FLASH FICTION
Another Goodbye
Fantasy
She heard him approaching and a smile spread across her lips. She knew it was the boy, for he rattled the keys in that way they’d agreed. She stood and covered the short distance to the cell bars to wait. She would not see the large dungeon door open or close, but she could hear the familiar scraping of wood on stone as the guards permitted his entry. The clunky sound of his too-large armour rattled as he took every step. The boy, young man, was not yet graceful in his uniform. As the door pulled to a close behind him, he removed his helmet and gently, quietly, placed it by the corner of the door, an alarm should anyone enter.
She heard him approaching and a smile spread across her lips. She knew it was the boy, for he rattled the keys in that way they’d agreed. She stood and covered the short distance to the cell bars to wait. She would not see the large dungeon door open or close, but she could hear the familiar scraping of wood on stone as the guards permitted his entry. The clunky sound of his too-large armour rattled as he took every step. The boy, young man, was not yet graceful in his uniform. As the door pulled to a close behind him, he removed his helmet and gently, quietly, placed it by the corner of the door, an alarm should anyone enter.
As she reached through the bars, her arms outstretched, he came to her. He quickly placed the tray he was carrying on the ground and he took her hand squeezing it for a brief moment before they fell into each other’s arms, their hug hindered by the rusted steel bars between them.
“Where have you been?” she asked.
“Away, on my first mission.” He smiled but it was half-hearted and his eyes were filled with the horrors he had seen. She placed a comforting hand on his cheek. There was a stitched wound peaking out from the undergarments mostly hidden by his breastplate. A tear welled in her eye.
“I’m okay my love, I promise you,” he swore as his hand came to her face and hers reached for his.
“It was so long,” she said. “I feard the worst.”
“Do not fear for until you are freed and you are in my arms without these bars, I shall always return for you.”
They kissed. It was passionate and filled with longing. It always was.
A scrape of metal on stone.
They quickly stepped away from each other. She turned and looked out the small slit in the stone wall that revealed a distant blue sky as he pushed the meagre tray of food and water through the small opening at the base of the cell door.
It took all his resistance and strength not to look to her but he knew the inevitable torture such treachery would bring. Instead, he turned back to the door. Another of his troop, a man barely a year older than himself, stood tall, holding his helmet with both hands.
“Don’t let the Commander see you without this,” he said, shaking the helmet, too young or too naive to ask why he did not wear it.
“Yes, thank you,” he said and headed to the door without glancing back. It pained him greatly to not look upon her one more time before he returned to his duties. Neither knew how long it would be before he could return to her and neither knew how long it would take for him to somehow free her. They both understood he was only in the castle’s army for two reasons. One was to get her out. The other was because he was of mandatory service age. He had four years in which to devise his plan. And then, they would both run, forever.
It pained him greatly to not look back.
She watched him walk away and she could feel his sorrow. As the door slammed shut with a reverberation that ran up her spine, she fell into the pile of hay and sobbed.
“Yes, Commander. Your suspicions were accurate,” said the young soldier. “I saw them embrace.”
“Very well,” said the Commander. “Send the boy with the fleet.”
“Sir?”
“He shall sail out today.”
“Sir, he shall surely die.”
“Yes, Surely.”
This Flash Fiction was created from my personal prompt generator. The prompt was: “A woman kisses a charismatic boy in a prison but they are discovered.” My Generator has issues.