He looked at her, eyes full of fear, as he knelt in the dirt, and hugged her body to his chest. She couldn’t keep herself up, so he held the back of her head, refusing to let her lay down and give into the light.

His voice was a whisper, a barely audible wind, telling her, “You’re not allowed to go. Not like this, not right now.”

She wanted to reply, but when you’re struggling to breath, getting out words is a much harder task than you might think.

He began to ramble in her silence, began talking of all their times together, the good and the bad. He told her of his past, why he’d gone down the road he did, why he refused to go back, to surrender to the crown. He was a criminal, not for the sake of chaos, but for the sake of freedom, for the sake of a life ruled by one’s self.

She understood though, why he’d never once surrendered. Why he chose to fight until his limbs stopped working and his air ran out. She understood why he’d always pleaded with her in fights, why he never saw her as an enemy, but a victim. Someone who needed to be saved.

That’s why she’d jumped in front of him, taking the arrow, letting him live. He was a savior, someone who would bring new ideas of freedom and reformation to her people, to those who she’d fought to give a better life.

His voice grew shaky, as if he was struggling to keep himself together, to keep from breaking and becoming undone with what she could only assume was needless guilt. He paused then, as if he’d heard her thoughts, and watched her through glossy eyes.

He’d been about to speak once more, surly to say something stupid and laced with regret, but she wouldn’t have that. It annoyed her that he’d even question why she did it, why she gave him life through the price of her own.

“I really can’t stand you,” she spoke, her voice strained but hints of a sad laughter haunted her words.

He smiled, tears drawing salty streaks down his face, “Then why are you still listening?”.

She tried to respond, but found that she couldn’t. Her body had become distant, and all senses dimmed until all she felt was him.

There was a sense of peace, in the end, and, as she left him to start her journey beyond, she smiled. It was ironic, she thought, that on her way to the light, she had finally fallen for the darkness.

She had finally fallen for him.