me go what would happen to you?" what would happen if he just let me walk away. I am sure it wouldn't be good. The council seemed determined to trap me in a prison cell.

"I will worry about that, if you truly want to leave and be alone I won't stop you." He looks down at my hands and I allow him to take them into his again. I can see the pain that is in his eyes at the thought of losing me.

"I am very confused at this point. I do not know what I want." I say avoiding his gaze again as I do not want him to see the temptation to run in my eyes. I remain looking down to the floor beside him. I am more than a little afraid now. I didn't know what to think of all of this. I was being warned that something is coming, but no one could, would tell me what it is. Patrick, his father, and my own are avoided answering me.

"Look at me. Look into my eyes and tell me this is not what you want and I will walk away. I will give you a shuttle and set it to an isolated planet that no one else will know about. I would do it all for you." I look up at him. His green eyes are very bright and full of love. He is the only one other than my father who has the ability to calm me down. Not once has he ever looked at me in fear. As I look into his eyes, all my fears seem to fade. How can he love me so much that he will walk away if he thought it would make me happier? That he would face the consequences no matter what they were to allow me to go.

"I know that my feelings for you are real, but I am now worried about what comes next. If I choose to leave, then you will surely pay the price for it. I don't really understand what is going on but my heart aches at the thought of you not being with me. I love you Patrick, and if you think it is best to wait for my powers to be in control then ok." I say somewhat reluctantly.

"I promise you will not regret being with me. I will always let you be yourself." I smile a bit at him with a hint of worry in my mind.

"I am sorry about your father." I say looking at him. I want to cry but I won't, not in front of him, not right now.

"We knew it was coming. We should let you get back to sleep my love. I will send Meldow back in to watch over you and I will return to my bunk in the soldier's quarters." He kisses my hand as he stands and walks over to the door. He turns to look back at me and smiles.

"What?" I ask as it looks as though he has something to say but he brushes it aside.

"It is still early you have more than a few hours to get some more rest before the wedding this evening." He responds. I give him a sideways glance as I know it is not what he had initially intended to say.

"Oh I had no idea, I guess you should go now." I am not tired but frustrated with him. I just wanted him to leave so I could think. If he wouldn't tell me perhaps I can figure it out on my own.

"Tonight everything will be okay you will see. I will be yours and you will be mine. Good night Laoonica." He says placing his hand on the doorway as he looks at me. I wonder if he knows how agitated I am at the moment.

"Good night Patrick." Melena comes in as he goes out and they say goodbye to each other with a hug. I go back into the bedroom and close the door but I can't go to sleep. I find myself excited, nervous, and even a bit nauseous about tonight. I lay in the bed for a few moments before I finally doze off to sleep still in the dress I had changed into so as not to be seen by Patrick in my gown.

I woke up to an excited Melena coming through the bedroom door, "Well how does the bride feel today?" I sit up on the side of the bed, and look at her as it was as though I had just gotten back to sleep.

"Good morning Melena." I say as she seems so much happier and excited then I am. I am excited, of course and scared, anxious, and sad all at the same time.

"I have eggs and pancakes and bacon, can't believe they had bacon left this late in the morning." I laugh at her a bit as she set up the table. She seems to be way to cheerful in the mornings.

"I still have to finish your dress." I say as I took my seat across from her.

"You need a good breakfast right now. It will help you get through the day." I smile again and began eating. "So is it true?" I look at her.

"Is what true?" I ask after a second due to the food that was in my mouth.

"Did you really see my dad in your dreams after he passed?" I look at her.

"Yes, he said he was relieved to no longer be in pain but I am afraid he only spoke to me about Patrick." I didn't want to get her hopes up of some sort of message for her or her sisters. I am surprised at her reaction.

"That is wonderful, he is okay." She wipes a tear from her eye and goes back to eating. We finish eating and I grab her dress from the hanger. I get to work on the dress that she has chosen making sure it fit her perfectly. It wouldn't take me long, but as I sew away I can't help it. I feel sad as memories of the maid who taught me these skills roll into my head.

"What is this?" My father's voice came in the door behind me as she is teaching me. I had snuck out of my room to go to my lesson and I guess my guard had told him I was missing.

"Look daddy I can make dresses." I was so excited in my youth over such a simple freedom. I wished that my father could have actually been here. I missed him more than ever today.

I finish the dress and set it aside for her to try on. I go to the bathing room and take a long bath soaking in the warm water. When I get out I dry my hair and head back to the main room. Melena follows after me, taking a shorter shower in preparation. By the time she is out of the shower lunch has arrived. We eat quickly and quietly as we have a lot to do. We finish eating, as one at a time we go into the bed room. At this point we only have two hours before the wedding. We get Melena ready first putting the red on with the mildly altering the length given that she is a few inches shorter than me. Then we fix her hair and makeup. When we finish her up she looks amazing, just like a princess. It is now my turn and I begin to shake a bit as I reach out for my wedding dress.

"You're going to look magnificent." Melena says noticing my nervousness. I do not let her know the truth of my thoughts behind my nervous behavior.

"Just a strange and frightening yet exciting and I can't breathe." she helps me put on my dress. Next I sit in front of the mirror as she put my hair up in curls and braids that made it easy for her to fit the veil on. As well as make it so it will stay put easier. I have never worn much makeup so she keeps it light and natural. We finish up just in time for the guards to come to the door knocking.

"Princess Laoonica, it is time." One that is normally at my door say as he looks at me with a gigantic smile on his face. "Lucky S.O.B." he whispers under his breath. Melena steps out behind him and I follow behind her then the second guard follows behind me.

I can't believe that I am still going through with this, after all the dreams and warnings of things to come. I wish that I knew what the warnings were about, however I know that this choice beats having to be placed in a gilded cage guarded by people who did not deserve to die. That is well worth avoiding if at all possible. The elevator seems to take its time reaching us. I guess it is getting a work out from the traffic of people heading down for Patrick and my wedding. I is maybe being a bit impatient as I watch the doors waiting for them to open. Then the thought of what Patrick's father had said came into my mind. The idea that this is not the last step in gaining control over my powers. I start shaking and I guess Melena sees because she put her hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear.

"Relax it's all going to work out you will see." I simply smile at her as we enter the elevator. I try to calm down, but the thought of giving myself to Patrick makes me nervous. The elevator stops as we have arrived at the cafeteria floor. They hesitate for a moment before they start to open the doors.

"Wait please." I make sure my dress is straight and that everything looks perfect. I am stalling a bit trying to calm my nerves. I straighten my shoulders and nod for them to open the doors. I look in to view an aisle down the center of two roles of chairs and they were full of people. Melena set out ahead of me as a strange music plays and she steps strangely with the rhythm. I look all around and felt myself freeze in place as Melena has reached the front and all eyes were now on me. I look forward and see Patrick standing in front of the captain dressed in a white suite. The look on his face is enough to get me moving forward. His smile reaches further across his face then I have ever seen and his eyes almost seems to glow as bright as two green stars in the sky. He looks as though he knew this is what is meant to be. He looks like he is proud to be marring me. I step slowly forward shaking the entire way. As I make my way forward to them, I make sure to keep my focus on Patrick so as not to run in the other direction. I stare at him standing there so calmly that I myself start to calm down.

"You look amazing," he whispers. I made it beside him and we stand facing each other with my veil over my face. I can't breathe as I know this is it.