57

The horizon was a slight gray of the approaching morning, but their world was still dark and sleeping. Calliope felt Mido's chest rise and fall uneasily beside her. She leaned against one of the trees that protected them in the forest and watched as he slept. She looked past him and through the trees, watching as their leaves fluttered lightly as the night breeze drifted through. Sleep had eluded her all night, but she wished the night wasn't at its end. She dreaded what the morning would bring. The war was over, but her future felt hollow and uncertain. The kingdom's pain over lost loved ones would linger for the rest of their lives, and her heart ached for the people she considered her friends.

Calliope sighed and returned her gaze to the sleeping man beside her in an attempt to push those thoughts out of her head. Mido whimpered softly in his sleep. Calliope pushed a lock of his hair out of his face and let her lips brush against his forehead. He shifted slightly at her touch. Calliope moved closer to him, lying on the forest floor, and buried her head against him. She felt him sigh as he dreamt. He muttered something quietly and she turned to him. His eyes were open and he looked at her carefully.

"Mido? What's wrong?"

Mido closed his eyes once more and sighed again. He wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Jest makin' sure you're there," he mumbled, half asleep.

"I'm here," she said softly. She listened as he began to snore quietly, asleep once more.

Calliope watched as the dark sky lightened through the cover of the trees, first to deep blues and purples and then to reds, oranges, and yellows, as the sun rose over the kingdom. She imagined the kingdom of Librona rising from their beds; perhaps a little quieter as they went about their morning routines half-heartedly. She could practically hear the horses outside of the castle in the stables as they nickered and pawed in the stables, anxiously waiting for their breakfasts. She wanted to be there, in the stables; she wanted to sit in the hay and watch as they ate their breakfasts in the warm morning light. She wanted to hear their tails swish at the flies and smell the dust and straw in the stables. She wanted to take Lily to the river and let her feet splash in the cold water. She wanted to sit on the ground beside Mido as they always did like it was just another day.

She pushed herself upright and hugged her legs to her chest. She let her head rest on her knees and closed her eyes. She imagined walking down the cobbled stone roads that twisted their way through the city. She imagined joining the morning crowds; children would run through the streets, playing some imaginary game. They would come to her, begging her to do her tricks. And she would. She would smile as their eyes lit up at the magic before them. She'd watch William and Jon flirt with the young women in town, bragging about some made up adventure they would have together. She'd watch as they dreamt about becoming knights, but they never would. No; there would be no need for knights. No need for an army. There would be no war. Ever.

Mido lurched upright, bringing Calliope out of her day dream. Calliope turned to him; his breathing was quick and his eyes were squeezed shut. She wrapped her arms around him and he leaned into her, shaking. He forced his breathing to slow and swallowed hard.

"Just a dream," Calliope cooed to him.

He wished she was right, but she wasn't. It wasn't a dream. It was all real. Just as it had been fifteen years ago. Except he was too young to understand it all then. He sighed and watched the morning rays stream through the branches. He wasn't ready for the new day. Why couldn't the night last just a little longer? He rubbed his face with his rough hands and turned to Calliope. Calliope leaned into him once more and he wrapped his arms around her. They sat together in silence as the sky turned to its daily shade of light blue.

*****

Mido and Calliope rode through the forest quietly as the afternoon wore on and slowly melted into a cool evening just as they approached the edge of the kingdom. The only landmark that distinguished the end of Librona's territory were small markers etched with a dagger into the old trees. Mido inspected the marker as they approached, placed many years before by Librona's soldiers as a warning to all who ventured out. He let his fingers trace over the marks.

"This is it," he said to Calliope, gesturing to the imaginary line before them. "This marks the end of the kingdom of Librona."

Calliope nodded. "This is it," she repeated to herself, her eyes fixed on the invisible border line. She held her breath nervously. Her whole world seemed to crumble around her. Her eyes turned to Mido who also seemed to study the life that waited for them just beyond the boundary line.

Mido turned to her, meeting her gaze, and smiled reassuringly. "Are you ready?"

Calliope straightened as if ready to meet her destiny. "Yes," she said confidently. "Let's go." She smiled and took Mido's hand in hers. They sucked in a breath and stepped forward, past the marked trees and over the invisible line, hand in hand with Lily at their side, and left the kingdom of Librona.