Content Warning: Character Death

One

Lirrynae

She was out in the forest that fated day.

It had been a trip she was waiting for after many days of practice and studying for the test of a lifetime. After years of training and preparation, she had been accepted as a recruit for the Royal guard. In the next week, she would be transferring from the training academy in Nelenai, the Wotakouran capital, to Lietasae, their political capital in Caldesaria.

She had wanted this since she was old enough to shoot a bow, and now her dreams were coming true. Her dedication and skills had paid off, yet Lirrynae could barely believe that this was happening. Jenaisa’s sparkling eyes and squeal of excitement had brought a smile to her face as her love’s arms had been thrown around her. Now, the two were on their well deserved retreat on the cliffs beyond the city’s limits, on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

The sky was dark as their sister planet, Brakkoam, blocked their light, but the forest around them was alight with life. Green, gold, and blue light emanated from the plants around them. The galaxy stretched out above the treetops, the scattered stars and their two moons peaking through the gaps in the leaves. It was a perfect night to be out and away from the bustling celebration of the city as they reached their five-hundreth anniversary of territorial unification. The chirping of insects and rustling of the coastal breeze was far better than the cheers and drunken clammer of the streets.

Lirrynae looked at her companion standing a few feet away, admiring how the dim light set her mahogany locks ablaze. Her love’s gaze shifted to her under the scrutiny, her pale blue eyes meeting her own silvery gray. “What?” Jenaisa’s voice, heavily influenced by her northern accent, was suspicious as she narrowed her eyes.

She felt a flame of worry blazing in her gut while her lips pursed, words she had wanted to ask the entire day sitting at the tip of her tongue.

Jenaisa’s face softened, her eyes widening with concern as she took a step toward her. “What’s wrong?”

Lirrynae shook her head, quickly grabbing for her love’s hand to soothe any worry. “Nothing’s wrong,” she assured her. “In fact, everything is right. Everything is so right,” she breathed, gripping Jenaisa’s pale fingers in her own sienna hand. “I love you.”

Jenaisa blinked slowly, obviously not convinced everything was okay. “I love you too,” she pressed Lirrynae’s hand gently. “What’s this about?”

“Will you come with me?” Lirrynae blurted out, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared into her love’s eyes, silently pleading to hear the answer she hoped would come from Jenaisa’s lips.

Her companion only furrowed her brows in confusion. “Come with you?”

“When I leave,” Lirrynae clarified, holding her breath, not daring to breathe.

“Was there ever doubt?” Jenaisa’s light giggle allowed her to release a great sigh of relief.

She didn’t reply with how there most certainly had been doubts in Lirrynae’s mind about whether Jenaisa was willing to move across the country with her, away from the life she knew her love had worked hard to build. She only hummed happily in response, pressing a kiss to her freckled knuckles.

They would build a life together in Lietasae. Jenaisa would design and create beautiful clothes for the aristocratic society of their capital, while Lirrynae would rise through the ranks until she fulfilled her ultimate goal of becoming a personal guard of Oravinkas, their noble king. They would be happy, living in a cozy corner home, where Jenaisa would be able to turn the back room into her studio. She had it all figured out.

Her heart flopped at the sky smile that Jenaisa offered her, the long, soft waves of her hair framing her bright face. Lirrynae was one again reminded of her weakness for this woman, and the power that her soft spoken words had upon her. It was crazy to think that she had ever been able to survive without her by her side.

A loud roar ripping through the air had Lirrynae pulling away, suddenly attentive. Beside her, Jenaisa had grown tense, her small frame shrinking behind her as Lirrynae reached for her bow that was definitively not there.

What is that? She narrowed her eyes, scanning the woods around them, eyes settling on a mass of disrupted undergrowth. Something large, and probably very dangerous, was heading straight for them. What she wouldn’t give for a weapon right now. She’d be able to take care of this animal quickly, but if worse came to worse, they at least weren’t defenseless.

When it emerged, Lirrynae felt her breath leave her, as this was no wild animal, but something she only recognized from photos within her textbooks. A Chovera daemon was now prowling toward them on all fours, it’s brown fur raised and talons raking into the dirt.

Behind her, Jenaisa let out a whimper no louder than a whisper, but it was enough to prompt the daemon to pounce. It’s strong jaws snapped at where they had been a moment before while Lirrynae threw them both to the ground. Her eyes were wide with panic as she pushed herself quickly to her feet, rushing to pull Jenaisa up beside her. “Go,” she gasped.

“Go where?” her blue eyes were damp and wild with terror, tightening with horror as the monster turned its dark gaze back on them.

“Anywhere,” Lirrynae snapped, pushing her love away while she ran the opposite way, hoping to distract it as it hunched over in preparation for another attack. It rounded on her, and she could only be relieved as she could see Jenaisa’s figure darting behind it.

It snarled, and Lirrynae ignored the shock of fear it sent through her body. If she had been armed, this fight would have been over by now, she would have lunged for it, slitting its throat where it stood. Instead, she was left staring it down with empty hands and an ability that did little in this situation.

A yelp stopped her heart, as the Chovera’s attention snapped to the fallen figure of Jenaisa. Lirrynae was running before she knew it, ignoring the beast behind her as she reached her fallen love, yanking her to her feet. She only looked over her shoulder once, her black curls springing free of her braid. “Run,” she gasped as the daemon started its path for them.

Her feet pounded on the hard ground, her hand tied tightly around Jenaisa’s as they fled. It was a few paces behind them, but Lirrynae could swear she could hear its panting breaths behind them through Jenaisa’s muffled cries.

They were approaching the cliff; Lirrynae knew that in the back of her mind. They hadn’t been far. But when the forest disappeared ahead, she pushed on. “Jump,” she panted, not daring to look behind them at the beast who was certainly gaining on them.

“Jump?!” Jenaisa shrieked.

“Jump now!”

Lirrynae pushed off the rocky edge, her grip on Jenaisa lost as they plunged into the oblivion, leaving the daemon behind them. Lirrynae expertly twisted in the air, locking her arms into place above her head to brace her dive.

She plunged into the water, her arms aching from the impact, but she was alive. She surfaced with a gasp, tossing her hair out of her face as she looked at the enormous wall of stone that rose before her.

She glanced around, attempting to steady her breath as she waited for Jenaisa to surface.

Panic began to course through her veins as the seconds passed and there was still no sign of her. Finally, her eyes caught sight of something bobbing at the surface. Hope flared through her as she swam over to it, joy turning to horror as she caught sight of Jenaisa’s bloodied and broken face.

“No,” a whimper escaped her as she grabbed onto her love’s limp body as it floated in the current. “No!” She sobbed, her hand cupping her now broken jaw.

She pulled Jenaisa’s body to hers, not caring if their combined weight would pull them both under. Her love’s head lolled against Lirrynae’s shoulder while she gripped her tightly, pressing her face into her soaked hair.

Lirrynae closed her eyes, allowing the ocean to pull at her as she held her tight, the ache settling in her heart. She remained like that, wrapped around Jenaisa’s body as she wept until she could no longer, and the heat had begun to seep from her love. Still she held on, but she began to fight against the current pushing them back toward the cliff.

Jenaisa was gone, but she would want Lirrynae to continue on. That was what Lirrynae told herself as she swam, following the coastline with Jenaisa’s body pulled against her back.

She didn’t know how long she had been swimming before the land had finally tapered down enough for her to climb onto, her muscles shaking, teeth grit as she pulled herself and Jenaisa out of the heavy water. They were still in the middle of nowhere, but there was no daemon in sight.

She laid on the sand, her whole body on fire, staring up at the same starry sky above. She didn’t want to turn her head and see the pain waiting for her. As her eyelids drooped, she could almost convince herself that they were only sleeping together under the stars, just as she had planned.