Beautifully Painful

~ZEPHYR The forest was a labyrinth of shadows, the moon casting an ethereal glow over the treetops as we navigated the winding paths. The silver light filtered through the canopy above, illuminating our footsteps in fleeting patches of brightness. The air was alive as the whooshes of wind could be heard, the rustles of leaves being blown by the wind with the sounds of nocturnal creatures: the hooting of owls, and the distant howl of wolves lurking in the deep dark. As we moved stealthily through the underbrush, the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath our feet seemed amplified in the stillness. We froze, holding our breaths, as a pair of glowing eyes watched us from the darkness. The eyes vanished almost instantly making us exhale slowly, our hearts pounding in unison. The forest floor was a tangle of roots and ferns, and we picked our way carefully, our hands entwined as we moved in tandem. The moonlight danced across our faces, casting eerie shadows that made our features seem both familiar and strange. "You k-know we can't do t-this forever. I'm s-scared Zeph." The love of my life, Aurelia, whimpered as we came to a halt for a while, resting our backs to a tree bark, so as to give rest to our already worn out legs. She gently brushed my snow-white hair which had caused me nothing but disdainful memories. Aurelia's warm gesture eased me a bit as I stared into her silver-grey eyes while she stared into mine with fear mixed with adoration. We've been on the run for the past fourteen days, taking shelter in secluded places since a huge bounty was placed on our heads. We couldn't afford to be seen by the townsfolk. So we travel during the night and rest in corners during the day. We took shelter in the middle of nowheres for a few days before we embarked on a journey to a little village to seek refuge from the people who lived in that little village which the king soldiers won't bother to bat an eye on. Hopefully. It was an era in the early 1600s (sixteen hundreds), in the kingdom of Harmonia. By the name you might think it's a peaceful and loving kingdom, but unfortunately for us it was an era where every breathing creature was ruled by the unruly, ruthless and vile king, King Castillo. King Castillo, the Iron Fist, ruled with an unyielding grip of terror. His subjects lived in constant fear of his wrath, as he crushed dissent and opposition with brutal force. His reign was marked by bloodshed, torture, and despair, leaving his people shattered and broken. The mere whisper of his name sent shivers down spines, and his presence was a harbinger of doom. With every cruel decree, he tightened his grip on the kingdom, suffocating hope and freedom. His rule was a dark era of suffering, and his people prayed for deliverance from his merciless tyranny. King Castillo made the life of his subjects unbearable. Mostly people like me the 'Disgusting peasants'. That's what they refer to us as, as if we weren't humans like them, just because we believed love has nothing to do with one's status in the society. But the king thought otherwise. Arriving at a small cave which was out of eyes reach, wanting to rest for a while before we proceed with our journey. "Darling," I called warmly, staring at my whole existence who stood palely in front of me, gently caressing my thumb on her cheek before wiping the stray tear that had managed to fall, feeling mine at the brink of my eyes but had to blink them away, for I had to stay strong for my Aurelia. "I would rather be in pain than to see you hurt. I will protect you at any cost for I had promised your father too, even if my life was the price to be exchanged for, I would do it without a second thought. You know how much I adore you." I gave her a beaming smile. "Don't s-say things like t-that." She sniffled. "If something happens to you, it happens to me too, okay?" She said leaving no room for further argument. "Y-you won't leave me alone r-right?" She asked, her eyes glassy from unshed tears. "I would never leave you alone for anything in this world, dearest." I started, taking her smaller hands in mine, giving them tender kisses simultaneously. "You have no idea how much love I have for you. I love you more than life itself." I confessed in a small voice, kissing her forehead before bringing her smaller frame to my slightly bigger ones as she buried her face in the crook of my neck finding comfort, while mine was buried in her hair, finding home. "I love you too." She whispered softly. We continued our journey to the village, despite the danger that lurked in the shadows, we continued to moved with a sense of urgency, our footsteps driven by the knowledge that we had to keep moving. The bounty on our heads made every step a gamble, every sound a potential threat. Yet, in this moment, we were alone together, our love a beacon of hope in the darkness. SIX DAYS LATER..... "Hey! Get you arms off her!" I shouted, my entire body burning and shaking with rage as I tried to break off the shackles which was bounded to my wrists and ankles. "I bloody dare you to touch her again!" I gritted out, sweat dripping down my entire body and face as I struggled, nudging and pulling the restraint that was keeping me at bay. My face, red with veins popping out of my forehead and temples, my eyes, bloodshot red with my voice cracked and hoarse having to shout for the past hour. "Please Stop! You're hurting her." I begged the king guards who were rough handling my poor Aurelia. I looked over to my Aurelia, dried tears had stained her cheeks, her face, void of any emotion. She looked hopeless making me hate myself more. I brought this upon us, I brought this upon her. I ruined her, I ruined her beautiful life.