Swordfall

Four

Enyo lay on the damp, evening, emerald grass, under the blanket that was the harmonious night sky. The town behind her was filled with a loud silence, wrapping her in stillness. Wind whistled through the tall, swaying trees, which Enyo found comfort in. Her deep brown hair was spread out into a peculiar, but still gorgeous pattern on the ground beneath her. "Hey mum..." she began. "Do you miss me? I miss you. I wish I could remember you, because despite never getting to know you, a huge part of me is missing since you're not here. Dad said you used to love the stars, is that right? I think I'm growing to love them too. You know, I could swear they shine brighter now that you've joined them." She didn't know what else to say. She just stared at the burning balls of gas in the sky, wondering which one her mother was.

Enyo's bubble was burst by a rustling in the bushes nearby. She scrambled to her feet, almost completely losing her balance. "Hello?" she murmured. "Hello?" she repeated, louder this time. "Whoever you are, I'm not afraid of you." Silence.
"Enyo?"
"Ares?"
"What are you doing here?" he taunted.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Calm yourself. I didn't know you'd be here. I'm unarmed, I promise. I won't hurt you."
"How can I be sure?"
"I guess you'll just have to trust me." Ares grinned.
"Trust the enemy? You wish. What do you want?" Enyo regarded, her tone stocked with poison.
"I don't want to fight, Enyo."
"You didn't answer my question."
"If you must know, this is where I come to relax. The edge of the forest is the perfect safe place. I feel... protected. I come here all the time, so how come I've never seen you here?" Enyo let her guard drop at Ares' sudden interest in her.
"Sit." Ares did as he was told. "My dad was telling me about my mum earlier, I thought I'd find her here."
"Wouldn't she tell you if she was leaving home?" Ares asked, confused. Enyo tried her best to paint a smile on her face. "No. She wouldn't."
"But that's absurd, I mean my mother never does anything without my father's permi- oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realise."
"Not your fault."
"It's not yours either, you know, just in case you're blaming it on yourself."
"You know me oddly well."
"Well, I bet she was more than happy to leave this Earth if it meant you could live."
"That's the thing. I don't think I'm living anymore. I'm just surviving."
"Hm."
"What?"
"I understand you. It's weird. Never thought I would."
"How come?"
"Because you're my enemy."
"No, how come you understand me?"
"There's no joy in anything anymore. Everything I do is forced, and most of the time I do it wrong, so that gets me in trouble with my dad."
"What's your dad like?"
"Total idiot. He said I'm not supposed to leave the castle, but here we are."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Not your fault." Ares looked into Enyo's eyes and the pair shared a pleasant smile. Perhaps despite their history, there was a future. Now what that future would consist of was untold, but the fact there could be something there was enough for both of them.