How Could I Ever Know

How Could I Ever Know

Many years go by and finally in June of 2299, Lord Andrew Charles is forced to abdicate in favor of his eldest daughter, Lady Elizabeth Victoria Ann Beltane  and her husband, Lord Richard Edward Howard III.

They were married in 2294 and in March of 2295, Lady Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, Lady Karissa Ann Howard.

In that same year, Lady Karissa gave birth to Charles Andrew Howard III, daughter, Lady Karissa Elizabeth Ann Howard.

Lady Elizabeth is 19 years old when Lady Karissa gives birth to Lady  Karissa Elizabeth Ann..

Lady Caroline Matilda is 14 years old, Lord Edward is nearly 20 years old, Lady Sophia Dorothea  is 15 years old, Lord Anthony is ten years old and so is Lady Anastasia Christina and Lord Benjamin Lawrence is 5 years old.

Finally in 2299, Lord Andrew Charles Howard's kinsmen approach and make him abdicate in favor of Lady Elizabeth Victoria Ann Beltane.

At first, Lord Andrew Charles resists, but he finally realizes that he is helpless and resigns reluctantly.

Lady Elizabeth promises to take care of her father and make him Duke of Westminster Territory.

Lord Andrew Charles' children beginning with his eldest son, Lord  Anthony tells his father to come and live with him out at Lancaster Territory.

Lady Anastasia tells her father, " I have plenty room out at St. Petersburg."

"Dad, can stay with me out in Lancaster." Lord Anthony tells his mother 

"Lord Andrew Charles. Your children love you. They will take care of you as you have taken care of them." Lady Karissa tells him.

"I think you should go live with Lord Edward." Lady Karissa tells him.

"I loved Karissa the first day I saw you." Lord Andrew Charles tells her.

"I still love you, Lord Andrew Charles, but Lord Richard William loves me too, and I love him, and we deserve to be happy." Lady Karissa states.

"I have made sure your Dukedom is secure with our children." Lady Karissa tells him." I didn't want to see what Lord Patrick William Howard started so long ago come to an end."

"He had to leave his beloved Norfolk, England for the same reason why I left my beloved America.' Lady Karissa tells him.

"World War III started, nuclear war was waged, and people suffered for it. There was a lack of food, water, and the earth, water, and air became contaminated by radiation." Lady Karissa tells him

"His Dukedom is secure with his great-great-great-grandchildren." Lady Karissa tells Lord Andrew Charles.

"You can be proud of our five children that I have given you." Lady Karissa tells him.

"Lady Samhain will follow you, and her daughter, Lady Karissa Ann." Lady Karissa tells him.

"You have two sons, Lord Edward and Lord Anthony and three daughters, Lady Joan, Lady Anastasia, and Lady Elizabeth." Lady Karissa explains.

"You have more than your two older brothers who don't even have a child or an heir/heiress." Lady Karissa tells him.

"Lord Richard William has been waiting since 2276 and I have told him to hold on to his dreams." Lady Karissa tells him.

"I married you when I was 21 years old and I have given you six children." Lady Karissa tells him.

"Lord Richard William is now 54 years old and I am 49 years old and we want to spend the remaining time we have left together." Lady Karissa tells him.

"You had me for 24 years." Lady Karissa states.

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In 2300 in June, Lord Richard William and Lady Karissa carry out their dream they have shared together and they marry each other.

Lady Karissa tells Kevin Thomas Riley " I married Lord Andrew Charles to ensure that what his great-great-grandfather started doesn't go to vain

Lady Karissa tells Kevin Thomas Riley " I married Lord Andrew Charles to ensure that what his great-great-grandfather started doesn't go to vain.'

Karissa also tells Kevin about her first love, Roy L Mock, who dies of prostate cancer and it was caused by the long term effects of radiation poisoning.

Kevin Riley was able to bear his soul to Karissa about the brutal exterminations of his father, mother, and sister on Talos IV.

Karissa gives to Kevin a picture of Roy and her and tells him to hold onto it

Karissa gives to Kevin a picture of Roy and her and tells him to hold onto it

Kevin looks at the picture " What a beautiful picture."

"I have a picture of my late father, mother, and sister together." Kevin tells her.

"How do you ever forgive a monster like Kudos for taking your family?" Kevin asks.

"It is hard, I know Kevin." Karissa tells him, " I feel the same way about the men who started World War III."

"The war took my father, mother, and fiance away from me and created me a war orphan." Karissa tells him.

"Cherish the good memories you had." Karissa tells him.

"What I tell you. You must not tell anyone until I am long gone." Karissa asks him and he promises.

"I never wanted to become an aristocrat, but I did for Lord Charles Andrew Howard JR." Lady Karissa states, "The Howards took away my dreams."

"I just wanted to live an ordinary life here on Star Base 12." Lady Karissa states, "I would have been happy living out in the country."

"There is no such thing on Star Base 12 in living an ordinary life when aristocrats populate Star Base 12." Kevin explains.

"They were the first settlers here on Star Base 12 and they claimed their territory in 2158." Kevin explained.

"What a shame" Karissa states, " There is no difference between an aristocrat or commoner but a title that separates them."

"I won't tell anyone what you said to me Karissa. " Kevin promises.

Lord Richard William and Lady Karissa marry in 2300 with her children around her and Lord Thomas, Lord Richard Edward and Lord Frederick William Howard.

Lord Andrew Charles declines the invitation as he can't bear to see Lady Karissa marry his second cousin, Lord Richard William Howard.

On her wedding day, he locks himself up in his country manor of Balmoral.

Lord Richard Edward Howard JR escorts her up the aisle to be married to Lord Richard William Carey.

With family and a few friends gathered around they watch Lord Richard William and Lady Karissa marry each other.

Lord Richard William Carey calls his family around Lady Karissa and him for a wedding picture.

Kevin Thomas Riley is there when Lady Karissa and Lord Richard William marry each other and he looks on.

Kevin Riley is satisfied that his son, Kevin Thomas Riley II is married to Lady Karissa's daughter, Lady Caroline Matilda and they share a grandchild, Kevin Thomas Riley III.

Kevin tells his son, " I got the best part of Lady Karissa when you my son married her daughter."

Lady Karissa sees her first granddaughter, Lady Karissa Ann, marry her third cousin, Lord Frederick William Howard V in 3215 and she sees the first two of her great-grandchildren born in 2320, Lady Karissa gives birth to a daughter, Lady Victoria Elizabeth and Lord Edward Andrew son, Lord Andrew Charles III wife, Lady Georgiana gives birth to their son, Lord Andrew Charles IV.

Lady Karissa spends most of her time out in her garden with her great-grandchildren, Lady Victoria and Lord Andrew Charles IV.

Lady Karissa is now 80 years old and she feels her time is short and she prepares her Last Will and Testament and gives Beltane Manor to her youngest daughter, Lady Karissa and she divides her jewelry to her daughters, Lady Samhain, Lady Sophia Dorothea that Lord Andrew Charles gave to her, and she leaves her jewelry to Lady Caroline Matilda what Lord Richard William Carey.

In her Last Will and Testament that Lord Andrew Charles laid to rest on her right side and on her left side, Lord Richard William Carey.

She writes "I have made sure your two Dukedoms are secure with our children and your surnames will continue. Don't weep for me."

"I loved you both, and it will break my heart to leave you both." Lady Karissa tells them.

Lady Karissa writes a letter to Lord Andrew Charles

"My Dear Lord Andrew Charles. This is my last letter to you. Don't weep for me. I was so hoping that you would have remarried after we divorced, but you didn't. Take comfort in our children and know that Norfolk is secure."

Love, Lady Karissa Elizabeth Ann Howard-Carey nee Lowell.

Lady Karissa writes a letter to her dear Lord Richard William Carey, "My dearest Lord Richard William. I love you. Please don't weep for me when I am gone. Take comfort in our children and know that your Dukedom is secure." Lovingly your wife, Lady Karissa Elizabeth Ann Carey.

Lady Karissa places the letters in her Last Will and Testament.

Shortly after her 80th birthday, her son, Lord Anthony finds his mother out in her garden. He calls for Lord Richard William and his father who call for Lt. Commander Davis, but he can't resuscitate her.

"I am sorry Lord Carey and Lord Howard, but Lady Karissa is gone." Lt. Commander Davis tells them.

Lady Karissa is Duchess of Norfolk at this time and with her family they prepare to lay her grandmother rest in her garden.

Both Lord Andrew Charles and Lord Richard William can't believe that Lady Karissa predeceased them.

Kevin Thomas Riley shows up at Lady Karissa's funeral and burial at Beltane Manor and he watches the casket be placed in the vault out in her garden.

Kevin walks over to her grave and places white roses on top of her casket and says, "Sleep well my love."

Kevin walks over and says, " You both killed her and turned her into something she wanted no part of."

"You two stole her dreams away from her and your compulsive need for an heir/heiress to secure your Dukedoms." Kevin tells them.

Kevin takes out the picture of Karissa and Roy together and says, " Karissa gave me this picture of her late fiance and her back in the USS Republic."

"Why couldn't you just leave her alone." Kevin asks.

"You got your damn heir/heiress now, and now she is gone." Kevin tells them.

"You have no idea what she went through but I do because she told me." Kevin tells them.

"I have the best part of her, Lady Caroline Matilda and we share a grandson, Kevin Thomas Riley III and I have my memories of Karissa before you two waltzed into her life." Kevin tells them.

Later on, when the barrister reads her Last Will and Testament. He hands the handwritten letter to Lord Andrew Charles and Lord Richard William Carey.

The barrister says " Lady Karissa has left Beltane Manor to Lady Karissa."

"Lady Karissa has asked that Lord Andrew Charles be laid next on her right side and Lord Richard William Carey on her left side." The barrister tells them.

Lord Andrew Charles passes away six months later at the age of 85 years old and he is laid to rest on Lady Karissa's right side and Lord Richard William Carey passes away one year later at the age of 87 and he is laid to rest on her left side.

One day Lord Anthony is walking with his grandson, Lord Andrew Charles IV in his mother's garden he hears a voice singing from the garden and it's a song that he remembers his mother sang to her children "How Could Know."

How could I know I would have to leave you?

How could I know I would hurt you so?

You were the one I was born to love

Oh, how could I ever know?

How could I ever know?

How can I say to go on without me?

How, when I know you still need me so?

How can I say not to dream about me?

How could I ever know?

How could I ever know?

Forgive me, can you forgive me?

And hold me in your heart

And find some new way to love me

Now that we're apart?

How could I know I would never hold you?

Never again in this world

But oh, sure as you breathe I am there inside you

How could I ever know?

How could I ever know?

How can I hope to go on without you?

How can I know where you'd have me go?

How can I bear not to dream about you?

Oh, how can I let you go?

How could I ever know?

All I need is there in the garden

All I would ask is care for the child of our love

Come, go with me, safe I will keep you

Where you would lead me, there I would

There I would, there we would, there we will go

Oh! How could I know?

Tell me how could I know?

Never to know you would ever leave me

How could we ever know?

How could we know?

How could I ever know?

Lady Caroline Matilda heard it too with her husband, Kevin Thomas Riley II and she smiles, " Mother always told me we don't die."

"My father loved your mother so, it broke his heart but my mother had him laid to rest at The Collin Mausoleum." Kevin tells Lady Caroline Matilda.

Lord Anthony looks at his sister, " Gee, I can't believe both mom, dad, and Lord Richard William Carey have all died."

"Mom was born in 2255, dad was born in 2250 along with Lord Andrew Charles." Lady Carolina Matilda states.

Lord Anthony looks at Lady Carolina Matilda and says, " We still have each other."

"I was born in 2275 and I am 50 years old now, and you are 46 years old." Lord Anthony states.

"I have a grandchild, Lord Andrew Charles IV and he is our best hope in keeping what Lord Patrick William did so long ago." Lord Anthony explains

Lord Andrew Charles III marries his second cousin, Lady Victoria Elizabeth in 2338, and in 2340 she gives birth to a daughter, Lady Karissa Elizabeth and in 2345, a son, Lord Andrew Charles IV and in 2350 another daughter, Lady Elizabeth Victoria.

In 2358, Lady Karissa Elizabeth met the great-great--grandson of Kevin Thomas Riley II and Lady Caroline Matilda and they married in 2360 and once again the two families were brought back together that started so long ago back when Lt. Kevin Thomas Riley met Karissa Elizabeth Ann Lowell in 2273.

Lady Karissa Elizabeth in 2375 gave birth to identical twin daughters, Lady Karissa Elizabeth Ann and Lady Isabella Clara Riley and in 2380 she gave birth to a son, Kevin Thomas Riley VI.

Lord Andrew Charles Howard V marries Lady Josephine Clara Stuart, the heiress of the Duke of Mammoth in 2368 and they have two sons, Lord Jerome Alexander Howard, Duke of Mammoth Territory in 2370 and Lord Andrew Charles VI in 2375.

Both sons have a daughter, Lord Jerome Alexander has a daughter in 2390 named Lady Athena Isabella ,, and Lord Charles Andrew VI has a daughter, Lady Florence Clara Howard in 2399.

Their two daughters take the Howard's into the 24th century.