"What do you think they said?"
"What makes you think they said anything?"
"Because she didn't... die... did she... Not that fast?"
"Why are you asking this?"
The sun was setting and the two women watched it turn the horizon a beautiful orange with waves of red. France was being decimated by war but even in destruction, it didn't cease to amaze. They were on the third floor of a broken apartment, leaning on the metal railings of the balcony.
"Because I want to know what those kinds of people say in their last moments."
"What does it matter?"
"The world... They are making history. When one dies, in their last moment together, do they say 'I love you'? Or would she tell him to do something for her?"
"They would say 'I love you'."
"You'd think that but something tells me they wouldn't."
"They're lovers. What else would they say?"
"What if she told him to carry on fighting for peace... and he refused."
"I don't think so. He's always been known to be fair."
"But he's been furious since the start. You saw the video, how they ambushed them. I don't think they would be talking about love during that."
Her friend took out a cigarette, lit it and inhaled. She toyed with the smoke as she exhaled, glowing faintly with the colors of the sun as it flew in front of it. She passed the cigarette over as they continued watching the sun.
"What would you say, Keyla?"
"If I was her?"
"Yeah... and he just looked at you one last time and you could only say a few words."
"I don't know, Maha, I'm not the imaginative type..." Maha held Keyla's hand and pulled her close.
"What would you say? You're Tasia Mara, the most powerful woman on this earth, fighting for peace and the humans lead you to think they'll accept your offer but instead send an army to greet you. What do you say? Your dying words..." They stared into each other's eyes. She was being serious. She wanted an answer. Keyla took the cigarette from her and took a puff without breaking contact. She exhaled slowly, letting the smoke spread around them.
"I'd tell him to burn them all." Maha smiled at the response. She pulled Keyla close one more time, their bodies touching.
"If I die in this war..."
"Don't say that," Keyla interrupted.
"No. I want you to know this." Keyla suddenly looked depressed. "I don't want to hear that you love me."
"Maha..."
"Shut up." Tears were forming in her beautiful brown eyes. Keyla's heart beat faster as her eyes started to glisten. "I don't want to hear that you love me because I know that already. I want to know what you'll do when I die... for me..."
"We're not dying..."
"But I do... Say I do... What would you say to me? Do I matter enough in this world to deserve anything other than 'I love you'? Is that all I'm here for? To be loved? Or am I here to make a change?"
"We're not Tasia Mara, my love."
"So we don't matter?"
"No. We matter because it's us she was fighting for. She fought because we matter." Keyla firmly held round Maha and kissed her neck. "But I'd tell you that I'll keep fighting. That I'll make sure we win this war and create a better future... That your death won't be in vain... because you matter."
Maha kissed her lips and looked into her eyes.
"Then starting tomorrow, we sign up for Arcadeus's army. I don't want to be a foot-soldier anymore."
"I'm liking this part of you."
"We're Demigods, Keyla, and every Demigod in the past has carved their names into the history books and have had tales written about them. So... what's to stop us from doing the same?"
Comments