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Mari let his words sink in. War was far from being over. But there was nothing she wanted more than to sit in the forest, the trees glowing around her and for her to not fear that at any moment her village could be attacked. She wanted Louisa to know the joy that she had as a child and a young girl. But she feared that joy was far from coming true.



She knew he was right. Punishing her men for hurting him would be counterintuitive. She nodded her head solemnly and smiled at his laugh. "I have had far worse than this... I deserve more for allowing you to wait for me for so long". Mari looked down at his wrists again, “I would never wish pain upon you for making me wait…this was hard enough for me to see.” She didn’t want him to hurt or be injured. It only made her hurt worse.



When Artigas squeezed her hand, she let her eyes lock on his. "I would never fall for another woman, there has never been another woman..." She took a shaky breath and felt her heart fluttering again. She knew he cared for her, but after 5 years there was never a thought that he would move on? Her heart swelled with love and she just wanted to let Artigas hold her and never let go. "Besides... How could I ever die in battle when I had your good luck charm?" Mari felt the smile come back to her face. She had never gone a day or a battle without wearing her own, the twin to his. She still had it on now as a matter of fact. She looked down at her waist. “I wore mine everyday…knowing you too had yours.” She smiled softly. He was somehow always with her even if she couldn’t feel or see him.



"I am glad that you waited for me….I didn't know if you would, it has been so long that I thought maybe you'd moved on" Mari shook her head softly. “I never even had a thought cross my mind about another man…no one captured my heart as quickly as you did.” She smiled, her heart was his and only his. “Louisa’s father respectfully pursued me when the girl was 3…he had seen how I cared for her since she was born and after losing his wife, he knew that one day Louisa would need a mother. I couldn’t be his wife. I did not care for him in that way…I didn’t love him in that way…” She looked down at their connected hands. She loved Artigas…she really did… “But I promised him that I would always look out for Louisa, but he deserved to find a woman who could truly love him as well as care for his little girl…because I was waiting on another man…one who I knew I was meant for.” She brought her eyes back up to his as he spoke again.



His words instilled hope in her having known that he had tried to find her many years before. She could only imagine what could have happened between them if they had met again so much sooner. Blood shed had struck her village. She was so grateful that most battles on her land had happened outside the village line….mostly the trees got the brunt of the battle lands. She lifted her hand to his cheek. “I am sorry that your people were slaughtered for no reason…the Skaikru does not understand…and they only seem to be making our lives worse.” She sighed. It was true. Skaikru had yet to infiltrate her people, but their presence had caused a war and with war comes fighting. Her warriors had seen more in these last 5 years then they had seen their entire lives.



"Never once did I doubt my words to you, I always intended to return... Even if it took a life time" Mari closed her eyes and smiled. She knew he was never going to let her get away. She opened her eyes and laughed softly. “I am glad you didn’t take a lifetime…” She smiled again. “This room is much too large for one person…and to have to wait a lifetime to have the other half, well I would have gotten too lonely.” She smirked and slipped her arms just under his chest, resting her head there as well. “You have my heart Artigas…” She could her his heart beat thumping against his skin. “And no one else will ever come close to taking it away.”

Mari laughed softly. “Worry may as well be Hartley’s middle name.” She smiled. “But my warriors are trained to see and not tell unless asked by me or if they feel I am imminent danger…” She looked over at Artigas. “And after they saw how I ran to your cell…I have a feeling that they know I am not afraid of the man I ran to.” She smiled softly.



She couldn’t help but stand back and smile seeing how Artigas interacted with Louisa. It was interesting to see a man so large act so calm and loving towards a little girl who barely reached his knees. She was small for her age, but she was certainly feisty. Mari had learned that watching the young girl grow up. She watched as he said goodnight to her and felt herself get shy at his words of her being good with Louisa.



“She lost her mother shortly after she was born. I have kept an eye on her ever since. With the wars and battles, her father is often busy healing upon return to the village. So I watch her whenever I can…try to make her feel like she can live as normal a life as possible. When I am away fighting or meeting with other leaders, she crawls into my bed at night to sleep because it’s one of the only places she truly feels safe…” Mari felt for the girl. She really did. Someone had to be a mom for her. She smiled as Artigas walked to her and hugged her. “She only loves me because I braid her hair…” Mari smirked and then let out a soft laugh. “But honestly she just needs someone to look out for her… her dad can only do so much..” She sighed.



Looking down, she noticed that Artigas’ wrists were still cut up from the chains. She frowned again and led him over to her water basin by the window. Soaking some fabric, she gently pressed the warm cloth around his wrist to wipe off any blood and to clean the wounds. She did so on both wrists and made sure that they were clean. "I am so so sorry..." She whispered softly. "They had no right to do this...protection of my people or not..." She took clean cloth and wrapped a piece around each wrist just to keep them dry. “I’m no healer…but at least that will keep them from infection.” She said running her hands back up his arms and then she looked to his face remembering the cut on his lip. She cleaned it gently with the warm water and smiled sadly. “I can’t put any bandages on that one…” She kept her eyes on his. “But I can try to make it feel better.” She smirked and leaned up to press her lips gently against his. She didn’t want to put too much pressure and risk hurting his lip even more, but she wanted to kiss him and be in his arms. This was far too long of a time to be apart.



She broke off the kiss after a minute or so and turned her body to look out the window. There was still so much on her mind. As much as she wanted to kiss him, there was still so much to talk about between the two of them...5 years worth of talking. “Did you know that every night…every night for 5 years I would go out to the waterfall at midnight and sit there…waiting….hoping that I would see your shadow passing through the trees…” She kept her eyes on the rising moon. “Every night I would go back thinking ‘he has to come today…he promised he would’ and every night you weren’t there.” She turned to face him, her body leaning against the frame of the window. “Five years is an awfully long time to wait for a man who you thought you’d never see again…a man who ran into just some silly little girl in the forest...a man who is far to good for you…” She turned back to face out towards the window, the moon starting to shine on her face.



“I thought you had forgotten about me….”
 

Mari was happy to hear that he too had wanted to kiss her. Feeling his lips on her own was something she had only dreamed about. It was so much better in real life. Walking with him now, she could still feel the whisper of his lips over hers and she wanted that feeling back. But she would wait until they were safe in her chambers. She would wait until she knew she could kiss him without fear of him being chained or hurt or injured because of her. She still couldn’t believe he had gotten hurt because of her.



“Where are we going?" Mari turned her head to look up at him and she knew a blush had to be crawling up her cheeks as she spoke. “Um…my chambers…” She said softly. “You’ll be safe there…I promise…” She said leaning her body into his ever so slightly as they walked towards her home. She was nervous about how this would all go down and she could tell he was too. But she had him…he was here and she was not about to let him walk away or sit in a cell just because they weren’t supposed to be seen together.



"Do you think now that I'm no longer a prisoner, you could persuade your warriors to return my weapons?" Rylee smirked. “They don’t need persuasion…they have to listen to me.” She couldn’t help but laugh. She had never needed to truly use her power without asking of her warriors. But she had a feeling that they would be reluctant to return his weapons knowing he would be staying in the chambers of their leader. But she didn’t care. Mari trusted Artigas with her heart, her body, her mind, her everything. If he had wanted to kill her, he could have done it already…and she could have done the same to him…but she didn’t and neither did he.



"What about your people? Your family... Will they approve of us?" Mari sighed knowing his questions were valid. She stopped walking and turned to face him, her face highlighted by the moon. “I cannot speak for them…” She started softly. “But all those years ago…Hartley watched us…he was never far…and I should have known he was close by.” She laughed softly. “He realized that whoever the mysterious man was…well he made me happy…and Hartley wants me to be happy.” She smiled knowing that Artigas made her eternally happy. She put her hand on his cheek. “Hartley will surely be cautious of you…yes because you’re Trikru…but also because I’m his baby sister…and it’s his job.” She kept her eyes on his and let out soft laugh knowing Hartley would struggle with his sister finding love. “But he also knows that I have been hurt in the past and knowing that someone wants to protect me will also make him the happiest big brother alive.” She leaned up and kissed his lips gently, just once before pulling back and starting to walk again.



It was so nice to be able to just kiss when they wanted to…she never wanted to stop. But she had to if they were going to get anywhere. She finally got them to her home. The small tower built up into the trees. She started to walk up the stairs leading to her chambers and stopped seeing her guards outside the door. She dropped his hand and walked to Stephen, her guard in charge of weapons. Speaking to him in hushed tones she tried to be stern to get him to return Artigas’ weapons. She turned from him and as she passed Marcos to walk to Artigas again, she kept her eyes firm on his. “I will deal with you later…” She said gently, though stern and took Artigas by the hand before walking into her room…

Mari could hear him breathing and that sound alone brought a smile to her lips. He was here. "None of that matters... Not now, all that matters is that I am here with you, things could be different now". She was hopeful for those words. She wanted him to be here with her for as long as he could be….she didn’t want to feel the lonliness she felt on that night as she watched him walk into the darkness and out of her life. It was too painful the first time. Could things be different? Could they be together? She wasn't so sure. But she was hopeful. "I am real... You can feel my heart beating within my chest, you can hear my voice and touch my skin and I am never going to leave you again". Mari knew his words to be true. She ran her hands over his arms and leaned her cheek against his hand as it touched her skin. It almost sent a shock through her.



When she felt him pull her flush to his body, she let out a soft gasp and then sighed when she felt his arms fall protectively around her. "I missed you...". Mari lifted her eyes to meet his. “I missed you more…” she said breaking out into a smile. Artigas was here. This was no dream. She still couldn’t shake it from her mind that she would turn around for a moment and find him to be gone the next. She wasn’t prepared for that.



For five years she had led her people, moving through the ranks and watched as lives were lost. She felt like her own life had been lost after seeing Artigas walk away from her. She knew that it was not intentional on either of their behalves but she felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest. And now.....5 years later here he was ready to put her back together again. It was all to good to be true...

Mari leaned her head back on his chest and just let her body feel his heart beat and time her own to his. Minutes passed but to her it may have well been years. She was just so happy to be back in his arms again. She took her head off of his chest and looked up at him, he had grown so much taller. Yes she too had gotten taller, but he was enormous now…She put her hand back on his chest. “Not a day went by that I didn't think of you...” She said quietly and leaned up on her tip toes, like she did all those years ago, and kissed his cheek softly. Pulling away, though just barely, she left her lips only inches from his. She wanted it to happen…but she couldn’t bring herself to do it…she was afraid this was all still some cruel joke and he would disappear before her very eyes the moment she gave in….

Twenty-one. Mariahya turned twenty one and not a day later she was brought up as leader of her people. Her predecessor had been preparing her for her reign for years...telling her that on her birthday he would step down as he was getting too old...too sick to care for their people. She knew that the day would come, but she feared it now more than ever that it would be more difficult to take care of her clan. They had been at war ever since the Skikru fell to the Earth. The clans were at war and her ways were not ideal. She had killed many and her clan had killed even more. Her warriors were ruthless in protecting Trishana, which she was grateful for, but the concept of killing still didn't sit well with her. But she had no choice....she had to bring about death to keep the lives of those she loved.


She had been leader for some time now and she found that there were some who respected her. Her warriors were loyal to her despite their lack of interest in her peaceful ways...for that she was grateful. And then of course there was Hartley. Hartley was her most trusted advisor and warrior. He never left her side unless she asked him to. He had almost lost his life too many times to count on behalf of Mari and she tries her best to avoid those thoughts. She couldn't lose Hartley...especially now. There was too much to lose...and she couldn't lose him too.

Mari was in her room looking out at her people from above. She had been moved to the quarters of her leader and it had been fit to her liking. More fit for a young woman...not an old man. She turned back to her clothes and pulled on a black and pink long-sleeve dress, the color of her people and a sign of her power, and then tied a scarf tightly around her waist. Her fingers let the soft fabric bring back memories of the only other scarf she had ever worn. 5 years ago...the Trikru man...She had given him her scarf and she had the matching one. She never left her room without it knowing that he never left his without the piece of woven cloth either. She closed her eyes and smiled remembering Artigas' big strong arms holding her close to his chest and his lips against her skin. "Find me..." She whispered. There was no chance of him finding her now...especially amongst all this war and hatred. But his memories were enough for her...at least for now.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when there was vigorous banging at her door. She turned quickly. "Come in..." She said gently. She was shocked to see 4 guards enter her chambers, clearly upset. "Lady Mariahya..." They bowed their head in her presence. She returned the gesture. "Yes?" She asked taking a step closer to them. One warrior, Marcos, the leader of her guard stepped forward and she awaited his words. "During our watch this evening we came across a enemy warrior...he claims to know you and has asked to see you." Mari raised her eye brow "And why does he wish to see me?" She would favor the warriors request but not until she knew what he wanted. Marcos spoke again. "He did not say what he wanted...but he had this in his possession." Mari felt her heart stop at the sight of her scarf bunched up in the hand of her head guard.

Mari took it from his hands, knowing immediately that it was the twin to the one wrapped around her waist. "Where is he?" She demanded already moving to leave her room. She didn't wait for an answer. She knew where they would keep him, especially if they had intentions to torture or kill him. She started to run to the cells, ignoring the words or comments of her clan as they watched their leader run through the forest. She saw the cell and prayed that he was down there and that she wasn't too late...or else she would have to take the life of one of her warriors...blood must have blood. 

She held the scarf tightly in her hands as she descended the stone stairs to the cell block. Mari took a deep breath before pulling open the door. She saw a tall man chained to the walls. This couldn't be him could it? He was much larger than she remembered....so much older...but then again so was she. Her hair was longer, her curves more developed, her body grown into. She was a woman..and this was a man. The light from the open door hit his face and she felt tears prick at her eyes. She just stood in the doorway unable to move...she couldn't believe it was true. Her voice finally came out barely above a whisper.

"You found me...."

 

Mari closed her eyes again when his arms tightened around her small frame. Being this close to him made everything seem more real….it made time stop for just a moment where it was just she and him. There was nothing to stop them from being together. The only witness to their connection was the moon and she certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone their secret. "I don't know why... My heart just doesn't want to behave itself when you're around" Mari smiled against his chest, her cheeks turning warm once again. “It seems you do the same to mine…” She said looking up at him and taking his hand and placed it over her heart, keeping her eyes locked on his.



She knew that it was time. There was nothing else they could do to stop time. In a few hours the sun would rise and Artigas needed to be back to his village in time or else his parents would never let him leave their sight again. She wanted every opportunity to see him again, so she didn’t want to harm their chances now. This would certainly be the hardest goodbye she could ever imagine.



When Artigas pulled her away from his body, holding her in front of him, she returned his sad smile. "I have to go..." She nodded her head sadly. She knew it to be true. This was it. "I don't want to go..." Mari let another sad smile find her lips. “I don’t want you to go either…but you must if we have any chance of finding each other again.” She let her small hand find his cheek and she just looked up into his eyes. She leaned up on her tip toes once more, her lips by his ear. “Until you find me once more, Artigas kom Trikru….” She whispered and then kissed his cheek, hugged him once more, afraid to let go, but finally did, letting her hand sit in his until he would start to walk away from her, leaving her alone in the moonlight.