True Love by Fate

Chapter IV

Within three days, Sonja had improved enough to leave his bed. Eldron gave him a new set of clothes, and he was able to wander the corridors and gardens by himself. But the one thing that troubled him was Zimmy's absence. Since the morning when he'd first awoken in Eiwood, he had not seen Zimmy at all. It was as if his rescuer had simply disappeared. He had asked Eldron where his son could be, but Eldron had no answer. Zimmy was gone without a trace. 

Sonja desired to speak with Zimmy again, and properly thank him for saving his life. But he also just wanted to see the handsome Elf once more. He could not explain it, but he felt a deep connection to Zimmy, either forged by the lifesaving bond or some other power. He knew that Zimmy was someone special. Someone he had to see again. 

It wasn't until the sixth day after Sonja had recovered that Zimmy returned to Eiwood. He rode up the same path where Sonja had been found, dragging a net filled with the heads of orcs behind him. All 90 of them. 

'Here are your orcs!' he called to Sonja. 'I found them hiding out in a cave not far from here.' 

Sonja stared in surprise, eyes going wide. 'You killed... all of them by yourself?' 

'I cannot let such dangerous creatures roam free in our lands,' Zimmy replied. 'And I did it for you. They nearly killed you. I do not want anything like that to happen again.' 

Sonja could feel his heart pounding as Zimmy spoke. Zimmy killed those orcs... for him. Before he could stop himself, he leapt at Zimmy and threw his arms around his neck, kissing the brave Elf on the arms. 

Zimmy laughed in surprise, but did not pull away. 'What was that for?' 

'Just a thank you,' Sonja said. He smiled, but when he saw the suddenly serious look in Zimmy's eyes, the smile faded. 'What is wrong?' he asked, worried. 

'Sonja,' said Zimmy, 'I have to confess something to you. That first morning you were here... I thought you were so beautiful. I wanted to kiss you then, but I did not know how you would react. 

Sonja gasped in shock. 'Kiss... me?' 

'I told myself I must not, because of the terrible ordeal you had just suffered. It was not the right time. But these past few days while I was gone, I could think only of you the entire time. And now...' 

'Zimmy...' Sonja sighed his name. 'I thought about you too. All the time, while you were gone. I was worried I would never see you again.' 

Zimmy lifted his hand to gently stroke Sonja on the cheek. 'I am sorry I ran off like that. I should have said something to you.' 

Taking a deep breath, Sonja said, 'Zimmy, there is something I have been considering over the past several days. I think we were meant to find each other. What happened to me... it was no accident of fate. I was meant to come here. You were meant to rescue me.' 

A bright smile broke across Zimmy's face as soon as Sonja had spoken. 'You know,' he said, 'I had been thinking the same thing! That night when I found you I had been worried an unable to think. Some strange power led me out to the terrace, and that was when I saw you.' 

Sonja took Zimmy's hand. 'So you think... we are meant to be together?' 

'I have no doubt of it.' Slowly, Zimmy leaned in and kissed Sonja softly on the lips. 'I love you,' he whispered. 

'I love you too, Zimmy,' Sonja whispered in return. 

THE END!