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For Centuries it went on.
The two Kingdoms had been warring with each other since time immemorial. The hatred between them carried on to their children, and their children’ children. Till all memory of why the fighting started faded. And so ebbed the hatred as well. All that was left was habits formed. The acts of war and the horrors therein turned to normalcy. Numbed by apathy.
She and him had known from their infancy that it would be up to them to end the fighting. They were brought up and trained that one would prevail over the other. Trained in the ways of battle; directing soldiers, planning effective strategy, wielding a weapon. All of it pounded into their heads and hands till is was in their very bones. Till it was second nature.
He was 9 when his Father had slain her Mother the Queen. He could remember her tears for years to come.The year after his father was slain in battle as the young queen looked on without emotion. His brother rose to the thrown. He was 15 when his brother was captured. And 19 when his sister was captured as well and thus he was left to lead his people. He was never sure why a ransom was never considered. He hated her.
Till the first time their blades crossed and they talked. She spoke his language though heavily accented. She told him his siblings were fine. Though they were not happy to be prisoners. As they fought they talked about everything. But nothing important really. No insults or promises of revenge. Just talking.Neither one of them had wanted any of this. Of that they were both sure.
They were evenly matched. Where his ten years her junior would lend him more energy and strength over any other older fighter she had both in spades. And her experience should have given her the advantage but his will matched it stroke for stroke. They let none interfere with their battles and they tested each others’ limits for another three years. Their fights a contest. A game of teasing and seeing who could win the most ground against the other. Without killing the other. A strange kind of friendship seemed to form.
One day, on his twenty third year blood was drawn. Their horses had reared and thrown them almost in sync and they’d laughed it off and continued on foot. There was a helmet knocked from one of the soldiers and it sailed to lay right in front of the Queen’s feet. Right as she should have blocked a strike of his sword.She screamed and blood poured down her face as she staggered. Spotting her armor and the Proud Gryphon emblazoned there that was her country’s insignia. Her green robes stained in an instant.
He stood in shock at what had happened. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he watched his Rival, if she could be called that anymore, try to stop the flow of blood coming fro her eye with her cape. Anyone else would have finished her off while she stood there unawares. His Father would have. His sister might have. And the fighting would have stopped for good. With no heir apparent to replace her the kingdom would be his for the taking.He found himself moving towards the woman who almost seemed to trust him not to take advantage of her distracted state.“I’m coming up on your… on your right.” he told her. He ripped a clean spot off of his white and blue robes and pressed it to her hand. She dropped her sword to the ground and he did as well.“I’m sorry I didn’t~”
“I understand.” They were suddenly surrounded by her vanguard. A group of fighters that were the best her country had to offer and loyal only to her. A redhead like and unlike her stepped forward, eyeing the other who was helping her with her eye.“Are you in need of assistance my Queen?” he said in a way that meant he didn’t think well of Prince Theodore.“Not from you. But I need a Physician. Fetch one.” she sighed with exasperation and no small amount of pain. Sometime in the moments past the fighting on both sides had stopped.“Prince Theodore, I have enjoyed our contests but… I think it is High time we ended this war. I am tired of all of this. If you will sit down with me to negotiate a fair peace between our peoples I will see to it your siblings are returned to you. I am truly sorry for all of this mess..” he knew she meant the war as well as about her eye.
“If I’d known this is all it’d take to stop the fighting…” he ended his half attempted joke lamely. Knowing how bad it sounded. She gave a little laugh. and punched his shoulder lightly.“That was terrible.”