Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Ad Vitam Aeternam ❯ Chapter I ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I own EVERYTHING! If anyone steals my characters, I swear I'll hunt you down.

 

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The air this morning was hot and humid, even as a breeze whipped about the square, tossing my silver hair across my eyes. I leaned against the side of my apple stand, bored out of my mind. If Harriet thought I was doing this the rest of the day, she was severely mistaken. I looked up, seeing my friend walking toward me, a cheerful smile on her pretty face. She flipped her blonde ponytail over her shoulder, holding up the basket for me to see. She had just returned from shopping, and, from the giddy smile on her face, flirting with the baker's son, whom she claimed she was madly in love with. I narrowed my eyes, glaring at her.

 

“Where have you been all morning?” I demanded as she neared.

 

She giggled, setting her basket, shockingly full of bread, on the stand beside me. “Guess,” she said teasingly.

 

I rolled my eyes. “You weren't over there with Adrian again were you?” I asked, trying to sound reprimanding.

 

Harriet squealed in delight and nodded her head so fast I thought it would just tumble from her shoulders. Her smile grew so large that I was surprised it fit on her narrow face. “Yes,” she said. She sighed softly, launching into the meaningless conversation they had had. Even though it didn't interest me in the least, I knew that spending time with Adrian made her happy, so I listened intently. Apparently, after a lot of roundabout conversation, he had asked her to dinner that night. At the joy on her face, I smiled and took her hands in mine.

 

“That's so great!” I squealed, both of us giggling and jumping up and down. After a moment, we both stopped, considering looks on our face. “What are you going to wear?”

 

Harriet shook her head, her hazel eyes dimming a bit. “I don't know,” she said softly. She looked down at the ground.

 

I stared at her consideringly for a moment, before my eyes lit with delight. “Come on,” I said, pulling her into the shop behind us and up the stairs. “I know the perfect thing.” I led her down the hall and into my room. Once inside, I closed the door softly, and walked to my closet. “I know you've always liked this, so I'll let you borrow it.” I walked to my closet, glancing at her.

 

Her hazel eyes were wide with surprise as she watched me. “You mean that dress you've only worn once?” she whispered, shock in her voice.

 

I nodded, trying not to grimace at the thought. Many times I had debated throwing it out, as it only reminded me of my midnight flight nearly two years ago, and the dance that I could never forget so long as I lived, but I could never find the strength to part with it. I pulled the dress from the closet, holding it up for Harriet to see. It was quite beautiful, and when I held it up and looked at her, I knew it would be beautiful on her. I handed it to her, watching as she reverently took it.

 

“It's so beautiful,” she whispered, fingering the lace and liquid silver silk. She held the bodice against her and stood, posing playfully. “What do you think?”

 

I giggled, having learned to mask my real emotions. “I think Adrian won't know what hit him.” At this we both burst into laughter, before bustling to get Harriet ready. After she bathed, and we decided on the perfume she would wear, I did her hair. It was simple, just twisted and tucked in the front and on the sides, to make her hair look like a crown around her head, but it was very elegant, and, paired with the dress, she looked like a princess. I watched her wearily as she twirled before the mirror, her eyes light and happy. I smiled when she turned to me and walked toward the bed, sitting beside me. I noticed tears in her eyes as she took my hands in hers.

 

“What's the matter, Harriet?” I asked, surprised and concerned. I gripped her hands tighter, turning to her. “You're not having doubts are you?”

 

She shook her head, smiling gently. “No,” she said softly, brushing at the tears. “That's not it.” She looked up, into my green eyes, her gaze grateful and full of sisterly love. “You've done so much for me, Alvira. You are my truest, best friend.” She wrapped me in a hug. “Thank you so much. This really means a lot to me.”

 

I returned her hug, feeling humbled, and confused. “Anytime,” I said quietly. I glanced out the window at the waning sun, and I gasped. “You should get going.” We both stood quickly and I led her down the stairs and to the door. I grinned as I watched her brush the front of the dress smooth. “Don't want to keep him waiting.”

She smiled, the light returned to her eyes and the tears gone. “Thanks again, Alvira,” she said, wrapping a scarf around her shoulders.

 

I nodded. “Have a good time, Harriet,” I said as she hesitated at the door. I grinned mischievously. “When you get back I want to hear all about it.”

 

Harriet returned my grin, before slipping into the dark night. After she left, I realized how empty the shop seemed suddenly. Neither of us went out very often, and it was odd when I was here by myself. Not that I minded, though. The silence was just thick and a little unnerving, and it left me to my thoughts, which I tried to avoid most of the time.

 

I turned and walked up the stairs, leaning heavily on the wooden banister. When I reached the top, I retired to my room, closing the door softly behind me. I sat slowly on the edge of my bed, looking around the room. After a minute, I sighed softly, lying back on my pillow. I closed my eyes and breathed another sigh, when a soft scent suddenly tingled my nose. My eyes flew open, and I stared blankly at the ceiling, images of a certain green eyed, golden haired magician suddenly flooding my memory. I felt tears flood my eyes as a wave of longing washed over me.

 

I couldn't understand it at all. It had been more than two years, and I hadn't seen or heard from him. But this always happened to me. Just when I thought I was doing well and forgetting about him, he seemed to find a way into my thoughts, and it made my heart ache. I felt so lonely without him, but I knew I could never go back. I couldn't return willing to that man who put his duty before me. I couldn't return at the risk that he would reject me, just like he did before. I know that he loved me deeply, but that day, the day his father renounced his position as Royal Magician, and left the village, I knew that he couldn't really love me like he said he did. He was bound by the laws of Magicians to serve his king endlessly until he was released of his servitude, and until then he couldn't swear loyalty to me and the king. I knew I'd always get the short end of the stick, and he'd never be able to be there for me.

 

I dried my eyes as my mind began to clear. I had been through this in my mind so many times, but it still hurt to think about. If he had been there, when Avery had been so sick, I am certain, even to this day, that he could have made her better. But he was in the Capital, attending to the king's needs there. And by the time he returned, she had been dead for nearly a week. He had tried to comfort me, but I felt as if nothing could heal the gaping hole that Avery had left behind. What was I to do without my sister? I suppose that had been the beginning of my withdrawal from him. Before that, I had thought we were very close, and I never would have doubted that he wouldn't have been there to save Avery. I suppose that I was young and naïve, and it hurt to think that he had failed me. He had been my hero.

 

I turned on my side, sighing. Even though Avery was gone, I knew she was still watching over me. I knew she had sent Harriet to find me. Harriet was a few years younger than me, and it was nice to have someone to take care of. And she reminded me so much of Avery, that sometimes, so she wouldn't see, I would have to sneak off and cry. I missed Avery all the time, but I never regretted leaving that accursed town. The only thing I regretted was that, even though he probably watched me every day, I would never see him again. There were times, when I was alone, I swear I could feel his eyes on me, and, as I stared into the sky, I think I could almost see his deep emerald gaze staring back. I'm not sure how long I stayed like that, lost in thought, but, before I knew it, I was asleep.

 

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It must have been quite late when Harriet returned, because I could hear the clock in the square chiming the hour. I first heard her running up the stairs, and then the click of the lock on the door as she came quietly into my room.

 

“Alvira?” she whispered. I heard her walk toward my bed, and I shook myself from my sleep, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

 

“How was it?” I asked, yawning.

 

Harriet smiled brightly, even in the darkness. I could see her dress glinting in the silver moonlight cascading through the window, and I listened as she began to talk quickly and quietly about how nice Adrian looked, and where they went to dinner, and the walk they went on afterwards, and how beautiful the night sky was, and how Adrian complimented her. I only listened a little, until she got to the part where Adrian walked her home. From the way her voice quieted, I could tell something happened. I watched her smile turn wistful, and I could see a blush on her cheeks in the dim light. I was suddenly wide awake.

 

“He kissed you, didn't he?” I asked suddenly. I watched her look up at me, her hazel eyes wide and surprised.

 

“How did you guess?” she asked, becoming excited.

 

I shrugged. “You had that look on your face,” I said. I smiled as I leaned closer. I could tell that I wouldn't be getting any more sleep as we both chattered on into the early morning. It wasn't until nearly dawn, as I lay on my pillow, and she on the floor with a blanket pulled around her shoulders, that we began to feel sleepy. We hadn't talked like this in a long time, and it was refreshing. I sighed as I closed my eyes, trying to stay awake a little longer.

 

I could tell there had been something on Harriet's mind for a while now, and I was hoping the silence would give her a chance to come out and say what she was thinking. After a while, I lost track of time, and I think I had fallen into a light sleep, when her soft question pulled me back.

 

“What?” I asked, sitting up a little. “I didn't catch that.”

 

Harriet rolled onto her back, looking at me, her hazel eyes tired. “Why don't you have a man courting you?” she asked again. “You're the most beautiful girl in town. You could have any man you wanted.”

 

At this I balked, and sat up quickly. I was silent for a long time. It was an innocent question, and I supposed I should answer, but I didn't want to tell Harriet everything yet. She knew a lot about me, and we'd been friends for a long time now, but I wasn't ready to tell her the real reason I left Carrington. I sighed after a while, letting my head drop roughly to my pillow once more.

 

“That's hard to explain,” I said softly.

 

Harriet stared at me. “You can tell me anything, you know,” she said reassuringly.

 

I nodded. “I know,” I said, staring out the window. “I just don't know where to start.”

 

“Well,” Harriet said, yawning. “Start from the beginning.” I figured, from the tone of her voice, that she had some ideas about why I was the way I was.

 

I sighed. I guess she was right. “Well, remember how, that day we met, I told you I was a wandering gypsy?”

 

She nodded, smiling slightly. “I know you were lying,” she said.

 

I looked at her, surprised. “Really?” I asked, shocked. “Why didn't you ever say anything?”

 

“Once I got to know you,” she said, smiling, “I knew you had a reason why you kept your past a secret.”

 

I laughed softly. “Well, I was born in a place called Carrington,” I said. I settled back on my pillow. “My father's name was Richard, and I lived with him and my sister, Avery, in the governor's mansion, as my father had inherited the position from his father, and I was to inherit it from him….” I suppose I must have talked about my history well into the morning, and the sun had long since been raised when I finally reached the night I ran away. “And, that's when I knew,” I said, sighing softly. “Even though I loved Esmond with all my heart, I couldn't stay with him. I couldn't stay in that town, or in that house any longer.” I turned my gaze on Harriet, seeing her watching me intently. “That's when I came here.”

 

Harriet was silent for a long time. She stared at the ceiling, obviously mulling all this over. When she spoke, her voice was tired. “But you still love him, don't you?” she asked.

 

I buried my face in my pillow. “I don't know,” I said, sorting through the emotions in my heart. “I don't know if I still love him or not.”

 

Harriet closed her eyes and yawned. “I bet if you saw him again, you would know,” she said, her voice drifting into the darkness submerging me.

 

“Maybe,” I breathed. When I finally fell asleep, Esmond's face was all I could see. And I knew, I would always love him, until the day I died.