Merry lay on the small bed, unable to make herself sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and glanced around the dim moonlit room. It was a familiar room to her, the same one that her parents had used when they visited Uncle Matthew. She had loved it here in Whitewood; the sights and sounds of the bustling city, the smells of the various food stalls lining the roads, even watching Aunt Caroline and big sister Adrea go about their work. But now, the dark room just seemed cold to her. And lonely. She gently shifted to her side, careful to not wake Tsutsuji who was sleeping on the pillow beside her and stared out the window.

After a moment of restless silence, she slipped out of bed and walked to the small table sitting near the window, the hard wood floor cold beneath her feet. She grunted a little as she pulled the heavy chair out, her heart pounding as it screeched in protest. She glanced over at Tsutsuji nervously; the tiny guide just scratched herself and slept on, mumbling in her sleep. Merry gave a sigh then sat down at the table, pulling closed the large book that sat on top.

The little girl stared at the book with warm eyes, gently tracing the words on its cover, before opening it. Instead of turning to the marked page, Merry opened to the front and lifted a small pouch attached to the cover. She carefully drew out a small folded letter, staring at it with sad eyes as the moonlight dimly reflected off of it. She slowly opened the letter, careful not to tear it. The creases on the paper were worn and several parts were smudged from tears, but Merry had read letter enough that she could recite it from her heart. Even still, she held the worn paper as if it was a treasure, and carefully read each word by the dim moonlight,

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To my Second Love,

As I write this letter, I am looking over at you gently sleeping in your Mother’s arms and I think to myself what did someone like me ever do to be blessed with the two greatest women in this world? You are only a little thing now, and I must admit, it makes me terrified some times. You must be so ashamed to have such a coward as a Father. Such a fragile thing, I can’t help think that you’ll break or I’ll make you cry. But when I see that pure smile light your face, it’s like all the worries in the world disappear, clouds vanish from the sky and the stars shine just a little brighter than before.

I wonder, how many years will pass before you see these words? What kind of woman will you become? Will you be as kind and brave as your Mother? Will you stand up tall and be able to lift your head up high? What will you do when you finally step out on your own? What kind of person will the man who steals your heart be? What will my grandchildren look like? When your hair is gray and your back crooked, will you still remember the things this foolish Father taught you?

So many questions go through my mind every time I look into your eyes. When I think about what life has in store for you, I sometimes find myself overflowing with happiness and expectations. Other time, I’m terrified and weep at the sorrows you will have to endure. But no matter what crosses my mind, I will always remember that you are my Daughter, my second love; you may only be a tiny sapling right now but it will not be long before you grow into a mighty oak, unwavering even in the fiercest gale that life throws at you.

So, my sweet little girl, I ask only this of you. Live on. Through was ever may come. Live on. In both the good times and dark times, never give up, keep pressing forward and never lose sight of the things that will come after the pain.

The Night will never last forever, one day the Sun will break over the horizon and a new Day will come. Till then, live on.

With all the love within me,
Signed, your foolish Father.

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Merry struggled to silence her sobs as her hands shook, a few fresh tears adding themselves to the stains on the letter. After a long moment, Merry finally managed to calm herself down. She took a deep breath and carefully refolded the letter and returned it to the book cover. She closed the book and leaned back in her chair, looking out the nearby window with tears in her eyes. Merry knew that the others only thought of her as a child, that they tried to keep her ignorant, thinking to protect her from the truth.

She may be young, but she was not stupid. She heard the whispered words and saw the looks of pity from the adults. She was not stupid, while she pretended not to hear, she understood the words they said. Merry’s eyes took on a dark look, a flame burning deep in their depths. As she looked out over the dark cityscape, a thought began to form. They were out there somewhere. Lurking in the shadows. Thinking no one could see them, thinking no one could touch them.

But they were wrong.

After a short while, Merry slid off of the chair and gently slipped into bed. She closed her eyes once more; as she slipped away into sleep, the gears began to turn in the back of her mind.