Destiny

"Meet me on the bridge, "Iantrac whispered as he pressed the flower into her hand. "I swear I am not lying, you have a choice, take it," he added, almost pleading.

"They will never let me go, my love. I am their hope," Bella said, "I have been told this for as long as I can recall, have been trained almost as long...You confuse me so, every instinct, my training and sense of duty tells me to run you through with my sword, yet I find I cannot do it." A tear trickled down her cheek, she wiped it away, a puzzled expression on her beautiful face.

"I will be there at noon. If you change your mind, Bella, I will understand, just don't forget what I have shown you, emotions are not a weakness but a strength." Iantrac said, brushing another tear away, Bella's cheek flushed red at the touch.

Bella gripped the flower, gave Iantrac a parting kiss and ran, afraid of those emotions he had awoken in her.

That hope still burned as Bella stood on the bridge, the place that had caused their paths to cross that day, only weeks ago yet it seemed like years. She paced the bridge, hope still a smouldering ember.

***********

The shadows grew as the sun drifted toward the horizon, none were so deep or strong as the shadow that crossed her heart, extinguishing the tiny flame that had been hope, perhaps even love, forever.

Iantrac was dead, or at least he soon would be, Bella thought as she tossed the flower into the slow moving stream below the bridge, one last tear followed it, before she hardened her heart and returned to her destiny.

(word count 291)