Hey guys! I'm not forcing you to (But you really really really really should) do this, but if you want to read the story and get the most out of it you gotta play the soundtrack below. You just have to. Anyways enjoy! -Maximus :D
The azure waters cast off glints and flickers of light from the fading, auburn sunset. Gently rolling waves lap up against the silk sands. A strong breeze carries itself along, swirling up fallen leaves and causing them to dance in spirals of oranges and yellows. The small beach tucked away from the rest of the mainland provides an almost alternate reality for the two figures. It was quiet. It was tranquil.
It was perfect.
The others were off celebrating at the camp. The war was finally over. Years and years of fighting, strategizing, and relying on sheer luck and starved hope mixed with a hint of zealous desperation had allowed the rebels to overcome nearly impossible odds. It was devastating. It was impossible.
It was achieved.
She sits down on the sand next to him, tossing aside her bloodstained daggers. They clatter together in a metallic crash and then say no more. His battle axe lays a few feet away, drizzled by a thin layer of sand that the wind blew over.
"So," she says. "Now what?"
His unfaltering gaze is locked on the sun. Short, sandy blonde hair that matches the grains on the beach reflect a little of the sunlight, and his emerald eyes are relaxed. For the first time in a long time. No more worrying about the constant threat of death. No longer dreading the possible outcome of failure. The weight of the nation had rest upon their shoulders. And they were now free from that burden.
"I..." He begins, closing his eyes. Eyes that have seen enough horror in his twenty years to last multiple lifetimes. "I don't know. Being on the run for a decade should've given me enough time to think about it. But I guess I never really did."
"Well," she says while unclipping her wrist gauntlets and shoulder guards, letting them sink to the sand. "Taking off your armor would be a great start. We don't have to fight anymore," she smiles, punching his shoulder with a smirk, "Plus I bet you'll feel light as a feather without it."
He smiles faintly, and throws off his gauntlets as well, stretching his arms. He sighs and falls on his back, eyes fixed upon a magenta skyline dotted with swirling wisps of clouds.
"A farm." He mutters, "I want my own farm."
"Are you serious?" she laughs, "We can have anything we want now...and all you desire is a farm?"
"Yeah," He sits up, "What about it?"
"Nothing," she shrugs, tilting her head to one side with curiosity. "Why though?"
"Because it'll be peaceful. No more war. No more starving. No more watching people I love get slaughtered right in front of me. The biggest worry I'll have is whether or not my chickens figure out how to escape from their coop."
"Knowing your carpentry skills they'll escape within hours," she says lightheartedly. "Maybe you'd be better off just growing crops. They can't run off right?"
"Hey," he laughs, pretending to be offended, "It wouldn't be that bad. And I sure hope not. With what we've seen over the past few years I'd fight an army of living vegetable over hordes of soldiers any day."
"Same here," she chuckles, resting her head on his shoulder. The light atmosphere is replaced by a somber air.
"But we did it," she breathes, "The emperor is dead, and the nation is free from his tyranny. And we were part of that. We're gonna go down in history as saviors and heroes."
"But at what cost?" He mutters, exhaling slowly, putting a hand on his temple.
"The cost necessary for freedom. What we lost wasn't in vain. And we made sure of it by taking the Capital down."
"I know." He closes his eyes, his voice becoming shaky. "I still wish there was a way to go back to the beginning of the siege. If I just could've been faster and kept up with the advance party maybe I ---,"
"Stop," she interrupts, pleading with him, "You can't keep torturing yourself like this. It was not your fault."
"Yes it was. I wasn't there for her, and now my sister is dead." A tear escapes his eye, which he quickly wipes away.
"She knew what could happen when she joined this war alongside you. She knew what price she might have to pay. And it was thanks to her sacrifice that we were able stop the enemy."
He doesn't respond. The sun has descended further towards the horizon, the auburn growing more faint. Seagulls fly overhead, a flock gracefully sailing across the sky away from the beach.
"How about you?" He asks, rerouting the conversation, "What are you dreams for after all this?"
"Well. Maybe settle down in my own little estate. Honestly the thing I'm looking forward to the most is having more than one hot meal a month." She smiles longingly.
"If that isn't relatable I don't know what is," He laughs, Tilting his head so that it rests against hers.
"One more thing," she adds.
"Hmm?"
Her eyes flit around the scenery. The rippling, rhythmic waves. The smooth, silky sands that fall through her fingers. The heavenly light that emits from the sinking sun. A lone dove soars from the forest behind the beach and towards the two. Dipping and rising, it passes overhead and continues on its way, without a care in the world
"I want more moments like this. This is perfect."
ns 15.158.61.7da2
