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It had been so long since you had entered the swamp. You had left all those years ago. The rain touched your face and hair harshly, it felt like kisses from thorns. The pillagers gripped your arms tight, nearly tearing your clothes apart. The ones you had gotten at the badlands. The people there were happier, brighter, colorful. Though they were still close to the swamp lands. You only wanted the frog in the borders, how did they find you? Could they tell?
The mud rushed onto your legs, sticking to your skin. The rush of being dragged and mud touching you all over, and the fact you couldn’t keep your balance was making you overstimulated. You tried to fight off their grip, only to be thrown to the ground. You gasped loudly as you felt your lungs burning. The world started to spin as you tried to get up.
“Get up!” One of the pillagers yelled, shoving you off the ground and kept dragging you along. The rain streamed against your face, the only thing giving you a sense of comfort.
As the swamp trees started to get bigger, and the space between them getting smaller, the tree branches started to scar your face. Your legs started to get weak, your shoes weren’t even close to supporting the muddy ground.
“You’ll pay for running, all profit lost from your escape will be paid!” One shouted into your ear, your head was already bursting enough, it just made it worse. Your mind began to spin. Trees started to blur to green walls, water started to rise to your knees as the shouts of the pillagers started to fade out.
As your vision faded out and in, you started to see glimpses of a village. Your village. Kiss rushing inside because of the rain, and parents scattering in a panic as they see the pillagers coming. You could only lift up your head slightly, seeing a few familiar faces, some of your peers from your youth, oh how they aged. The villagers had shared looks, pity and fear, they didn’t want you to suffer but you were at the hands of the pillagers, the opposite of what the gods deemed mercy.
You tried to take deep breaths, trying to stay conscious, though the pillagers had thrown you to the ground before you could even breathe. They all sneered as they watched you trembled. The villagers covered the children quietly.
“Look what the cat dragged in! Look at it! All of you!” One shouted, waving around their hands strongly.
“They are all weak, wet, and cold! This is the mercy the gods of the outside world gives you! Is this truly the life you wish to live?” Another shouted, their voice more authoritative than bold. Everyone knew they were the reason why you were weak, wet, and cold, yet everyone knew better than to speak. You kept trying to breathe slowly, trying to blink a few times to keep your eyes open, though the water splashed on your eyes plenty of times. Every movement you attempted was a battle. As you attempted to step up, you caught him. You caught a glimpse of him.
For a moment, you thought it was your mind giving you a sense of hope, betraying you with happiness that you had long forgotten, but no. He—he stood there, staring right at you from his large cabin. Your friend.
He looks quite different from how you two looked from your youth. He was more toned, more tall, his body looked older as well, possibly worn by the years. With the strong stone mask tied to his head with the matching brown gloves and apron. It was clear he became an armorer. A respected profession for the village, it was one of few ways to become a pillager’s favorite person. He paused at his doorway for a moment, staring at you with the same eyes he gave you when you had left. He stepped forward from his home, raising his hands up slightly as he walked to you. The mud didn’t sink him, his boots kept him above it, allowing him to look proud as he walked. He carefully lifted you up quickly, grabbing your arm and moving it over his shoulder, just before opening his mouth.
“Stay quiet Y/N…” he whispered to you, a quiet whisper that rang to your ears as if you were being hypnotized. Your body shivered as you took a much needed breath.
The pillagers laughed at you once more just before turning around and going to the nearest pub. They did not care for him or you. He helped you take each step carefully, undeniably hard as you wore desert shoes and had tired legs. He made sure to hold you close and tight towards him, which somehow radiated enough warmth to make sure you didn’t freeze to death.
“I can’t believe it…” he mumbled, mainly to himself but you did lend an ear, “you actually…” he spoke even quieter. You could barely keep your eyes on him, you were beaten enough as is. You were dirtier than you were when you had left that night. Despite the situation, his presence made it tolerable, his presence was hugged with warmth, it was solid like iron. It keeps you upright. For the first time in hours, you could finally breathe.
He walked you away from the center of the town, back to his cabin. As you got closer, you realized how big it actually was compared to the one his parents had in their youth. As you made it to his stairs, you trembled, finally feeling free from what was going on. Your friend grabbed you carefully and held you close, his touch on you was tender, firm, and warm against your already frozen skin.
Inside his rather huge cabin had the smell of smoke and herbs. You looked around to find he had just made himself a meal. He grabbed a nearby chair and sat you down carefully. He stared at you for a moment before removing your shoes from your feet. Then he looked at your face and hair. He stumbled around, trying to think. He looked over and rushed over and grabbed a towel. He started to rub your skin and hair. Your body started to relax, you started to take softer breaths. He crouched down to your level and began to wipe down the mud from your legs and started to examine the cuts on your face.
“You’re—you’re hurt…” he said quietly, his words faltering as he looked back at you. His eyes were soft on you, he had lived without you, yet you never left his mind. He grabbed your hand for a long moment, then he quietly rubbed off your hand after.
You wanted to speak to him, you wanted to talk of the outside world, you wanted to ask him of the years that flew by, how the grief of not seeing him affected you, how everything felt, but when it came time to speak, your voice only whimpered. The dizziness and cold that you’re experiencing makes it impossible to speak.
He stood up quickly and went to his small open kitchen nearby, he grabbed a bowl from his cabinets, filling it up with water. Then he grabbed a nearby rag he had folded on the counter. He walked back to you quietly as he began to wash off the scarring you had on your face. The rag brushed against your cheeks and forehead carefully, like feathers on your skin. He was always this caring for others, something you had missed since you left. He carefully set the bowl on the floor as he cupped your face with one hand, using the other hand to rub better. Once he finished with your face, he moved to your calves, he held them in a firm grip, which only made you tense up. He flinched as he looked at you for a moment, then let go of your legs carefully. He stared at you for a moment, his eyes still filled with the worried look.
“You should eat…” he spoke out quietly as he towered over you again. You wanted to say no, just to be polite, but he had already gone back to the kitchen to make you a bowl.
“It’s a new recipe of mine…I hope you like it.” He said as he poured a stew into a small bowl for them. You grabbed the bowl quietly and started to carefully blow off the food. It was hot, freshly made. He held hands carefully, making sure you didn’t drop the bowl by weakness. You took a spoonful to your mouth, it was warm, rich in many flavors you had forgotten about. The desert lands had amazing food and spices, yes, but this was quite different. You started to remember all the nights you snuck to his home. All the nights he would go to his kitchen and sneak you food, even when you refused. All the times you hid after causing havoc for the pillagers, how you two would laugh about it in your bedroom. You looked at him again. You truly looked at him.
He was no longer the boy who had trouble understanding math, he was no longer the boy who you would jump roofs with. He wasn’t that boy anymore. You wanted to say something, anything really, but your body ached you into silence. The hunger in your stomach started to subside as you ate, and the lonesome years you felt started to fade now.
The rain got slightly louder outside, which could only indicate thunder was approaching, it had been years since you felt rain against your skin. Something you had missed for a while, but something you feared as well. Your friend looked outside for a moment just before walking over and turning down the windows to not let rain in.
“It’s best if you stay the night…” he spoke out again. You nodded quietly as you continued to eat. He had always been good at cooking, but this by far may be his best meal. He looked around his home for a moment then grabbed another chair, he dragged it next to your chair just before sitting down. He watched you carefully, making sure you were still conscious and moving. He moved your hair out the way, then he watched your eyes. Your eyes weren’t admirable, they had bags now, and they were more than likely bruised because of the pillagers. Though he kept staring at you.
“You have gotten skinny” he spoke, he teased you lightly for the first time in God knows how long, he cracked a light smile at you. You looked at him for a moment, you didn’t need to speak of what you had endured, and he didn’t need to either. You turned to him quietly, then grabbed his hand. It took him by surprise for a moment before he gripped your hand as well. You held your breath as you tried not to sob right there, though it was obvious with your teary eyes. He paused as he looked at you then he quickly grabbed your bowl. Though you only grabbed it from him. You adjusted your sitting so you could hold the bowl with your lap and had your unoccupied hand to hold the spoon, you didn’t let go of his hand at all. His firm grip on your hand was much stronger than the last, had many years passed? It felt so long for you because of the loneliness, but had it been long truly?
When the food was gone, you quietly let his hand go. He smiled lightly and stood up from his chair.
“Do you want…more?” He asked, you gave him a look, your eyebrows rose slightly as you looked at him. He watched your face for a moment before he chuckled.
“Go sit on the couch…I’ll make seconds…” he spoke, you listened without any question. You stood up quietly, trembling as you moved your legs forward, you hovered your hand around as to keep balance so you could walk normally. You quietly made your way to the couch, then sat down quietly. You looked around in his living space, spacious and comfortable. You could feel his calm personality around his choice of furniture and house choice. He walked towards you and sat down next to you, holding a new bowl of stew. He handed the bowl to you then picked up his bowl left on the table. The rain ambience and food managed to keep you calm after everything, and his presence made you feel more safe. You started to eat the new batch as he continued his bowl. The two of you ate quietly, allowing each other’s presence to fill the conversation. Once you two finished the bowls, he exhaled calmly.
“I’d say that was good…” he spoke out again, then he grabbed a nearby blanket then draped it over you. The blanket was thick of cotton, and heavy, it started to warm you up instantly. He pushed your body lightly to lay you down, opening his mouth again.
“Rest…you need it…” he said, when he gave you the small instruction, you listened. He laid down on the couch and started to take deep breaths. He smiled at you as he made sure the blanket covered you right. Every torture you experienced, every moment of fear, you had survived everything, and you were gifted the chance to see him again, you could thank the Gods again and again for allowing you to see him. It felt selfish but you didn’t want the night to end. You couldn’t let the night end, but you also couldn’t move either. You teared up again, in the fear of having the night fade away from you. Though he just held your hand.
“I’m here…I promise…” he spoke out quietly, allowing you to cry if needed, but you couldn’t. You closed your eyes softly, gripping his hand tightly as the noises around you were dimming out.
Later into the night, you had woken up again. You took a deep breath as you opened your eyes. It wasn’t a dream after all. You looked around and found yourself in a different room, a bedroom. To the side of you, you found your friend staring at you. You flinched as he turned to him. Your friend paused before opening his mouth.
“Was it a bad dream?” He whispered, you looked around at first, the lights were dimmed out, it was most definitely night hours. Outside you could hear marching, you tried to look out the window but you couldn’t see much. He looked over for a moment then turned back to you.
“Night watchers, they have gotten stricter over the last year…” he answered. You paused and tried to keep calm as you opened your mouth.
“Verdant…” you spoke out, you spoke out his name, one you should’ve forgotten about. The one he surely didn’t expect to hear.
“I’ve missed you.” You said softly, your voice betraying you at the end. He paused as he looked at you, he couldn’t hide the shock on his face. He took a moment, then went onto the bed with you quietly. He sat across from you, though he still gave you space.
“I missed you too…” he spoke softly, reaching for your hand but he stopped himself quietly. He shut his eyes for a moment then looked at you.
“They…they started to hunt people at night, swamp leavers they called it.” He spoke out quietly as he turned to the window.
“Leaving in the day time is safer, not safe, but safer” he said softly, you paused as you started to hear him.
“They built towers, watchfires against the water” he spoke again, his voice betraying him as well.
“The swamp does the rest.” He added, he was vague with his words but you knew what it all meant, you knew the horrors of walking in the swamp when you were young. His lip quivered before he spoke again.
“I tried.” He said softer than before, “a while after you…we all did…” he said softly, you began to wonder if the scars on his hands were from making armor now. You didn’t dare open your mouth.
“They took the elders first, they knew too much of the lands. Then they took the ones who spoke too loud, anyone who was against them…” he said, tugging at his hair as he spoke softly, “after that, we learned to be quiet, we learned to endure.” He added. He looked at your hands and gently grabbed each palm before moving them together, he rubbed them slowly to warm them up, he looked at the marks that laid on your hands. The reddened skin was just from the burns of the desert, the scarring was a different story. He scooted off the bed and grabbed a nearby rag, then he went back to the bed with you. He started to clean your palms again, even though they were already cleaned. His thumb rubbed against your knuckles quietly, you allowed him to, though you had no clue why he was doing so.
“Some called you a coward when they discovered you were gone…” he said, “I couldn’t bring myself to.” He said softly as he held your hands tightly, the silence that followed was slightly heavier, but you still gave him the room to speak if he needed to.
“You were right to go…” he said, “they turned many into examples…” he added as he looked away. You stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to continue.
“Death was the release, so they did many other…worse things” he said softly, he started to grip your hands tighter when he said that. You trembled in his grasp, worried of what that could all mean.
“I hadn’t lost my will to fight…but someone had to remember, someone had to keep the paths cleared, someone had to hide the food, hide people sometimes” he said. You rubbed his hands quietly, making him tense up for a moment before he calmed down again.
“I thought, maybe one day…” he paused, though he didn’t finish that sentence. His lip quivered as he couldn’t speak. You looked at him for a moment, then you leaned forward and rested on his shoulder. He tensed up again, just for a second before he wrapped his arms around you. His grip was tight as he held you. For a while, neither of you spoke out, you just held each other, listening to each other’s heartbeats. Verdant’s was fast, yours was slow.
The rain started to soften outside, less thunder but you could still tell of the rain. Verdant tried to keep himself steady as he hugged you, but the position was hard to keep up so the two of you ended up toppling each other. Which made you chuckle lightly, a noise you had long forgotten you could do. He stared into your eyes again, though his eyes were unreadable this time, it was a new emotion. He gulped as he looked at you.
“Do you remember the old footbridge? The footbridge that would sink in the spring?” He asked softly, of course you did, it was like an annual visit, the footbridge was fairly weak, but the both of you would still race on it, not caring if it decided to give away right there.
“We used to argue about it…” you spoke softly, chuckling lightly about it.
“You said it would hold, I would always tell you it wouldn’t.” He paused before he chuckled, “it never did” he said softly, a smile creeped onto his face, the one you missed greatly.
You could almost see it again, the two of you younger and much happier, covered in mud and bugs, laughter coming everywhere all the time, all before the towers, the raids. Everything.
“You always walked ahead to see if it held over, no matter if the water had flooded it yet” he said as he looked at you, “that’s how I learned all the pathways” he chuckled, that admission struck you, you hadn’t realized he was being taught by you, you only meant to see if the bridge would finally hold, it brought you a sense of happiness you couldn’t explain.
“Do you remember the school house?” He asked, you paused as you happened to in fact remember that.
It was made by the pillagers, it was crooked and had many holes in the roof. They had no idea what they were doing then. You chuckled lightly as you nodded.
“We would sit in the back, not focusing on the work, you always brought the smaller kids near us” he said, reminiscing on the past. You remembered all the tiny kids, the ones that were naturally small and the ones younger, as this was the first school created with barely any rules, kids had fun in the chaos. You did as well, but you usually would stay with Verdant. The young kids loved the small corner you two had, all they did was coloring pages. Since the pillager would be distracted by the tough kids, you could do whatever you want.
“There was that day, the day the school had flooded, so we had to be taught outside” he spoke again. You started to chuckle as you remembered the day well. How all the kids stopped focusing on work and went to play in the waters instead. Some of the parents from afar chuckled at the children having fun. The pillager gave up at that point and allowed it.
“You didn’t jump into the water like everyone else. You stood there, watching everyone else.” He spoke out, he paused again as his eyes rested on you. You remembered the day well, how you refused to get in.
“You told me…you wanted to make sure everyone came back up” he said softer, “I think that was the first time I understood you.” He added, he pulled you in a bit closer, you could feel each other’s breaths. Your breathing started to match his breathing and his breathing started to match your breathing.
“You always waited for everyone. You always went back just in case.” He said, your knees started to brush up against each other.
“I think that’s why I started to help people when you left…” he said softly. He cleared his throat, you stared at him as he cleared his throat.
“When you left…I was angry…not because you had left, but because you were brave enough to leave.” He said as he kept staring at your eyes.
“I kept convincing myself you were safe, you found better lands, you believed there was more out there, and I couldn’t stop you, I couldn’t allow myself to stop you…” he said. You paused as you slowly moved your hands to cup his face.
“I didn’t think you leaving would mean I would have to remember you alone” he whispered closely to your ear, it could make you cry.
“You don’t know how many times I imagined this” he whispered, he teared up slightly as he hugged you tight, his face buried into your shoulder, “all versions ended up with me waking alone” he whispered as well. You gulped as you tightened your grasp around him.
“I should’ve come back for you…” you whispered, he shook his head as he held you tighter, you could almost feel your rips moving.
“I used to think I should’ve followed you. If I did, maybe things would’ve been different. But…” he paused then lifted his head up to look at you. His gaze on you was fragile, but it held steady.
“I think we wouldn’t be the same way if we did either.” He said softly, then he rested back onto your shoulder.
“I’m just glad you’re alive.” He added softly, you could barely say that. For the first time you've entered back into the swamp, you felt the weight on you subside. You held him close as you felt happy again.
“Verdant…I never stopped thinking of you.” You spoke out softly, “I would dream of you, and the day we may meet again…” you added slowly, he lifted himself back up and moved your bangs out the way.
“I never stopped thinking of you either” he spoke out as well, your heart trembled as he spoke, he leaned forward towards your face.
“I’m sorry for leaving you…”you whispered, he smiled as he looked at you.
“It’s okay, Y/N…do not apologize for your safety” he whispered, “I’ll help you leave tomorrow…” he added, his voice trembling as he spoke. You paused as you looked at him, eyes widened.
“Leave? I cannot leave you again!” You said, he grabbed your shoulders and lightly shook you.
“If you stayed, you would hate it! You will never forgive me! I cannot watch you wither in fear—the same fear that made you leave!” He said, you paused as you knew he was right. You wanted your freedom, but also him. You wanted him too.
All those times he got you out of trouble, in the schoolhouse, in labor classes, the day you left, and now. He saved you many times, and helped you when you needed it without question. Now he was saving you again, this time…from you.
“I don’t want to go, not with you here, I want to stay with you” you said softly, but he hooked his head as he looked at you with soft eyes.
“I do to…not like this,” he said softly as he held your hands. You started to shed a few tears as you stared at him. You trembled as you knew he was saving you. He thought of you the entire time you had departed, you had thought of this for years, but he still chooses what is best, not what he wants, and that stabbed you. You hadn’t known what the village was like, not after this many years, and you knew if you got caught from the borders of the swamp, it would’ve been a horrible way to live inside. You gulped as more tears shed from your cheeks.
“Even if I hate it…even if it tears me apart from the inside—I’ll leave” you said, finally. He took a breath as he heard you say that, he pulled you closer into his arms and squeezed you tight.
“It’ll hurt me too, but I want you to go…for your freedom. I want you to choose your freedom for me.” He said as he kept you close, you could feel his heartbeat, the soft heart, you knew he was only calm because you would be safe soon. That only made your heart ache.
“Freedom is your life, the life you were meant to have for life…and if fate will allow it, they will lead you back to me in a safer place” he whispered in your ear, you paused before you began to weep in his grasp. His warmth, that would be gone by morning. The heartbreaking choice, done by care, not out of desire. The choice that will damage you both. You could feel both of your hearts beat, they burned, they ached, they yearned. They wanted each other, but you knew what was best. You pulled him away and looked at his face quietly.
“I pray fate brings us together” you whispered again, he stared at you softly before smiling again. He brought you to a warm embrace, one that kept you two together. The silence of the night spoke for you two as you rested. You felt him shift through the night, checking to make sure your muscles didn’t cramp again. Tending to any open scars you had. He gave your palm a peck as he cleaned them off again.
The hours passed slowly, though the morning came quickly. It almost felt like the sun was hesitant to come up, avoiding to hit the wood on Verdant’s cabin, but they had to hit at some point. You opened your eyes quietly and turned to Verdant. He stared at you for a moment, his eyes holding sorrow but hope. He tried to cover the sorrow using hope, but you could still tell.
“We…You have to get going soon…” he said softly, you nodded as you sat up in his bed. The decision still weighed heavy on your heart. He looked in his closet and pulled out spare boots. He took your desert shoes and replaced them with the boots. Then he grabbed a spare coat he had, luckily it went over you like a glove. The two of you snuck out through his window and started to move by the roof, how you did before. He jumped over to the next roof with ease, then the next roof.
They managed to sneak past the guards and make it in the dark parts of the forest. All damped from the night previously, and not as guarded, or at least not now. Most guards were being switched out or sleeping. He knelt down near a few bushes then lifted up the branches, revealing another pathway.
“Go, go on now before they see us” he whispered, you paused as you looked at him one last time. He smiled lightly at you, the same way as the first time you left.
“Be careful, Y/N” he spoke softly, you nodded softly as you began to kneel down to fit in the small space.
“Don’t forget me now” he teased as you got into the small space. You looked at him, maybe for the last time. At least for the next few years at least. You wanted to say so many words, so many promises, but nothing was coming out. So you quietly placed a hand against his chest as you smiled.
He pulled you into one final squeeze, then let you go quietly, “get back to your home safely, I will hurt you if you don’t” he said, slightly joking about that last part, but you knew he wanted nothing more than your safety. You smiled and nodded, then began to crawl into the tiny space again. While the words failed to leave your mouth, words didn't need to be said between you two. With the silence, it left that quiet promise to meet again, no way of knowing when or where, I just that simple promise it will happen. As you disappear into the pathway, no longer feeling the rain on the skin. You started to remember your youth, how he helped you escape the first time. How the running made you feel more alive. Just like now, you feel alive when you’re running through the mud, in much better shoes than before, how the wind blew past you fast. Just as you disappear from the sight of the village, you look back.