Johan of Middle walks silently along the water's edge. It's sunset and the remaining light glistens on the water beside him. The rest of the village dances and sings their praise to Elyon, the creator. He smirks to himself, thinking of when he used to be as foolish as those he sees. Believing that the creator of the Great Romance would come back to save them from the Horde. For twelve years he has waited and yet, no sign of the little boy Elyon was known to show himself as. Johan is shaken from his own thoughts as he hears someone approaching him from behind. With the quickness of one trained by the Forest Guard he whips around and grabs his stalker by the wrists.
"Almost had you that time!" exclaims Jessamine, Johan's betrothed.
"Almost being the key word my dear" Johan says with a smile.
Jess had grown up in Southern, one of the other seven Forests, and had traveled to Middle with her parents. She wasn't much younger than Johan and had striking features. With her sand-colored hair, deep blue eyes, and a light and quick body, she used to be surrounded by men as a teenager. But after a band of amateur Scabs, what the Forest people call the Horde, burned down her house, she was left with a scar running up her left leg. The fire had killed her dad and it was Johan who saved Jess and her mother. He also tracked and killed the band as they were returning to the desert. She was eternally grateful and chose him over all others. Johan loved her but only one thing about Jess kept him from marrying her.
"So what are you doing way out here?" Jess asked him. "The celebration has begun on the opposite side of the lake! We should be over there rejoicing with the rest!"
Jessamine had a great personality, similar to Johan's in fact. Something was always troubling her, different every time, and that's what Johan liked about her. They could talk for hours on end about nothing in particular, as long as it was negatively about something. But ever since the fire, she believed Johan was sent by Elyon to save her and she always perked up at these celebrations. So every night, Johan had to put on a smile and dance like a buffoon, just to please her. He didn't mind doing it for Jess; he just resented praising someone he knew wasn't there.
Johan looked across the lake. With lit torches every few yards, he could clearly see the almost three-hundred people dancing by the pier, and even more in small groups around the lake's edge. He could also hear the music, being played on the handmade instruments, bouncing off the water.
"Why don't we go for a swim instead?" Johan asked.
"Because it's freezing! That's why!" Jess replied.
He smiled. There's the complaining he was waiting for.
"Come on! Don't be a child! Besides, I'm not in the mood for dancing tonight."
"Fine. If you want to act this way, I'll go dance with someone else." she retorted.
With a sly grin plastered on her face, she spun on the spot and started back down the beach toward the music, swaying her hips tauntingly to the beat. Johan smiled at the idea that had just popped into his head and started to run silently after her. As he caught up, he grabbed her around the waist with one arm and threw her up onto one shoulder. With his other hand he took his tunic off and threw it to the sand.
"Stop Johan!" she cried, knowing what he was about to do.
With Jess fussing trying to release herself, Johan started to walk toward the lake. Both were laughing hysterically by the time the cool, refreshing water was waist deep and Johan threw her into it. She came up behind Johan silently and gracefully. She wrapped both arms around his neck and dragged him under. They came up laughing, sputtering, and trying to breathe all at the same time.
"Got you that time!" Jess exclaimed, letting her captive free.
"That's because I let you" he replied.
"You always have to be the tough guy, don't you?" she asked seductively.
"Only when you're not around" he said as he leaned in for a kiss.
Suddenly a black figure flew past and Johan jerked his head up to see what it was.
"What are you looking at, love? I didn't see anything." she asks, a little disappointed that the moment was lost.
"You mean you didn't just see that black blur shoot past us not four yards away?" he asked, confused on how she could miss something so obvious.
"I have no idea what you saw, but I didn't see anything. Unless you're making up stories as an excuse to not kiss me" Jess said teasingly as she turned away, knowing the exact reaction she was about to get.
"Why would I miss an opportunity to show my love for a creature as beautiful as you?" he asked, wading toward her.
He hugs her around the waist and kisses her cheek, both listening to the music playing. Jess knew Johan had lost his faith in Elyon; that's why she tried so hard to make him to see him the way she did. But even though he wouldn't admit it, Johan was a dedicated believer in the Great Romance, the rules of love instituted by Elyon himself. Jess just couldn't understand how someone who claims to have seen Elyon in the flesh could reject him so easily. She feels Johan jerk his head skyward, as if he sees another "blur" as he described it. Then Jess feels something wrap around her foot. And as she's ready to scream, she's pulled under.