Claudia rushed into Jared's study, her dark red hair flying, her tattered emrald dress swirling around her ankles. Jared looked up, startled, from the old Sapient book he was reading. Before he could he get a word in edgewise she flew at him and began sobbing into his chest. After a moment's hesitation, Jared wrapped his arms around the Warden's daughter, careful not to be too intimate. There was a fine line that Jared had learned not to cross. He was, after all, her mentor. And nothing more.
" What ails you, Claudia?" Her voice was muffled by his green robes. " My f- the Warden has arranged my marriage for next week! I won't marry that devil Casper! I told you a long time ago Jared, I won't do it, I just can't! "
He gently prised her arms off him and examined her from a distance. Her pretty green eyes were swollen and red-rimmed from crying. She looked so small, so destitute, that Jared longed to put his arms around her again. But the young Sapient had learned to practice self-control long ago. He peered out the open window, the moonlight reflecting in his light blue eyes. " Of course you don't. No one would want to. "
Claudia shooed Jared's fox cub off an old amchair and sat on it, placing her chin in her hand. She looked up at him. Even through her sadness Jared could see that old spark of spitfire in her eyes, the eagerness to get revenge on her father for this horrible decision. Defiance was clearly written on her face, and her hands were balled into fists. She would run to the ends of the earth with him, just as long as they got something done along the way. She was too trusting. Claudia put all her faith in him, sometimes when he didn't even deserve it. And that was part of why he loved her.
" You have to help me Jared." Her voice trembled slightly. He turned to face her again. He transformed his face into an expressionless mask so she wouldn't see the longing in his eyes. " We could run away together, somewhere the Warden would never find us. There's got to be someplace the Sapients go to that no one else do. " She rose, her eyes swimming again. " Don't lie and tell me that isn't always what you wanted to do." Her voice was barely above a whisper. She was inches away from him now. " I love you Jared. " He stared at the floor, a pink tinge appearing on his pale face. A tear ran down Claudia's face. " Please look at me! I know you don't feel the same way, but-" Jared dried her tears. He placed his hand behind her neck and drew her closer to him, kissing her soft lips the way he had always dreamed about. And he knew that it was wrong, she was destined to marry another, and that when his illness finally killed him, she would be alone and depressed. But in that moment, that one magical moment when time stopped and he held Claudia in his arms, Jared Sapient forgot all the rules that restricted them. He let go of them all.