delusion

'Once upon a time. In a kingdom far away. There lived a girl with eyes as green as the Atlantic ocean.' 

Wait.

What the hell. Who in this world decided that the story begins from Once upon a time. And what for? 

Why can't the story start from 'The middle' or 'The end' per se? 

Because of rules? 

Now, What's the perk of being an author if you can't break a couple of rules.

This needs to change. So, it's decided. This story will be different. It will begin from 'The End'

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Jule tightens Her grip on Dante's wrist and kept walking with all her strength. 

She turns around, looking beyond Dante's questioning eyes and saw nothing but trees mossed by ages, covering them from every side. The lights and voices lost somewhere back in the twilight as they entered the dusk.

"Stop for the heaven's sake," He  said finally putting his feet down.

She bends over to catch her breath while he leaned against a tree. They both felt exhausted from the struggle.

She looked at the sky and then her world. Tears at the threshold, threatening to make her weak but she can't let go now. It would be unbearable. 

She walked slowly to Dante and placed her hand on his back. He flinched to the touch and turned to face her. She took more steps further, blocking his way. 

"There is no other way left, my love." She slipped her hand to his waist, sending chills to his nerves. 

She looked into his eyes and placed a soft kiss on his cheeks; as she wrapped her fingers around the sword's hilt.

He pushed her in urgency, fear creeping up on him and felt a strong sting on his waist. 

Jule stumbled backwards and fell next to the sword. It's tipped bleeding from her love.

She wiped the blood from her cheek and picked up the sword. 

His eyes followed her blade as she pressed it against her neck.

"Don't. Move." 

_____

Hours before the end; Dante was roaming through the crowd along with his mates at the annual fair. Occasionally stopping to convey a smile or wink to the ladies passing by.

The event was ostentatious, with rows of shops selling everything from the sweets to precious jewels. Lamps were beginning to be light adding magic to the magnificent. After all, it was the first fair since the war between the two states ended.

Dante was enjoying his prime when he saw a familiar face in the crowd. 

She was looking like a blossomed flower in between the giggles of her friends. "Will she even recognize me," he thought as he approached her.

He went ahead and stood in her track. She looked at him with such intensity as if she could see his soul. A sudden nervousness hit him in the gut and he fiddled with the hilt of his sword. 

"Finally we met," she said with a smile so familiar that he felt at home but their moment was interrupted as a passerby went from between them almost hitting Dante with his bag. 

"Should we talk somewhere else?" He offered his hand which she accepted without any hesitation. 

They sat behind a hay-cock facing the forest. 

"I still remember playing warriors as kids. When we moved back I missed it the most as nobody there knew what it was!"

"Was that the only thing you missed?" She asked. Pulling on the loose hay.

"Of course not. Anyway, I am training to be a real warrior now." He said. Grinning with a raised eyebrow just like the old days.

Jule abruptly stopped and turned to face him.

"But the war has ended for Good isn't it?" 

"Indeed. Although a state always needs to be prepared." 

"So you've given up on returning?" 

Dante repositioned himself from the awkward intensity of the moment. 

"A war is a breakage of the thread of friendship, it might tie up again but it can never be joined."

Tears started to escape from Jule's eyes, but she didn't flinch a bit.

"Not every story is epic, but I thought ours was." 

"Why are you saying it like that, it is epic as it hasn't ended yet," he said in an attempt to calm his dear friend.

Jule sobbed out her fears and Dante sat next to her in empathy. Until she was ready to talk.

"Hail the sword, my love. I am all yours," she said. Holding onto his hands.

"What? I feel you've misunderstood here," Dante freed his hand and stood up at once.

"I am sorry but this is the only way left," Jule said grabbing his wrist and started walking towards the forest hurridly as she heard some muffled voices approaching them.

_____

At the start of the evening when the lamps were being lighted. Jule sat with her friends, in front of the storyteller lady. Her eyes searching the crowd. 

The lady told them about the tales around the world. People falling in love and going lengths for it to survive but Jule's heart didn't seem to rest. 

"Though these tales are very rare, fair women. So don't let them fool you," The lady said.

"Really? Then our Jule is so lucky to have such an epic story. Tell her."  Her friends forced.

"He shifted In my neighbourhood like serendipity. We were kids back then. We played around and promised to stay together through thick and thin. Once he went back to his hometown for the festival and then the war broke out."

"We were nine back then. There was no way He could come back, but today we will meet and find our happily ever after. After all the war has ended now. He will take me with him," She said. Her cheeks turning bright red from the tease of her friends. 

The lady listening intently said "I hope it will be a dream come true." 

"It surely will," Jule said as she saw Dante approaching her through the crowd. 

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