Falling

This is a story from long ago when people believed in things that couldn’t be explained and when a long war waged. This story is about a girl and part of her life starting with an argument.

“But aunt! I don’t want to get married!”
“Appola you don’t have a choice in the matter your old enough! At 16 I was married and anyways you’re a noble it’s your duty to marry high land imagine what your parents would say!”
“Ill never know will I?”
“It doesn’t matter you should be happy tones of others would kill to be in your shoes!”
“Fine seeing as I don’t have a choice ill do it though I won’t be happy”
“Thank you finally some sense!” She smiled “now go put you hair up and get dressed or did you forget the men are coming home today?” Honestly I had forgotten about the men were coming back but I simply nodded and left anyway. Most boys were thrown into this war at 15 and most didn’t come back have lost 2 of my brothers my parents and a younger sister to the war. My two living brothers I barely got to see because they were always at a camp somewhere. Jason was 22 and had 3 kids and Argus was 17 with 2 kids. I didn’t like the war but I knew that if we lost or gave up we would all die. Our enemies were not human they are blood drinkers. I don’t know much about them but I know that they are evil killers with no heart or emotions. Still lost in thought I called a serving girl up to help me dress
“Yes mam”
“And need to dress for tonight and I can’t tie it up on my own”
“Yes mam she hurried to the closet “may I suggest the green one mam?”
I thought for a moment about it “yes that will do nicely” after dressing I stood in front of the looking glass. My long brown hair gleamed it was no longer in a braid but in an elegant up do, my face was flushed and my grey eyes sparkled. The corset helped me have more of a figure and the green in the dress brought out my eyes. I sighed.
“Mam? May I ask what’s wrong?
“What’s your name?
“Juno mam
“Juno are you married?
“Ay mam I am
“Why?
“Because I needed the money and he needed a wife” she thought for a moment “I’m sorry if “this is out of line mam but you don’t want to marry?”
“No I do but I want to find love first”
“Mam I’m sure you know this but were in a time of war there is no love in war” I agreed and sent her on her way

When Aunt Dora came in to greet me she seemed pleased by my apparel. Arriving at the south gates she started fussing. “Now be polite, and don’t slouch, act like you want this”
As the gates started opening I glimpsed the man I was to marry he had dark hair and tan skin an angular face he was well built and muscular and comfterable on his tan horse. Jumping off his horse and handing its rains to a stable hand I noticed how tall he was easily 6 foot maybe 6 foot 3.he grabbed my hand touching it to his lips.
“You must be Appola I have heard much about you all of it about your brain and beauty” I blushed though I knew his words were false
“And I have heard about your skill and courage. But what should I call you sir?”
“Tanner black “
“Mr. Black may I ask you back to my home to dine with my family and I tonight? I believe “my aunt wants to speak with you”
“I would love to though first I must clean up “
“Yes sir” and with that he left.
Dinner was uneventful and after words my aunt and him spoke about the wedding.
“I hope you journey will be safe, I don’t know what I would do if any harm came to you.” He said. I must have looked bewildered because he laughed and my aunt explained that I had to go on a three week journey on my own in the desert to see if I was to marry if I died I wasn’t to marry simple as that.
“When do I leave though?”
“Tomorrow at dawn”
“But it’s well into the night! I must go. I’m so sorry for this hasty departure! Goodnight!” I threw over my shoulder as I fled to bed.

Sleep was peaceful that night with no dreams just blissful oblivion though it ended too quickly for my liking. Too soon was I dressed saying my good byes and heading out the gate towards nothing. I was only able to ride for 2 days before I came to a river my mare could not cross leaving her behind hurt but I didn’t seem to have a choice something on the other side was pulling me and I couldn’t do anything about it.

Finally I found some more fresh water at a little oasis deciding to set up camp I pitched the little tent and spread my bedding. At this point it was dark out and I was getting nervous. I hers a rustling sound that snapped me out of my semi awake state.
“who’s there?” there was no reply looking around I spotted a person about my age leaning against a tree one of the few I had seen since leaving home. “H-hello?” I managed to stutter out.
“Hello there strange place for someone like you to be isn’t it?”
“N-n-not really” he was taller than me maybe about 5’9 he was built thin but had a sense of strength and power about him. He had a head of brown hair and was clean shaven with bright blue eyes that stood out against his pale skin.
“You look like a high ranking girl why are you in the desert?”
“Long story” I smiled tensely as he smiled a genuine smile. His teeth were pure white but sharp and some looked longer. Suddenly it hit me he must have been one of them, a blood drinker. “I-I’m s-sorry I…I didn’t know. Ill leave now. Just let me live please?”
“I’m sorry I think you have me confused with something else. I’m a human spy I have to look like this else wise I’d be killed. I should have warned you”
“Oh… Well that’s okay I think…”
“To whom am I speaking?”
“My name is Appola and you are?”
“Cian”
“Well Cian are you bedding here tonight?”
“Because of my job and who I spend my time with I have picked up many blood drinker habits including there sleep schedule.”
“Well I’m still out here for 19 days may I join you on your journey?”
“Of course not”
“Well let us be off”

Everyday for a week and a half I shared a tent with Cian although it was improper and every night we walked and laughed and talked. I found my self unhappy when he wasn’t around and worried when I noticed that he barley ate anything and when he did he ended up sick.
“How will you survive on no food? You have to eat or see a doctor at least!”
“It’s just your food like I have said before I eat when I’m gone but the meat and vegetable mixture makes most people sick looking at it and I don’t want to take that chance with you”
“What?”
“I said” he began
But I cut him off with “I heard what you said but why did you say you didn’t want to take that chance with me?”
He blushed coloring his pale cheeks with red. “I-I’m sorry I know you out here to find your self before your wedding but I can’t help but feel for you…. I’m sorry”
I beamed “Oh thank you Cian! I know its wrong but I do too… I just…. I don’t know what to do….”
“I feel the same…” he sighed “we will go back to our normal lives… you will get married and I will continue to live with the um I mean blood drinkers”
“But how? How will I live with him? He’s arrogant and too rich and nothing like anyone I could get along with” he never answered that as we both got lost in our own thoughts and fell asleep.

“Good mourning love” Cian sang.
“Mourning to you too” I huffed as I rolled over onto my back so I could look at him as he smiled.
“I’ve got some news for you! Were not going to go anywhere today, there’s a storm approaching and I don’t want to get caught so were staying put. I’ve got to go eat though so I will be back soon. Okay?”
“Yah go eat ill be fine” he gave me a sword just in case and left.
Two hours later he still wasn’t back deciding I couldn’t wait for him to come back before I went crazy. Crawling out of the tent I grabbed the sword and started wondering.
Where is he? Finally I turned around a pile of rocks and saw him kneeling down in front of something. “Cian we don’t have time to play in the dirt come on that storms right over us now” as soon as I spoke I saw him tense up and could almost see his brain working at something.
“Please Appola leave” I knew something was wrong he never used my name always a pet nickname unless it was serious.
“Are you hurt? I can try to help”
“I’m fine just leave please” the fear in his voice was extremely noticeable. “Please” he whispered.
“No” I said just as quietly. Suddenly he stood up his back still towards me.
“I think I’m going to be sick” he said as he ran off in the other direction. Once he was gone did I remember about the thing he had been kneeling as soon as I looked I wish I had stayed in the safe tent. On the ground was a dog of some sort with its throat torn out blood all over the ground. It all clicked then why he didn’t eat with me, the teeth, the avoidance of the sun, why he just now hadn’t turned around and his skin color and how pale he was. I fought the tears but they won out pouring out of my eyes again I lost the battle of standing straight. Sobbing I thought how he had played me and how I fell for it not only had I fallen for his lies but for him. Was it really just last night we admitted it? Drying my eyes I stood up grabbing the sword I hadn’t known I dropped and set off to find this killer and trickster. Only I didn’t know if I believed that he was a killer, he hadn’t killed me yet. Was he trying to save me for a meal in harder times or was he truly good?  I was confused but needed to destroy him no matter what the cost. Turning around another group of identical scrub I found Cian. He was huddled up as if trying to make himself seem as small as possible, with his arms rapped around his legs and his head tucked down I almost felt sorry for him.
“Just do it quickly” he said his eyes still closed though he did stretch his neck out.
“What are you talking about?”
“Make sure it’s off in the first blow I would hate for you to loose your nerve” did he honestly want to die? I didn’t want him to but could I afford to let him live would that end my life? Thinking of this made me remember all the times we laughed and joked on our useless journey to waist my three weeks. I started sobbing again though this time I sat down willingly I still felt defeated. Suddenly strong arms encircled me and Cian cooed for me to let it all out and to see the bright side. I hadn’t noticed how good he was to me until I was to me until then when I was faced with the decision his life on mine.

I finally cried my self out and started to feel sleep tugging at me the next thing I knew I was in a forest although I didn’t have a clue where I was I was strangely at ease. A woman stepped out from behind a huge tree. She had long black hair that fell to her mid back. She had a white dress on that ended at her ankles and no shoes or boots.
“H-hello? Who are you?”
“Hello my dear I am Hades goddess of death” she smiled kindly.
“What can I do for you my lady?”
“I want to speak to you about Cian. Did you know I created his people?”
“No I did not. Sorry about how blunt I am but what about him?”
“Well see all of my people end up with there soul mate of kinds and you’re his and he has a deep connection to you and you hating him and well I don’t think he can live with that so if I were you I would make the decision to kill him or not, he might make that decision for you. Oh and he could never hurt you either.”
“Oh well see I do love him but…… I couldn’t do it not if I wanted to. He’s part of me now.” It was then I realized how true it was he was part of me for better or worse.
“Well then I suggest you go get him and tell him” and with that I faded back into reality.

“Cian? Where are you? I need to talk to you!” I didn’t see him in the tent and seeing it was bright out side I side I started to worry. Hades words came to mind “he might make that decision for you” I muttered before running off to find my missing half.
10 minutes later I found him out directly in the dim mourning sun unfortunately though it was still too bright he was covered in burns and his lips were dry and cracking. Sobbing, for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past two days, I started shaking him trying to get him to wake up. Finally he made a strange strangling sound. A minute later he asked for something to drink I don’t know if he knew it was me because I don’t think he would have taken what I offered when I gave him my wrist. He looked at it a long time before finally sinking his teeth in though it was painful all I could think of was getting him better and being with him again. Suddenly I realized that just because he was what he was doesn’t make him evil it just made him different from me and that you could be a blood drinker without being bad.

Two days later we sat in the tent talking about what we would do now we couldn’t separate but I couldn’t live with his as I was.
“There is one extremely painful way but it’s frowned upon….” He started
“What? I will try anything! Please!”
“Well we could change you into a blood drinker but like I said it will be painful”
“I will do it”
“You will have to visit your family and tell them your living with us…… and not just blood drinkers but the king’s son…..” Yes I knew that he was prince we no longer had anything we couldn’t tell each other.
“Yes I will”

That is where we will leave the strange pair. I end up living with him and becoming a blood drinker living forever with him and he couldn’t be happier.