I loved her more than life itself…. But I could never tell her. Fate demanded that the truth would only hurt her. Fate demanded I die…. And die I knew I would.


                                                         Chapter 1


“Come on Jed.” Sylvia shouted as she ran up the stairs to the main hall. “I don’t want to be late for the ball. Sheesh. Sometimes I wonder if you should have born a woman.” She teased. Jed stepped from the carriage with a frown and looked up at the impatient Sylvia.

“Yeah, well sometimes I wonder if you’ll ever grow up. Let’s just accept each others flaws and call it even.” He smirked as he taunted back. Sylvia didn’t seem to like the comment so much, apparent by the angry scowl across her face but instead of rebuking back ran further up the stairs leaving him behind. With a sigh Jed set off up the stairs. “How did I ever get stuck with you?” he shouted as he followed her across the floor to the front door stopping only for a minute to note the massive temple the ball was to be held in. Pillars stood at the edge of the floor and the stairs holding the roof overhanging the main building. Sylvia glanced back with a smile and stepped through the doors. Jed followed past the two guards at the door and stopped next to Sylvia who seemed to be transfixed in place. “What are you sta…?” He didn’t finish the question. Before him was the most elegant room he’d ever seen.  Jed stared in wonder at the massive room before him, a newfound understanding of Sylvia’s mesmerism. The walls were a light yellow, paralleled by intricately carved columns of designs of flowers, forests, and mythical creatures of every size and shape. Each column extended to the ceiling, each a mere five feet from the wall and ten feet from each other. A quick glance around the room told Jed the room was well over two hundred feet across in both directions. The walls gave witness to paintings of great battles and heroes, of romances and beautiful cities. One section of the wall displayed a mural of and ancient king Jed knew to be Avaric, bowing before the woman he loved as proof that his devotion to her knew no bounds. Jed had been taught of the legend in history class, King Avaric and Queen Lisinia, the most successful rulers in the history of Tavarik. Above, a glass dome stretched across most of the room exposing the room to the sky of stars above. Overall, the room was a beautiful sight.

Sylvia was all smiles as she stared at the room of dancing men and women. She’d waited four years to attend this ball. Jed hadn’t wanted to come. If not for Sylvia’s incessant begging he wouldn’t have. For the life of him he couldn’t guess why she’d chose him. He knew well enough there were plenty of guys that would cut off a finger to take Sylvia to their final year ball. Then again, Sylvia had never been one to like high school guys. So instead she’d dragged her best friend along, Jed. He wasn’t complaining but sometimes he’d wished she would get a boyfriend. She relied far to much on him for companionship. But as much as he tried to convince himself he shouldn’t be here with her he found himself unwilling to accept it. Something had pushed him, led him here. What, he didn’t know but as he looked over at Sylvia, the idea of the ball didn’t seem so bad. For the first time, she seemed to radiate with a different light.

Jed had never looked at Sylvia as more than a best friend. In ways, she was more a sister than anything. But lately things had changed between them, more because of Sylvia than from him. She’d been more distant, always off somewhere in her head and at times he’d catch her glimpses his way when she thought he was looking. But in the end he’d just accepted it as Sylvia being Sylvia, and accepting that had kept things between them as normal as ever. But tonight he couldn’t bring himself to look away from her. She’d never dressed up around him. They wore casual clothes, as every other teenager did, and Sylvia had never been one to expose too much skin. However, tonight, Sylvia glowed. The golden dress she wore seemed to accentuate every part of her body. The ball gown style dress hugged tight just below her collarbone wrapping around under her arms to her back. The halter style neckline rose up from the front of her dress to her neck before a small band wrapped around her neck. The dress silhouetted the curve of her body down to her waist before billowing out in a beautiful ruffled skirt all the way to the floor. She wore no makeup Jed knew because Sylvia believed in natural beauty. Her light brown hair was elegantly pulled back over her head and pinned where it laid down to her shoulder blades in waves and twirls. As Jed studied her features and thin figure he found himself coming to the realization that tonight Sylvia was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her in his entire life. In a way, she mesmerized him. His Sylvia, who’d been like a sister to him since preschool, now stood beside him at their final dance as high schoolers more beautiful than she’d ever been before. He suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Sylvia’s gold dress rippled a little as she stepped forward toward the crowd and the sudden movement brought Jed back to his senses. “Will you dance with me Jed?” she asked hopefully. He thought for a minute before finally grabbing her outstretched hand. He’d already been dragged here by her, there was no point in saying no now. With a chirp of excitement Sylvia grabbed his hand and began leading him through the crowd closer to the music until finally she stopped turning to face him. Somebody nearby greeted them but Sylvia didn’t seem to hear and he was too distracted to notice who it was. Sylvia leaned close to him and placed her left hand in his and the other on his shoulder. Jed had never been good at dancing but complied placing his free hand at the side of her waist. The music was a slow rhythm of piano, harp, violin, and several other small string instruments Jed didn’t recognize. Jed swayed with Sylvia back and forth making sure to watch his step. He was nervous enough as it was, there was no need to step on her feet. After a few seconds of watching his feet Sylvia spoke. “Would you stop staring at the floor? You’re doing fine.” Jed looked her in the face. He suddenly felt hot and found himself swallow a lump in his throat. Sylvia watched him with a smile, her light green eyes staring at him gently. “Thank you Jedidia, for coming with me.” She said teasingly.

“Look, I agreed to come with you and even dance. But no using my full name.” he replied with a frown.

“Touchy touchy.” She teased again. A few seconds passed before she spoke again. “You look handsome tonight. The tux suits you well.” Her voice had a gentleness he’d never heard before.

“Thanks. That dress is…” the lump was suddenly back. Jed found himself averting his eyes. “You look beautiful tonight.” He managed to choke out. It felt weird and uncomfortable but it was only proper to return a compliment. As he returned his gaze back to her face he felt his heart pound quicker. She really did look beautiful. Jed found himself studying her again, her thin eyebrows, small nose, thin lips, and even the light freckles that dotted her cheeks. Her smile stretched a little more giving her face a softer look and Jed suddenly averted his eyes again. Sylvia let go of his hand and placed it over his other shoulder. Jed not sure what to do with his now free right hand placed it on her hip as he had the other. The song suddenly came to an end and Jed took the opportunity to step from Sylvia’s grip pretending to stretch. His new found freedom however didn’t last as only a few seconds had passed when they started a new song and much to Jed’s annoyance it was even slower than the first. Sylvia placed her arms back over his shoulders again and leaned against him, her breasts gently push against his chest. Jed suddenly wanted to get away. “What’s wrong with me?” he thought to himself. “I shouldn’t feel like this.” He looked back at Sylvia’s face as he felt something rise in his chest. Sylvia simply swayed for a few moments staring him in the eyes. At one point the song seemed to end but before he could step away it suddenly started up again. “It must be the music.” He thought as Sylvia suddenly laid her head on his shoulder. “She’s like a sister to me.” He thought as tried to convince himself he felt nothing for this girl who’d been like a sister to for as long as he could remember. They turned and drifted back and forth for the rest of the song. Finally, it came to an end and Jed took the opportunity to get off the floor before the next song began.

“Do want something to drink Sylvia?” he asked as she pulled away.

“Yes please.” She replied. Jed walked off toward the table to the side of the dance floor leaving Sylvia to talk with a girl who had seemed to appear out of nowhere to talk to her. Jed grabbed a cup of punch but before he started to take it back to Sylvia he set it down on the table. He felt a sudden need for some fresh air and glancing back to make sure Sylvia was okay without him for a few minutes he walked out the front door and across to the edge of the floor to the stairs.

“What is wrong with me?” he asked aloud as he sat on the steps looking up at the stars. He stared at the stars for several minutes, as if hoping they would answer him but no answer came this way. “I shouldn’t feel this way about her.” He said again aloud as he dropped his head in defeat.

“Feel what way?” the voice froze him. He didn’t look up afraid of who he might see standing there. Several seconds passed and he started to wonder if he’d even heard it. Maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him. “Feel what way?” the question rang out again, this time more insistent. Jed lifted his head to see Sylvia standing over him a cup of punch in each hand. She had an eyebrow raised in curiosity. Jed stood up and swallowed.

“Is that for me?” he gestured to the cup of punch as he tried to change the subject. Sylvia didn’t fall for it, he knew she wouldn’t.

“Don’t change the subject Jed, feel what way?” her voice had a new edge to it he couldn’t recognize. It occurred to him it sounded almost nervous or worried.

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking about this girl from school.” He lied. He knew she wouldn’t fall for it. Sylvia set the cups on the ground. “Why is she setting the cups down?” he suddenly realized he didn’t want to know the answer.

“Jed, please don’t lie to me. What did you mean when you said that?” She stepped forward. Her voice had the gentleness he’d heard earlier. He suddenly wanted to run away.

“It’s nothing, really. I was just…” he couldn’t think of anything to say and found himself looking at the ground again.

A hand gently grabbed his chin and lifted his face. Sylvia stared him in the eyes. “Please Jed. What did you mean?” her voice cut through him. It was fear, but fear of what. Something clicked in his head then. The recent distance between them, the hidden glances, the ball, the dress, all of it suddenly seemed so much more significant. His heart felt like it was going to pound it’s way out of his chest.

“I…” he couldn’t say it. “I…” Still no words came out. “Sylvia.” But this time it was all he got out. Before he could say the words he knew she was waiting for her arms wrapped around his neck and as she pushed against him harder than ever before her lips came to his. In that second everything came clear to him. As Sylvia’s lips came to his everything suddenly made sense and as it did he found himself holding her, his own lips kissing back. Jed pulled her close, kissing her back as she clung to him. Finally, she pulled away, her face blushing furiously. She stepped back nervously.

“I… I...” but she couldn’t speak. No words could come out as she stared in shock at what she’d just done. Jed stepped forward lifting her face to look her in the eyes. She was crying. “I…” she tried futilely to say again.

Jed brushed a tear from her cheek. “Sylvia, how could I have been so stupid?” The realization of his words seemed to show through her very eyes. Before he could say anything else Sylvia lunged forward again kissing him more passionately than before pulling away only when she couldn’t breathe.

“Jed…” she managed to squeak out as she stared at the ground. “I love you.” The words hit him like a wall. He’d realized it already but actually hearing the words seemed to steal his very breath. Sylvia stared at the ground. “I’ve loved you for quite a while.” She said as she looked up into his eyes.

Finally he gathered himself. “Oh Sylvia.” He said as he stroked her cheek. “How did I not see it sooner?” he paused bracing himself to say the words. “I love you.” And then he kissed her, long and passionate on the steps of Hara Hall.