You would never know what fate brought to you. You could make plans, but you could never be certain whether it would work as you want. When the reality was not as beautiful as your dream, you might curse and cried over it. And that was what I did when my dreams crumpled on my parents’ feet.

”Why me? It’s not fair, Mother. It’s not fair! How about my dream? I want to be a scholar! I want to travel the world! Finding great teachers to teach me wisdom and life! Why it should be me?” Mirai was crying her heart out.

Mirai's mother’s only response was caressing her back as she held her daughter in a tight embrace. She knew what her mother meant. Forgive Mother, Mirai. Mother could not do anything.

That night her father pronounced the news that the King had ordered her to marry the second prince. She knew what it meant since forever. No one denied a King’s order unless he wished to end up in royal prison or a death sentence. The worst of all that by denying it, you could be accused on treachery; and the punishment for treachery did not fell only to the guilt, but to the entire family.

Father could not look at my eyes when he told me the news. He must see the tears flow on my cheeks or he avoided the accusing look I sent to him. I did not know how the decision came to this, but I did know that Father understood. He understood that agreeing to that decision would kill me, but still he made it. No. The King made it. But Father did not refuse or rather could not refuse. I knew it was not entirely his fault. I love Father. But the anger was killing me inside. I needed to let out my fume. I needed to shout my desperation. I needed a way to lessen the pain in my heart. And so for the first time in my life, I cursed my father, the one I respected the most.

**********

The first snow of the season fell on Mirai's cheeks as she looked up to the sky. A month had passed. There were a couple of months until the season changed. When the spring came, her life would not be the same.

“My Young-Lady, His Highness has sent the wedding gift if you would look at them,” her servant and her childhood friend, Miru, bowed as reference to her.

“Later,” she gave short answer. Miru looked up at her for a second before bowing back. She knew Miru knew that she would not touch the gift until much later, the same she did to the first gift from the royal family that came two weeks ago.

“And Captain Nakajima is wishing to meet you before returning to the palace,” Miru added.

Her gaze lingered on Miru's form, but Miru never looked up as she always did. “Please tell him to wait. I need to prepare myself.”

“As you wish,” Miru excused herself and left her all alone. Miru did not witness Mirai's tears fell after her retreat. I am sorry, Miru.

Miru had liked or, dare she say, been in love with the second prince for years. Miru