Chapter 1
Serena was running down the long forest trail heading for home. She had been due back before nightfall and now it was only hours before daybreak. She had gone to Tanbaum to visit her longtime friend Ami who had moved recently. Ami was studying the arts of healing. Many weary travelers passed through the forests needing assistance, most on a grand adventure.
This particular time was not as usual though. Upon leaving Ami's home, she tripped over a step and began to tumble. A tall slender young man ran to her rescue before she could hit the ground. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Oh my, thank you so much kind sir."
"It was my pleasure to save a lady as beautiful as you." He noticed her blush and went on, "My name is Seiya Kouga and yours would be?"
"I am Serena and thank you so much again. I'm always falling over these feet of mine," she gazed down at her pink loafers giggling.
"As I said it was my pleasure. Now how are you doing ?"
"I'm fine, Seiya" she was unaware of Seiya's staring.
"Are you new to Tanbaum?" Seiya continued to stare at the elf like woman.
"No, I live in River Run Falls. I came to see a friend of mine, Ami Mizno. She's here studying the arts of healing. I come to see her whenever I can." She began to walk towards the city gates with Seiya by her side.
"Such a long journey for one alone," he hoped she was alone.
"It's not so bad. I enjoy the time to myself."
Seiya breathed in heavily, almost gulping the air. He had been holding his breath in anticipation of her reply. He couldn't understand the sudden attraction he had towards this fair young woman after only just having met her.
"I'm sorry Seiya, I really have to get back home now," she continued towards the city gates.
"Don't leave so soon," he touched her arm gently. "Please have dinner with my family tonight. My mother is an excellent cook."
"I don't know." She gazed into Seiya's eyes and melted away.
"Please Serena. You must eat before a journey so long." He hoped she would reconsider.
"I'd love to Seiya..." she began to blush catching Seiya's eyes light up and a wide grin appear on his face, "…as long as it's no trouble."
"No trouble at all. Let's go."
He led her to his home across the village. After meeting his brothers, Yaten and Taiki, they had dinner. During her third helping, she realized how late it had become.
"Oh Seiya, I must really be going. It's gotten so late. Thank you for the lovely meal, Lady Kouga, and it was so nice to meet all of you." She hurried up from the table and ran out the door. Seiya looked at his brothers quizzically before running after her.
"Serena, wait!" He yelled after her trying to catch up to her.
She looked back still running, "I'll come see you again in a few weeks. I promise, Seiya." And with that she was gone through the front gates and on her way home.
Seiya stopped and stared watching her till she was no longer in sight. "I can't wait," he sighed and turned for home.
***
Serena continued running until her breath was gone.
"Huff, huff, half, huff, way, huff, home."
She leaned against a big oak tree of to the side of the trail. Looking around her, she noticed the moon was right above her. "Oh, how beautiful it is. I wonder what it's like up there."
"Head in the clouds again, Meatball Head?"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Serena screamed so loudly birds flew away from their nests for miles.
"Quiet, Serena, you'll wake the dead."
"Darien, you shouldn't do that!" She smacked his arm, "You scared me half to death. What are you doing sneaking around in the forest for anyway?" She obviously was very upset with the young mans approach.
Darien swept back his black hair from his face, "I was looking for you. Did you lose time at Ami's again?" He was smiling down at her now. 'She's so beautiful, even more so in this moonlight.'
"Actually, no," she hesitated, "I met someone new and had dinner with his family and before I knew it , it was dusk." She started walking down the trail towards River Run Falls.
'His? She met a guy?' He almost blew his top at this new thought. He stood there thinking for a moment about this new factor. 'I knew I should have started courting her by now. I hope it's not to late. Great she's off again.' "Serena, wait for me." He started jogging after her. She stopped and looked at him crossly. Darien caught up with her quickly and they were off, arriving home in time for dawn.
Serena was running down the long forest trail heading for home. She had been due back before nightfall and now it was only hours before daybreak. She had gone to Tanbaum to visit her longtime friend Ami who had moved recently. Ami was studying the arts of healing. Many weary travelers passed through the forests needing assistance, most on a grand adventure.
This particular time was not as usual though. Upon leaving Ami's home, she tripped over a step and began to tumble. A tall slender young man ran to her rescue before she could hit the ground. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Oh my, thank you so much kind sir."
"It was my pleasure to save a lady as beautiful as you." He noticed her blush and went on, "My name is Seiya Kouga and yours would be?"
"I am Serena and thank you so much again. I'm always falling over these feet of mine," she gazed down at her pink loafers giggling.
"As I said it was my pleasure. Now how are you doing ?"
"I'm fine, Seiya" she was unaware of Seiya's staring.
"Are you new to Tanbaum?" Seiya continued to stare at the elf like woman.
"No, I live in River Run Falls. I came to see a friend of mine, Ami Mizno. She's here studying the arts of healing. I come to see her whenever I can." She began to walk towards the city gates with Seiya by her side.
"Such a long journey for one alone," he hoped she was alone.
"It's not so bad. I enjoy the time to myself."
Seiya breathed in heavily, almost gulping the air. He had been holding his breath in anticipation of her reply. He couldn't understand the sudden attraction he had towards this fair young woman after only just having met her.
"I'm sorry Seiya, I really have to get back home now," she continued towards the city gates.
"Don't leave so soon," he touched her arm gently. "Please have dinner with my family tonight. My mother is an excellent cook."
"I don't know." She gazed into Seiya's eyes and melted away.
"Please Serena. You must eat before a journey so long." He hoped she would reconsider.
"I'd love to Seiya..." she began to blush catching Seiya's eyes light up and a wide grin appear on his face, "…as long as it's no trouble."
"No trouble at all. Let's go."
He led her to his home across the village. After meeting his brothers, Yaten and Taiki, they had dinner. During her third helping, she realized how late it had become.
"Oh Seiya, I must really be going. It's gotten so late. Thank you for the lovely meal, Lady Kouga, and it was so nice to meet all of you." She hurried up from the table and ran out the door. Seiya looked at his brothers quizzically before running after her.
"Serena, wait!" He yelled after her trying to catch up to her.
She looked back still running, "I'll come see you again in a few weeks. I promise, Seiya." And with that she was gone through the front gates and on her way home.
Seiya stopped and stared watching her till she was no longer in sight. "I can't wait," he sighed and turned for home.
***
Serena continued running until her breath was gone.
"Huff, huff, half, huff, way, huff, home."
She leaned against a big oak tree of to the side of the trail. Looking around her, she noticed the moon was right above her. "Oh, how beautiful it is. I wonder what it's like up there."
"Head in the clouds again, Meatball Head?"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Serena screamed so loudly birds flew away from their nests for miles.
"Quiet, Serena, you'll wake the dead."
"Darien, you shouldn't do that!" She smacked his arm, "You scared me half to death. What are you doing sneaking around in the forest for anyway?" She obviously was very upset with the young mans approach.
Darien swept back his black hair from his face, "I was looking for you. Did you lose time at Ami's again?" He was smiling down at her now. 'She's so beautiful, even more so in this moonlight.'
"Actually, no," she hesitated, "I met someone new and had dinner with his family and before I knew it , it was dusk." She started walking down the trail towards River Run Falls.
'His? She met a guy?' He almost blew his top at this new thought. He stood there thinking for a moment about this new factor. 'I knew I should have started courting her by now. I hope it's not to late. Great she's off again.' "Serena, wait for me." He started jogging after her. She stopped and looked at him crossly. Darien caught up with her quickly and they were off, arriving home in time for dawn.