~~ Chapter One ~~
~ Young Love ~
"Ada? May I talk to you?" A young Celestia asks.
"Certainly. Come in my bright star. What is it?" Celestia creeps into her father's office shyly. As she talks, her father's face changes slowly from happy to angry.
"Why Celestia? Why must you always defy my wishes?" said her father loudly.
"But," she whispers meekly.
"NO!" her fathers yells and tells her to leave. Celestia ran from her father's study, trying to control the tears running silently down her face. Deneati was about to go on patrol when Celestia flings herself into his arms.
"Ada says we cannot be married!" she tells him softly.
"Then we have no choice but to remain secret lovers," Deneati told her before pulling her close and giving her a comforting hug.
"I don't want to defy my father, but I will for you," Celestia replied lovingly before hugging him back. Unknown to them, a figure at a window watching them scowled and turned away, shaking his head.
Some years later –
Thump. Thump. Thump. Each arrow Celestia shot landed in the center of the target, splitting the preceding arrow in half every time. Celestia's instructor stood behind her, watching in resignation as his pupil shot arrows with exact precision.
"Celestia, stop!" commanded the instructor.
"Yes, Islando?"
"You have surpassed me. I am no longer able to teach you anything. The student has become the master."
Two months later –
"No, no young one. Hold the bow like this, it will shoot farther." Deneati crouched in the background, his tall, lithe frame almost doubled over on the thin branch he was balancing on. His black hair drifted silently in the light breeze as his dark blue eyes watched his golden beloved teach the novice elves about archery. Deneati waited until all the young elves had left at the end of the lesson before presenting himself.
"About time you stopped hiding in the bushes," commented Celestia dryly.
"What? You knew I was there?"
"Of course! You know, you breathe quite loudly for an elf." Celestia finished cleaning up the archery range before following her love back to his house.
Four months later –
A herald rushed through the gates of the elfin palace, shouting a warning to all he met. He demanded to see the king immediately, and his request was granted, for he acted like he had serious news.
"Hail King!" he said out of breath. "I come bearing grave news. – The warrior band Lenideal is marching toward the palace!" The King sent him away and mused on his dilemma. Unbeknownst to him, a lithe figure crept silently away to contemplate on what she had overheard.
A couple weeks after overhearing her father, King of Bellorüan, talk with the herald, Celestia was wandering in the forest, where she went when she needed to think. As she pondered about the future, the horrible truth became clear to her. Deneati was going to war, leading the many young warriors to battle, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. There was one thing, but she was not ready to come to terms with it yet, let alone tell anyone else.
When she came back from meditating, Deneati rushed up to her, calling her name and stopping almost guiltily in front of her.
"Celestia, I . . . . I . . ."
"You're going to fight in the upcoming war," Celestia said with an infinite amount of aching sadness in her turquoise eyes.
"Yes. How did you know?" asked a confused Deneati.
"I looked into my heart and found the answer," she stated flatly.
"I'm sorry, but I have to fight for Bellorüan, the homeland of the elves, and the elfin honor."
"I know love. No need to say more," Celestia whispered, "and now I need to be happy, so I can send you off with good cheer," she said with forced happiness. "Let's go pack your weapons."
