I awoke, a blinding white light shining down on me as I squinted through my lashes, groggily. ‘Your awake.’

I looked to my left to see an exhausted looking Terra leaning against a chair, dark circles surrounding his eyes as he gave me a weak smile. I looked around again to see that we were in the healing ward. ‘How long have I been out for?’ I said while rubbing my sore eyes. 

 

‘Four days at least, we were starting to get worried about you thinking that Xehanort must be doing something …’

I looked down at the hand that now clasped my own, ‘Were you here the whole time?’

 

‘Yes, I haven’t left your side. Well, I had to actually to help carry Sora here to get treatment-’

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. The memories of three nights before flashed through my mind, Sora being the hooded figure, Xehanort alive, his possession over my body. 

 

‘Wait! Where’s Sora?! Is he all right?-’ I sat up straight, immediately regretting it as my body screamed with pain, my head beginning to pound, Terra jumping to his feet and grasping my arm gently, ‘Whoa, easy there Aria! Sora is fine, he’s resting right now, seems like having Xehanort in his body for that long seems to have taken all the strength from him…’

 

I looked past Terra’s shoulder to see Sora, slightly pale and still sleeping soundlessly, Kairi caressing his cheek gently. I sighed heavily as I lent against the headboard, rubbing my temples gently, ‘And what of Xehanort?’

‘Riku,Ven and I searched and searched for him everywhere, we followed all the clues and tracks that lead to him but none of them prevailed to bring anything to find his actual whereabouts …’

 

I sighed yet again, ‘It's okay, we’ll get him eventually. Right now I have a wedding to plan and get through without being possessed or dead!’

Terra chuckled, grabbing the stitch that began to claw at his side, ‘Well, I better go and tell Aqua and Ven you're okay. They’ve been going nuts about your health the past few days, especially Ven.’

 

I smiled but just before he was out of reach, I grabbed his hand, ‘Terra, may I ask you something?’ Terra looked back with a smile, ‘Of course Aria.’

‘Terra, what it was like, when you were enveloped in Xehanort’s darkness and was possessed the way I was?’ His smiled faded slowly as he fell back on his seat, grabbing my hand as he did.

 

‘It was horrible. The way he got in and began to control me like I was a lifeless puppet, the way he just conversed words with those I loved and admired that I would speak to them, the way he made me fight to one I love … Made it as if I was living a nightmare, which became a reality …’

 

I looked away slowly, tears in my eyes. The memory of Xehanort’s possession over me had come to me first, the way he tortured me from inside out, the way he also controlled what I would say, the way he tottered me into death itself. What good of a Queen would I be if I couldn’t fight the enemy that had haunted since I was a teenager and couldn’t defeat him!

The memory of my Parents last words to me before I left the Islands leapt into my mind instantly as my tears fell silently down my swollen cheek. 

 

-

 

I heard as Riku and Sora lift two of my bags, most probably shifting them to the battle ship that awaited to take me away from my small but precious home to the realm where I would live as a Queen. 

 

I looked in the mirror once more. My hair was down in gentle waves, a small jewelled head piece placed on my head. A red cloak draped over my black gown that hid beneath. 

I sighed heavily as I stared at my reflection, the announcement of my being the new successor and heir to the throne had thrown the realms into a frenzy. 

 

Many people saying that I was too young to be the heir to the throne, that I was not wise enough to lead TWELVE realms alone, that the late King Michael had made a mistake in making me the heir and that the true heir should’ve been someone like Sora or Terra, or Aqua or someone else who was supposedly older and more braver. Even though they are two to four years older than I was …

I stood up and walked away from the mirror that stood tall in the one room I once called my room, my sanctuary. 

 

I walked down the stairs slowly, my heels clicking against the wooden staircase. I looked over the banister to see my Father looking up at me, tears glistening in his eyes as I finally stepped down before him. 

 

He took my hands into his own shaking ones, ‘You look beautiful my dear. A true Queen you will be!’ 

I smiled as tears welled in my eyes, and my Father smiled sadly, lifting my head up  ‘Now, now, a Queen should never show her tears to a person like me …’

‘Oh Father!’ I cried, leaping into his arms, my body raked with sobs, my Father patting my head gently as he cried too. Finally he pulled away from me, pulling my chin up, ‘Now wipe those tears, smile and show the people of Destiny Islands what a Queen they’ll have!’

 

I smiled gently as I took his hand, leading me out the door to find the people of Destiny Islands lined up in two groups in the town square, leaving a path towards the battle ship. All eyes watched as I exited the little tattered cottage. 

 

I looked to my left to find my Mother smiling up at me gently from her short height, tiptoeing to caress my cheek gently, ‘My darling Aria, how beautiful you are. And what a Queen you’ll be. Know that your Father and I are so, so proud of you. From becoming a Keyblader to becoming a Queen! I love you my darling-’

‘I love you too Ma, so so much!’ I said embracing her as I felt more tears rise and tip over my cheeks like waterfalls, the soft sobs of my Mother leaving her lips as she placed a shaky kiss on my forehead. 

 

I looked back to my Father, ‘Father I don’t think I can do this … Becoming a Queen of Twelve realms! I mean, I can’t-’

‘You’ve come this far haven’t you Aria? You defeated Xehanort, saved all of us from falling into the darkest abyss! This should be a synch! Look darling, being Queen might not be easy, but you have your brother beside you and your two best friends! Not to mention your crush-’

‘Father!’ I said with a giggle, giving his arm a slap as I gave a sidewards glance to Riku who winked at me with his famous smirk. 

 

I turned back to my Father as he kissed my cheek gently, ‘Go out and make us proud Aria!’ I nodded before turning to Sora who took my hand in his gently, helping me down the staircase slowly so I wouldn't trip over it. Sora smiled at me, bowing to me but I pulled him up, smacking his arm gently, ‘Don’t bow to me just because I’m going to be Queen. You're my brother and I’m your sister, and that’ll never change.’

 

He smiled before leading me down the path made by the villagers who bowed as I walked on slowly, the tears still glistening in my eyes as the battle ship grew closer and closer. I stopped in my midst, looking back the people waved up at me as the battle ship began to rise, their hands either waving or containing handkerchiefs as they bid me farewell. 

 

I glimpsed my Mother and Father once more, smiling as the steal doors of the ship shut with an undeniably loud ‘thud.’

 

-

 

‘Aria?’ I looked back up at Terra who was gripping my hand tightly in his grasp as the tears continued to fall down my cheeks. ‘What is it?’

 

‘It’s just, what kind of Queen am I if I can’t defeat the enemy thats been haunting me ever since I was a fifteen year old. I mean its been five years ever since this war began, and still I haven’t found the solution to destroying the darkness, the only thing I’ve done is get everyone I love in danger-’

‘That’s all you’ve done?! Aria you’ve done more than that!’ Terra said, now sitting beside her on the bed, ‘You saved millions of innocent lives when you were just beginning to use the Keyblade, you ventured into the darkest abyss of the Dark Realm to save Aqua, helped Sora awaken Ventus’ heart, and-and you saved me from Xehanort’s grasp!

Tell that that is not enough! No one could've done that without having the guts to give up everything to save the ones you love! Aria, we both know there is a war coming, a war that might be the final battle, and I know that anyone would follow a Queen who can look after herself and fight to the death to protect her people.’

 

I smiled as Terra stood up yet again, ‘I think some other people want to visit you, I’ll let them have their turn.’

‘Terra?

‘Yes?’

‘… Thank you, for everything …’ He smiled down, gripping my shoulder in a gently grasp before making his way down the aisle of beds, exiting the healing ward without another word. 

I shut my eyes slowly, the minutes ticking by as I enjoyed the silence, the only sound that occurred was the steps of the healers who walked up and down the healing ward and the chirping and fluttering of birds that echoed through the windows. 

 

‘Aria?’ I opened my eyes to find Hoya standing over me with swollen red eyes, his hair in an absolute mess and his clothes ruffled as if he had been running, ‘I got here as soon as I could! I’ve been so worried.’

 

‘I’m fine Hoya! Really I am!’ I said as he sat beside me, ‘Are you okay? You looked as if you haven't slept in days …’ 

‘I’ve been so busy ever since the news of Xehanort got out amongst the people I’ve been trying to calm them all down with the news. Kings and Queens have been sending never-ending letters in non-stop and the council arrived the night you were brought here to question all of us who witnessed what happened.’

 

I sighed heavily, rubbing my head gently, ‘For a few minutes I forgot I was a Queen! Guess I need to get better as soon as I can and get back to business soon enough.’ 

‘No please take all the time you need Aria … I’ve told the people that you won’t be out and about any time soon so please just rest …’

 

‘Hoya … I need to tell you something …’ I said while grabbing his hand gently, ‘What is it Aria, is something wrong?’

‘Well, I guess it might be … Hoya, now that we know Xehanort is back, I want to give you a chance to think about this marriage-’

‘Aria-’

‘Just please hear me out Hoya,’ He sighed before nodding heavily, a sign that I took as to continue, ‘Hoya, now that Xehanort has returned, MY life will become even more dangerous than ever before. There will be war, one that will either unite the twelve realms or will go against each other, many lives will be lost and Xehanort will send his forces to take out the ones I love, including you. So please just think about it, you have so many people who love you and so many opportunities in life … And I don’t want to be the one who takes all that away from you.’

Hoya shook his head as he frowned, looking me in the eye dead on, ‘I will think about this Aria.’

 

 

I smiled gently as I hugged him, feeling his arms curve around my waist gently. I looked over again at Sora, tears enveloping my eyes yet again as I hid my face in Hoya’s neck as his grip tightened. I didn’t want to be the reason the people I loved died so early.