The Sovereign's Sacrifice ☆ EDITING ☆

Chapter Two: Ivan

I followed her out to the yard. Blood dripped from her hair, turning the rich blackish-purple color to a fiery red. As I looked on, I could see bruises poking out from the gaps between her leather pauldrons and gloves.

She looked exhausted, but still she fought, without managing to slip on the ice and snow. She was the strongest warrior Elluveria had, but it pained me to see her in such a state. No one in this world should be alone, but that is how I left her.

She wiped a bit of snow off the bench and set her bow and quiver down. She began unarmed sparring with the training dummy. Her movements were slowing, her adrenaline fading from her slender body. She looked like she was going to pass out any moment.

"Fine, since you seem so determined to train," I spoke walking closer. As I got closer, I noticed the blood dripping from her torso as well, hidden by her black armor. I removed my cloak and tossed it into the bench, not caring that the light snow would make it wet.

"Be careful what you ask for, my king," she teased and for a moment I saw the old Eliana. The one that hadn't been hardened by years of solitude and violence.

"If I beat you, you have to come back with me to the palace doctor," I spoke. I had to get her looked at. Something wasn't right.

"If I beat you, you have to leave me alone, as you always have," she growled.

I could not lose this fight. We circled eachother like animals cornering their prey. She pounced forward, carefully planning each blow. I blocked each hit and when the final one came, I gripped her wrist and pulled her into me.

She spun effortlessly into my arms just as it had when we were children. Her shoulders just felt right against my chest. Her mind may try to forget, but her body remembered how to move with mine.

"Please, just leave me," she mumbled as if she was going to break down.

"I will never leave you again," I mumbled into her hair. I felt a warm fluid trickle onto the hand that held her waist.

"I'm not worth this," she mumbled as her body went limp in my arms. Her skin was freezing. What had she planned to do, fight herself to death?

I raised my arm toward the bench. "CLOAK!" I bellowed as it flew to me. Thankfully only the outside had gotten wet. I wrapped her in it, and cradled her in my arms as I began the walk to the palace.

People in the streets stared at us, but I didn't care. They recognized her sheath dangling at her waist, even though they couldn't see her face. They scrambled around, spreading the news of the king cradling their savior, the woman he never should have let slip away.

She stirred in my arms and opened her eyes slightly. "Ivan?" she asked a bit confused.

"I won the fight, so don't complain," I smiled at her.

She lifted her blood soaked hand to my cheek and looked into my eyes. The Eliana I knew now would never have allowed herself a moment so tender. Something was very wrong.

"Thank you for everything," she spoke. She coughed up a bit of blood before her hand fell from my face.

"Eliana!" I called to her. Her pulse grew weak as she rested in my arms. I rushed through the gate to the castle, cursing myself for not bringing a horse.

I burst into the hospital wing and called out for help.