The Guardian Chronnicles: Chapter One

"Starlight, starbright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight."
I closed my eyes and thought of my wish. I hadn't wished on a star since I had turned seven, and my best friend had convinced me that stars couldn't grant wishes. Tonight, however, I needed a wish. I waited until the second star rose, and the ritual was complete. I sat in the window for a single moment, looking out over the sleeping village. Then, with an exasperated sigh, I rose from my perch on the windowsill and walked over to my desk on the north wall of my bedroom, and sat down in the high-backed chair. After several minutes of silence and restlessness, I stood and went to the vanity table across the room, and began examining my reflection in the mirror. I reached up and removed the pins from my hair, letting it fall around my shoulders. As I examined my reflection once more, I only barely heard the light knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in," I said, my voice dripping with boredom. I perked up slightly when Solara, my housemaid and best friend entered the room.
"Hey, Luna." Solara greeted me informally, coming to stand behind me.
"Hello, Solara." My voice still showed no emotion, so Solara started braiding my hair, trying to engage in conversation.
"So, I heard you got in another fight with your aunt," she began. I only nodded. She sighed, and continued. "Do you think, maybe, she'll ever give up her position? If your parents come back, I mean?"
I shrugged.
"My parents aren't coming back, Solara." Solara gave me a questioning look, so I explained.
"I found a letter that my mom sent Irina before the accident." I paused to see what she would say, and she motioned for me to continue.
"She wrote that my dad had been shot by an assassin sent to kill her." Solara gasped, and I continued.
"He died the next day, and my mother became sick with grief. A year passed, and eventually she went mad and slipped into a comatose state. Her condition grew worse every day, and it escalated into her current state." Solara was silent as the words sank in.
“Is there anything I can get you, love?” She finally stood, attempting to ease the tension. I nodded.
“Tea, please.” Solara nodded in return and left the room, closing the door behind her. I examined the intricate braid which Solara had woven through my long, blonde hair, and was startled by another knock, this time on the window. I turned to see two green eyes, partially covered by blonde bangs, staring back at me. My heart skipped a beat, as it did every night now, for those eyes belonged to the one person I loved more than any other, my beloved.
“Artemis!” I nearly flew to the window and threw it open, stepping back so that he could climb inside. He wrapped his arms around me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. We stood there for several seconds, locked in a silent embrace, and I was taken by surprise when he tensed.
“Someone’s coming,” he breathed. I listened for a second, and I heard the footsteps. I sighed and led him to my oversized, overstuffed closet. He slipped inside, and I started to close the door as Irina burst into my bedroom. I slammed the closet door and turned to face her.
“What do you want?” My voice was apathetic again as I stabbed the question at her, and she simply stared at me. Several seconds passed, and she finally spoke.
“Who is he?” Her voice was rigid and cold, and her stare became a glare. She looked at the closet door behind me, and I struggled to stay calm.
“Who is who?” My voice was now as cold as hers, if not colder. I could see her face turning red, and her lips were pursed.
“Do not play your little game with me. I know he was here, just before I came in.” She paused, and her face lit up in triumph. “Perhaps he is still here.” I struggled harder to keep my composure and she watched me, waiting for my façade to dissolve. I, however, was winning. Any minute now, she would give up. I could see it in her eyes. She would make several hollow threats, and then she would give up and leave. I stared defiantly at her as she continued her rant, droning on continuously about how she would find out who the boy was if it killed her.
And hopefully one day it will teach you a lesson, my delusional aunt Irina, I thought bitterly.
Finally, after a half hour of pointless drama, Irina stormed out of the room, infuriated by my apathy. I sighed, and flopped down on my bed, surrendering to the silence that took over.
After several moments of silence, I was startled by a loud thunk from my closet door. I gasped, and nearly fell off of my bed in my rush to get to the closet. I wrenched the doors open and Artemis fell out, landing face down on the floor at my feet. I knelt and held my hand out to him. He took hold of it, kissed it gently, and we stood together. He looked over at the open closet door and raised one eyebrow.
“Now, why in the world would anyone need so many clothes?” He chuckled, and I smiled weakly.
“Irina bought them. I don’t know why she thought I needed so many gowns.” I sighed and went to the glass doors on the west wall. I unlatched them, pushed them open, and stepped onto the balcony. As I breathed in the cool night air, Artemis came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me once more. He grasped my hand gently with his, and spun me around gracefully to face him. He suddenly leaned forward, causing me to lean back over the balcony railing. My gut instinct warned me that I was going to fall, but my mind and heart told me otherwise. I trusted him. It took me a moment to realize that he was now holding me with only one hand, and I started to feel slightly nervous. Before I could protest, however, we were standing upright again. He removed his hand from my back, bowed, and held his other hand out to me. In it was one of the roses from the vines which over the years had snaked their way up the castle walls and my balcony. I blushed lightly and accepted the rose, and he straightened. He grasped my hands and pulled me to him. I looked up, and our lips met. This was how we remained for several seconds. He pulled away suddenly, yet reluctantly. He kept his arms around me as he looked at the sky.
“It is dawn, Luna.” His voice was calm as usual, but I could still detect the reluctance in it.
“No. Not yet.” I did not want him to leave. He kissed me once more, climbed over the edge of the balcony with only three simple words, and disappeared into the night.
“I love you, too.” I whispered into the darkness, and went back inside, closing the door behind me.