I forgive him

I have certainly been thinking of leaving this village forever. Gawain now offering the same makes me feel like he is on the same wavelength as me. It certainly would be nice to go to a village where nobody knows us. To start with a clean slate, including fake identities.

I relax a bit and adjust my stance from my hands at my sides to my arms crossed in front of my chest. I also allow my expression to soften.

Gawain holds out his hand to me and says, “Come with me, Gwen. Samhain child or not, I will stick by you this time. If you want us to be homeless together, we will. If you want to leave this village, I will leave it with you. Whatever you want, we will do it together.”

At long last, Gawain finally says the words that I have wanted him to say to me ever since dad kicked me out of the house. I get so emotional that can’t help but get teary eyed, so I turn away from him and rubs a few more tears out of my eyes. Then I look back at him while pressing my lips together and ask, “Do you really mean that?”

“Of course, I do.” Gawain replies. “Ever since the day we got separated I have been depressed. I quite simply can’t be happy without you. You may be my sister, Gwen, but you are also my soulmate. I need you.”

And with just those words, I am defeated. I look at the ground and realize the part of me that yearns to be with Gawain again takes over and makes my anger towards him disappear. Then I tell Gawain about my greatest desire.

“I want to leave. I don’t care where I go. Another village, the other side of this country, or even sail across the sea to another kingdom. I just don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Then we can both join the traveler clan when they leave and turn out back on this village forever.”

Having been so utterly defeated, I walk over to the rope and step over it so I stand on Gawain’s side. On the side where if we touch each other, we are to have sex. Then I seal my fate by taking his hand and say, “Then take me away, brother. Take me into the forest. Do with me as you want. Just promise that when the travelers leave, you and I will leave together with them.”

Gawain embraces me and says, “Thank you for forgiving me, Gwen. With this, we will start our last days in this village.”

Then both of us turn towards the forest and walk into this Samhain night hand in hand.