Jaiden paused in his work as he felt the cool air blow across his back. Sweat dripped down his back and he rolled his shoulders working out some of the stiffness that came with long hours mucking the stables. The strong scent of horse sweat and manure was briefly replaced with the sweet smell of roses and lilacs from the nearby garden. He took a moment to enjoy the cooling sensation and breathe deeply before the wind shifted again ending his momentary relief from the hot summer sun.

He set back into his work quickly and returned his thoughts to considering his future. He wasn't sure what was in store for him, but he was sure of one thing, whatever course destiny had plotted for his life, it wasn't staying here. In only three more years he would be eighteen and he would leave the farm once and for all. He would never look back. Of that one thing he was sure.

As always thinking of leaving and the future also brought back memories of his past. Memories of when he discovered that he was not like other Children. He was about five years old when he first discovered his secret. He could remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday.

He had been playing in the orchard with Rachel. They were climbing the trees and laughing together. Rachel had kept climbing higher and higher. Jaiden had always felt a bit scared of heights but wasn't about to be outdone by his best friend so he followed her closely. She looked down at him with an impish grin and laughed sweetly. “Come on Jai! Catch me if you can!” She called down to him before swinging up to grab the next branch.

He grinned back at her forgetting his fear and grabbed the next branch when it snapped in his hand and sent him crashing down towards the ground. He bounced off branches on his way down and he landed with a splash in a large puddle of mudd at the bottom of the tree. He lay there stunned and in shock. Above he could hear Rachel screaming as she quickly descended from the tree.

“Jai! Jai! Are you OK?” she sobbed.

He slowly got to his feet and went over to Rachel. He wrapped his arms around her, “I'm OK. But we're going to be in trouble.”

Rachel sniffled, “Why?”

“Because you ripped your pretty dress and got mud on your shoes. Aunt Tess is gonna be so angry.”

Rachel looked down at her torn skirt and muddied shoes. “You're silly Jai.” She giggled, “You care more about my clothes than I do.”

“Well one of us has to. When we get in trouble you just have to help in the kitchen. I have to go work in the barn.”

She giggled again, “You aren't like the other boys.”

“No.” he said seriously. “No I'm not.”

That was the beginning of it all, where it all started and Jaiden had began to discover who he really was. There were a lot of other signs and events through the years that followed that lead him to discover his true identity. An identity that he knew he had to keep a very deep dark secret. If others knew who he really was, he knew that they would have a very difficult time accepting him. He knew that they would likely send him away. No one here would want someone like him around. No... if his true identity was known, it would bring nothing but trouble.

Jaiden looked around and realized that he had finished cleaning out the stalls. As usual while he was lost in thought about the past he had worked tirelessly and efficiently. His conscious mind may have been somewhere else, but his subconscious was focused on the task at hand and as usual had done it perfectly.

He hung the pitchfork back on the wall and stretched his stiff muscles. The work on the farm had been hard and tiring once, but now he had been doing it for years and he barely felt the strain of it. A glance at the shadows on the wall as he left the stables estimated the time to be about an hour after noon. He had in fact finished even earlier than usual. Jedd would be very happy about that. Although you wouldn't know it too look at him. The man had a face cut from stone. Jaiden had known him his entire life and even he usually didn't know what Jedd was thinking.

Jedd was an old soldier that worked at the farm. He was hired to protect it from the local bandits and any other kind of trouble that might come their way. Apparently before he came Master Valin, the owner, could hardly keep enough food on the table let alone make any profit. What wasn't stolen was usually not even fit for animals, but it was all they had to eat. Jedd came through and offered to drive off the thieves in exchange for a place to sleep and meals. Master Valin figured he had nothing left to lose by this point and decided to give Jedd a chance. He was desperate to save his farm and hoped Jedd would be able to help.

Now, many years later it was the most successful farm in the district. The bandits quickly learned it was much less costly to raid elsewhere and as a result all the farms in the area began to do well. Master Valin became a local hero for solving the problem and soon was elected mayor of the small farming community.

Jedd was also something of a local hero and a local legend. It was said the first night the raiders came to the farm he had cut down more than twenty of them in less than fifteen minutes by himself. Some people scoffed at the tale and considered it local boasting to keep the bandits away, but not Jaiden. He had seen Jedd practicing his skills and if his stories were true, knew the man was a veteran of three wars. Also, the bandits were little more than peasants themselves, armed with rusty axes, swords and daggers that were old relics used by past generations. The only reason they had been able to terrorize the area was that no one else had any weapons to try and drive them off with.

Jedd and Master Valin had changed that too. Now all the boys on the farm were trained in armed combat at least an hour a day. They also practiced with bows and had regular archery competitions. Jedd and Master Valin wanted to make sure that anyone that became jealous of the area's prosperity would think twice before attacking it. Master Valin had placed Jedd in charge of a local militia and he would spend time at the different farms in the district training the young boys. However, Jedd still spent most of his time on Master Valin's farm, the unofficial headquarters of the militia, and the place Jedd called home.

Jaiden was on his way to report to Jedd now. For some reason or other Jedd seemed to have taken a special interest in him. He always insisted on Jaiden coming to him early for extra training once he finished his work. He always pushed him harder than the others and held him to stricter standards. What was acceptable technique for the others was not acceptable from Jaiden. He even occasionally took Jaiden along when he traveled to other farms. As a result Jaiden had become more skilled than any of the others in combat. Jedd trained him with many different weapons and even in unarmed combat.

Jaiden suspected that Jedd had selected him to become his future replacement once he was ready to retire. That would probably be as soon as the man felt Jaiden was ready to take over the training and running of the militia himself. Jaiden figured that it would probably not be for a few years yet, which was just fine by him. Although he loved Jedd like a grandfather and didn't want to disappoint him, he knew that his destiny had something else in store for him. Once he was eighteen he knew he was going to leave this place for good and never look back.

It really would be best that way. The life that he was going to be living was going to be a hard one. Of course there was going to be a lot of challenges that he was going to have to face and problems that he would have to solve in order to get that life. He knew it would be possible. Even in a small backwater district like this one he had heard the stories. Jaiden knew there were those that had the power to help him with his problem. There would probably be some big price involved, but it was one that he was more than willing to pay. He just knew that his destiny was not this, that he needed something other than this.

Jaiden found Jedd at the small training ring right where he expected him to be. He was a soldier and used to following strict routines. Although his daily routine was the only thing predictable about him. Jaiden was also not surprised to find Rachel there with him. She was dressed in quilted armor and was completely focused on hacking and stabbing at Jedd with a long thin practice sword.

Jaiden watched as Jedd danced around her blocking her attacks every now and then striking back at her. As he watched he had to admit to himself that hacking and stabbing was a poor description of what Rachel was doing. Although it may have been that way once, he could see that she was actually quite graceful in her movements. She was dancing lightly on her feet and moving with a speed that Jaiden found strangely beautiful. He sat on a stool near the ring and watched as the two danced around waiting for them to finish.

Rachel caught a glimpse of Jaiden watching out of the corner of her eye and winked at him. He smiled back at her as she suddenly dropped low and sent her sword sweeping out at Jedd's knees. Jedd didn't even seem to notice as he fluidly stepped down on the wooden blade while bringing his own wooden sword to Rachel's throat.

“You let yourself be distracted again girl. Maybe I should send you back to the kitchens were you belong eh?”

Rachel's face colored slightly before she nodded.

“I'm sorry sir. I won't let it happen again.”

Jedd studied her face carefully before grunting. “See that it doesn't.” He turned towards Jaiden. “Well? What are you waiting for boy? Get in here!”

Jaiden pulled off his sweat soaked shirt and climbed into the combat ring. Immediately he dropped and rolled to the right as Jedd's foot passed through the space he had just occupied. He came out of his crouch and tucked his shoulder into Jedd's chest taking him up off his feet and crashing him down into the ground. As they fell he felt a blow to his head from Jedd's elbow, and another to his knee from Jedd's foot. With a grunt he landed on top of Jedd and immediately struck at his face with both hands and at his waist with his knee. Jedd rolled knocking him off balance and soon it was Jaiden who was on the bottom with Jedd striking at his nose. Jaiden caught Jedd's fist with the palm of his hand and deflected the blow to the side so that Jedd struck the ground harmlessly. For an old man Jedd was still quite strong and Jaiden knew it would be foolish to try and just catch an attack and hold it.

Jaiden kicked his right leg out and rolled hard to his left trying to force Jedd off balance. Jedd locked his leg around Jaiden's knee and kept his place right on top of him. He also managed to get his arms around Jaiden's neck.

Jaiden felt his air become cut off and knew he was seconds away from losing this fight. Desperately he smashed his head up and into Jedd's face. Jedd reeled back in stunned surprise blood streaming from his nose. Jaiden didn't let up, he pushed himself off the ground as hard as he can and struck Jedd in the side of his head with his foot. Jedd fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Immediately Jaiden and Rachel were beside him. Together they lifted the heavy man and brought him into the shade of a nearby tree. Rachel pulled out a bandage and held it to Jedd's bleeding nose. Jaiden filled a bowl with water and brought it to Jedd's lips.

Jedd drank greedily and looked up at Jaiden. “Well boy, looks like you finally took me down.”

“It was a desperate move. You had me and I did the only thing that I could think of to stay in the fight. It wasn't planned at all. I just got lucky.”

Jedd laughed and winced in pain. “Luck is sometimes the best defense a soldier has. Even the best of us can't dodge everything. Best you remember that boy.”

Jaiden nodded. “I will sir.”

“Good, now... quite crowding me, I need some air. I'm not so fragile that I can't get up on my own you know.”

Rachel and Jaiden smiled as they stepped back. Jedd got up from the ground and made his way back to the ring. Jaiden had never known anyone quite as tough as that old man. He seemed to be able to shake off anything and keep on going. His nose had already stopped bleeding.

“Alright you did well today boy. Especially since you didn't pull your attacks once I was hurt. We're gonna make a real soldier out of you yet.”

Jaiden grinned, praise like that from Jedd was very rare. “Thank you sir.”

“Wipe that smile off your face boy. You still have a long way to go yet. This is only the beginning.” Jaiden nodded and composed himself. “Good, now go to the kitchen and fetch me some bread and cheese, let's get some food into us before the other boys show up for their sword practice.”

“Yes sir!” Jaiden turned and headed off towards the kitchen.

“Hey wait for me!” Rachel ran up beside him. “I ought to be getting back there now anyways.”

“I thought you had given up on the kitchen work.” Jaiden laughed. “Didn't Aunt Tess say that you were a lost cause?”

“Well... yes she did say that. But only because she knows she's never going to turn me into a proper lady. Not because I don't help out at all!”

“Right and that's why you are out in the ring with Jedd rather than in the kitchens where you belong.... OW!” Jaiden rubbed his red cheek.

“Serves you right! You know I don't belong in that kitchen anymore than you do! I can do everything that you can.”

“I'm sure you can. In fact, I've seen you do most of it, and you're right. I do belong in the kitchens as much as you do.”

“That's right you do and don't forget it mister!”

“I won't Rach, believe me, my cheek's gonna remind me of it for at least a little while.”

Rachel grinned that impish smile of hers and walked with a bounce in her step. Jaiden couldn't help but admire her as they walked. She had been his best friend for as long as he could remember. He was going to miss her more than anyone when the day came for him to leave. He wished so much that he could take her with him but he knew that it could never be possible.

Rachel had changed so much from the little girl that he used to climb trees in the orchard with. She was developing into a tall young woman. Her dark red hair was down to her shoulders, and framed her round face beautifully. Her large green eyes swere always filled with life and excitement and her full lips were always smiling. She had in Jaiden's opinion the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Her skin was tanned from long hours in the sun, and her legs and arms were long and graceful. Although she trained as hard as the boys, Jedd had given her a specially crafted sword to use. One much thinner and lighter than those the boys used. As a result it was her speed rather than her strength that she had learned to rely on in combat. Her training had also left her with a thin but well toned body. Her breasts were small but firm. She had the look of an athlete or a dancer.

As they neared the rose garden by the stables, Rachel suddenly stopped. She walked in among the rose bushed and over to the lilac trees where she stopped to smell the flowers. Jaiden stopped as well and watched her quietly. She looked back over her shoulder at him and moved into the trees.

Jaiden sighed. He knew that she wanted him to follow her and he had a good idea of what was about to come. He had been dreading this moment, but he knew that the sooner he dealt with it, the better things would be. He followed her in among the lilacs. Looking among the trees he searched for her wondering where she had hidden. Suddenly she was in front of him and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Jaiden. I love you, I have always loved you and I always will.” She looked deeply into his eyes, her smile lighting up her face.

Jaiden looked back at her, “Rachel... I know... I've always known how you felt.”

Her smile grew bigger and she leaned forward to kiss him. Jaiden turned his face to the side and stepped back. Startled and thrown off balance, Rachel nearly fell to the ground with a squeak of surprise.

“Rachel... let me finish.” He said his tone was serious and his body stiff. He knew that she could feel his tension and that she realized he was going to say something very serious. She stepped back from him and folded her arms under her breasts, waiting for him to speak.

“Rachel. I really don't know how to tell you this. It's not easy for me.” He began tentatively. She just watched him carefully, the smile gone from her face. “I... I... I want you to know Rachel that I love you too. I love you more than anything.”

She let out an explosive sigh of relief. “Oh thank god! I thought you were going to reject me. I know there must be something important for you to tell me, but whatever it is we can work through it, because we love each other.”

Jaiden winced. This really wasn't going well, not at all the way that he had planned. “Rachel... you don't understand... I love you. But I love you as my best friend, I love you as a sister, I love you like family.”

“Oh.”

“I'm sorry Rachel... I don't want to hurt you, but there can never be anything romantic between us. It's just not possible. I just can't feel it.”

“I see.”

“Rachel... please try and understand.” he begged.

“No... I understand... I'm just not...” She turned and ran sobbing into the lilac trees. He thought about going after her as he watched her go. More than anything he wanted to go after her and comfort her. But he knew this time she had to get through it alone. This time, he couldn't help her because he was the problem. I am sooo sorry Rachel. I wish I could tell you everything but I can't. You don't know the real me. No one does. I hope one day you can forgive me... I hope one day I can forgive myself.