Love Can Save {An Aphmau Fanfiction}

Richard

The evening sun cast down rays of light upon the forest which in turn cast shadows on the ground and the wall where I walked. Kyle and I were patrolling the wall, walking from the nearest tower towards the gate and back again in opposite directions. This was my last lap of the night before I could return back home. Phoenix Drop was a bit under-guarded, so we were all taking turns helping out. The only thing I wanted more at the time was to go back to the guard quarters at the Phoenix Capital and go to sleep—it had been a long day of nothing.

I finally made it back to the gate, seeing Kyle approaching from the other way. Already at the gatehouse was Laurence, leaning slightly out of a window to look at the forest. I had only known Laurence for the past year, and I felt like there was still so much I didn't know about him. I knew he was Lady Cadenza's brother, I knew he was a Shadow Knight but was completely loyal to Lady Aphmau, and I knew that he was Garroth and Dante's friend and I trusted their judgment. A year wasn't that long. I was positive that I would get to know him a lot better in the years to come.

"How is it out there? Keeping an eye on all the scary squirrels?" Laurence leaned back into the room, a twinkle in his eye as he stuck his tongue out at me. Laurance was very solitary most of the time, but it was in times like these that I could see him as the man he used to be. Garroth and Dante had told me so many stories about him, how close he and Lady Aphmau had been before he had disappeared more than two years ago. How he had loved her, and how he had been silly and carefree while doing his best to protect Phoenix Drop. He still was an amazing guard and did everything he could to guarantee the safety of both the village and the Capital island, but I know that he had mellowed out a lot, and was almost a different person from the stories I had heard from everyone.

"I should be the one asking you how it is out there. Anything to report?" I shook my head as I crossed the gatehouse to where a pitcher of water sat. Pouring myself a cup, I joined Laurance by the window overlooking the forest.

Kyle entered the room, the clang of his scabbard against his armor ringing through the small space. With a wave and a smile at the two of us, he turned around and began the endless cycle all over again. "Quit slacking Laurance! Pretty sure your shift already started!"

Laughing, Laurance pushed away from the windowsill and grabbed his breastplate from where it lay on top of the small wooden table. "He's probably right. Man, I can't believe it's already been a week since Aphmau's party. Seems like time's just flying by." I made a sound of agreement, my attention focused on the forest below. I kept feeling like I was seeing something moving, but I could never pin it down.

"Hey, I'm going to go check on something out there. I just keep getting the feeling like I'm seeing something but it's not quite there, you know? I'll holler if I see anything." Laurance nodded his understanding, motioning me with a wave of his hand to go do what I needed to do.

I managed to climb down the ladder in my armor, and once I did, I slipped through the sally port and out into the forest surrounding the ever-growing village of Phoenix Drop. With my right hand grasping the hilt of my sword, I stepped into the woods, trying to find what had caught my attention.

"Hello? Anyone out here? My name is Richard, I'm a guard from Phoenix Drop. Just come out, nothing's going to happen. Hello?" My voice echoed in the dense grove of trees, but I heard no reply.

I continued my search for several minutes, moving deeper and deeper into the forest, unable to shake the feeling that there was someone else out here with me. I was just about to give up when I heard a rustling off to my right.

Tensing, I gripped my sword even tighter and began moving towards the noise with caution. The noise came again, the clear tones of sticks and leaves crunching under a boot. With a sudden burst of confidence, I rushed forwards and into the clearing where the sound had come from. When I first beheld the scene, I froze, unsure of what to do.

Standing before me, frozen in the middle of the clearing, was a young woman. A tattered cloak covered her form, but I figured the rest of her clothes were in the same disarray. Dirty blonde hair framed her face and hung past her shoulders, half of the strands pulled back to keep them from her eyes. I couldn't make out the color of her eyes in the few feet that separated us, but they were lighter than most I've seen. She held a dagger poised in front of her, and she looked just as ready to fight as to flee. Perhaps the most alarming part of her visage was the large white scar that traced a line across her neck, contrasting with her tan skin. It was several inches long, and from what I could tell, it looked like the original wound had been very deep. She was extremely lucky to be alive right now.

"I promise I won't hurt you. My name is Richard, and I'm a guard from Phoenix Drop, Can you put your weapon down and come with me to the village?" The woman eyed me for several long moments, and I got the feeling that I was under scrutiny from a guard much like myself. Finally, she lowered her dagger, although she kept in her hands instead of re-sheathing it. "Can you tell me your name?"

At this, the woman almost looked... sad. She shook her head and placed a hand against the scar on her throat. Understanding a pity welled up inside of me. "You can't speak?" A nod from her confirmed what I had thought, and I hurried to hide the pity I felt, knowing that no one wants a stranger to pity them. "Come to the village with me. We can find you some paper and a pencil at the least, and I'm sure you could use something to eat." She nodded again, and she finally sheathed her dagger, although she kept a wary eye on me the whole time. With a sigh, I squared my shoulders and led her back towards the village, hoping that I wasn't making a mistake in trusting the mute woman I found in the woods.