This story isn't super long, just an idea I was playing with. Enjoy!


Sofia ran her pale fingers down the spines of the books on the shelves. Her latest project for Ever Realm academy was researching how past wars of their kingdom had been resolved. Amber had already finished her essay but Sofia was hesitating. She hated thinking of her kingdom at war with another over some piece of land. And Enchancia had been peaceful for as long as she could remember.

Sofia pulled out a dusty red volume on the kingdom's last war, the one that had ended when she was born. It detailed the conflict with a faraway land that had once wanted to take over Enchancia. It was during that war that King Roland I had died, killed by a spy from the enemy. The next chapters explained how her father had saved the kingdom by drafting peace treaty after peace treaty.

Stomach swirling, Sofia began to draft her own essay. At the end of it she wrote how horrid the war had been and began to list those who had been drafted into the Enchancian army and died.

But as Sofia read the book she paused at a name listed in the drafted who had fallen. This particular man had been drafted to the navy and been returning home when it was attacked. It was the last attack that had occurred before the war was resolved.

Johnathon Brownsten, Navy, DOD: 03/05

Johnathon Brownsten. Her father.


"How was everyone's day?" Miranda asked as the children sat down at the dining table for dinner. Roland was away on a diplomatic mission.

"I beat Roger in a joust today," James announced, cutting into his roast. Over the last year since they'd started going to their new schools, James had had a massive growth spurt. "But he wasn't mad."

"That's wonderful. What about you girls? How was Ever Realm?"

"I passed my flag matching pop quiz," Amber bragged. "Sofia did too."

"Well done, girls," Miranda congratulated them.

"What do you know about the Sea War?" Sofia suddenly asked. "The last one Enchnacia fought with the far away kingdom. The one that mainly consisted of ship's fighting."

"Is that the war you're doing for your essay?" Amber asked excitedly. "I'm so glad you finally picked one!"

"Mom," Sofia said, ignoring her sister, her voice deadly calm. "What do you know about the Sea War?"

"Not…not much," Miranda choked, suddenly pale. "I was only a shoemaker at the time."

"But it must have effected you," Sofia countered. "Did you know anyone who was drafted into the navy?"

"Well…I, uh…"

"Someone you were close to?"

"Sofia, what's going on?" Amber asked softly, realizing Sofia was upset about something, angry even.

"My father was drafted into the navy," Sofia explained, staring at their mother. "And I never knew. I didn't know that Dad forced my first father to die for a stupid war!"

"Sofia…It wasn't Roland's fault," Miranda insisted. "The names were random. And he tried to end the war so many times."

"You still never told me!" Sofia exclaimed, standing up, shoving her chair away. "You never told me that my father fought in a war! That he didn't just get caught in a storm! That he was murdered!"

"I didn't want you to think ill of your new father or your home," Miranda explained.

Sofia just shook her head and left. Amber quickly followed her up the stairs.

"Sofia, wait!" Amber called after her. "Are you okay?"

"No, Amber," Sofia sighed. "I…I just didn't know. I never even knew him."

"James and I never knew our mother," Amber said.

"Do you know why your mother died?"

"Giving birth to twins was too much for her. She got sick."

Sofia stared at her sister, biting her tongue. Since the Secret Library had told her about Roland's wish, she hadn't said anything. But did Amber deserve to know?"

"Remember when you turned me into a cat?" Sofia asked slowly.

"Of course. With the wishing well."

"And how Dad had already used a wish?"

"Yes. But what does this have to do with my mother?"

"The Secret Library told me his story. What he wished for. He wished for children. But the price for his wish was your mother."

"He…he wished for us?" Amber gasped. "She's died for a wish?"

"I'm sorry, Amber."

Amber was staring down in shock, eyes wide. But then she swallowed and put on her heir to the throne face. "Looks like we'll both need to talk to Daddy when he gets back."