Caged Body, Free Mind

Shattering the Peace

As the stars burned out, the tint of the night slowly lifted, leaving the sky in soft hues of pink and blue. The crisp air had a dampness to it, and the low-hanging fog covered the dewy moss. The leaves of trees looked as though they were adorned with droplets of silver.

Stirring from her sleep, Ester awakened. Deciding that she couldn't go back to sleep, she carefully unwrapped herself from Midnight's muscular arms and went outside the cottage. Her drowsy, half-opened eyes widened at the mystical scenery before her. She scurried down the steps and pranced about. The moss felt wonderful against her bare feet. Inhaling the earthy smells, Ester ran through the mist in a childlike manner. She had never experienced this before. There was a certain aura the woods had just before down; alluring but peaceful. Spotting a creek, she approached it. Cupping her hands and dipping them into the freezing water, Ester brought it to her lips and drank. The water tasted so pure, it rejuvenated her very soul. Golden rays tipped onto the land, reflecting off the running water like gold. Something shiny caught her eye. Fishing through the rocks, Ester retrieved a small rose quartz. Smiling to herself at her find, she took a blade of grass and made a cage for it, before stringing it around her neck.

"There you are! I was looking for you." called a voice behind her. Ester jumped, turning around in shock. Her tension eased when her eyes landed on Midnight, who chuckled to himself at her reaction. "Doing some exploring?" he questioned. Nervous, she spoke. "I didn't mean to go far-" "Hey, don't worry about it. It's nice out here this morning." he smiled. "I've honestly never seen the woods like this before. The world is still new to me." "Well, feel free to enjoy it. Just wake me up next time, I need to make sure you don't get lost." he chuckled. Flustered, Ester said, "I'm not that naive!" "No, you're not. You're just inexperienced is all." he said honestly. Smiling, Ester felt relieved that he didn't dismiss her as an arrogant child. "You know if you're keen on going on these morning walks, I could show you some good herbs to gather for an energizing tea. After all, dawn is the best time to do it."

Pleasantly exhaling after finishing her cup of tea, Ester gently set it down. "That was a lovely breakfast!" She chirped. Midnight smiled. "Its about time we had a hearty meal. Eggs and those berries we gathered to together perfectly." He said, stretching out.

An all too familiar sound rung in his ear, catching his attention. He knew it all too well; the sharp clashing of blades in the distance. Ester, picking up on his sudden change in mood, began to ask what was wrong when he gestured her to be quiet. Then, she heard it too. "What is that?" She whispered. "A battle has begun. We must leave before we get caught in the crossfire." Midnight said with concern. With no words exchanged between them they packed their belongings and Midnight led the way as they abruptly hiked out. 

He zig-zagged across the terrain, pushing Ester down if any knights got too close. It was surprising how close danger was to the serene cottage they were staying in.
Through her locks of red she caught a few glimpses of the Avian Knights; their faces were blank, covered in blood stains, desperate eyes showing through their matted hair. Many had brutal injuries, and looked unfit for battle. Their heavy armor clinked loudly when they paced by. Even their wings were fitted with steel blades, for if they lost them it would mean certain death.

Suddenly, the brush in front of them rustled and a knight emerged from it. Midnight drew his sword in a fraction of a second, the soldier did the same.
Ester froze, the heaviness of the air weighing on her lungs like cinder blocks. There was a chance they might not survive. The possibility had always been there in the back of her mind, but now, it stood before her in the flesh. It was not likely that they'd have anything less than numerous wounds to tend to later. But what mattered now was staying alive. Ester had been mentally preparing herself for a moment like this, if they ever found themselves outnumbered and surrounded by those who intend to harm them. An entire army of menacing soldiers were scattered in every direction, and with every second, more were starting to take notice of Midnight and Ester's unwanted presence. 

Midnight turned towards Ester, giving her a serious look, his eyes distant and stone cold. Ester starred deeply into them, and found that in his eyes was not fear, but a fearsome amount of determination. He then tossed his extra weight and only carried the essentials; his sword and his dagger strapped to his leg. Midnight got into a fighting stance and stood tall. He was prepared to kill.

The knights had decided that they were a threat, and charged them. Ester drew and released her arrows with great force and accuracy; every limb of her body was in sync. An ear-piercing sound of sharp metal blades clashing and scraping against one another was behind Ester as Midnight took on multiple foes at once. He drove his illuminated blade between the gaps in the armor of his enemies and thrust to break their bones. His feet slid across the ground in a neatly fashion; his body was a well-oiled fighting machine. Strength from an unknown force surfaced in him, as Midnight was fighting harder than ever before, taking the Avian Knights down like a house of cards. Perhaps he'd never fought like this when he was a knight because he did not have a thing worth fighting for. With his one true friend at his back, he was not going to stop until he knew she was safe.

The battle was ruthless. The Avian Knights were unforgiving when it came to close-combat. As some encountered Ester, they pulled moves she wasn't prepared for. Some pulled her hair, attempted to cut her wings, scratch her eyes out, or plunge a blade down her throat. Arrows were of no use now. She took out her dagger and swiftly sliced their necks, eyes, shoulders, kicked them in between their legs, tripped them, bit their fingers...whatever it took to make them back off. This dispute continued for what felt like an eternity before a commanding officer in the distance shouted, "They are bringing out explosives! Retreat if you value your lives!"

With that, the knights stopped fighting Midnight and Ester as they ran deeper into the forest. They wearily walked to some moss-covered rocks and leaned against them, catching their breath. 

"That was...so sudden...I'm still processing what just happened." Ester said between breaths. "I had such little time to react, yet I managed to keep myself from faltering."

"That's adrenaline, sweetie. It can make you do impossible things." Midnight replied, standing up to stretch. "Speaking of which, you held your ground well, your fighting has gotten better compared to when I first met you. Back then I thought you wouldn't even pick up a knife! Boy how times have changed."

Blushing with embarrassment, Ester stared below Midnight's neck, only to become more flustered when her eyes landed on his ripped shirt revealing his sweaty, toned torso. "umm thank you." she uttered. 

Smirking, Midnight walked over to her, putting his hand on the rock behind her. Bending down, he said, "I didn't quite get that. What was it you said again?" He loved seeing this side of her. It even warmed his heart. Midnight got butterflies when he played with her emotions.

Ester stopped breathing. His woodsy scent was such a dreamy smell, and she was surrounded in it. Her cheeks donned a deeper red, and her blue-brown eyes dilated. "I-I was thanking you, f-for your kind words." she stuttered.

Midnight starred blankly into Ester's wide eyes, observing his every move. Suddenly the vicinity was silent, the scenery surrounding them grew strangely dim. Subconsciously, he inched towards her, bending down slightly as he did so. They both remained speechless as their eyes never broke contact, gazing into each other with a bond of which they could not name. Their faces were getting closer ever so slowly. Time stood still.  She flinched at the sudden sensation of his hot breath tickling her lips. He nobly bowed his head to greet hers. Their eyelids shut as the tip of his warm lips grazed hers. Easter felt an electric jolt of desire as her soft lips seemed to be enveloped within his own. His soft hand reached up to cup her cheek.

But that moment did not go any further.

A loud explosion forced them into reality once more. Midnight looked to the left of them where the explosion came from just as debris went flying everywhere.
"Let's go." He said as he grabbed her hand tightly and pulled her with him to flee from the bomb. The other army was moving in. Tensions were rising. As more explosions simultaneously went off, the fate of the two was unknown. If there was anything Midnight was certain of, it was that he'd make sure Ester made it out alive.