I Will Always Return

The war was finally over. Victory was their's, the kingdom was safe and now they all could go home. 'Home', Caith thought to himself as he stuffed his few belongings into his saddle bags. 'It's been three years since I've been home. Three years since I last saw her beautiful face.'

Sieta had begged him not to go to war. She thought she'd never see him again, or worse, have him brought to her in a coffin. So he married her and rode out to battle two days later. Before he left, he gave her a ring, a silver wedding band. Inscribed on the inside of it was 'I Will Always Return.' He swore to keep true to that promise.

For three long and bloody years the king's army fought. Their enemy was large in number, but they were great in spirit. The battles went on, sometimes not ceasing for days on end. Men died every day at the hands of their foes and they all hoped it would end soon. Caith wrote letters every chance he got, which wasn't often and he was certain that only a few made it to Sieta's hands each year. She wrote him back once or twice, only talking about how much she missed him and wondering when he'd come back to her.

"I hear the wind call your name,
It calls me back home again
It sparks up the fire-a flame still burns
Oh, it's to you I will always return"

Everything he had was packed and there was nothing to keep him here, so Caith bid a fond farewell to his fellow soldiers and climbed into the saddle once more. His horse was weary and getting old, but the steed seemed to feel Caith's relief and they started off for home.

All that day he rode at a steady pace, stopping only once to get water from a nearby stream. His thoughts were all of Sieta and how happy she'd be to see him ride up to the house. He remembered their short courtship and the one night they had spent together in the few months he had known her. Their wedding night, a perfect end to the most perfect day of his life. And the only time he had ever gotten to show Sieta exactly how much he loved her.

"I still feel your breath on my skin
I hear your voice deep within
The sound of my lover-a feeling so strong
It's to you I will always belong"

That night he dreampt, but not of his lover. Memories of the past three years flooded back quickly and unabashedly. Scenes of blood and death passed through his mind. His heart raced faster when he thought of all the men he had killed. One particular battle played over and over in his memory. The rain was falling, blood was spilling and they all were weary. Caught off his guard, a blade split though Caith's armor and pierced his side, coming close to his heart. He fell in the mud, but was rescued later by a commrade and taken back to his tent. The medic did everything he could to help, but it was up to fate after that. For days he fought death away, like some barbaric enemy. And he won.

Caith sat up from his deep sleep, sweat trickling down his brow and his heart racing. The night enveloped the forest around him and the moon shone down peacefully, as if to say that he was alright and he would make it home safely. He thought clearly back to that day. Only the hope of seeing his love again had gotten Caith back on his feet after the injury. He had promised to return and he must keep that promise.

"Now I know it's true
My every road leads to you
And in the hour of darkness darlin,
Your light gets me through."

Up, as always, before dawn, Caith continued on his journey, his anticipation growing with every step of his horse's hooves. He would see her today, his wife, his lover, the woman who lived in his thoughts day and night for the past three years. As he rode through the forest, things began to look familiar. The creek where he fished as a child had recently become a raging river, the field of dasies where he had proposed to Sieta was ahead on the left and he saw it to be the same as before. He was getting close, he could feel it from head to toe. He urged the horse into a canter and felt his heart begin to pound.

"Wanna swim in your river-be warmed by your sun
Bathe in your waters-cause you are the one."

The house was in sight. The small log cabin they had found while out walking one day was perfect for the two of them. And there was space to build more rooms for their children someday. Caith saw that Sieta had planted flowers out near the front door, roses and peace lilies, her favorites. He called out to her as he got closer to the house, uncertain if she could hear him coming or not.

"I can't stand the distance-I can't dream alone
I can't wait to see you-yes I'm on my way home."

He stopped the horse just near the water well and watched as the front door opened. And there she was. Her light brown hair fell in waves of curls around her face, showing off perfectly tanned skin, deep blue eyes and a beautiful smile.
They both simply stood there and stared.
"Caith?" she asked, unsure if he really was there.
He smiled. "It's me, my love. I've come home."

Then she took off running. Caith laughed for the pure joy of it as he scooped her small body into his arms. He squeezed her tight, never wanting to let go and he could feel her happy tears on his neck.
"You came back to me." she whispered in his ear.
"I promised. It's to you I will always, always return."


"I've seen every sunset
And all that I've learned,
It's to you I will always, always return."




*Song lyrics from 'I Will Always Return' by Bryan Adams.*