My hand shook as the ink sunk into the page. I folded up my letter, writing atlas in big, sprawling writing in the front of it. I once told him that his name was my favorite word, and now it made me tear up.

I put the paper in my desk, hiding it under a book. Hopefully, no one would find it until I came back. _If_ I came back.

I stood up from the chair, striding out of the room, refusing to look back.

-(the end of the war)-

“NO!”

 I heard him before I felt it. It didn’t hurt when it pierced my skin, or even when the King, angry and vengeful, tore the sword out of my abdomen. For a moment, everything disappeared. Around me, the battle stopped. Lights blinked, and I was plunged into darkness. I couldn’t hear the sound of clanging swords or the roar of dragons as they swept through, unleashing torrents of fire on unsuspecting men. I couldn’t feel the agonizing pain that ran through my body, or feel the wind as it left my lungs. For a moment, there was peace. But everyone knows peace never lasts. 

It all flooded back. I stumbled, staring at the growing patch of red stark against my armour. The sword that was used to slit my skin was lying on the ground in front of me. King Ryder stared at me, shock melting onto his face. A wave of crushing pain hit me, and I dropped to my knees. Blood bubbled up my throat, making it hard to breathe. 

Short, shallow gasps of smoky air clawed their way to my lungs. The sounds of war came rushing back, my ears ringing. I could hear the roar of a dragon in the distance, and see flames rising from ashes. Bodies littered the ground I was upon, blood pooling all around me. 

Everything seemed sluggish, as if time around me had slowed. All around me, it seemed normal. Well, as normal as a war could be. But no one stopped and stared. Dragons didn’t extinguish the fire in their mouths. No one knew. No one knew. Reality came crashing back to me when Atlas slid in front of me, taking me by the shoulders and laying me down. 

He put my head in his lap, brushing the hair from my face. He looked panick-stricken, like he didn’t know what to do. “What–” I choked on the words, coughing up blood into my hand. “What, you’ve never dealt with stab wounds before?” I asked, trying to get him to smile. A fresh wave of pain overtook me, and I groaned, curling in on myself. 

“This isn’t _just _a stab wound, Lor!” He sobbed. It brought me a new kind of agony to see him so upset. I reached up gingerly, placing a small strand of hair behind his ear, my tough lingering on his face. He brought his hand up to mine, cupping it around his cheek. Already, tears soaked his face, and more were threatening to spill. Funny. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him cry. 

My heart was crashing against my ribs, pulsing in beat with the blood spilling out of my body. Lights and sounds were starting to fade around me, and I could faintly hear Atlas shouting for help. His voice cracked, breaking down into soul-wrenching sobs. 

“Stay with me, Dreamer. Come on! I need help over here!” My breaths were becoming shorter, more painful. “AZREAL!” In the distance, I could see Azreal running towards us, pushing through the throng of people. Or was it? Maybe he was closer than that. The oldest Williams brother fell down next to Atlas. Was he gonna help me? Maybe he could take the pain away. That would be nice. 

I looked up at Atlas, meeting his gaze. His perfectly green eyes with a darker green on the outside. Gold flecks in the middle. I had grown to love those little flakes. They were the colors that flashed behind my eyes every time I closed them. I’ve told him that before, right? I took the hand he wasn’t holding and brushed his tears off his face. It was unbearable, but I needed to. He needed to know that I really did love him until the end. 

“I never believed in love at first sight,” I confessed, voice barely above a whisper. I slowly looked around the battlefield. It was amazing and terrible how many people could come together to fight for one cause. I caught sight of Kenna. She hasn’t seen us yet. That’s good. She doesn’t need to be distracted. A dragon swept over the field, and I lost sight of her. So many people, and so many dead. I hope it was worth it. I hope _I _was worth it. 

He sniffed, trying to pull it together. “And now?” He rasped. 

“And now, I believe every time I look at you. I love–”

From across the battlefield, everyone stopped and stared. There, collapsed from heartbreak, was Prince Atlas Williams, kneeling as his Princess died in his arms.