Sorry this one is a little short but I still hope it is to your liking.
If not don't hesitate to say so.
Please read and enjoy.
Promise
The crowd laughed as the actor pretended to trip over his own feet, almost toppling off the side of the stage. Even I found a smile wriggle onto my face for just a moment. I wanted to laugh like everyone else and forget what was going on but unfortunately I didn't have that luxury. After all I was directly involved now. I had been involved before but now I was closer then ever to the danger, the danger of being found.
I must admit that part of it was rather exiting. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood at the back of the crowd, waiting for the perfect moment.
The moment came when the first act ended and everyone was given five minutes to mingle and talk. I managed to slip away. No one would even notice I had gone. I needed to get back to the house and grab a few things. Magnus was waiting for me near the edge of town where I hid him before the performance started.
I unlocked the door to my house quickly and slipped inside. There was a bag of provisions on the table that I needed to grab. My hand rapped around of the straps when I heard it, the sound of wood scraping against wood. I spun around expecting the worst. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack when I found Aida standing in the doorway.
"Aida, don't do that." I placed my hand over my heart to try and slow it's beating. "You scared me half to death."
"Sorry." She said absent-mindedly.
"Aida what's wrong?" I noticed how distressed she looked.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" She looked up at me and I saw small bits of anger and hurt in her eyes.
"Tell you what?" I asked.
"That Magnus is leaving." She explained. "I heard you both talking the other night. You could have told me."
"We didn't want to worry you." I tried to justify our actions.
"I'm not fragile. I can take care of myself." She exclaimed.
"I'm sorry Aida." I put the bag down and knelt before her, wrapping her in my arms. I could see how much this bothered her.
"I don't want him to leave without saying goodbye." She cried.
"We should have told you." I realized. "I'm sorry."
"What if I never see him again?" She laid her head on my shoulder.
"You will." I said, rubbing her back to try and calm her. "He isn't going to be gone forever. He will come back. Come on you're going to say goodbye to him before he leaves." I stood up and took her hand in mine. I slung the bag of provisions over my shoulder.
I grabbed one of my old cloaks from the trunk in my bedroom and draped it over Aida's shoulders. The hood should cover her face well enough. Then I flipped my own hood up over my head.
My eyes scanned the street, checking to make sure no one was looking. The second act should have started by now. Everyone's attention would be drawn to the actors. I let out a sigh of relief when I found not a soul in sight. So as quickly as we could, Aida and I ran to the edge of town where Magnus was waiting.
I hid him before the performance started when everyone was just starting to arrive. It was difficult and we couldn't carry anything with us or we would look suspicious. Good thing no one was looking now because we definitely looked suspicious running through the streets all cloaked and in a hurry.
There is an old abandoned shed near the edge of town. I knocked on the door. There was no answer. Right, I didn't knock correctly. I tried again, this time using a special rhythm. We waited for a moment. Silence.
"Oh come on Magnus. It's Joone." I said, annoyed. "Stop being such a drama queen."
That got his attention as the door flew open. There was frustration written all over his face. It made me want to laugh but I couldn't.
"I brought your provisions." I said tossing him the bag.
"Thanks." He calmed down, catching the bag with one hand.
That's when he noticed the small, cloaked figure beside me. Meeting his gaze, Aida removed her hood. Magnus looked surprised for a moment and then relieved. To be honest I though he would be angry with me for brining her here. The situation was dangerous to begin with but now it was even more so.
Without a word, Aida ran forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Magnus' waste. He smiled down at the young girl. I was surprised to see tears forming in his eyes. He had only known Aida for less then a week. She seemed to have that effect on people.
Aida was powerful in her own way. She made people care. But was it a gift or a curse? Only time could tell.
"I'll miss you." She cried.
"And I you." Magnus stroked her hair. "Don't cry. I will come back."
"Promise?" She wiped her eyes.
"Promise." He smiled. "I will find a way for you to be free."
"Ok." They broke away.
Magnus got to his feet and looked at me. We stayed that way for a moment. He was the one to look away first.
"I guess this is it." He almost whispered.
"It doesn't have to be." I took a step towards him. "It's not forever."
"It feels like it will be." He admitted. "I don't want to leave."
"You have to." I said. "Only you can find a way to save them."
"Always trying to boost my confidence." He laughed slightly. "Just like old times."
"That's my job isn't it?" I smiled. "Even the mighty need support."
"Oh Joone." He met my eyes again. "What would I do without you?"
"I don't know." Something lifted in my heart.
"You'll be here when I come back?" He asked.
"We'll be waiting for you." I said 'we' when I really wanted to say I. "Always."
"I guess I should get going." He stepped away. "The performance will be finished soon."
I could hear Aida tapping her foot on the ground as if she was waiting for something. What could she possibly be waiting for?
"Goodbye." Was all I said even though I knew there must be something more I could say. The one word didn't seem to be enough for this.
"I'll be seeing you." He turned and started to walk away.
It didn't seem right, watching him leave like that. I could feel it in the back of my mind. There was something I had forgotten. Something I had forgotten to do.
We watched him walk towards the edge of the forest. Any moment now he would disappear into it's shadows. I kept watching, hoping he would look back. I wanted him to look back, even just for a second but he didn't. I wanted to see his face one last time.
Oh I couldn't take it. Leaving Aida standing by the old shed, I sprinted toward the retreating figure. I had to hold up my dress so I wouldn't trip over it as I ran. The scarf around my head almost fell off but I pulled it back on before it had a chance to blow away.
Magnus must have heard me coming because he started to turn around. Before he had made a full rotation, I through myself into his arms. He was surprised for a moment but I felt him hug me back.
"I couldn't let you leave without a hug." I explained.
"Thank you." He whispered in my ear.
He pulled away slightly. Then I felt him press his lips against mine. Now it was my turn to be surprised but I didn't pull away.
"And I couldn't leave without doing that." He said. "Something to remember me by."
"I could never forget you Magnus." I stepped away. I said it and I knew it was true. Magnus wasn't the type of person you can forget.
"I'll see you again Redwing." He spoke my cover name.
"I know you will Blackbird." The Black Feather organization would be very different without him but we would manage. "Now go so that you can come back."
He smiled at me. Without another word, because there was nothing more that needed to be said, he made the rest of the way to the forest. Aida came up next to me. There wasn't anything missing from that moment now. I still felt sad that he was going and I wished more then ever that he wasn't.
He looked back once before disappearing into the trees. I would never forget the look in his eyes, the image of his 19-year-old face. I will never forget. All the times we shared together and all the times we wouldn't.
He promised he would come back. I watched him disappear.
Would I ever see him again?
Ok I will admit that was way too cheesy. The next one will be less so I hope.
Anyways, thanks for reading and please REVIEW!
What does Joone mean by she will never see him again? The plot thickens.