She was like sunshine after a storm, like spring after a hard winter. I had never seen one like her. I had never seen such grace. I had never seen someone smile as wide as she had. Alas I would never see that sunshine again, no one would. They say that all good things must come to an end, she was too good. Too perfect for this world. We didn’t deserve her, we were blessed to be her last town visit. Her last shopping trip, her last horseback ride, her last city stroll. But I was the most blessed. I was her last dance, her last smile was mine to keep.
No one knew exactly what happened. Maybe there was something in the tea, maybe she was already ill. No one knew. The music played, I grabbed her by the hand and we danced. Around the room, past her father, by the dessert table, we danced and danced. If I had known of her ailment perhaps we wouldn’t have. Perhaps if I had known, I wouldn’t have spun her six times by the fireplace.

We were all sitting there by the fire listening to her brother's tales of war, when it happened. One moment she was laughing with her father, the next she was on the ground. It all happened so fast no one was quite aware of what had occurred. Once we recovered ourselves her father was quickly by her side. Alas, it had been far too late.
The news spread like wildfire. Soon every village and town knew of the fair lady’s demise. As news spread, so did the storm. Every town that mourned our fair lady was hit with terrible weather. It seemed as if any land touched by her love began to wither away. Uprooted crops, destroyed buildings, no one was safe. Although, it was a little odd. The storms were gone as quickly as they had arrived. Next came the droughts. Crops withered, wells became dry, the scorching June sun took no prisoners.

A number of months had gone by since the dance and the land was dry as a bone, but today was different. Today almost didn’t seem like a day. The sky was filled with clouds. Dark, angry, larger than storm clouds. We hoped, but no rain came. The sun blanketed in dark grey, not one ray peeking through. There was no sun, no water, we thought it was the end. Until it got worse. That’s when the winds began. Strong enough to tip a horse, tumbling into the freshly rebuilt homes, blowing through dust clouds and pushing dirt into young eyes. It was a never ending, constant battle.

I had stayed within my home, trying to avoid the dust. All I could do was sit and mourn her loss. Thinking of what could have been, what should have been. Whenever I closed my eyes I saw her. Her lavender dress billowed around our ankles, her bright jewel blue eyes reflecting in mine. Prior to now I hadn’t cried since her death, not a tear had left my tired eyes. I turned my head, and that’s when I saw it. My best waistcoat, thrown to the now dusty ground. And in its pocket I saw it. Like a ray of sun, brighter than the room itself. A single daisy, one given just to me. Suddenly, I could feel it. I could feel warm streams running down my dust covered face. I could taste the salty rivers. Before I could stop it, a yell was ripped from deep in my soul. Sobs racked my body as I released all the pain it had contained. By the time my mind cleared and my body stopped shaking, there was rain pouring in through the doorway. The dust had stopped blowing as the wind followed suit. As I walked outside the rain slowed to a light drizzle, and the sun began shining through the clouds. The farther I walked the clearer the air became, and the lighter the wind blew. The world seemed to regain its footing. In time we would repair our homes and replant our crops, but all I could think of was her. My sunshine, my spring day, my fairest lady Maria.