Lidiya Witchain - the forgotten bride

Surrounded by Enemies

Lidiya stood frozen outside the cottage, her heart pounding in her chest as she heard a deafening blast that echoed like a gunshot through the still air. Panic washed over her as she turned back to the cottage, only to see guards swarming the old house, their shouts mingling with the chaos of the attack. Zidane was caught in the crossfire.

Without thinking, she rushed to the door, but before she could reach it, Zidane acted. With a swift motion, he summoned his magic, creating a shimmering barrier of thin air and sand that encased Lidiya in a protective cocoon. She watched in horror, helpless and terrified, as bullets tore through the walls, the sounds of chaos echoing around her.

“Zidane!” she cried out, pressing her palms against the wall of sand. “Are you okay?”

“Stay inside!” he shouted back, his voice strained but firm. “I’ll handle this.”

Time stretched painfully as the gunfire continued. Lidiya felt every heartbeat like a drum, fear gnawing at her insides. She couldn’t see what was happening outside, and the uncertainty consumed her. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the shooting ceased, and the wall of sand dropped away.

The sight that met her eyes shattered her heart. Zidane lay on the ground, bleeding and motionless, while several guards groaned nearby, nursing their injuries. A few others were scrambling away on horseback, clearly having underestimated the power of their opponent.

“Zidane!” Lidiya cried, rushing to his side. She knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she sprinkled water on his face, desperate to rouse him. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and she felt a flicker of hope.

“Stay awake, please!” she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. The guilt of his injuries clawed at her heart. “You can’t leave me like this!”

“Lidiya,” he murmured, his voice weak. “You need to run. Get away while you can.”

“No!” she said fiercely, shaking her head. “I won’t leave you here.”

He winced as he tried to push himself up, but pain shot through him. “You have to go, south, toward the river. There’s a boat near the deck. Just—”

“Not without you!” Lidiya interrupted, determination setting in. She scanned the room and spotted a large trolley. Without a second thought, she heaved it toward Zidane. “You’re coming with me!”

Zidane’s eyes widened in disbelief as she began to clear out the contents of the trolley. “You can’t be serious,” he protested, trying to sit up. “I’m too heavy for you to move, and you’re injured! You need to think this through.”

“Ha! Just because you’re bleeding out doesn’t mean I can’t manage,” Lidiya retorted, her voice laced with urgency. “Now, get on!”

With a mix of exasperation and admiration, Zidane reluctantly complied, wincing as she pushed him onto the trolley. “You’re stronger than you look,” he admitted, a grin creeping onto his face despite the pain.

“Of course I am! I’ve been carrying this emotional baggage around for too long. A little bit of muscle is nothing!” Lidiya shot back, expertly maneuvering the trolley out of the cottage, adrenaline propelling her forward.

Zidane chuckled weakly, “Just my luck to end up as a princess’s baggage.”

The guards were regrouping, their shouts growing louder. “Quickly!” Lidiya urged, and she pushed the trolley down the narrow path, her heart racing. The trolley bounced and jostled as they sped toward the river, dodging fallen debris and the chaos left behind.

Once they reached the riverbank, she struggled to lift Zidane from the trolley and into the boat. “Come on, you stubborn man! Help me out here!”

“I’m trying!” he protested, chuckling despite the dire situation. “But I don’t think I was made for this kind of adventure.”

With one last effort, she finally managed to haul him into the boat. They both collapsed into their seats, panting heavily, relief washing over them. But their victory was short-lived.

Suddenly, they were faced with a steep valley ahead—a waterfall cascading into the river below. Lidiya’s eyes widened. “Oh no, no, no!”

“Row!” Zidane shouted, but the boat was already tipping backward. With a whoosh, they were launched over the edge.

As they plummeted, Lidiya clung to the sides of the boat, her heart racing as the ground disappeared beneath them. The water roared like a beast, ready to swallow them whole. They plunged into the icy depths, and Lidiya’s grip on reality slipped away along with the boat.

When they resurfaced, Lidiya gasped for air, looking around frantically. “Zidane!” She reached out, searching the churning water, but all she saw was the chaos of waves crashing around her.

In a cruel twist of fate, she spotted Zidane’s body sinking below the surface, unconscious and limp. “No!” she screamed, her heart breaking. She dove under the water, fighting against the current, desperate to reach him. She caught his hand just as his body disappeared into the depths.

“Zidane!” she cried, but the force of the water pulled her away, tearing her grip from his hand. Panic surged through her as she flailed, trying to swim back toward him, but the current was too strong.

As she surfaced, tears streamed down her face. “Zidane! Please!” she sobbed, her heart shattering at the thought of losing him. She could see him slipping away, his figure fading into the darkness below.

Lidiya screamed, her voice echoing in the roaring water, but all that met her was the deafening sound of the waterfall. She couldn’t bear it. The pain of his absence surged through her, a sharp reminder of the connection they had forged despite everything.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered to the water, feeling helpless and lost. “I didn’t want it to end like this.”