I still remember the day I first met the single person who would change my life forever, his name was Elliot, and he was to become my best friend and dearest enemy. Through this story I will not only explain my life, but the life of my two friends and how their lives ended. This is the story of Ice and Dark.
It had only been a few short days since his father, Duke Oren, had passed away and Elliot had not even begun to grieve when his mother suddenly decided to move back in with his grandmother in Byoushin village.
Their carriage rattled stedily along the unpaved road to Sun Dial Fortress, the stone castle in his Oren's hometown. He didn't care to look out the open window to view the passing scenery, beauty in any form was now gone.
No, the beauty was there, it was his heart that had become plain. Almost as if it were a painting with white smothering the once vibrant colors of emotion, leaving only a blank canvas behind.
This blank canvas was of no use anymore.
"You will love your new life here Elliot," said Lady Arianna, " this is the same village your father was born, raised, and even ruled at one time." Elliot looked up at his mother and forced a small smile thinking, unsure of how to match her almost gleeful face.
People had once said that he resembled his father by their shoulder length hair like sunlight, kind silver eyes, and single royal blue earring. He wore a vest of royal blue with silver rivets over his white long sleeved shirt, black knee length shorts, and an embroidered belt around his waist.
Stepping down from the high carriage he contorted his emotionless face to form a smile seeing his grandmother rush toward him, her eyes shining obviously happy to see family
" Ah. So good to see you Arianna, Elliot welcome home," greeted Lady Scarlet; she was a healthy looking woman with gray running thickly through her long blonde hair and dressed more closely to a working man than the wealthy woman she was.
" Thank you Grandmother," replied Elliot softly fearing his voice would waver if he spoke any louder," we appreciate your hospitality and hope not to inconvenience you in any way."He had rehearsed this small speech many times before arriving; though it still came out rushed this was no time to be shy.
His father had always wanted him to be intelligent, he had always said that to learn was the gods greatest gift to man and was better than any weapon. The remembrance of his father's smiling face made him cringe slightly, he had yet to master even the smallest of those lessons.
Lady Scarlet showed them around her castle, which contained many pieces of fine art from all over the world, and stained glass graced all of the windows that looked out over the land. They saw that the little village was made up of small but sturdy homes, most with decent plots of farmland behind them.
Beyond those was a wide river that ran into a beautiful lake that Grandmother had called Freedert Lake maybe a few miles away from the village. A stone bridge had been built over the river that had been worn by the constant usage and a cemetary hugged the bridges start.
Next she showed them the rooms such as the kitchen and bathrooms, which had taste but like many of his grandmother's items they were styled mainly for their basic uses. She insisted that whatever task one may be doing in the kitchen or bathroom, very few would require pretty objects to admire.
Finally, she showed them to their new rooms; Lady Arianna's room was as beautiful as if the gods themselves had painted it. The room had red Egyptian cotton sheets and a silk-laced canopy over her bed as well as matching curtains to cover her silver rimed windows that viewed Freedert Lake and a good portion of the village.
Finally, Elliot viewed his new room, which seemed to suite him well in taste and size, perfect for the next Duke of Byoushin.
" This was once your father's room, he designed it himself so I thought you should have it Elliot." His room was indeed his father's, complete with a large window equal to his mother's in view and small ladder and door for roof access.
It had shining swords and armor stationed around the room's walls and corners with small maps of the area pined up near the head board of his bed. Unlike his mother's the bed had no canopy or silk lace, it had the same sheets but were onyx in color, and strong wooden bed frame with the engraved brass design of their family seal.
His eyes came to rest on an empty canvas in the dark right corner of the room. Clutching his chest, feeling the beat of his heart calmed his nerves and reminded him to breathe.
"Why don't we take a look around the village?" said Lady Arianna, forcing Elliot out of his pensive state," I think it would be wise if we knew where we lived and meet our new neighbors." "Mother? Would you be so kind as to show us about town?" she asked politely to Lady Scarlet.
She needed no further questions on the matter and with this his mother took him by the hand and followed the seemingly happy old woman out the two great front doors of the castle and into the bright afternoon.
Kyle raced after the baby brown goat that had escaped his grasp down at the farm, sprinting down the still damp dirt road. His sandy blonde hair blowing back as he gained on his speeding prey.
" MEEEEEEEEEHHHH!" cried the goat as Kyle then jumped into the air and tackled the frantic animal to the ground. " Hah, thought that you…pant… would escape, huh…pant?" he said dodging the goat's flying limbs," I could…pant… catch you…pant…in my sleep!"
It was only when he stopped to catch his breath did he look up and notice the surprised trio of nobles staring down at him as he lay in the mud with a still wiggling goat, his triumphant mood instantly vanished.
He looked the nobles over, there was an old lady, a younger lady, and was immediately drawn to the shy looking blonde haired boy who had hidden behind the one woman's skirt. Being quick to take away the dead silence that had formed, he asked innocently, "You wanna hold im'?" offering the tiny kid.
Seeing the boy hesitate Kyle promptly dropped the goat into his arms and joined the entire group in laughing at the awkward and some what terrified look that came over the boy's face. " I am Lady Arianna, and this," said the woman signaling to the boy," is my son Elliot."
Trying his best to seem friendly, he replied," Hello, I'm Kyle and that's my goat Mud. I named im' that cause' he looks kinda like 'e rolled in mud too much." Elliot gave a nod, assuming that the explanation was for him and handed "Mud" back to Kyle's expectant arms his silver eyes that were set on the small kicking hooves.
His hands were well callused and he stood barefoot with tattered tan shorts that were the same length as his own, and a once white tank-top that cut in a "V" shape down his chest. Looking now at his own dirty clothes, he found that he was in no place to be hypocritical.
It had never crossed his mind how fast his previously spotless outfit was now was streaked with fresh dirt and Mud's brown fur. Kyle reached over and smudged a little more dirt on Elliot's face beaming," Now you can play with me." For the first time since arriving in Byoushin, Elliot beamed back with equal enthusiasm.
Lady Scarlet and Lady Arianna had to hide their astonishment to this seldom seen emotion in the boy and looked at Kyle with new respect. This small child had brought out the happiness in their Elliot that they could never seem to find, all he needed was someone to call a friend.
He led Elliot to one of the small homes that hugged the river next to the cemetary, and knocked on the door with all his might, "Freedert! Are you there? C'mon there's a new kid." A small girl with glowing blonde hair jumped over the small picket fence to their right and rushed to them, snatching the goat from Kyle's arms.
" Oh, poor Mud you just wan'ed to run around a bit, didn't you?" she said cradling the exhausted billy in her arms," So, you let Mud get out again Kyle? You should really be more careful, you just too cocky all the time."
Kyle seemed caught off guard at her words when they hit home and jabbed at his pride, " Well this time was different," he said gradually recovering his ego," I've got much faster. Mud ain't even a challenge no more." As the argument continued, Elliot had time to look at Freedert a little closer.
Freedert looked a little younger than himself, she had big blue eyes that emphasized her sun-bleached hair, and green checkered dress that came down to her ankles.
He was so lost in observing every detail that when he realize both Kyle and Freedert were staring back at him he blushed a deep scarlet, but managed to mutter," M-my name is Elliot Niwa it is a pleasure to meet you Freedert." Bowing deeper than his balance would allow and stubbling slightly, but caught himself before he could hit the ground.
"Told ya he was weird," whispered Kyle to Freedert. She playfully elbowed him in the ribs and replied," My name is Freedert Hikari," unsuccessfully stifling a laugh at his clumsy display.
Kyle ran up from behind and shoved him hard so he couldn't recover his balance," Last one to the river is a rotten egg!" and took off running. "No fair you cheated!" Elliot yelled back at him, Freedert right on their tails, as all three of them ran down to the river together laughing.
Hours passed and they lay in the tall grass and cat tails by the river looking up at the star lit sky above them. "Oh," exclaimed Freedert excitedly pointing," a shooting star! Make a wish, quick!" Elliot closed his eyes and wished with all his might that through some unknown force he could freeze time, and be able to save this moment forever.