The Liberal Lens: Finding Life in the Moment

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Jake Thimble never proclaimed himself to be the worst at stealth, but times like this reminded him just how blatant he was.

What exactly was he doing? That, he really didn’t know how to explain. However, if he told Lucia that, she would flip out — and that he couldn’t risk.

“Just going out for a patrol, love.” He hoped she bought it.

He saw her long, flowing hair illuminated by the moon — nearly a full moon, which, shit. He forced his eyes to focus on something else as a painful stabbing made its way through his heart slower than molasses.

“At this time of night?” No cigar, of course she would know that he had afternoon patrols. “Mi corazón, it is too late, your patrol was earlier today.”

For once in his life, he was as quick as his feet. “Sheppherd traded me so he could get some rest,” a believable lie, seeing as he had traded with Frank many times in the past few months. Still, he faced away from her. He couldn’t lie to her face, his heart wouldn’t allow it. The ache in his chest deepened at his lie.

“Ah, Frank. Always trying to get away from the night,” she sighed. Stepping closer to him, she reached out and turned him to face her. Cupping his cheek, she said, “You do too much for that man and too little for yourself.”

“I know, I kno–” she interrupted him by pulling him in for a kiss, deepening it when he reflexively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He felt one of her hands move from his cheek to gently grab his hair and pulled him out of the kiss she initiated.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. He couldn’t help but get lost in the beautiful brown eyes he had fallen in love with last September, before this magic bullshit started. “You know you can tell me anything, you are my other half.”

He had to steel himself at that. He didn’t know if he could lie to her now, especially with how close her face was to his. He leaned back in even with her hand in his hair pulling him away, and stole another kiss from her, using his thumb to caress her cheek. When he broke away, he had a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Of course I’m alright,” he said breathily, partly due to the kiss as well as having lied to her again. He took a deep breath to collect himself, and unwrapped his arms from her. “Also, I can never get enough of your kisses.” That was the truth.

“Then stay, please,” she nearly begged, her hand holding out waiting for his hand to take. He didn’t.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tonight.” He felt his heart break at the frown he spied before she turned away. “Tomorrow, I will.”

“You promise?”

“…I promise.”

She turned back and gave a hesitant smile. Small, yet full of warmth. “Then stay safe please, and return to me, mi corazón.”

“No matter what, I will try, mi media naranja.”

She stomped her foot. “I told you not to call me that,” she whined.

He stuck his tongue out at her, even with the dread and aches in his heart. She was simply too cute not to tease.

“Okay, okay, how about… mis ojos de ángel?” 

“Just cause I love you doesn’t mean I won’t fight you right here, right now,” she warned playfully, her eyes drawn into a glare his way. He pretended to sigh.

“Fine, my love.”

“Better.” She smiled fully now, something that always stunned him and his heart. She turned away, a sway to her hips from what he could tell in the moonlight. She looked over her shoulder with a smirk and a wink, waving and walking away.

When she turned the corner, he slumped and sighed, letting go of the breath he had been holding for however long. That was five minutes from his deadline. Thirty minutes, now twenty-five, until the battle that would ultimately decide his, Lucia’s, and his friends’ fates.

He hated himself for making a promise he knew he couldn’t keep. He hated himself for lying to a woman who built him up and made him whole twice over. He hated how he couldn’t kiss her one more time or hold her close. Hear her laugh. See her smile. Watch her play with her hair as she read in the library. How she got excited whenever he made cookies.

Her heart was going to be broken. He knew he wasn’t going to get from this fight in one piece, if at all. She deserved better than a man fated for death. 

Still, he had a chance to save her. And his friends’ lives as well. And the world, he supposed. But none of that mattered compared to her. His heart, his love.

He began his walk toward death, leaving the doorway and heading into the moonlit pasture. His solitude in his walk to the forest only made clear to him just what he was leaving behind. Lucia.

But, he was going to save her. And with that as his resolve, he took a step. For Lucia. He took another step. For his heart. He took another step. For his love. He took another step.

His chant kept him going until he met the bastard that would take his life, but Jake Thimble wasn’t going to let him walk away from this either. As he look at the dagger in his opponent’s hand, he thought of his Lucia.

“For Lucia,” he yelled before taking his set of daggers out and flinging himself at his opponent.