Title: What if?
Rating: PG
Character: Richard
Word count: 456
Summary: Written for Legendland, prompt was to write about a box
He was terrified. He was as calm as the sea.
Both emotions were currently playing a tug of war with his heart and he did not like it one bit. Not today, there was too much at stake.
Calmly he unclenched his hands, stood up and straightened his tunic somewhat mentally hoping the simple action would echo through to settle his normally composed self.
It would soon be time; he was to wed his love today, his Kahlan. Ecstatic that the moment had finally arrived, he was paralyzed by doubt. What if she doesn't like being married to me? What if I do something wrong? What if...
He was having a hard time keeping himself in check, his agitation grew by the second and he knew that he had to get a grip as there was no way that this wedding was not going to take place. Nothing in this world would stop him from marrying the love of his life.
So why was he such a mess?
Pacing to and fro, he thought of his father George. It would have been a blessing to have him here for the occasion, he was sure that his father would have instantly loved Kahlan, so endearing she was.
He absent mindedly toyed with his tooth necklace, it was the only thing he had to remember his father by, that and his words.
"Richard my boy, you have a destiny. Only you have the power to take the path, and only you stand in its way."
The engraved symbol on the tooth was smoothed over years of long wearing and as he stroked it, he heard his father's voice continue.
"So take all those doubts and fears and put them away, you cannot be true to yourself if you don't believe. Everyone has them; it's what you do with them that count. Pretend you have a secret box, one that only you have the key. Call it the "what if" box. Use your mind and separate all the what ifs from the situation, break it down. Once you are truly unfettered, you can see the truth. You have always been able to..."
Of course, he shook his head as a small grin graced his face. He allowed himself to get caught up in his worries again, if he had only looked at the facts he would have realized.
Genuinely smiling now, he mentally put the "what ifs" away. The truth was Kahlan was going to marry him, she loved him and he her. What more did he need?
And with a final nod to the memory of his father, he calmly strode out the door; he had a very important engagement that he would not miss for the world.