Prologue~
The hour was late, well past ten in the evening when a car pulled up along the driveway of the brick manor house. It was raining with the sound of thunder echoing off in the distance only a few miles away. As the rain poured down onto the earth, a solitary figure stood outside on a porch underneath the safety of an overhanging roof. The figure was that of a young teenage girl, who was dressed in a dark blue skirt with black shoes and a cream sweatshirt. Her amber red hair was pulled back from her face and her large sea glass blue eyes gazed without emotion at the car that had just pulled into the driveway. They were here, here to take her father away from her. Turning her head towards the open doorway, she stepped back into a well-lit foyer filled of hominess and comfort but that didn't settle the sorrow within her. Looking towards the curved staircase, she debated whether or not to tell that they were here, for she could always lie. But, it seemed fate was not on her side. Down the stairs came her father dressed in his military uniform, brushing dust off it as it had been sitting still and forgotten in the closet along with his past.
"The car's here," she said softly turning away from him and sitting down on a leather chair with slumped shoulders. She heard the sound of footsteps before a pair of shiny black shoes came into view before her. She felt her father lean in towards her and place a hand on her shoulder as he said with his soothing voice,
"You know I must go, it is my duty to my country and an honor."
"Is it such a duty and honor to go to face certain death?" she yelled back, tears stinging her eyes. She pounded her fists into her legs and bit back the onslaught of tears. She heard her father sigh before feeling him kneel before her, take her shaking hands into his own, and say,
"I will come back to you, I promise."
"That's what mother said," said the teen bitterly knowing she was bringing up an old and painful memory. But still she didn't care or mind for the pain she felt she felt like dealing out to him. Maybe then he would stay in regret. Maybe then he would die too. There was silence as her father sat still for a moment before sighing again.
"I promise, that we will meet again. No matter what may happen out there, we will see each other again." The words were too much to take, and the tears started to spill free down the teenager's face as she collapsed into the arms of her father. The whole of the world was crashing in around her, and she felt as if she was spiraling out of control. She only hoped her father was right. She only hoped he would come home.