“This, this makes it all worth it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Shh, lie down with me, hurry, it doesn’t last long after the ancient has been destroyed.”
Sven lay down next to Lina in the grass of the clearing. She had dragged him out here as soon as the ancient of their enemies had fallen. Right into the woods and onto this clearing. She had flopped down in the grass, arms flung to her sides, and had stared into the sky.
Slowly, but a little curious what this was about, the Rogue Knight mirrored her position, close enough to brush his hand against her fiery hair. He didn’t feel it, since he was still wearing gloves from fighting in the war, but it gave him a sense of connection. “And now?”
She turned her head and when she saw him looking at her, she laughed. “You have to watch the sky, silly, and listen to everything around you. I’ll give you a hint though: it is the most peaceful atmosphere you’ll ever experience.” Then she did what she had just told him, with a smile on her lips. She was so beautiful, Sven couldn’t take his eyes off her. But even then, he got it. He didn’t have to look at the sky to feel it.
No matter where one was during this war, there was always the sound of fighting. The shuffling of feet, the rumbling of nearby beasts, the clash of weapons. And there was always the sense of nearby danger. One could never relax during the war.
Now it was all gone. Of course there was still shuffling and rumbling, but the tone of it hand changed. The shuffling was less hurried, the padding of animal feet on the forest floor. The rumbling wasn’t in anger or as a threat, it was more like purring or the satisfied mumble of a predator as it lay down to take a nap.
All kinds of creatures were chirping and fluttering around, a soft breeze rustling through the leaves of the trees.
It smelled of earth and forest, not of blood and metal. Except for the underlying scent of his own armour, Sven thought. He didn’t fit into this clearing, still sweaty from the war, still armed and vigilant.
In contrast to Lina. She lay in the grass as if she belonged, completely relaxed as she stared into the sky, watching clouds drift by, bathing in the soft sunshine. She was bright and beautiful, all colours and vitality. She was right, this moment, it was worth all the fighting from before. Sven smiled as he watched Lina. This was perfect.