No Other You: Time Confused

Prologue: Memories

       

It is a peaceful, beautiful night.

Not long after the sun sets, the insects emerge from their quiet places and fill the air with it's usual musical composition. The full moon is out and as such, illuminates everything in sight. A cool, perfect summer night usually brings a respite to the every day chaos of life, but for one forlorn woman, it isn't so.

Long hair cascading freely against her back, a small, petite woman walks bare foot in her night gown. The grass prickles against her bare skin but as she lifts her gown to hop over a small stream, the light captures a faint mark around her ankles before she drops her skirts. As she continues to wander aimlessly, she becomes a slave to her memories.

She swore she could hear the faint echo of a child-like laughter in the air, a low hum of voices and the sound of swords clashing. Even now, she couldn't help looking over her shoulder, hoping to see the tall silhouette of a man standing before her. Alas, there was no tall man waiting for her.

Yet despite the solemn silence, she couldn't help but ponder on the events that took place so many mornings ago; that one life-changing event that altered her life in ways she never could have imagined possible.

She brought her fingers to her lips and closed her eyes, waiting to see his face flit before them. When he did, she smiled to herself as her heart filled with strong emotion.

"I miss you," she whispers softly, pressing her fists tightly against her chest. Even now, she can recall the first time they crossed paths. She had been scared out of her mind. Initially, she strongly disliked him and did all she could to fight against him, yet something changed, along with her opinion of him. She could still see his strange, beautiful hair and intense, mesmerizing eyes...

And to think all of this bittersweet agony began on her eighteenth birthday...