Life Dies In The End

Chapter 15

I looked up at the sound of little footsteps coming my way. Lila smiled as she reached my side. I smiled back at her. Children were something I never wanted my own of, but they always found a way to touch my heart. She handed me a dandelion and smiled as she sat down next to me.

"Daddy said you were having a bad day."

"Oh, well this makes today a lot better." I smiled as I placed the flower behind my ear, causing Lila to laugh.

Lila pulled me into her small arms and her giggles continued. She was still so innocent. Hadn't seen the traumas of the world. I hoped she never did, but I knew that was a long shot. If it was up to me I'd stay around forever and watch over her. I couldn't though. My powers would be discovered if I did.

"Can you tell me the story again, Auntie Jay?" Lila asked, looking up at me as she sat in front of me.

"Which one, little one?" I looked at her, already knowing which one was her favorite.

"The one about the warrior princesses." Lila jumped in her seated position as I smiled.

"Of course." I leaned back against the tree and patted the spot next to me, Lila moved to sit next to me as I started. "A long time ago, there were two very powerful princesses. One who had magic beyond anything you could ever imagine, her name was Mara. The other could heal any wound, her name was Asa. Mara and Asa had been inseparable since birth. Both grew strong throughout the years. Mara learned to protect her people, while Asa learned to heal her people. Both princesses were loved greatly by their people." I smiled softly at the idea of when Ela and I were once praised by our people. "One day at one of the celebration parties, for the success of a prior battle, the princesses came across a problem they never thought would happen. Their home was attacked by the ice king and his followers. They destroyed the party and took many of their friends. When the princesses wanted to retaliate and claim what was theirs. The King called a stop to it, saying that they would only make it worse." I looked down at Lila as she watched me with eyes full of wonder. "So, that night the princesses, unable to sleep, ignored the King's orders and went to save their friends. Reaching the ice king's palace the princesses easily found their friends only to be cornered by the ice king's men. The princesses fought valiantly and almost defeated the ice king and his men, but they were stopped by their father, the king." I paused for a moment, the next part being the hardest to explain to a little kid, but Lila always seemed to understand. "The princesses were punished for their crimes against the King and were sentenced to two different realms. Mara was sent to the world of the damned and was stripped of her powers, where she would be held until the King decided it was all right for her to return. While Asa was sentenced to the world of the normal and was also stripped of her powers, where she would await for her return to her home. Both princesses weren't allowed to see each other ever again, and that was the hardest part for both of them. Since birth they had been by each other's sides and now they weren't. So in their final moments together the two made a promise. When they were allowed back home, they would never leave each other's side again and they would do everything in their power to keep that promise."

I turned to Lila as I finished the story. She looked at me in awe, as if she hadn't heard the story hundreds of times before.

"And then they saw each other again and never betrayed the king again." She smiled causing a smile to appear on my lips.

"Yes, yes they did." I nodded as I looked up at the sky.

Lila shifted next to me and I watched as she rose to her feet. She extended her little hand to me. I smiled softly, taking it and rising to my feet. She held onto my hand as she pulled me behind her.

"Come on, let's go pick flowers." She smiled, pulling me towards the flower field.

We passed Rogers and Stark as they cut wood. Rogers chopped a log, before looking up at me and sending a nod. Stark looked up at me, after splitting a log, a playful smirk appearing on his face.