Love Through War

C h a p t e r F i f t e e n

Keefe's POV.

Exiled. Banished. Disappointment. Murderer.
The words echoed around in Keefe's head as he packed the few things he was permitted to keep through his banishment.

He'd only heard stories of Exillium, the school where people exiled from both clans go.

They'd teach him night vision techniques, hunger control, and other things like breathing exercises and underwater breathing for longer periods of time.

All of it sounded incredibly boring, except the night vision, he thought that would be cool.

Marella tried to lift his spirts. At least he wouldn't have to go to anymore boring war meetings, but Keefe knew she was just as angry and sad that he was leaving as him.

But the worst thought of all was the looming certainty that he might never see Sophie again.

If Keefe was lucky, he'd be able to return to his clan in a few years, but that was unlikely, considering why he'd been banished.

"I'll see her again," Keefe muttered, packing his sketchbook and pencils into a leather satchel.
"Tonight."

Keefe waited till nightfall before he crawled out of window headed toward Sophie.

~

It was late when Keefe reached the Blackswan's palace, and he worried Sophie might be asleep.

Did she know he'd been exiled? That he was going to become a wayward at Exillium?

Keefe hoped she knew already, he didn't know if he'd be able to explain it to her.

He arrived at her balcony, hoping she'd be there like last time.
Unfortunately, she wasn't.

So Keefe quietly started to the vines of ivy where he had climbed up before.

"Foster?" Keefe asked in his loudest whisper.

He saw Sophie drinking, presumably, tea from a mug.

She was at the balcony in an incident.

"Keefe?" She asked. "Why are you here?"

"Good to see you too," Keefe teased once he'd reached the top.

Sophie blushed. "It is good to you, but my parents told me you were..."

She didn't finish and a sad expression came to her face she gazed off into the distance.

"Hey," Keefe said softly and touched her arm, hating to see her so sad. "Your parents were right, but I'm right here now."

"I know," Sophie said, giving him a small smile and holding out her arms.

Keefe wrapped his arms around her and felt her sink into the hug.

"I just don't want you to leave," Sophie said, head against Keefe's chest.

"Me either," Keefe whispered. "I'm going to come back. I don't know how long it will take, but I'm going to come back to you."

Keefe meant the words with every fiber of his being.
He'd get out of Exillium and come back to his life.
To Sophie.

He wanted this war to be over.
It was going to take some time, but he was going to stop the war with the Blackswan.
No matter what it took.

Keefe and Sophie stayed like that for hours through the night.

They sat together on the balcony in each other's arms, pretending tomorrow didn't exist.

Sophie pointed out the different constellations and Keefe insisted his real name was Orion and they named a constellation after him for his valiant hunting skills.

They laughed together until well past midnight.

Sophie fell asleep on Keefe's chest and he stayed, not wanting to wake her up or leave.

Keefe stayed until the sun started to rise, and dawn came.

-

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲!
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲́.
𝗘𝗵, 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆. *𝘀𝗵𝗿𝘂𝗴𝘀*
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝟯𝟬𝟬 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲!
𝗕𝘆𝗲!
~𝗧