They did not live happily ever after, not by a mile. No, theirs is the kind of story that you cry after, you slam the book shut and throw it across the room.

But they didn’t know that.

What you need to know is that they don’t die in the end, I promise….

They had been friends from the time they were kids. Playing in the garden when they were six, climbing trees when they were twelve, sparing with their father’s swords when they were fifteen, and getting a letter when they were eighteen. A letter, that changed everything. They both knew that there was a war going on, but they didn’t know that it was coming their way. Their letter was demanding recuts, they needed soldiers, cartographers, medics, massagers, and more. Ian emedetly said.

“I’m going” when he read the letter, and naturally, because wherever Ian went Jane went two she said,

“So am I,” Ian argued that she couldn’t come with her leg injury, the wound could open any moment now that the stitches were out. But in the end, Jane is more stubborn than Ian and she got her way. They each packed their bags (which didn’t take long because they own next to nothing) and said goodbye to their families.

They set off for their journey that day.

Talking the entire time they walked. They laughed and played games, they raced each other and pushed each other around.

“I thought you were better at running,” Jane said gasping for breath, “honestly, your racing someone who has an injured thigh and can only run while half limping.”

“Well….”

“Well, what?”

He did not respond but smirked a bit.

“Oh my god’s, you let me win,” she said sounding scandalized,

“I did not”

She stood in front of him, with her arms folded,

“You think I can’t beat you just because my leg is banged up?”

“Well, kinda-“

“Ok, we are going to race again and not going easy on me, promise?” Jane said holding out her arm, he grabbed her four arm and she grabbed him, and they shook.

“Ok to that oak tree,” she said pointing to a large oak thirty feet away, Ian nodded.

They started running and he passed her, he was almost to the tree when he looked back and saw Jane was only halfway, he stopped, turned around, ran towards her, picked her up by the waist and carried her to the tree.

“Put me down!” She yelled the entire time he was carrying her. And he did, once they got to the tree.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to take pity on me.” She frowned,

“I wasn’t but then-“ he froze,

“What?” She asked, he pointed behind her, there was the camp that they were heading to and it was under attack. Fires were burning, swords clashing everywhere, and they could hear yells and screams.

Jane stood up, “We have to help them!” As she did so she felt her wound open, but she engorged it.

So they did, they ran down the hill they were on, Ian already out of breath from carrying Jane. Once they were amidst the fighting they found two swords on the ground next to two dead soldiers. They raised their swords and Jane, heard a blood-curdling scream. She turned and saw a sword that had gone right through Ian, blood covered the end of the sword, and someone removed it. Jane dropped he sworn and fell to her knees beside Ian. Tears falling down her face she held his limp body, his eyes still had a look of surprise in them. Through her blurry vision she closed his eyes and then she felt a sharp pain in her back, she looked down and there was the same sharp metal point through her stomach. The sword was extracted and her vision went dark, she could no longer feel. She fell forward on top of Ian, and they lay there. As their body’s lost their warmth.

Look I know I said they don’t die. But since when have I been known for telling the truth?