The Tale of Seperated Hearts

The struggle of true love to thrive in adversity.

    The candle light cast shadows across the room; the light it provided was soft and ambient. Hadrian, a tall, toned, handsome, dark haired, and brave knight  had just walked in from outside and into the humble home that he shared with his beloved Arabella a, beautiful, sensuous, maiden with long flowing blonde hair. Hadrian stepped through the door and closed it quickly to keep the winters chilling frost from rushing in to overtake the warmth that the roaring fire in the grey stone fireplace provided for the two hopelessly endeared occupants. Hadrian removed his wolf pelt cloak and hung it on a hook by the door and tried to shake the chill from his body. Hadrian turned and saw his beloved Anabella standing by the fire, her skin softened by the glow of natural light surrounding her; Hadrian looked at her longingly and with a heavy heart for the morrow would take him off to war. Arabella smiled and walked quickly to him; her heart fluttered at the sight of her true love "My love, I was wondering when you would return to me." She lovingly embraced him and pressed herself hard against him with thoughts of never letting go. Hadrian wrapped his arms around her and tenderly kissed the top of her head "I counted the minutes till I returned to you my darling Bella." he replied in a soft and endearing tone. Arabella had been worried as the whispers of war had made their rounds within the castle walls and all throughout the village.

       Hadrian held her close and did not want to let go, and in this Arabella knew something was wrong "What news do you bring my love?" she asked already fearing the answer. With a long sorrowful sigh Hadrian told her what had lured him out at such a late hour "Tomorrow we go to war my darling..." Hadrian knew the numbers were not in their favor but he had to defend the king on the battlefield. Arabella held Hadrian tighter in her loving embrace "You will come back to me...you have to my love..." Arabella started to weep as she had done every other time she had received such news from her beloved. Hadrian softly caressed her long golden hair "Do not weep my dear...I will return to you my love...true love is stronger than any steel that will be on that field on the morrow." he said confidently knowing his courage and bravery must hold back despair for them both.

      Arabella looked up at her beloved Hadrian and stared deeply into his haunting blue eyes with a worried but loving gaze "True love will bring you back to darling...it will...it...it has to." Hadrian smiled lovingly at her and stared deeply into her entrancing green eyes and then slowly leaned in and kissed her soft and kissable lips; the kiss they shared was one for the storybooks; it was full of passion, full of love, full of the burning desire they held for one another. After their sweet and sultry kiss Arabella rested her head on Hadrian's toned and muscular chest and stared at the dimly lit wall, and in turn Hadrian rested his chin gently on Arabella's head and stared silently into the fireplace and watched the violent and chaotic flames dance wildly.
 
      A few hours had passed and both of them laid in bed holding each other close after a passionate and sultry meeting of their souls. Sweat beaded on both of their glistening naked bodies as they embraced one another just silently staring into each others eyes; they were totally lost in each others loving gaze "My love, promise me...no matter what you will return to me...promise me amid all that chaos you will return to me triumphant...victorious." Arabella whispered softly to him with out breaking the enchanting gaze they shared. Hadrian just smiled sweetly and caressed Arabella's soft and flawless skin and replied in a loving and emotional whisper "I will come back to you...I will win this war for you my love...not for king or crown but for you...all for you my Bella, my love." Hadrian tenderly kissed her forehead; he cherished every kiss he could bestow upon his beloved. He smiled warmly and affectionately. Arabella gave him a playful look and playfully slapped his muscularly toned arm "But I don't want you to go darling." She voiced defiantly but also playfully. A long comfortable silence ensued but was broken by Arabella as she whispered softly making a single request "Darling...whisper my name till I fall asleep...please...I just want to hear your voice." Hadrian smiled sweetly and granted his love her desire as he never denied her anything that he had the power to grant her. He spoke softly, sweetly, and lovingly to his true love as she drifted off to sleep "I love you my Bella, my sweet Bella, my beautifully wonderful Arabella, you are my one true love..." Hadrian continued on even after he knew she was fast asleep he said her name and how much he loved her as he softly caressed her soft golden skin.

      Hadrian eventually drifted off to sleep himself, but he was haunted with dark, sinister, and foreboding visions of past battles and the brutalities witnessed on the field. Visions of blood soaked grasslands with bodies strewn about and cries of the suffering would be heroes that would never see their homes again plagued his already troubled mind; these cries of hopeless romantics that had bonds of love with another; bonds that were stronger than masterfully forged steel were being broken. These cries of the damned became louder and louder in his dream as he walked the bloody grasslands seeing so much atrocity before him.

               

       Hadrian suddenly awoke, his body covered in sweat and his breathing heavy; the room was dark with only the Moon’s ambient light shining through the window. The moonlight focused on and highlighted his silver armor and masterfully forged sword; they both glowed in the light of the orb that hung in the night sky. Hadrian sighed heavily as he carefully raised himself from the bed as not to wake his darling Bella. Now standing next to the bed Hadrian walked out of the bedroom and into the main room of his and Bella’s humble abode; the fire was dying down but was still producing flame, so Hadrian added a few logs to appease the fires ceaseless hunger and with a few crackles the fire found a renewed strength and its brightness grew as did its dancing flames. The direct warmth felt comforting to Hadrian’s naked form; he stared at the fire as its dancing flames became unbridled and more chaotic as it devoured the fresh offering he had bestowed upon it. Hadrian’s thoughts drifted as he stared into the flames; he thought about Arabella and how he was going to fulfill his promise to her as the prediction for the upcoming battle was grave at best. These thoughts of Arabella and the possibility of losing her danced around his troubled mind tormenting him and filling him with a sense of emptiness, a cold, devouring emptiness that not even the burning fire before him could warm away.

               

         Hadrian shook his head as his eyes watered; his life with his loving Bella was all he ever wanted, and now it was in jeopardy. He took a bronze dual candle holder from the suspended wooden mantle that adorned the grey stone fireplace. Hadrian used the dancing flames of the chaotic fire to light the partially melted candles that stood as two spires from the two holders it provided as a foundation for the wax spires that were now alive with light and warmth. Hadrian took the candle holder in hand and slowly walked back into the bedroom from whence he came; he set the bronze candle holder on the old wooden table that resided in the corner just left of the doorway. The natural light filled the room but was dull enough as not to disturb Anabella’s peaceful slumber. Hadrian dressed himself in his humble apparel, a simple long sleeve shirt and pants made from wool; wool that Arabella had spun herself and in turn then fashioned Hadrian’s clothing, but it just wasn’t the wool that she made his clothes with, love, and care were the most valued things put into the making of his clothing. Hadrian sat in the high back chair that was next to the table and just adjacent from the bed Bella and he shared.

               

         The candles ambient golden light kissed Arabella’s flawless naked skin; the light illuminated her flawless and beautiful face, and she was glowing in the natural light of the candles. Hadrian stared lovingly in awe of her beauty and knew he was truly blessed to have her love and devotion, but this haunted him as well with impending damnation on the doorstep of their happiness. He stared at her and softly whispered “You’re all I wanted ever in this life my love.” Tears once again formed in his eyes and he could only weep and think of how much he loved his Bella.

               

         The morning came and Hadrian was suddenly awakened by the feel of a soft caress on his rough stubbly cheek “Wake up my love.” He heard his beloved Arabell’s angelic voice beckon him from the land of dreams. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her; his smile and expression he presented her spoke a thousand words of devotion “Good morning my lovely Bella.” He voiced softly before sharing a passionate kiss that could have sent tremors through time and space itself. Arabella walked out of the bedroom and as she did she spoke to Hadrian “You better get ready if you want breakfast before you leave my darling.” Hadrian wanted to spend every second he could with his Bella, so he immediately jumped up to get cleaned up and dressed; he went to a room just next to their bedroom and Arabella had hot water waiting for him in a bath. Hadrian smiled thankfully and he thought about how his life would be meaningless without Arabella’s love; he then proceeded to meet his hygienic needs and cleaned up before adorning his silver armor.

              

           Hadrian walked out of the bedroom in his armor, the silver shined; the emblem of a dragon was professionally embossed into the chest plate and was the sigil of his family. Arabella looked up from setting their table and lovingly smiled at him; as much as his armor made him look dashing and handsome Arabella hated him wearing it, because it meant they were to be apart and she feared for him when they were apart as being apart meant he was away fighting battles “You look very dashing my love.” Hadrian smiled in response and walked quickly to her and took her in his embrace “I love you my Bella.” is all he said in response before kissing her sweetly and passionately; their lips pressed feverishly together mimicked the closeness of their bodies, but Hadrian’s armor made Arabella feel disconnected from him. The kiss they shared was more than enough to make up for the empty feeling the armor presented her; their passionate, wild, and loving kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity, but eternity was broken by the resounding knock at the door “Hadrian! We must go!” the voice outside the door exclaimed. Hadrian reluctantly broke the amazing kiss they had been completely lost in “I am sorry my darling Bella…but I must go…I love you my beautiful Bella.” Hadrian caressed her cheek savoring the feel of her soft skin, her taste on his lips, and the sweet smell of her hair as he kissed and embraced her one more time before gathering the rest of his gear. Hadrian walked to the door; he opened it but stopped before stepping out “I love you my Bella…I will return to you my love.” He smiled at her lovingly and wished he didn’t have go. Arabella quickly walked to the door and held it as Hadrian joined the other knights that were waiting. Arabella blew him a kiss as he got up on his horse “I love you my darling Hadrian.” She said loudly and lovingly; she then looked at the other knights that she actually knew quite well “You bring him back to me…you hear.” She voiced sternly. Hadrian and the other knights then raced off to catch up to the army that was marching to the killing fields.