It was a foggy day the first time I saw her. Making my way through the tall grass I heard someone fiercely struggling in combat. The tall trees of the forest blocked the sun and let only thin rays of light come through. I rushed to the direction where I heard a battle was taking place, and then sprung out from the tall grass into a clear area. My eyes open wide when I saw her swinging her sword over a forest bear's head in screaming fury. The sun shined behind her which blinded me for a moment, and I covered the sun rays to focus on her better.

She was at least three times smaller than the bear, petite, and she was wearing trainee warrior clothes. She had bruises all over her arms, and she was bleeding from the severe bear scratches. Her black long hair hanged to the middle of her back and she had the looks of what seemed to me a goddess visiting from the land of the deities.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned, she was panting and hadn't notice my presence. Or at least that I thought.

"Leave me alone, I don't need your help" she said in a cold tone without even turning her head. I open my backpack and took out ointments and herbal remedies.

"Here take these, they should help your wounds"

She took the sword with her two hands, lifted it up in the air on top of her head and then smashed it into the ground where it stood perpendicular to the ground.

"I said leave me alone!" she yelled, I could see a tear roll down her cheek and before I could react she tumbled to the side and loss consciousness.

What a stubborn little girl had I just stumbled upon that day, it was fate I suppose. I took her sword out of the ground and secured it in my belt. I took out a strip of leather and made a knot binding her bag to a hinge of mine. Finally I carefully put my arms around her and started my journey to the nearest village.

In the road to the village I couldn't help but contemplating her fine features. For a moment I didn't wanted to arrive at the village, I was afraid she would wake up at a given moment and scorn my good gesture. But it didn't happen, I wonder what was she thinking trying to slain a monster too big and deadly for her clearly undeveloped warrior skills.

I must confessed I admired her courage to face that kind of a threat at such a high risk. It would have never even crossed my mind to do such an imprudent thing when I was a trainee.

Later at the village, I went to the local alchemist I knew to be a good remedy maker. I paid him enough gold to bring her back to health and then I looked at her for one last time before leaving the store.

"Where are you going?" The alchemist stopped me.

"Where?, to continue my journey I guess".

"What about your girlfriend?" he asked me and pointed to the girl on the bed made of giant dry leaves.

I shuddered, my mouth opened but nothing came out of it.

"I..I.. well.. I was just..she is not really my.."

"Ahh don't worry young lad, if you haven't confessed to her, the time will come. I don't need any magic to tell your feelings, how you gaze at her can speak more than you can ever say"

My face turned red and I tried to object to the alchemist's remark but I was too shocked to mutter out anything.

"Go along your business, I will let you know when her health improves"

Like an obedient child I left and walked around the village. I stopped and sat on a stone trying to clarify my mind. What was I doing sitting around for a complete stranger to recover her health? She didn't even wanted me to help her in the first place. Oh no, what if she would have died if I left her, I could not just live with that for the rest of my life!. And what did the alchemist meant about confessing my feelings?! I don't even know her name! Blehh, he was just being polite because I was generous when paying him extra gold for his services.

What if I leave now?, he health will improve.. eventually she would get up pick up her belongings and leave the alchemist's store. But what if she does it again and this time she does succeed on getting herself killed? Arggg why did this had to happen to me?!.

I was busy fighting my mind when I felt something tapped me in the shoulder. I got up in the split of a second and took out my sword to defend myself.

"Oh, please don't kill the messenger young warrior" the alchemist laughed "I am just here to tell you that she is now conscious and talking".

So what? I thought to myself, what should I be concerned?. I can't say what made me go back to the alchemist's store, I think I just wanted to scold her for doing something so risky and then leave as soon as I gave her a "What in the World where YOU thinking?!" speech.

I closed my fists and I started marching words the alchemist's store. I could see the light of candles coming from the store, darkness had just covered the sky while we walked. The alchemist opened the door for me wearing a strange smirk on his face.

I went through and she was sitting on the bed with her arms strapped with white rags that held medicinal herbs in between. She was looking down to the floor, and she was biting her lips in anguish.

"You should have left me to die"

"What?!"

She then looked at me for the first time, with her eyes filled with flowing tears and her face lit by the candles.

"My father said he would have rather had a boy, so I wanted to prove him that I can fight as well as any other warrior!"

She lowered her face again and shook violently.

"I'm such a failure"

Suddenly I didn't wanted to scold her anymore. I walked slowly towards here and kneel down in front of her.

"Getting yourself killed won't fix anything, it was a stupid thing to do. Now tell me, what is your name?"

She looked away and wiped her tears with one of her arms.

"He.. Helena"

I breathed deeply and stood up, I went to the alchemist and arranged for her to stay for the night. What else could I do? I just hoped that some sleep would settle her thoughts and perhaps she could be in a more cooperative mood in the morning.

Early the next day I went to the store to check on her progress, only to find a committee of royal guards guarding the store.

"Excuse me, I need to see the alchemist" I said to one of the hideous guards.

"We are here on official business, you shall not see him until we are done, we..."

"I need to see how my friend is doing, she stayed at the alchemist's store last night" I lied.

"You....friend?...what the.." he looked at me funny, "it's him!" he yelled back to the other guards.

Soon all of them dragged out their weapons and surrounded me. I did so as well and I tried to cover all my open flanks. As I was turning in circles trying to fend off any attack.

Suddenly I heard Helena's voice coming from behind me. She entered the circle where I was surrounded and stood before me. I carefully took her by the waste and kept my guard up.

"Are you crazy?, you want to die by the sword is that what you want?, stay behind me and if we are lucky you will survive" I told her firmly.

"Just play along" She whispered in my ear. Was she crazy? I had five royal guards in full metal gear ready to put a sword through both of our skulls and she says some crazy thing like that!

"I came out here by my own will" she stated "he is just a country boy that I ran into, he won't cause any trouble"

The guards looked at each other and they seemed to argue with interchanging looks.

"Put down your weapons and let him go" She ordered. At this point I was not even considering aging, I wondered what the alchemist would put on my grave. "Here lies a fool that died along with his girlfriend", the only thought of it made me twitch my left eye.

"But my..." Started one of the guards.

"I command you, please let him go!" I turned back to Helena and I could saw she was crying again.

"As you wish my princess" Grunted one of the guards, he ordered the rest to put down their weapons and then aligned themselves in a square behind Helena.

I dropped my weapon in astonishment. My hands were trembling and my heart hurt from pumping blood so violently.

"You, you, ..the guards.. you .. are. the. the. "

She walked to me still with the rags hanging from her arms, and grabbed me softly by the ears. She pulled me towards her gently and kissed me in the cheek.

"My Princess!!!" Shouted one of the guards in dissaproval.

"We shall meet again warrior" She said tenderly.

She turned to the royal guards who then escorted her to a nearby carriage.

Something inside told me that I would never see her again, at least not tomorrow, not the day after, nor the month after this one. "The time will come" the alchemist said, yes, the time will come.

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Happy Valentine's Day to everyone at MMOSite
-Suki