Beautiful

Once upon a time in a harsh world where abandonment and cruel intent left only  a wasteland of broken things that used to be people, there existed 2 who lived by soul, by truth, by touch alone so as to not be blinded by the same condition of self-deceit as the rest of these so called humans. One was hurting for lack of love and purpose. The last of a dying breed, starving for the nutrient rich vitamin called love and acceptance. The other was fighting the constant battle she was born with, a welcome distraction really, from the constant hunger for real love, which was also rare, near extinction. They were acquainted in the past which served as a catalyst to the unsurprising reconnect that technology had allowed.   

               He found purpose, he found love, she did as well but had a hard time putting down her sword to let someone close,  she did let him in though, as if he had always been there. They fed each other generously on what each was lacking, unaware of the danger her tired complacency was leading them into. Oh my love your are a dream come true, she exclaimed. As are you beautiful, he dreamily said. Days passed, bliss, ease, laughter, love, future plans. Then as always danger hit the warrior, only this time she was not prepared, she had softened and opened to vulnerability for the sake of true love.

               Never the less, fighting was second nature and this warrior had fought many battles, won many, lost many. She was losing this one as well. It was an old enemy she fought, one that killed her family and tried to kill her too, one that warned her should they meet again it would be the final time. As she fought she felt herself wanting to give in and just succumb to this ancient vendetta. She was tired, she was wounded. Just before darkness set in, this man full of love for her sweeps in like a fairytale and whisks her away to safety. He places her on a soft cloud with all that she could ever need or want.

               But the warrior was so used to fighting that even in her dreams she was waging war against anything and everything, Her love would try and calm her, saying I love you my dear, your beautiful. she awakened one morning to the crippling truth that her deepest fear, the ancient enemy was in fact within her, entwined in her spirit, coursing in her blood like a virus. At once she set out to battle, standing in front of a mirror image she began to dig, and dig thinking surly she could expose this thing and rip it out. When love looked upon her bloody, ruined flesh he simply said, “your beautiful, I love you so much”  back to work, determined the warrior poked and prodded. Fighting endlessly never stopping to refresh or refuel, now bleeding and weak her features became sharp and full places became hollow. Her love, with tear streaked lips, placed a kiss on her forehead, looked deeply in her eyes reaching her soul, and said, “you are  beautiful, I love you madly”

               As she stubbornly headed back to battle yet again, a sarcastic grunt escaped her lips as she wondered how her love could be so blind as to call her beautiful when all her beauty was sacrificed to fighting the enemy.   Sadness quickly set in as she was convinced it was the last time she would set eyes upon her true love, Strangely, for the first time in this fighters life, she was almost relieved to give in to defeat.  She couldn’t bear the thought of returning to her love only to watch him leave or be slain by his enemies. So on this distant battle ground she cried for her love, she cried for her hate, she cried for her enemy to face her and make good on a long ago promise.

               As she lay beaten, shaking and sick with untreated wounds from past and present she begged for mercy. Had she not fought a million lifetimes in just this one existence?   In and out of consciousness, knowing the end was near, this warrior as any other, felt fear, felt lose, and choked on defeat as her life blood ran down her arm.

               In that final moment, in her very last battle for understanding she heard him calling, her love, calling her beautiful, crying out his love to her he just kept calling to her over and over, your beautiful, your beautiful, you are beautiful! She drifted toward this calling, feeling almost as if she belonged to the living once again. A small flicker of hope ignited within her. It grew to a kindling flame as she followed the sound of her love calling her, your beautiful, I love you, You are beautiful!

               Somehow defeating all odds and defying nature, she followed loves calling all the way home, stopping only to convalesce and strengthen for the rest of her journey. As she entered her loves embrace, at once she knew there was more than battle, more than fighting to survive, more than just being a warrior. She knew in that moment her most courageous feat as a lifetime warrior was simply returning home to her love, all the scars, all the tears, all the pain of endless battle had meaning as she looked into her true loves eyes. That’s when he sank to the floor and cried with joy, as he explained to her that in order to be called home from battle you must first have a name.  What!?? You must be mistaken she said, “Warrior is my name.” No, sweet girl  he said, a warrior is  what you had to become to survive this wasteland. You my dear, have a wonderful name, now that you know it and have acknowledged it you may be at peace with me to live in your name for the rest of your days.

Still she grasped for understanding as tears began to flow, Please! My love! Forgive my ignorance! Make it clear! He laughed aloud at her stubbornness as he exclaimed!” I have been trying all my days and crying all my nights to make you understand! You know your name my dear, you followed it back from death when I was calling you.  Your name is Beautiful… and I love you madly.