Songs Turned Into Stories

Armor

Lyrics:

I'm not bullet proof when it comes to you
Don't know what to say when you made me the enemy
After the war is won
There's always the next one
I'm not bullet proof when it comes to youMaybe I'll crash into you
Maybe we would open these wounds
We're only alive if we bruise
So I lay down this armor
I will surrender tonight
Before we both lose this fight
Take my defenses
All my defensesI lay down this armor...
I lay down this armor...
I lay down this armorI do what it takes to make this right
But we got to stop before the regret
After the war is wonThere's always the next one
I'll do what it takes to make this rightMaybe I'll crash into you
Maybe we will open these wounds
We're only alive if we bruise
So I lay down this armor
I will surrender tonight
Before we both lose this fight
Take my defenses
All my defensesI lay down this armor...
I lay down this armor...
I lay down this armor for youI'll be you escape
I'll be your safe place
I'll be your shelter
Your shelter, yeah
I'll be you escape
I'll be your safe place
I'll be your shelter
Your shelter, yeahMaybe I'll crash into you
Maybe we will open these wounds
We're only alive if we bruise
So I lay down this armorI will surrender tonight
Before we both lose this fight
Take my defenses
All my defenses
I lay down this armor...
I lay down this armor...
I lay down this armor for you
I lay down this armor for you

Start.

She sighs, sitting on the ground with her head on her knees and her arms wrapped around her legs. She was talking to her general who doubled as her best friend, "I wear this armor to be nearly invincible in a fight. I can hold up as long as my stamina allows but I'm not bullet proof when it comes to this. We don't want this fight but what are we supposed to do? For generations our kingdoms have been enemies. After we win one war another arises. And I'm not bullet proof when it comes to him." Her voice softens on the last sentence.

The next day she meets her enemy, and her lover, on the battlefield. They both stand in front of their armies, waiting for the first move to be made. 

I have to put an end to this.

"Before we fight," she begins, her voice ringing loud and clear for both armies to hear, "I would like to say something." She takes a deep breath, "If we fight, maybe I'll crash into you. Maybe we'll open these same old wounds. We are only alive if we bruise... but I lay down this armor." And with that sentence, she cuts the leather strap holding her impermeable armor to her body. Both armies gasp as she continues, staring into the dark eyes of the best and worst thing to happen to her, "I'm surrendering tonight before we both lose this fight. Even if one of us wins, we'd have to kill the other and I cannot do that nor can I watch as my soldiers die and this field becomes just another river of blood. So take my defenses," she throws her arms out on either side of her, gesturing to her army, "All of them. I lay down this armor."

As she was speaking she begins walking steadily towards him, her soldiers stay where they were. 

She stops with the last two sentences, exactly in the middle of the armies.

Her words echo across the field and in the minds of every soldier standing at the ready. I lay down this armor.

From the opposite side of the field the prince watches, and when she finishes, he responds, "I was going to say this but you beat me to it," and then he meets her eyes once again, "I'll do what it takes to make this right, but we have to stop before the regret of knowing we took a mother and a sister or a father and a brother from their loved ones. We can't take that back. After this fight there's always going to be a next one unless we make peace. So I'll do what it takes to make this right. And, you're right, I may crash into you, maybe we'll open old wounds. We're only alive if we bruise but we're only human if we bend. So," he copies her movements, cutting the strap of leather and letting his armor fall to the ground, "I'll lay down my armor.

"I'm surrendering tonight before both our kingdoms pay the price, their blood fertilizing the ground with death. I'll take your defenses, all your defenses, and make them ours. That is if you'll have me?" As he was speaking, he came to the middle of the two armies, meeting her, and knelt down on his knee.

"Will you marry me?"

She smiles into his dark eyes, "Only under the condition that our nations must never fight again."

He laughs, "And here I was thinking I'd be the one convincing you. I lay down this armor..."

I lay down this armor...

"I'll lay down this armor for you."

Five months later.

Their speeches on the battlefield and declaration of love spread throughout both kingdoms and both kingdoms held a celebration with civilians from each mingling for the first time in centuries. No more wars would be fought between these two neighbors. Not as long as the prince and princess were both alive, at least.

The two now stood at the alter, his charcoal grey and her clear blue eyes were locked on the other's like if they looked away they'd die. And maybe they would.

He spoke his vows, "I vow be your escape when the world give you pain. I vow be your safe place when you're sought after by enemies. I vow to be your shelter when the rains come to wash you away."

She smiles and recites hers as well, "I vow be your escape when the world brings you anguish. I vow be your safe place when your face is that on wanted posters. I vow to be your shelter when the storms life brings threatens to steal you from me."

"And now I've crashed into you and we've closed those old wounds. We're alive and we've bruised. And we lay down our armor," he continues.

"We surrendered that night before we both lost the fight you took my defenses, made them our defenses, and now we lay down our armor," she replies.

And then they say together, "I lay down this armor for you."

Finally, the union is sealed with their kiss.