"Your highness, Princess Nova's ship will be leaving shortly. Do you wish to speak with her before it departs?" the guard asked nervously, not wanting to disturb the king, who was standing on a balcony, staring silently into space.
"I... yes... no. Tell the pilot he has permission to leave." King Nova answered after a few moments of thought.
"As you wish, your higness." the guard left.
Was he doing the right thing? Letting Mira go without even saying goodbye? Perhaps he should call the guard back. Tell him he'd changed his mind - no, it was better this way. Mira was turning her back on him, and all of Tangean culture. Why should he go see her?
A tear came to his eye. His little girl was leaving. His only child. And he had driven her away. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't his fault - Mira had always been rebellious, after all - but it was no good. He knew he'd been to hard on her. He'd prevented her from ever going off-world, or even to the planet's surface. He'd stopped her from seeing that Grounder she liked. It was no surprise that she wanted to escape. But of all the places she could have gone, why Star Command? It was so dangerous. She could easily be killed. And then he would have no one.
If he'd only been more supportive of her - given her a bit more freedom - then perhaps she wouldn't have left.
There's still time, he thought. I can go to her - convince her to stay. Or at least say goodbye.
He ghosted back inside and ran down the halls, hoping the ship hadn't left yet. Guards stared in shock as their king charged by without any of his normal dignity.
A few moments later, he reached the landing port.
"Mira, where are you?" he called.
But the ship was gone.
Author's note: Originally, this was going to be where Mira and King Nova are saying goodbye to each other as she leaves for Star Command, but somehow it ended up being entirely about King Nova. I also thought it would be better if they don't get a chance to say goodbye, since that might be another reason their relationship is so strained in the series. It's kinda short, but I hope you like it.