Promise Me
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
-Oscar Wilde
The roof top gave complete access to the expanse of the beautiful night sky. It was clear today, all the stars were bright and shining in their full glory. And the two occupants of the roof were looking up in awe admiring their display.
"Mommy, do you ever miss Tamaran?" An 8 year old Mari asked.
Kori was stroking her daughter's hair while she lays her head on her lap.
"I do starshine, very much." She smiled lovingly.
"Why don't you go back?" the 8 year old said tracing nonsensical patterns through the air, following the stars in her vision.
"Why would I when all that I need is here, you and your father."
Mari then sat up looking curiously at her mother.
"Daddy said you're a princess! Has daddy ever been to Tamaran?" she asked looking up the skies filled with stars.
"Yes he have." She giggled at her child's innocence
Kori could just smile at her daughter, she was indeed the princess of her planet but she has long abdicated her claim to the throne in order to remain in earth.
The first time Dick had visited her planet it was because she was to be wed through a peace treaty, and she would never want that to happen to her daughter. She will never belong to a man against her will, she will fall in love and she will give herself fully on her own will to a deserving man, just like she did.
"Don't you miss Grandpa and Grandma from Tamaran?" Mari asked.
"Grandpa and Grandma has gone to the embrace of x'hal my sweetheart." Kori explained, her eyes glassy.
"Oh, what about daddy's grandparents?"
"Well, Grampa Bruce is always with you, he gives you the best toys!"
"What about Daddy's circus parents? Oh I remember they're gone too." Mari sulked, she sat down on her mother's lap and Kori embraced her tightly.
It was hard having to explain life and death to a child, but they need to know it happens and it's inevitable. Especially in the lives of vigilantes, but what they need to know is that they will never be forgotten, their memories with their loved ones will forever live on.
"It happens Mari, we just have to go on living." Kori said through her daughter's ebony hair.
"Will it happen to you?" Mari said muffled in her mother's embrace.
"My dear starshine, death is inevitable, I need you to understand that." She said looking own at her daughter who looked up at her for answers. "As painful as it is, one needs to accept it."
"But I don't want to lose you or dad." The child inside her embrace said with tears welling in her eyes.
"My dear if anything happens to me I want you to promise me you'll take good care of your father for me, can you do that?"
The little girl just nodded her head and buried herself in her mother's arms.
"Oh look Mari! A shooting star!" Kori said pointing to a line of light etched on the sky.
The child looked to the direction of her finger and stood up, as did she. She held out her hand and tightly squeezed the little hand that placed itself in it.
"Make a wish starshine."
She was told to make a wish when stars fall. And so she wished.