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Strasheela could barely walk along.
He and the Iron Woodman were being transfered to another prision so their allys could not find them, escorted by marran soldiers the two kings walked with difficulty, Strasheela's legs dragged heavily on the floor his head slumped down on the Iron Woodman's chest as he supported him firmly, their long confinement in that damp dungeon had taken a big toll on them, Iron woodman's rusted joints creaked and squeaked with each step he took but it had hurt Strasheela the most.
he was at the end of his strength.
''come on Strasheela, my dear, just a few steps more i know you can do it'' pleaded the Iron Woodman
''I...I can't, my legs won't respond'' said Strasheela in a low weak voice
Irritated one of the marrans meanicingly threatened them with his club ''move already, we dont have all day!'' he screamed
The Iron Woodman ignored the threat, seeing how Strasheela was unable to keep walking he gently carried him in his arms the rest of the way.
The two kings found themselfs locked in an vegetable storage house guarded by marran soldiers under the influence of the nukh-nukh potion next to their friends Din Gior and Faramant, the two men exhausted layed deeply asleep in a corner.
in a desperate attempt to dry Strasheela the Iron Woodman placed him under the last rays of the setting sun that filtered trough a tiny window and he kneeled next to him, half of poor Strashela's mouth was completly faded, the paint of his eyes runned down his face like tears and his stuffing was beggining to rot.
in all their adventures Strasheela had ended in deplorable conditions but never this severe, it was breaking the Iron Woodman's heart
''everything is gonna be ok my love, i dont know how but we are getting out of here, i promise'' he said soothingly caressing the golden hair of his sweetheart
even tough it hurted to think and to speak, Strasheela laughed ''I lost hope long ago dear, this is the end''
''don't say that! we have scaped before and we will do it again, we are not dying here, I refuse to let you die here, we will find a way'' he replied desesperation filtering in his tone
Strasheela's weak limp hand gently held the Iron Woodman's rusty hand ''and if we don't...if this is truly the end...''
he lovingly rested the iron hand against his cheek ''I want you to know that I am so lucky to die next to you, if we are reborn I hope we get to see each other again''
he made a pained expression, his headache was getting worst, but he kept talking ''and I will love you then as much as I love you now...''
at this point the Iron Woodman was shaking, tears in his eyes blurried his vision ''please dont talk like that...you know I shouldn't cry...''
With a lot of effort Strasheela managed to sit, he wiped away the tears of his lover and tenderly kissed his cheek ''I love you...im sorry'' he whispered
''I love you too'' said the Iron Woodman in a trembling voice, tearing up again ''I love you so much''
Strasheela cupped his tearful lover's face and softly kissed him
Annie, Tim and Kaggi-Karr watched the heart breaking scene in the rosewood box made by Stella, Tim covered his eyes when the two kings kissed.
''ugh I can't stand when my parents do that, gross!'' he said
even tought it was the first time Annie saw either of the two men she had heard so much of them trough her sister stories it felt they were old friends and seeing Strasheela so weak made her cry bitterly ''oh you poor thing'' she whispered trough her tears ''what have they done to you?''
''well I am glad that even in their worst moments these two remain as mushy as always, really makes me belive in love'' said Kaggis-Karr ''but never mind that! I recognice where they are! I used to steal apples from that farm all the time and I know there is a hole in the roof of that storage house'' she said proudly
Annie wiped her tears and smiled ''so you can comunicate with them!'' she said
''Faramant and Din Gior are trapped with them so we will be able to liberate them all at once!'' Added Tim
''we will just have to figure out how to knock out the nukh-nukh consuming guards'' said Kaggi-Karr ''but I am sure we will find a way''