I glared down at the girl before me as she trembled with fear and cold, her eyes shining with tears of rage and betrayal. How could I have ever thought anything would happen between us? How could I ever have imagined how that girl could ruin my life so totally, so utterly? How could anyone love such a fiend?

My harsh gaze softened for a minute as I remembered the times we’d had together. It had all seemed so right then. How the kisses we shared had felt so wondrous, how her laugh had made me melt inside, and how when she smiled I couldn’t help but smile back.

But then how it had all changed. That memory always made me grind my teeth in rage. How she had thrown me in the dirt and laughed at me. How she had scornfully told me she could never love me. But now I was about to get my revenge for that. She had broken my heart and mind a thousand times, and that memory would break them many of thousands of times more. And for every broken heart and every broken mind she would suffer. She would suffer and die, a thousand thousand times.

How could anyone forgive her? So many people’s hearts she had broken, and yet I was the first to realise none of us had a chance. Not one. And she hadn’t even got her eyes on anyone. She just broke us because she was a sadistic little… Ugh! So many things I could call her. So, so many. But not one of them would completely fit her. Not one.

“Please…” she pleaded. Hah! Begging for mercy? Now the tables have turned. Now it’s her begging for mercy, instead of me. How I’ve waited for this moment. How I’ve waited so, so long for this moment.

“Yes, you’d love mercy right now, wouldn’t you? But guess what? You never gave me or any of the others mercy. So you’re not getting any.”

“Please, you don’t understand-“

“Oh, I think I understand this better than you do. Much better. So shut up, unless you want your family to die too.”

That shut her up instantly. I gave her a nasty grin, then looked up into the driving rain. Lightning flashed over our heads. Thunder banged like my broken and shattered heart. The wind howled like the fiery blood in my veins.

I drew a sword from my belt. I heard her whimper. Good. It would be great if she died scared. Brilliant, in fact. I’d love to see the panic as the light faded from her eyes. Love it even more than I’d ever loved her.

Oh, my sweet one, how did it ever come to this? I found myself thinking. How could you become so vicious so suddenly? How? Did you ever love me? Or were you just using me? I sighed. It was now or never. If I didn’t kill her now, the cold and hunger would. Then I got an idea. What if I let her die of hunger and wounds? That would make her suffer. But I wanted to see the light leave her eyes forever. I wanted to watch it happen.

I looked at her again. She was crying silently. How could I hurt her when I loved her so much? How could I? She must’ve been forced to tell me that… That lie! She must’ve… But the hate in her eyes had been so real. I wasn’t sure what to think any more. The look she was giving me… It was almost as if was apologising profusely with that look. Like she wanted to start again. Try again.

She must take me for an idiot. A soft idiot. We were both eighteen now. She’d been abusing my trust for seven years. Seven flaming years. How could I not have seen through her mask before now? I didn’t understand that. Every kiss, every word, every touch had been a lie. A complete lie. All of it.

So why did that look haunt me so much? It was like an accusation, an apology and a plea all at the same time. Why, why, why??? What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just kill her? Why??? I couldn’t understand how, after all these years, of lies and of pain and of fake joy, I could possibly feel sorry for her. I just couldn’t.

My dear, sweet Yin…

What have you done? What have I done?

How I would love to start again. But it’s too late now. Just a little too late. Oh, Yin, we left it just a little too late. And now I’m going to have to kill you. Both of you. You and my unborn child. I’ve been preparing myself for this, and yet something holds me back. There’s still a remnant of what we were. And it’s in you. Our child. Barely two months old. And I’m about to kill both you and them. How could I?

I dropped my sword. It bounced off the rock with an ear-splitting clang. It skidded away over the wet rock, past Yin and off the cliff behind her. She watched it go, then turned to look me in the eye. Her face was soaked in rain and tears. Unable to help myself, I ran over to her and wrapped my arms around her as I knelt by her side, tears and loud sobs bursting out of me.

“Yin… I could never kill you. Never. I love you too much.”

“I’m sorry… I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe I did that to you. I’m so sorry. I’ll never leave your side again!”

For many long minutes we just hugged and cried freely. My stomach brushed hers, swollen with our child. Our baby… I could never kill someone who was meant to have my child. That was just wrong. And I did love her really. And I could tell she loved me. There was no mistaking it. Our lips brushed, and we looked into each others’ eyes.

Her eyes, darkened from sky blue to twin sapphires, were still so beautiful. Four gems in the storm. Two sapphires and two chips of amber. Together at last.

Smoothing my rain-darkened fur, cleaned somewhat by the driving rain, I got closer. I could feel her breath on my face; I could hear her heart pounding.

“Yuck?” Yin whispered.

“What is it?”

“Our child… It’s going to be a boy!”

I smiled gently, taking her hand in mine.

“Then how about I get you home and out of this horrible storm? I dragged you into it, and now I’m gonna drag you out.”

She smiled, causing a grin to break out on my face, and nodded. I gently scooped her up, holding her soaked body close to mine. I started to run down the mountain with her clutched close to me. At last, we could be happily together.

But for how long…?