Do you see the world, in different colors,

Do you see the world in black and grey?

Alone in your thoughts, how many other

Have stood where you stand, where you stand you today?

Have stood where you stand, but all can you…. (Rise against - Wait for me)

Is it her smile, could it be her lips, curling slightly upwards, towards her eyes. Two instruments, meant to see things others could not. It's not her fault that they're not used for their intended purpose. It's my mistake of looking at them, into them. Seeing past her barriers, looking through her soul.

There's no way to explain the feeling I get whenever I see her, even now, lying next to her, in bed, close to having no clothes on. Nothing happened, except the pulsing of warm air, breathing in my neck. No words were spoken, but an eternity of feelings and stories were shared as our souls tangled each other. Like our legs. We had no answer, nor solutions, we barely even knew the questions.

I came from a farmer's family, no riches, no fame, just our crops. I've never been the son my father wanted me to be, having two older brothers I didn't see the purpose of participating in the perpetual cycle of harvesting, and replanting. One day, whilst slacking off I found myself on a hill, under an oak tree. Commotion came from downhill. A school. Future knights, ready to serve under the new king, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Although dark times have settled, the newfound kingdom remains exhausted, bad things continue to happen, and revolts of orc tribes kept happening.

That day, my life started, reborn I became when Ilidrien, First knight of the 4th legion of knights, found me under that oak tree. A farmers boy, learning to handle swords, accompanied by high classed lords and ladies. What Ilidrien saw in me, I still wonder. I left my family behind, no farewells, no goodbyes, not even a note.

Over the months that passed by I became more proficient with my sword. But nothing changed the fact that I was a farmers boy, I wasn't born royal, not a single noble in my family. In a group of 24 fellow apprentices, all in some way connected to the noble 7, a collection of 7 families, sworn to serve the king. It's not that I was bullied, but they didn't see the shame on picking on me sometimes. She did though, she saw what others couldn't. Sophiën, daughter of Aragorn and Arwen, Brother of Eldarion, Heir to the throne of the reunited kingdom. Well, Eldarion is the official Heir, but I always considered her to be, she has the qualities Eldarion misses. Although the differences between me and her were the largest in our group. We also had the most resemblances . Not that I could ever tell her, Sophiën born the noblest of any girls, me born as a no-good farmers son . She always felt something for me, I'm not sure if it's pity, or something deeper. Sometimes she would even stand up for me, when the others started picking on me. No one would talk back to her, afraid of the royal blood, flowing through her veins.

Although she was the most respected 16 year old knight in the kingdom, she wasn't accepted by the group. Being famous, comes with a bad side I suppose. But I wasn't famous, I was nobody, I am nobody, still I wasn't accepted. This is the reason why we were training partners most of the time. No one wanted to prove their skill to "the farmers boy", it was more of a shame to fight me than it was to talk to me. No one wanted to fight Sophiën, afraid something might happen to them.

In the beginning I stood no chance, weeks went on, I found my face buried in the dirt, others laughing. Sophiën without a twitch on her clean face. As months went on, one day I nailed her to the floor. Faces looked at me, afraid of what might happen, as I saw the fear trembling in their eyes. I realized that I had just hit the daughter of King Aragorn. I turned around and saw her face, eyes open, Unbelief radiated from her face, although she didn't let anyone see, I could feel it.

She had never stared at me this way before. A cold chill raced down my spine as she stood up and stepped forward. Expecting the worst, she took my hand and shook it. Time stopped, my fingers feeling hers, a spark of a feeling I had never experienced before, shot through my hand into my head, she felt it too, I could tell.

After our duel, she started talking to me, sometimes. She would tell me about how she feels like an outcast, at home, she was looked down upon because she wasn't the lady at home like her older sisters. Here she was looked down upon in fear, because she was of royal blood. How she could understand my situation, my decision of leaving my family behind.

Months passed, the end of the season crawled in from the south. Cold winds started chilling and days became shorter. It were the last weeks of training, soon Ilidrien would pick 5 apprentices and promote them to knights, and send them to Aragorn for a full ceremony. Many looked forward to proving themselves, so they could become knights, so they could meet Aragorn, so they would find fame in serving the kingdom. I didn't know if becoming knight was what I wanted, I had a good life traveling around while training. Sophiën sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, bathing in sweat, the fear of seeing those whom she had left behind.

I woke up of a silent scream, I looked around and saw her, trembling. And although it wasn't allowed, I couldn't handle the fact that my friend, my only friend would have to feel bad. I moved over to her bed, and proceeded to crawl next to her. No words were spoken, but an eternity of feelings and stories were shared as our souls tangled each other. Like our legs. We had no answer, nor solutions, we barely even knew the questions.

She looked up into my eyes, followed up by the soft touch of her lips meeting mine. A few seconds seemed like years, years I would want to stay with her. Three words slipped her mouth. Three words no one could understand, but still felt like they were the only thing that mattered in this world.

I love you.

Wait for me.

My name is Iono, the year is 16 of the fourth age. This is my story.