Prologue: Petra
I looked out at the moonrise. It was so beautiful. The embodiment of everything I wanted to be. Strong, immovable, beautiful, delicate. I wanted to be like the moon. And I wanted to be like that for... him. I shook my head to clear it. I needed to focus on what I was doing. I grabbed up my pack and started toward the tunnel I'd lived in for years. I rifled through my chest and found nothing, meaning I could take that. I picked it up, along with my crafting table and furnace. I finally looked around. No signs that I'd ever lived there. It was great, an accomplishment, to complete my first real move, but I would miss this place. I sighed and turned away. I exited the cave, pretending not to notice the half-concealed Lukas trying to look cool. He stepped out of the bushes and said, "Petra... I need to tell you something. Something I've never told anyone, and I won't be able to tell you accurately." My heart skipped four or five beats. Where was this going? "I... I'm in love with you. And I don't know when I fell in love with you so I'll just say forever. I've been in love with you forever. And I'll be in love with you forever. And I understand if you never want to see me again after this, but I had to tell you. I couldn't live with you not knowing." He looked as if he would say more, but I had already pressed my lips to his. I held him forever and an hour, and then finally said, "Lukas..." He looked down at me. I continued, "no one will know. Promise." He promised. "Do we... do we get to be together now?" He nodded. "We might need to act like we've had a fight to avoid arousing suspicion. We can be 'mad' at each other for a while and eventually get over it. But whenever you're ready, they'll know." I smiled. "Ok."
The next day, Lukas came to me in that same spot in the woods. He gave me a flat silver heart on a chain. In the middle of the heart there were two five-letter words, each forming one half of a smaller heart; Lukas on the right, Petra on the left. It shimmered ever so slightly purplish. I tilted it. He told me, "when my name disappears, you'll know I've stopped loving you. However, that is physically impossible, so you can have it as proof of my love." I looked up at him, stunned to silence by this gift. I kissed him, and he kissed back, and all was well.
