Love Is War - Personal Story

Chapter 7 - Just The Two Of Us

- Secret Base
You and the end of summer and then
dreams of the future
And our big hope, I won't forget them -

Laughter echoed and bounced from the two heignesses, their ankles soiling in the shallow, running waters of the creek. They made careful to roll up their garments and not splash each other.

The gentle sun began to settle and the river began to shade with shadows of dark and greenery. It created a beautiful painted looking scene of green, blue, and cold hues.

It seemed almost fictional to the both of them. They could basically be characters in a work of Nicky Boehme. Her pieces always seemed to create a separate sort of universe of their own, and Malachi felt as though he was in a world of his own.

Juliet had recommended this third day as one more casual, so Malachi mentioned a creek he'd play in when he got lost.

They had left early in the morning and the sun was now beginning to set.

"Ah, it's so nice out here.."
Juliet, slightly worn from the child play, carefully sat on the edge of the creek along the running water.

Malachi took a seat beside her and smiled.
"Very much. It's nice knowing we're back where I liked before, but with you here now it makes it all that much better."

In suprise, she gasped and laughed at him, still flushing red.
"Ah!- So cliché. What, are you in love or something?'

In a teasing manner, the boy held a hand over his heart and his other hear his head in a fainting manner.

"Ooh my Juliet, for I have fallen so hard my heart overlooks our current situation. This creek shall forever... hold the memories of our exchanged words."

He spoke in a dramatic way, like he was some sort of poet reciting a confession.
Juliet simply laughed at him and looked back at the water.  It wasn't exactly calm but not raging. She felt her stresses fly away with a breath.

"Do you need anything?"
"Mm, kind of hungry.. but I'm sure I'll find something when I get home."
"Ah, give me a moment then."

She turned her head in confusion and watched as the boy opened a satchel on the horse's saddle. He dug around in it for a moment and pulled out a cloth sack.

Making his way back, he sat beside her again and handed her one.

"I have a habit of taking what's not been touched after eating. So hopefully you're okay with this?"

Opening the cloth revealed just a small amount of food, like scones, shortbread, and cut sandwiches.

"Ah, looks nice. Do you mind?"
"Not at all."

She took a piece of shortbread in her hand and took a bite.
It tasted like the ones at home, albeit of better freshness. The scone itself was still warm and very sweet.

Malachi opened his and bit into his small half a sandwich.

"Perhaps I could cook something more for a lunch like this.."
"It's good, really. But I think a dinner day would be nice."

Oh the possibilities of fantasies ran through both of their heads. The mental image of the two sharing an open, private candle lit dinner.

"Juliet?"

"Huh?"

The princess was too caught in her thoughts and didn't realize the boy calling her.

"What do you think?"
Looking back down at the delicacy, she nodded at him.

"It's good. I'd like to have more of your cooking. They're sweet."
She finished the sentence by taking a bite of the scone in her lap.

"Confidence is skyrocketing right now then."
Malachi smiled brightly at her, and moved his gaze up to the sky.

It seemed the sky's afterglow once again reflected the feelings between them.

"Ah, I should be heading home soon. My father has business to attend to and I can't be late."

"Ah, of course. I guess this is a cue for me to take leave too."

Finishing his sandwich with one more bite, he took a breath and stood up, walking to his stallion.

Juliet cleaned herself up and stretched, waiting for him to call her over.

"Ready now, whenever you're done."
With a nod and a confident stride, she made her way to the front of the horse, carefully petting its dark hair.

"Lovely isn't she?"
He spoke softly, like it was a child of some kind. The two continued doting on the animal for a while.

Suddenly, Juliet stepped away and heard something.

Behind her was the crunching of leaves and footsteps. They sounded heavy, unlike Malachi's boots or the horse.

The two shared a look of fear and silence, before the footsteps could be heard again.
The prince took ever so careful steps towards her and held an arm out front of her.

A yelp came from the two as the source of footsteps emerged from the forest.
It seemed to be a soldier or outrider of some sorts.

"You two!- I suspected something was arise."

Juliet gasped at the realization that it was one of her own, the uniform so familiar.

Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and walked towards them.

"Huh? Wait, let me go!"
She resisted against their grasp, but they persisted.

"What do you think you're doing out here?! Not just that, but with another kingdom's heir?"

"No wait, I can explain please!-"
"There's no use explaining to me. It's your father you'll be talking with. Come with me now."

Her breathing became increasingly difficult and frantic. The mention of her consequences to her father made her panic. She was looking around, anywhere or anything to atleast take her away from this in her head.

In the forest, there was no longer a sign of Malachi in plain sight.

The boy held a hand over his mouth to quiet his breathing as he listened to her scolding. He hid behind a tree nearby.
He took a deep breath and peered around the corner.

"Oi, you there! We'll be taking you in too, bastard!"
"Ah!-"

Guards began surrounding Malachi from every side, especially behind him. There was no where he could've gone.

Juliet watched in disbelief as the soldiers roughing him against trees before tying his hands behind his back.

"Juliet!-"
He coughed out as he was pushed back into the crowd of guards.

Why hadn't they seen this coming?