The Family She Always Dreamed Of

Plink!

Plunk!

The water was vibrating with small ripples, created by the tiny stones being thrown into it. Sarah sighed, leaning forward on the bridge’s rail overlooking the lake’s sparkling surface. The sun was slowly setting towards the west, lowering itself into the valleys of the mountains. It was a sight worthy of being taken in, but not for Sarah. Her thoughts somewhere else than on the scenery of the Starian Kingdom.

She knew it was getting late, but she didn’t want to leave. Tohru would be coming to look for her soon, the thought breaking her heart. Holding back her sobs, her mind wandered back to what had transpired a few hours ago.

At Uncle’s Rare Finds shop, Sarah had been cooking dinner for Jackie, Uncle, Jade and Tohru. Her and Jade were having a playful little fight using the flour. Tohru laughed, while Uncle and Jackie were trying to clean up the mess. The door bell had rung a few moments later, with her answering it. Low and behold, there stood Tohru’s mother, the last person Sarah wanted to see.

From tzhe moment she had entered the shop, it was nothing but chaos. It had begun with the usual argument between the old Japanese woman and Uncle, the bickering and the name calling, so on and so forth. Then it took a turn for the worst. The old woman began with Sarah, claiming she wasn’t good enough for her ‘baby boy’. Sarah had heard Mrs. T say that many times before, but then added that Sarah had no family, no past, no anything.

“Tohru, how can you have a future with this woman, who has no past? With no memory of any family? With no parents to call her own? She is nothing but an orphan. What kind of life would that be for you two?”

An orphan.

No family.

No past.

And certainly no future.

How can I do that to my precious Tohru? thought Sarah, an escaped tear rolling down her cheek. He deserves more than what Sarah could give him. She gazed at her reflection, wondering if it could help her in some way.

“They say your reflection shows more than the eye can see.”

Sarah gasped, quickly rubbing her eyes to removing any traces of tears, and turning to see Isabella standing on the bridge with her.

“What is it that you seek?” the tall woman asked, walking and standing next to her. Her golden brown eyes, staring at Sarah with worry and concern.

“Its…nothing.” said Sarah.

“Hmmm, is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then.” said Isabella looking at the sunset, her long black hair reaching down to her knees of her dress. The wind began to pick up, making black and orange hair move into the air gently. They didn’t say anything for a while.

“I just…want answers. Answers that I want so badly. To know who I am so that-“

“-So that you may know who you are now.” finished Isabella. She looked into Sarah’s green eyes. “You already know who you are. You are a kind, gentle, and beautiful woman, with a heart of pure gold to match with. You have faced many dangers, encountered things beyond your wildest dreams. You have the gift of Seeking, my dear Sarah. A family and a caring husband who are worried about you right now and wondering where you ran off too.”

Family….

“They told what happened, didn’t they?” the young Seeker asked.

“Yes, and also feeling your sadness as well. Its radiating off you like a light from a light house drawing ships in at night.”

There was a moment of silence between the two women, till finally Sarah spoke up.

“She’s right, Izzy….about me and my past.”

“Sarah….don’t listen to what that bloodsucker says about you-“

“But she’s right! I’ve lived my entire childhood locked in an asylum. Nobody wanted me. Nobody wanted a freak for a child. Not even my own parents wanted me, and I don’t even know who they are. I’ve never known the protection from a father, nor a mother’s love or hugs. I’ve never experience the rough housing with brothers or the playing and talking with sisters. I’ve never had that and….I wonder what kind of wife I am to Tohru or what kind of mother I will become with we have children….and…and…”

Suddenly, Sarah felt a pair of slim and gentle arms, wrap around, bringing her close for comfort. Sarah cried into Isabella’s dress, while the Queen hummed softly and stroked her hair.

“Shhhh, hush my young one. Let it all out. Don’t hold back. Shhhh.”

“Why? Why didn’t they want me?”

Isabella held her closer. “I don’t know. I wish I knew. But think my dear Sarah, they have lost the opportunity to know a magnificent and wonderful woman you have become today. They have missed out on your life, from youth all the way to when you married the man of your dreams. And frankly…..they don’t deserve you.”

Sarah looked up at Isabella. The Queen carefully wiped away all the tears. “They lost that right the day they didn’t want you anymore. Thinking you were worthless, but they were wrong….absolutely wrong. You have become a strong woman. You are a loyal friend to Jackie, an honorable student to Master Chan, and an older sister to young Jade. But most importantly you are a terrific wife to Tohru. He loves you more than life itself, as you do with him. You care for people so much and give love to anyone.”

“Even to ones that don’t deserve it.”

Both women turned to see a tall muscular man walking towards them. He over towered them greatly, his appearance intimidating. His silvery blue eyes, showed great power, but concern in them at he went up to them.

“Your majesty…” began Sarah.

“I was wondering where you had went, love.” He said to Isabella, his hand going through his blond hair. “I figured you went after Sarah.” He looked to Sarah. “Do you know that everyone is looking for you? That big lug you call a husband nearly broke all the gates and doors of the palace trying to find you.” He grumbled.

“I’m sorry. “said Sarah. “I didn’t mean to worry anyone. I just wanted to be alone.”

“Child, you should know that you will never be alone.” Snorted Cedric. “You have a family that has been with you all along.”

“You were listening in on us.” Stated Isabella.

“Yes I was.” The smug expression on his face, not once wavering.

Isabella sighed, and Sarah began to laugh. She felt a little bit better now and knew she had to go back to Tohru.

“Sarah, never once think that you are an orphan ever again.” said Isabella.

“What?”

“Has our Seeker gone blind?” said Cedric. “I guess I’m going to have to tell you then. You my dear have a bunch of sibling, from sisters who share secrets with you, to the rough housing of over protective brothers. A certain four I could name, but you already know who they are.”

“You have so many nieces and nephews, who look up to you. They come to you when they cannot go to their parents. You play with them and scold them when they get into mischief.” Said Isabella.

Sarah mind began to whirl. How could she not have seen that before? Finn, Chow, Ratso, and Hak Foo have been like older brothers to her to the days when she came to live with the Dark Hand, accepting her and caring for her in ways she had never experienced before in her life. She felt love from them along from their families and their children. Oh how their children loved her! Their sons trying to teach her how to fight, while the young girls played with her hair making it into braids. They and the others of the Starian Kingdom were like that to her. Did that also mean that Isabella and Cedric…?

No….it couldn’t possibly be.

“Do you not know that you have a hot tempered father, who protects you even when you are not in danger?” questioned Isabella.

“You also have the love of a mother right in front of you this entire time.” Added Cedric.

“But….why?”

“We may not be much Sarah-“

“Or ordinary.” Interrupted Cedric.

“But our love is neither conditional nor limited to anyone.” finished Isabella smiling at her. “We would be honored if we could call you our own daughter.”

Sarah was speechless. All this time, she had a family looking after her and she never realized it until now. Tohru’s mother had been wrong. She wasn’t an orphan anymore.

“I don’t know what to say.” cried Sarah, tears falling down her face again, this time they were not of sadness but of happiness. “But thank you…..Mom and Dad. Thank you.”

Tears were also forming in Isabella’s eyes as well and she was smiling for joy as she hugged her daughter. Cedric was grinning as well.

“Now that everything is okay….can we go and lock up the overstuffed bear? He’s destroying our Kingdom. One that I worked really hard on to establish and…..”

Cedric kept on talking and complaining as he along with the girls walked back to the palace. Their arms wrapped around each other.

And that was the position Tohru saw them in as they entered the main hall and it made him smile. Their small family had become larger than anyone could have imagined. A family to be with, love with, cry with, argue with, and to protect from harm. The family that everyone deserves and Tohru was glad he and Sarah had one.

His smile grew even more, when Sarah went into his arms and kissed him passionately with all the love in the world.

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My dear friend, wrote this snippet and sent it to me in a note awhile back. And I FINALLY finished a picture to go with it!
It thrilled my heart to pieces to read this snippet she wrote for Sarah and Isabella, and I hope you all enjoy it and love as much as I did.
Thank you SO VERY MUCH again, Danielle, for this piece, and I hope you like the illustration I did for it!

Story and Queen Isabella belong to
Sarah belongs to me