Leaving was harder than she had thought it would be. The place she had called home for the entirety of her twenty-one years of existence. Where she played with her friends, lived and laughed with her family and learned the art form of her ancestors. Even in the midst of death and destruction, leaving her village seemed to have torn a piece out of her heart.
It was long believed that They, the occupiers would not harm the natives. They would simply take their tributes and leave the villagers be. No one believed the rumours that a "cleansing" would soon be done. Until, of course, it was.
Now, as she sailed through the river, the one connecting multiple villages, she wondered if He had even survived. She did know that his village had also been attacked. Members of the Resistance had shared this information with her, shortly after they picked her up. She tried to take in the beauty of the river and it's flora one last time. Knowing she may not see it again for a long while. If ever. But all that serenity seemed to mock her. The chirping birds seemed to laugh at her pain.
Then, she saw Him. Sailing toward her in his boat. She wondered if his family had survived. He was all alone in his boat, and there were no other boats accompanying his. That, along with the emptiness in his eyes, answered her question. She thought she had spent all her tears weeping over her own loved ones. That was until she thought of his family, who had treated her like one of their own, and she felt her eyes getting moist again. She blinked back her tears. She needed to stay strong.
Their boats got closer. In this familiar place, this river where they had frolicked as children. Where they had come to see each as more than friends. She took in his scars, just as he noticed hers. No words were exchanged. For what good could words possibly do?
One look at the other, and each knew what they had lost. Now all that remained was a desire for retribution. If not to heal their wounds, then to at least honour the fallen.
The Resistance was recruiting new members. She had already sworn to fight till her last breath. The fire in his eyes told her, he wanted the same. A moment passed between them. One that held compassion, understanding and a decision.
She turned her boat around and rowed back the way she came. Back to the camp where the survivors were. Where preparations for a retaliation were being made.
And he followed.
