I remember the first time I saw her. The first time I glanced in those green innocent eyes, that perfect, sweet smiled, and that face covered in a layer of dirt. I remember her curly hair that has grown too long from poor living conditions, the long red hair that only she had.

The other ran up the long spiral staircase cobblestone steps, spears in hand. I ran up behind them all. People hollered and gasped as we made our way up the castle. Dim lanterns were hung above as we stopped in our tracks. It was an ambush. The other guards from the other kingdom had gotten here before us. I swung my spear toward them, but they narrowly avoided it with their shield. They wore metal armor with a unique and jagged clothing surrounding it. They whipped their sword around but I hit mine against theirs, knocking them to the ground. The others attacked similar opponents, moving their swords and spears gracefully around and knocking armor off. I slashed my sword in the air, knocking my opponents helmet off. They were already covered in starches, bruises, and large cuts that had dried up blood. They had a long mustache that drooped down from the excessive weight of it. I pointed my sword toward him as he cowered with no more protection left.

“I surrender,” he said freakishly.

I quickly removed the sword from him, and as I did, I saw her, chained up to the wall as a prisoner. I kept telling myself to stay professional and ignore it, but the feeling only grew. In all my life I had never met someone I had interest for, as there was never any time to be engaged in a real relationship. I stared into her hopeful eyes but they were filled with worry. She had been abused it seemed, with whip marks scattered around her body. Her dress had multiple holes and tears in it and her thin body was covered lots of blood and cuts. I sat down next to her as she tried to cover herself with her hands. She was a delicate soul, clearly hurt and scared from the humans that had mistreated her. It was the unfortunate but very real reality that lived on in these ages, and my body itself was starting to become frail and worn out from war and constant conflict. My hair had turned white from stress with only a few black hairs sticking out left.

I clasped her hand which had been limited by chains that wrapped around them. She had scars and marks from them already.

“How long have you been here?” I had asked.

“I dont’ know,” she replied, simpering helplessly. “I think I was first out here last winter.”

My mouth dropped and I tried to get her out of the chains.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” one of the others said.

“Wait!” I snapped. “What about her?”

“We don’t need her, she’ll die here anyways in another week,” the other guy replied.

“What!? You don’t want that and you know it. We should at least try to save her,” I suggested, slightly irritated by his comment.

“Fine,” he growled as he moved over and proceeded to move his sword high in the air.

Then with a slicing motion, he cut off the chains with the power of his sword, and she was freed. I knew that the kingdom wasn’t going to like the ever growing relationship I had with her, but I didn’t care, and neither did she. As long as we were together, we would always be inseparable.