Aqua was seated next to the king and her younger brother – Vanitas. They had gathered in the throne room. A messenger had come from the neighboring kingdom in the night, waiting outside the front gate. He had insisted time and time again to the guards he had a message for the king and would only speak to him. He even willingly handed over all of his weapons which only consisted of an odd shepherd's hook.

The news had sent the entire castle a buzz. The Kingdom of Guardia had been their sworn enemy for decades. Bloody wars had been waged. Countless lives lost. The cause of the war was King Xehanort's distaste for magic. In the Kingdom of Verona, use of magic was cause for death. He sought knowledge through science, not through arcane means.

Because what had magic caused except heartache?

"Now announcing Jackson Overland Frost of Kingdom Guardia!"

Aqua didn't know what to think. The man who walked in looked more like a traveler than a messenger. A brown cloak hid the rest of him from view but he had startlingly white hair and blue eyes that reminded Aqua of a cloudless day. Everything about him stood out. People in Verona didn't look like him. She was an exception. Her blue hair stood out and she longed to have beautiful browns or blondes like everyone else. But that would require magic, something her father forbade.

The messenger pranced into the throne room with confidence. Aqua spared a wary glance to her father. If there was one thing he loathed, it was disrespect. The man seemed to pick up on it so he stopped a decent distance away from the King and his children before bowing deeply. Once her father nodded, the man rose once more. He looked oddly amused by the situation, as if he knew something they didn't. Aqua assumed it was just some Guardia trickery or something. But the man's eyes lingered on her. She felt herself looking away.

"Greetings from My King," the young man said.

"What news?" Xehanort asked.

"So inhospitable. No one ever offered to take my cloak," he tittered.

The tension in the room was palpable. The messenger's attempt at humor did nothing to break it up. The youth sighed and straightened up. His eyes caught Aqua and for a moment their gaze held. Her breath caught and she forced herself to look away and tentatively look back when he gaze wasn't directed on her specifically. It had been like a shock had run through her entire being.

"My name is Jackson. I have been sent on behalf of My King. He would would like to propose a truce between our people."

Xehanort had little patience for having his time wasted. The entire room seemed to grow tense. Jackson seemed to notice and bit back a smirk. He seemed all too amused with the way the situation was going on. Aqua had to school her expression to keep from giving away her surprise. An armistice between the two countries would end so much suffering, so much bloodshed. Their people could heal, go back to farming, the economy could prosper again and people would be happy for the first time in so very long.

"And the King couldn't be bothered to negotiate these terms himself?" Xehanort sneered.

"The King expected you to shoot me on sight," Jackson replied, not bothering to hide his smirk.

"Very well. Spit it out, boy. Or we might flog you for your cheek."

Aqua scowled. Xehanort was a harsh man. Cruel even. He once told a young witch who had been caught in their lands that she didn't deserve the right to live because of what she was. Her capabilities in magic forfeit that right. Vanitas and Aqua had only been children at the time when one of the servants broke the woman out of the dungeons. They went on the run but were caught by Aqua on the way out. They had hastily explained they were in love and the witch was pregnant with their child. She had hastened into action that night, grabbing as much food from the kitchens as she could carry and even paying one of the guards for his horse. She had secured their passage and they went out into the night. Luckily, her father had never found out or she would have been flogged.

"The Crown Prince would like to ask your hand in marriage, Princess Aquamarine."

"Fine. Take her."

In an instant it drew shocked gasps from the members of the court; even the guards looked taken aback. Aqua felt like the very breath had been knocked from her. Everyone stared at the King in shock. He just dismissed everything Jackson said, was trading her off like cattle to his enemies. It was like her life meant nothing. That she was only a bargaining chip. As if the war hadn't been waging like a hurricane, sweeping a path of devastation in it's path. Aqua could not contain her surprise. She gasped softly.

"The offer isn't yours, King Xehanort. It's Princes Aquamarine's." Jackson reminded, like a parent scolding a child. "My Lady?"

Jackson was offering her the choice. The thought nearly made her dizzy. Had she been standing, she might have collapsed. Jackson was going around the King who normally made these arrangements. She was supposed to be submissive and quiet. She was only supposed to speak when spoken to. Certainly not when men like Jackson came in with an out of the blue marriage proposal.

Jackson was looking directly at her, waiting for her response. She was of marrying age, actually, well past it. For some reason, Xehanort had turned down suitors left and right. The Crown Prince of a kingdom they had been at war at wanted to marry her. She wasn't sure if she could go through with something like that. She had never met the Prince. Didn't even know what he was like. Or if he would be a kind husband.

"Father, you can't just hand her over like cattle! He has given us no proof this is a true offer!"

"Silence!" Xehanort roared.

The Crown Prince fell silent. Aqua stared at her father, clearly betrayed. No thought of her safety or well-being, no attempt to even renegotiate. Just sending her way, just like that. He was discarding her like she was worn parchment. Aqua looked to her family. Because she was a woman, she would have no claim to the throne. She was a spare. She was meant to be wedded off to an alliance of most benefit to the kingdom. However, she didn't see more benefit than ending the war between Verona and Guardia.

Vanitas would be King someday. He was young and still had time before he needed to wed. Hopefully, with time, he would mellow out, learn where his duties lie. Though, their father King Xehanort was getting older. He shook his head, trying to silently plead with her to reconsider. He would lose his best friend, his oldest guide and loving sister. She would lose the little brother who made her laugh when she felt like crying, the one who made sure she didn't take herself too seriously and brought light to her life in their bleak little kingdom.

As much as she wanted to throw herself into her brother's arms and cry, she couldn't. She was the Princess. She couldn't just throw a tantrum and the choice be tossed aside. Wars have been fought for less. She didn't want to go. She loved her family. She loved her home. But what choice did she have?

Her eyes moved to the King. He seemed agitated that she was actually thinking this over. That she needed to make the choice. She let out a shudder of a breath, willing back tears. She had to be strong. She slowly, stiffly turned back to Jack, dread seeping into her very being. She had to do this. For her people. A Princess didn't marry for love, despite all the stories that said that they did.

"I accept the terms."