Place: Burmecia
Date: 17 March 1795 and 1797 (5 years and 3 years before game)
Rating: PG-13
Characters:
Dan, soldier
Fratley Irontail, dragoon
Freya Crescent, dragoon
Puck Burmecia, Prince
"You should not leave here. Not alone. I should go with you." Freya looked over Fratley, meager pack on his back and lance in hand, ready to leave Burmecia on his mission.
"You know we can't go together. This city needs protectors as well while I am gone." Fratley looked back at his love with a twinge of pity and sadness, but mostly love. He would miss her too, but he couldn't bring himself to put the younger dragoon in the danger he was going to be in, promising though she was.
"I don't understand.. I don't know why you even think there is a danger. We've been at peace with Alexandria for years.. and Lindblum would come to our aid if they suddenly attacked." Freya shook her head, trying not to seem too emotional, but not doing a very good job at it, "This General, can she be that dangerous? Beatrix?"
"Yes... Beatrix." Fratley looked downward thoughtfully, finding it increasingly hard to make eye contact with her as it was nearing his time to leave, "I hear there are many fierce warriors out in the world - some more powerful than even I... ... Beatrix of Alexandria, in particular. They say her swordsmanship is the best in the land." he had no intention of not being ready if she ever came here. His country came first.
Freya looked downward as well, in silence a few moments, "Sir Fratley, do you still insist on going on your journey?" her words trembled. One last time, she had to ask him to stay.
"Yes... please understand Freya." he wished he could get her to understand, "Right now, Burmecia is at peace, while other nations are slowly but surely gaining power. I don't know if my spear alone is enough to protect Burmecia..." he tightened his grip on his weapon and looked at it thoughtfully, "... which is precisely why I must go out into the world."
"Sir Fratley ...I don't think I can live on my own - not without you." she was finally reduced to begging, and sniffled the tears back between words.
"Freya, you're going to be fine." he looked into her eyes assuredly,"Trust your strength... and have faith in your destiny. Once I complete my journey around the world, I will return to Burmecia."
"Then promise me, one more time, that you will return."
"I promise." with those two words he was gone. Freya fell to a kneel as he walked away, and stared at the ornate pavement next to the fountain through foggy eyes. This was so sudden for her. Did he really love her if he could leave her like this? Would he find someone else? Would he forget her?
She stood, putting such mad thoughts from her mind, and raised a hand to dry her eyes.
"Are you cwying?" a shrill voice came from behind her, and she turned to see the very young Prince, "Wat's wong?"
"Prince Puck! You shouldn't be out here alone. You have to stop wandering off from the palace." she dried her eyes quickly, and leaned over to pick him up off the ground, carrying him slowly to towards the royal palace. The standard inept palace guards would get a speaking to for this, for certain.
But then again, Puck was dangerously sneaky for his age, it probably couldn't be helped. To think that someone this slippery would one day be King. Yet that wasn't her concern.
"Wat's wong?" he repeated his question, and she realized that she was not going to successfully avoid it.
"Sir Fratley had to go for a while." she tried to keep it simple, "I will miss him."
"When will he be back?"
"When he is finished. It could be months. I'm just.."
"He's stwong."
"Yes I know, highness, but I cannot help but be afraid of not seeing him again."
"I make sure you do."
Freya couldn't help but giggle at the child's assertion that there was something he could do to make certain of it, and it was rewarded by Puck's devious young smile. She doubted he could do anything, but she didn't doubt he would try his best. Perhaps he wouldn't be such a bad King one day after all.
-
2 Years Later
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Freya sat there, alone. Sitting on the walls of the city, she looked outwards towards the South. Fratley had walked that way, and every person she saw coming from a distance, she held a meager hope. Was it him?
Yet it never was. Two years ago today he had left, headed out on his mission around the world, promising that he would return. She had expected him to be gone months, not years. And now the news had come. News had arrived that he had died. No specifics, just that he was killed while completing his mission.
"Fratley..." she spoke quietly to herself as she stared into the distance, "You never came back... You've left me with nothing except rumors of your death. I can't believe it! I won't believe it! Never. Not until I witness proof of your death with my own eyes." she stood, "And I will travel across the world forever if I must."
"Freya.." Dan walked up on her as she now stood on the wall. Gods, she looked like she was going to do something drastic. She'd been more and more like this as time progressed, "Where have you been Freya. You're suppose to be on duty."
"My duties here mean nothing, its pointless." her words almost shocked him, yet he realized he shouldn't find it surprising at all.
"Freya..." he watched her eye the horizon and somehow knew, "If you leave, they'll not allow you to return. .."
No answer, so he continued, "Freya! You are the most promising dragon knight among us, one of the few, you're power will one day rival that of Fratley's, perhaps more. You can't give this up to face a hopeless dream."
She shook her head at her well meaning friend, "Dan. That is so easy for you to say. You have Learie. You have your children Adam and Jack. You have love and family. I have nothing."
"Freya... " he sought to understand. How could she still feel so strong for one person that she was willing to ruin her life over it. He understood she was in pain, but if anyone would get through it was her, "There will be others for you to love.. you.. " he sighed, knowing he may have very well ended up with her himself had she not been waiting for Fratley, "you could have any male in Burmecia that you wanted."
"I don't want any male. I want Fratley." with that she was gone, and he knew there was no point in chasing after her. Taking a seat, he stared off into the distance watching her leap away. What a reckless girl.
"Dan!" the voice of Prince Puck loomed behind him as the young prince ran across the wall and arrived too late to speak to Freya, "Where's she go?"
"You shouldn't be... " he stopped himself before pointing out the obvious fact that Prince Puck should not be outside the palace, sighing. They'd be getting in trouble again for letting him get out. Sigh, "She has left to look for Fratley."
"I thought you said he's dead?" Puck scratched his head.
"I did. But she doesn't believe me."
Puck hmmm-ed as Dan nonchalantly picked him up and leapt off the wall into the town. Maybe returning the Prince, again, would lighten his treatment after bringing news that Freya had suddenly ran off for no logical reason.
Puck was almost too deep in thought to mind, almost, "Hey! You're in my space bubble!" his wriggling brought no response aside from a sigh. Dan would be off duty in an hour, and wanted to go home and see his own, slightly better behaved children.
Puck finally settled down as he was placed on the ground and escorted by another guard towards his room, as Dan went towards the throne room. He had always promised Freya that he'd help get her back with Fratley one day, and to him it was more than a childish promise. He'd give her some time to return, but if she didn't in a few weeks, he knew he had to go off to find her.
And why not? Burmecia was the most boring place on the world to be right now. He had no desire to be King of such a place one day without at least being able to go out and find some things on his own. He smiled to himself as the devious plans rolled through his mind.
