In War and Love

“No one will find us,” Arcadia promised, gently kissing Bea’s forehead as they lay on the ground of a dark cave. She pulled away just enough to put her hands on Bea’s dusty cheeks. “Hey. Look at me. Everything is going to be okay. They won’t find us. Do you trust me?”

“How could I not?” Bea smiled and leaned in to kiss the other girl. “The sun will be rising soon. We should go home now, before they wake up.”

Arcadia looked down, and Bea saw fear in her eyes. “The draft is growing tighter. I’m not sure how much longer I can avoid it.. I… I don’t want to lose you. I really can’t lose you, Bea.”

“And you never will.”

“Let’s run away. No one would ever have to know. If we stay here, the war is going to destroy us. Even if we aren’t drafted—”

“You know I can’t leave. We’ve talked about this. My mother can’t work for herself and Killian… he’s Killian. He doesn’t think. I don’t think he could even keep her alive.”

“That won’t matter if you get drafted.”

“The draft starts at age twenty for me. I have a few months left. He… he might be gone by then. I think he might even volunteer. He hates Opleans. I don’t know what he’d do if he found out about us. And even if he did join the army, I still wouldn’t be able to leave Mom.”

“If I get drafted, I’m going to run. If I’m not here next week—”

“—I’ll pack my things and meet you at the cove.”

“Would you be able to get out of the house?” Arcadia asked. “I could cover you…”

“No,” Bea said firmly. “I love you, but magic is… no. Look. The sun is rising.”

“Stay safe,” Arcadia said, then kissed her girlfriend one last time. She climbed out of the small cave and into the canyons that marked the border of their countries. Bea waited a few minutes, then left the cave herself, hiked through the canyons, and climbed right into her brother’s waiting arms.

Bea pulled away. “Killian! What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” He hissed. “I came to look for you! I saw your footprints leading this way. Seriously, Bea? Out in the canyons in the middle of the night? You know how dangerous this place is! Especially so close to the border! There could be spies!”

“I’m fine!” Bea insisted, shouldering past him. “I don’t need a lecture.”

“We’re not done talking about this, Bea.”

“We can talk about it with Mom.” She was going to be in so much trouble. Thankfully, their mother was usually able to calm her brother down. 

At least Killian hadn’t seen Arcadia.

Their town was a small dump a mile or so from the border of Caglon, Bea’s country, and Oplea, where Arcadia lived. The two countries had been at war for twenty-five years, longer than Bea had been alive, and the hatred between them had gone on for much longer. 

According to legend, the rivalry started when the Opleans stole a magical stone from Caglon and then used its power to keep the Caglons from getting it back. In the ensuing battle, the Oplean leader broke the stone, infusing his soldiers with magic.

And now, hundreds of years later, almost all Opleans had at least some kind of magic.

How could Caglon ever trust Oplea, when magic itself could not be trusted? How would anyone know whether or not their thoughts were their own, or someone else’s, telepathically sent? They weren’t safe in their own minds!

But then Bea met Arcadia and, oh, she understood.

The girls met one day in the canyons, after Bea had run there to hide from Killian when he was being annoying. Arcaria had been on the other side of the canyon, extracting snake venom from the snakes in the canyon to make antidotes. The girls had been frightened, but once they started talking, they realized that they had a lot in common.

They both lived close to the border, so their villages were constantly being raided by whichever army was in control. They both grew up watching their little cities turn into little towns, and then into little villages, which would soon become a ghost town. Literally.

“Mom!” Killian was the first into their small house. “You’ll never guess who I found in the canyons this morning!”

Bea rolled her eyes. “I already said I wouldn’t do it again.”

“You don’t understand, Mom,” Killian continued, “She doesn’t know how close she was! I saw an Oplean spy lurking around right before Bea came out. Luckily, I was able to scare the spy off before Bea could get caught in the crossfire.”

Bea’s heart turned to lead. 

Arcadia. 

He had seen Arcadia.

“I’m going to report the spy to the general. You, young lady, stay right there. Opleans are monsters. Pure evil! They think they can destroy us and rule the world, do they? We’ll see about that. We might not have their so-called magic, but we have morals. Really, Bea. That spy would have killed you without hesitation if I hadn’t—”

“No, she wouldn’t have! She would never—” Bea started before she could stop herself. “Opleans think the war is justified just like we do, I’m sure. If the spy had found me, I’m sure she would have realized we aren’t as different—”

“Bea, do you hear yourself? These people crippled Mom and tortured Dad until he killed himself just to make it stop! And, what, you think that doesn’t matter?”

“Of course it matters! She just isn’t a part of it!”

“How do you know? Are you friends? Have you turned on our beloved country? When did my own sister become a traitor?”

“Never!” Bea protested.

“Prove it!”

“What has gotten into you two?” Their mother interjected, “Both of you! We do not make wild accusations like this! And we certainly don’t go off and put ourselves in danger! So stop fighting and get to work!”

~~~

Fires burned uncontrolled. Shouts and screams rose through the night. Killian pulled Bea out of bed. They started towards the border, and Bea realized with mounting horror that Killian was taking them straight into the fight.

“You need to see this, Bea! You need to see what the Opleans are capable of.”

“I know what they're capable of! What are you talking about?”

Killian pulled her into a small cave—the same cave she and Arcadia had hidden in that morning—and beckoned for her to be quiet. She watched in horror as the battle raged around her. Bodies crashed to the ground, deadly blows bringing them down. It was a massacre but Bea couldn't tell which side was losing.

“This isn't an easy decision for me, but it's what I have to do.”

“What? What do you have to do?”

Killian’s face was grim, but set. He quietly pulled her out of the cave. She looked out across the battlefield and noticed someone staring at her. It was Arcadia, on the other side of the border, with a bag on her back.

“Arcadia!” Bea screamed.

“I have to go! I'm sorry. I love you!” Arcadia called back. Then she turned and ran.

Bea whispered, “I love you too, Arcadia.”

Killian, horrified by the admission, grabbed her shoulder and pulled her towards the general overseeing the battle. “Sir, my sister is a traitor! She has been meeting with the enemy in secret. We… we cannot trust her.”

“Kill her,” said the general, not even looking at them, “Sorry, son, but if she has chosen the Opleans’ side, then she must be dealt with. She brought this bloodshed upon us.”

“No, I didn’t! Killian—”

But he had already taken a sword from a fallen soldier and was pointing it at her chest. He hesitated. Tears filled his eyes. “I’m sorry. I have to keep Mom safe, even if that means… I’m so sorry.” 

But as he lunged, the blade shattered, so that only the hilt hit her. She was knocked to the ground, but she wasn’t hurt.

And then Arcadia was there, standing over her, her hands and eyes glowing with the magic Bea had been taught to fear. She screamed, “No one touches her!”

“Arcadia,” Bea grabbed her girlfriend’s arm, making her pause. “I’m okay. Thanks to you. Let’s… let’s just get out of here. Fast.”

Arcadia pulled Bea to her feet. Hand in glowing hand, they fled. Bea could feel Killian’s gaze on their backs, but she didn’t dare turn around. He made his choice. He had forced her to make hers. When worst came to worst, she knew who would keep her safe.

So she ran, leaving her mother, her brother, and her home behind.

“We’ll come back, one day,” Arcadia promised. “We’ll stop the war.”

But she knew her brother. Even if the war somehow ended, he would never apologize. She would never be welcome among her family. They could never go back. 

Still, even if it was only for Arcadia’s sake, she agreed, “Maybe.”