It took all my remaining strength to sit down by the Irene statue, back leaning against the stones and grass tickling the underside of my thighs. I didn't think I had enough energy to do anything at the moment, and I let my head fall back against the rocks, staring up at the evening sky. Opening the portal had been draining enough, even with Thalia's help, and then Irene had taken control, using the rest of my reserves on winning the battle.
My memory was a complete blank from the moment the portal opened. A huge gap resided afterwards, until I could recall standing at the bottom of this hill, barely able to make the short walk to the top. I knew exactly what had happened, but instead of actually having the memory of the events, it was like someone had told me second-hand. So here I was, no idea if the portal had actually opened or who had gone down in the fighting, but I hadn't the strength to find out, no matter how much it bothered me.
"Aphmau!" I managed to raise my head enough to see Garroth trudging up the hill, a gentle smile lightning his face. I lifted one hand in a half-hearted attempt at a wave. I started to let my head drop back down before I jerked it up, staring at the man making his way towards me.
"Garroth? What the hell..." He hurried the rest of the distance to me, a smile meant to put me at ease gracing his face and breaking through the blood and sweat and grime. I tried to struggle to my feet, but he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Aph, I'm fine, I promise. Look," He pulled his destroyed shirt up, pulling the equally mangled chainmail with it to reveal his perfectly smooth abdomen, covered with a gross amount of blood. He seemed to understand that I was not put at ease, and he knelt next to me, the easy smile beginning to slip towards something I recognized as his real feelings—confusion and gratitude. "It's not someone else's blood either, don't worry."
"How can I not worry when you're covered in enough blood that you should be dead at my feet," I retorted, the fire in my voice replaced by pure exhaustion. He sighed, staring down at the plaza below. "And why aren't you wearing your armor? I've rarely seen you without it. Today of all days..." Garroth held up his hands, holding at bay the tirade I wanted to say but was too physically and mentally tired to actually get out. He fidgeted so he was sitting right next to me, back against the cool stones.
"I was going to her grave," he murmured, continuing to stare out over the treetops, smoke rising from the destruction wreaked on our beautiful village. My heart cracked, understanding coursing through my veins. I reached out and took his hand, giving him the only comfort I could. He squeezed gently, gratefully in his own way. "You know, I would think it was obvious, but I'll tell you the same thing I told Laurance. I wasn't expecting to fight a war today."
"Laurance? Is he okay?" He flashed me a smile, and I knew he could never be so upbeat if his best friend was in trouble. Slightly chastised, I smiled back. "Sorry, continue."
"I know you know how I feel. That even though they're dead and gone... they're still in your heart, not leaving room for anything else but love for them and a pang of sorrow. But... despite the fact that I will always be in love with Alice..." He shrugged, suddenly showing the weariness that came from fighting a war all day. "I can't spend the rest of my life longing to change the past. And I'll never be content with what happened, but I can learn to move on." I squeezed his hand, shifting so that my head rested on his shoulder. I almost moved away when I felt the grime that covered his shirt begin to transfer to my hair, but I hadn't the strength. He squeezed back, sighing again as he sunk into the exhaustion and something else, something pervading the edge of his actions. Slowly, I recognized it as shock.
"Garroth? You... you still haven't told me why you're so... so..."
"Dirty?" He suggested.
"Mangled," I finished. He snorted, leaning his head back so he stared at the evening sky instead of the smoky village.
YOU ARE READING
Love Can Save {An Aphmau Fanfiction}
Fanfiction"I held on tightly to Garroth, knowing that although there was nothing to fear in the forest around us, it was the demons running loose in my head that scared me." It has been a year since everything happened. A year since Zane Ro'Meave died. A year...
