Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 45: Almost (3)

The Night of the Ball

Kyle stood alone and scanned the ballroom.

Lisa was dancing with Arago not far away, watched closely by West who was drinking wine with a scowl.

Helia was nowhere to be seen. Kyle's heart sank and, with a sigh, he wandered out of the ballroom.

Dragging his feet out into the garden, Kyle paused under the tall tree and looked up into the night sky.

The moon was glowing brightly, highlighting his loneliness.

People are dancing and laughing in the ball, and here he is, under the moonlight, staring at a huge tree, pining for a girl that doesn't love him.

He slumped down onto the grass.

Sounds of music and merriment drifted out from the ballroom, but Kyle would spend his night alone. A drop of water splashed from the sky and hit him between the eyes.

It's raining. Just great he mused.

He was wearing a leather coat he got from his father at the start of the year to attend the ball. He uses it to cover his top of head and ran under the shade of the tree.

"Oh, why must it rain now?"

The voice startled Kyle.

Peering around the tree, he saw Helia trying to shelter herself.

Her beautiful face was illuminated in the glow of the moonlight, drops of rain creeping down her hair and her rose-blushed cheeks.

Kyle come from behind and covers her head with his coat. Startled Helia look behind her, her face is just inches from Kyle.

She could hear his breath and he could hear hers

"Helia, I found you" Kyle sighed. "If you catch a cold, I will have to scold you."

They smiled at each other shyly. Standing alone under the stars, kissed by raindrops, their fight seemed so silly.

Helia took a step forward and slipped on the wet grass, and Kyle quickly caught her.

The moment froze as he held her in his arms.

Her hair had become quite sodden and disheveled, and her face and clothes were streaked with rainwater, but Kyle couldn't shake the aching thought that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Helia averted her eyes from Kyle's piercing blue gaze, they both feeling a little bit shy

"Are we still friends?" Kyle said. "I mean; I did just save you from a very muddy fate."

"Fine," said Helia with a smile.

She was blushing red in her cheeks. Kyle could see how cute she is when she is not being elegant.

There is some frailty in her.

She likes to put a tough front in front of everybody but Kyle knows how fragile Helia really is. She is afraid to be alone, to be left behind.

She lost her mother. She is left behind by her father. She is always vulnerable and she hides it with her elegant manner, her peaceful appearance.

Then they both look at each other, an unspoken word remains unsaid.

They just stare at each other not knowing what to say or what to do as Kyle inches closer to her and she did not back away.

Their breath becomes shorter and their heartbeats were drumming fast and hard. They were inches from each other, Kyle could feel her breath on his chest and she could feel his breath on hers

Suddenly, the sounds of commotion cut through the rain and they were both were startled.

Kyle and Helia's heads shot up and together they rushed to the castle's entrance, where a crowd had gathered.

In the center, sitting astride his fiery horse, Firebringer, was Arial, his arms stained red with blood.

They pushed their way to the front of the crowd as Arial's eyes fluttered, and he fell from the horse.

His horsed neighs looking at everyone with its fierce eyes.

"Arial!" Helia gasped, rushing to his side. "Arial are you all right? Speak to me!"

Her face was alert with worry, her voice frantic. There is a worry in Helia voice, in the reflection of her eyes, in the way she behaves.

And even when the chaos attracts others to come down from the ball, Kyle looks from the crowd at the stunning girl he knows.

And he knows he is falling in love. Falling more deeply than before knowing that this love might hurt him. Knowing that one day, it will rip him apart.

But even then, he would not regret.

Kyle did not move as she shook Arial, begging him to open his eyes until eventually he did.

Helia hauled Arial upright, pulling him by his arm, and looked at Kyle pleadingly.

With a heavy heart, he stepped forward and, grabbing Arial's other arm, the three of them traipsed in silence to the infirmary.

'Almost...is never enough' Kyle mused as they walk to the infirmary.

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Hope anyone is reading. Anyway, the end of this chapter of Kyle. Next chapter it will return to Arial