She had barely been 14 when Rome had come for him. He himself was not much older at 15, but it was his duty to fulfill, he was of course the son of a Sarmatian Cavalry man. He had no choice, he must go. But he couldn't leave without the promise of her love, and that she would wait for him. He needed something to tide him over for the next 15 years of forced servitude to an Empire that cares little for anybody, instead just swallowing everything in its path.
He'd asked her, as soon as there was word that the Romans were approaching the tribes for what was owned to them. Their Sons.
She stood there, in front of him, in that cold winter night, with her long dark wavy hair, on a hill near the settlement. Her dark eyes looking up at him, trembling with fear, and dread, for her young love.
For the love they might never be able to fully have.
For the life they could not fully live.
For the children they would not have, and for the old age they would not reach together.
More so, she was filled with dread and fear and dismay and all sort of other terrible feelings for what the future held for the man whom she loved and loved her.
They both knew the chances of survival of a Sarmatian knight at the hands and mercy of the Romans, and their blood thirsty empire.
He stood in front of her, his eyes begging, but he not actually saying anything, after asking for her to wait for him. He was even as young tall, taller than her certainly. She was small and fragile, standing close to him, but not quite touching.
"I'll wait for you always, I'll always be yours, no other," she whispered, her eyes watering.
He heard those words, and instantly his heart was warmed. He hugged her close, basking in her warmth and her arms, and her love. He could feel her love. The wind bellowed around them, loud in the night, her hair whipping around her crazily as they held each other close, and both silently wept.
Quietly, he whispered in her ear, "I will return for you, I will count the days when I can be in your arms again."
Over and over again, for both him and her. To see if they could believe it, and believe each other that their promises would hold true no matter how life went. Separated, far from each other for 15 long years.
The next day, the Romans made it to the tribe's settlement. Only two former Knights to Rome had come back, so there were only two sons for the Romans to take from this particular village. But nonetheless, they came, and they stood outside saying goodbye to their families, the other Sarmatia boys and adolescents waited and watched, all remembering their sad goodbyes from their families, most only days before.
He had stood, his father telling him sad words, but he could only concentrate on her. Her, when she was standing a bit behind his father, near his mother, her own family nearby, looking at him, with silent tears streaming down her face.
His father gave him a hug, joined by his mother, and younger sisters. But still he could only look at her. His beloved. After one last look at her, he turned to his horse, when suddenly, he had a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him, he barely turned and returned her hug. Both knowing that, but hoping it wasn't, this could be the last hug they would share.
15 years later…
As he lay dying, on this cold surface, his friends, the other surviving Sarmatian knights some near him, or behind him. He wasn't sure where they were. All he could think about was her, with her long dark hair whipping around her, like on the night they had said good bye to each other, and the letter he had received just days before, informing him that she had died. She had waited for him for 15 long turbulent years, had kept her promise for such a long time. She had fought of suitors, and barbarians, and Romans alike, just for him. A slip of frozen ground, a simple slip had cost her life.
As he lay dying, thinking of his long lost love, his beloved, he thought of the lonely years far away from her, with just his brothers-in-arms and her few letters to remind him of what he had to fight for. What he had fought for so long, and had now died for. But now in death and in death alone they could be reunited with each other.
I'll always be yours he heard the wind whispering to him. There were other noises, but he could only hear her voice telling him those famous last words to him. He could hear her, he could see her smiling face, not the crying sad girl she was on the day he left, but the girl, just days before that had snuck out with him. To the mountain where he told her the Romans would be there soon. She was smiling, and eyes full of hope, and she was sad with eyes full of despair.
But he could see her waiting face, waiting for him in the Underworld. Where their shadows would for eternity be together.
Her smiling face was the last thing he saw as the last breath left his body, in a foreign land. His death was not so tragic anymore, for they will be together. Just not in this lifetime.