She raised her chin and smiled as a soft breeze caressed her hair. The air was thick and warm as it buzzed with the sound of insects, drunk on summer humidity. Memories of laughter rang like golden bells that chimed in the back of her mind, and she closed her eyes to drink in the nostalgic sensation of happiness. Her forehead kissed the gilded pole as she leaned against it, its aged paint peeling and flaking away to reveal the rotting wood underneath. The carousel's music warbled slightly off tune as painted ponies and dragonflies danced in never-ending circles, forever chasing dreams as they bounded upwards just to plummet back down. Her own mount was a unicorn, it's old and fading horn broken at the tip, its magic long since departed.
She sang to herself softly; an empty tune as old and warn as the music from the carnival ride on which she sat.
"Will you remember the dress I wore?"
Her tattered and yellowing dress, at one time adorned with brilliant applique, strings of pearls and Rhine stones, and lace, draped over the unicorn's haunches and flowed behind her bare legs in the wind. The most beautiful adornment, however, had been her smile. The photographs taken had been on covers of magazines, the video feeds had interrupted news broadcasts, and her happiness had been etched in the memory of all those who had seen her.
"Will you remember my face?"
Her makeup, at one time impeccable and fresh, now left stains of midnight streaks down her once rosy cheeks.
"Will you remember the lipstick I wore?"
All of Earth had loved her in that moment. They rejoiced as she rejoiced. They loved as she loved. They had all hoped as she had hoped…
"This world is a wonderful place."
It had all been so perfect.
"Will you remember the black limousine?"
Until it wasn't.
"Will you remember champagne?"
The vintage had been from an L3 colony grape, she recalled. Something Trowa had given to her just before they had departed for Earth. Something he had told her not to open until they had landed. It was a long drive down the coast. The sunset had been magnificent. They always were from Earth. Something about the atmosphere made the colors sparkle just so.
"Will you remember the things that we've seen?"
It was the beech where they had first met. The waves had enticed her, as they did every time. She always did love the feel of the sand between her toes.
"I will return here again."
She gripped the dried bouquet more tightly, and a few more dried petals fluttered away.
"Will you remember the flowers in my hand?"
The tattered veil, torn now, made everything look surreal; like she were looking through the haze of a dream. Her hair, once coiffed in an elegant but sloppy bun, now hung loosely in unwashed matts.
"Will you remember my hair?"
Her face lost its serene expression – for just a moment – before she reclaimed it like a desperately needed shroud, blanketing her from the harshness of everything beyond the veil that hid her eyes. It had been meant for her.
"Will you remember the future we planned?"
The bullet that had taken him had killed her as well. For the first few weeks, those closest to her had made excuses for the world holding its breath, waiting for their princess to return. When weeks turned to months and she still hadn't come out of her stupor, still refused to remove her dress – still rejected the truth – slowly the world stopped waiting.
"The world is not waiting out there."
She saw the red in the waves, staining the hem of her dress.
"I won't remember the dress I wore."
She hasn't spoken since.
"I won't remember champagne."
She dove to catch him and the glass flute fell from her fingers. Cradling him as he fell, she felt the pain of rocks slice her knees as she collapsed next to him.
"I won't remember the things that we swore."
She rejected peace in the moment his heart shattered to paint her white dress red. She filled the air with her pain. She screamed until her voice broke.
"I will just love you in vain."
She could hear the rattle of his last breath as it bathed her cheek before he became still.
"Will you remember?"
She could smell the salt in the air and hated how beautiful and clear the sky was in that moment. How dare the sun shine so brilliantly?
"Will you recall?"
The music stopped but she didn't notice. Someone gently touched her shoulder and she allowed herself to be guided. Maybe that person spoke to her, she couldn't really hear them. How long had it been? Her hair was more grey than blond now, but that wouldn't matter to him. He wouldn't see the faded flowers in her hand or the tears in her dress. He would think her beautiful – he always said so.
"Will you remember?"
He had promised they would have a life together, and had asked her to wait for him – that he'd come for her soon.
Song "Will You Remember" by the Cranberries