"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

–my man Dr. Seuss

I am sad to say this chapter isn't a very happy one Had to do it though…

Happy Reading!

Kylie

Mirana of Marmoreal, 20 years old

Gone. Is that the word that will haunt me the rest of my life? I would love an answer so that I will get used to losing things that are important to me. I've lost five people in the course of a very short time: Mother, Father, Iracebeth, Tarrant, and- now- little Bee.

We were sitting in our room at around midnight. She hadn't slept for a day or two, so I stayed up with her. She looked as if she was about to fall asleep, so I cuddled her closer to me. Her little brown eyes widened, like she knew something, then they closed abruptly. She had tiny wrinkles in between her dark eyebrows like she was concentrating very hard. Her hands clenched into fists around the cloth of my dress. I tried to get her to let go, but she wouldn't. She opened her eyes again and looked up at me.

I lifted her so that she was at eye level and barely standing on my knees. She leaned in and nestled her head on my shoulder. I was confused about her strange behavior, but I decided to just enjoy this little moment with her. She was the first baby who shared my illness, and I didn't want to lose her. I understood her better than anyone and she could possibly understand me.

We had been in each other's presence for about a year now. She was beginning to form words, but hadn't said anything understandable yet. I learned how hard she'd been working that next morning.

"Majesty, I have some bad news." I was still holding Bee, just finishing her feeding. I glanced down at the baby on my chest and widened my eyes in alarm.

"What is it, Laura?" Laura was the woman I went to for anything.

"Well, Bee's mother is here for her." I let out a whoosh of air, like my breath had been knocked out of me. Bee looked up at me with an expression that said 'I tried to tell you.'

"Preposterous. Bee has no mother besides me." Laura bit her lip and shook her head sadly.

"The mother said that now that she had her life under control, she wanted her baby, Bree, back."

"Her name is not Bree; it's either Bianca or Bee. And she's my baby girl. She's mine, Laura, please…" I was crying now and clutching Bee to my shoulder. Laura had a tear running down her face. She'd grown exceptionally close to Bee these past few months as well.

"She'll be in good hands, I promise you. You have to let her go, Mirana." I pulled the child away from me to look at her. She was crying too, but much more fiercely.

"Bee, you have to go with you're mommy now." My voice broke a few times, and then I sobbed as I heard her speak her first words.

"Mommy?" She asked, pointing to me. I let out a cry of despair and shook my head. I stood, fixed my dress, and walked down the hall to find her mother.

"That's your mommy, Bee. You have to go with her now, okay?" And she said her second word.

"No! Mommy!" She screamed, pointing to me again. I had to shake my head again.

"Are you her mother?" I asked, looking at the woman across from me. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She was pretty, I have to admit. She seemed nice.

"Yes, I am. My name's Hanna. And the baby's name is Bree, not Bee." My gaze turned into a glare, and she cowered backwards.

"She'll always be Bee to me. You can't change that. Tell me, Hanna. What do you know about this child?"

"She's a female, she was born December 29th, her name is Bree, and she has white hair and skin. What else is there to know?" She spat back at me.

"She has a rare disease. She hates regular milk. She has a temper, but is very gentle and intelligent. She is loved by everyone here as well as me. And she has no idea who you are." The woman raised one eyebrow.

"But she's my child. I have a right to have her back." My defense fell and I let her see my pain. She sighed impatiently.

"Here," I whispered. I tried to hold out Bee for her, but the child gripped onto my dress with a force that I couldn't break. I gulped and look her in the eye. "You have to go now, Be- Bree."

"No! You Mommy! Mommy, mommy, mommy!" I took in a shaky breath and broke her grasp, handing her to the strange woman across from me. The woman saw how hard the baby was crying, and looked at me for help. I walked over and caressed Bree's cheek, immediately calming her.

"Goodbye, Bree." I turned and floated down the hall, listening to her shrieks fade in the distance. I refused to break down into tears. What exactly was there to cry about?

I sat on my bed and smiled. I smiled because of the times I did have with her. I smiled because if I didn't, I would cry. I smiled because I was strong enough to be happy. Sometimes we don't know how strong we are until being strong is the only choice we have. And right now, it was the only choice. I've lost everything dear to me. Except maybe Laura.

I now visit the nursery at the end of everyday, playing with the babies that look the most like my Bee. The ones that have blonde hair and brown eyes. The ones that have pale skin and dark eyebrows. The one's that take to me right away. It keeps me satisfied, and it will continue to keep me satisfied until I have a baby of my own.

And I can't help but hope that baby has orange hair and green eyes.