The war had been ongoing for months, coming on to a year. All your resources were being exhausted, and you could tell so were Simon’s. Both of your armies were slowing, and defences were weakening. It made them desperate.

More blood thirsty.

The point of it had been forgotten long ago; now it had just become personal. You wanted Simon gone, and he… well. You didn’t know what he wanted. But he wanted it enough that he declared war on your kingdom, and now you were both engaged in a bloody battle with no foreseeable end.

Simon at one point managed to get the upper hand through sheer luck and brute force, penetrating the barrier of soldiers you had around the perimeter of your land. You couldn’t just sit back.

You were going to have to get your hands dirty. And by this point, you didn’t mind.

Fire and ash rained was a thick blanket around you, as you trudged through the thick sludge of the battlefield. Soldiers fought everywhere you looked. The clashes of their swords and cries of anguish made your fury only so much worse.

The chaos seemed to part, drawing your attention to the opposite side of the field. There stood Simon, in all his glory, not sparing a glance at any of it. His attention was solely on you, as yours was on him.

He’d spent this whole war trying to get close to you, but you never left that castle. He’d consider it cowardly, if it not smart. But now you were in front of him, and he wasn’t going to let you slip from his grasp again.

His sword met yours with the sound of metal slicing through air, and then began the dance.

You were a worthy opponent; you had to be, to rule a kingdom alone. But he was a Soldier first, King second. You were not. All it took was one slip up, and his blade was against your throat. It was either surrender or risk death.

“Fine. Name your price. What do you want?” you asked, still catching your breath and out of options.

Simon considered you for a moment, and then slowly leant down to your level on the muddy ground. “Marry me,” he said, “and I’ll end this war.”