Amarant had no true destination in mind when he had left Freya, but decided to find a bounty since his money was running low. There was no concern in his mind for how Freya's condition was when he left; she was fine and would have been very stubborn if he offered her help, not that he would've anyway. Slingging the mud did not cause him guilt of any source because she was a fighter and a fighter never stops training, even for one person so the break of her pride would only tell her she was weak.

Amarant's next destination was Treno. the bounty on his head was no longer in effect, and besides, no one could catch him, even if they tried. Traveling to Treno proved grueling for the rain traveled beside him just as the puffy gray clouds inched forward slowly.

Treno's conditions were in his favor; the rain was left behind a couple of miles ago so skies were clear with twinkling stars and an illuninating moon light up the sky. It was night, of course and the city was always full of bounties ready to be caught.

--

About a week later, Fratley returned to Burmecia. Tattered and torn, he had done what he had intended to accomplish; return Burmecia's books to its library. Although some books did not make it back whole, due to wear and tear, the pieces remained for they contained valuable information of Burmecia's Governmental History and important events. After returning the books, he returned home to find Freya curled up reading a book, her silver hair astray and comfortably attired.

Freya glanced up to see her boyfriend with a warm look in his eyes and a jacket about to fall apart. Although he was dirty from the mission, Freya greeted him with a warm embrace, placing her head on his shoulder.

"I've missed you so much lady Freya," Frately began.

"I've also missed you," Freya greeted in return. "How was your journey?"

"It started off alright, but then turned a little rough, but it wasn't anything I couldn't've handled." Fratley began to take off the objected coat, but in the process enough was enough for it torn into two. "I will just have to purchase another one," he concluded, disposing the shreads and then sitting down on the couch. Freya put on a pot for tea and joined Fratley, waiting for the water to warm.

Fratley laid down and Freya joined him, basking in the warmth of having her love return and a nice fireplace keeping the chill out of the room. She laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist, happy too to be home with his love. Freya closed her eyes, the rhythm of his breathing being soothing to her.

"Freya dear," started Fratley, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Hmm," Freya mumbled not opening her eyes.

"What happened to your pike that was over the fireplace?" Her eyes popped open at that remark. Was she about to tell him of her fight with Amarant and how she lost miserable? Would that prove she could not handle herself and he would need to protect her? He would afterall protect her with his heart and soul, but then would that make Amarant right about her being weak. In the end, Freya made up a lie of how the pike fell off the wall when the hooks became loose and fell into the fireplace. It seemed like a pathetic lie to tell, but he believed it. Of course he believed it, he was her protector and as long as he was around she would not have to yield a weapon. Being in the condition she was with him, she was in love and if it meant that she had to appear inferior than her fighting skills really were, than so be it; Amarant was just some nobody who only came around when he had nothing better to do. He probally won't be back for a long time.

Upon hearing the water boiling, Freya got up reluctantly and made tea for the both of them. The night had crept in bringing much more of a chill to the house that not even a fire could warm. The couple spent the time together just enjoying each others company more than ever, her pike forgotten, resting in the far corner of the room next to the door.

--

Pockets full of gil and not a scratch on him, Amarant decided to return to see if Freya was up for another slaughtering. Maybe he would place a bet on the match, it was not like he had anything to lose except maybe to humilate her again. When will she ever learn?

Amarant arrived in Burmecia with the same feeling he had when he arrived the other time, wet and aggrivated. It had to rain all the damn time without ever stopping! Who cared about the name. It could've had atleast half a day of sunshine for crying out loud. But since it rained all the time, the thought of snow would've been alright, but rain was just so damn annoying. The temperature seemed cold enough for snow to replace the rain, but it just wasn't coming down. Amarant wondered for a moment if it actually ever snowed in Burmecia.

Upon hearing heavy feet at her door and some rough knocking, she had a feeling, more like knew who was at the door. It did not dawn on her that Amarant was going to be in the same place with Fratley and expose the fight they had had, or infact arrive to her home again so soon. With him increasingly knocking she couldn't let him knock there all day, and if she didn't answer the door Fratley would come in the room and soon begin to wonder why.

Opening the door, Amarant sauntered in, dripping wet and pissed off. Freya didn't even have time to react to Amarant, the barbarian didn't have any manners and welcomed himself in like he owned the place.

"Amarant, what are you doing here?" Freya tried to react surprised, but ended up sounding fake as if she was trying to hide something.

"Miss me already?" Amarant replied sarcastically, sauntering over to the fireplace like it was routine, and standing there to try and dry off even if it was not very helpful. Fratley walked into the room.

"Sir Amarant, what do we owe the surprise to?" greeted Fratley, remembering Amarant from the reunion and treating him like an old friend. Amarant bit back the urge to utter something sarcastic, but just greeted the Burmecian with a "Hey." It would be, after all too easy and a very cheap shot.

"Amarant has come to give us a visit because we have not aquainted in such a long time," Freya blurted, making it up as she went along in the hopes that, even though he wasn't really bright sometimes, that he would catch on and go along with it.

"I see you haven't trained at all since--"

Thinking on her feet she blurted "Since we were all together,no," with furious hand gestures.

Amarant could tell she was lying and she wasn't exactly the best liar in the world. If she had to save her life by lying she would not be living. The rat couldn't weasel her way out of a situation and smirking to himself, turned his back to the fire thought he would have a little fun.

"I challenge you again, another chance for you to eat mud," Amarant replied. Fratley was still standing in the doorway confused about the situation.

"Another challenge?" Fratley questioned forgetting what he was doing in the other room and going up to the two who he didn't know were trying to play a role against each other, with Freya being the one who tried to lie and Amarant not going along with it at all.

"I thought you gave up on fighting. Since the war is over a Lady as certain as yourself shouldn't have to worry about the challenge of a warrior," Fratley said not looking at his love, but at Amarant. Amarant and Freya seemed to be having a hidden comunication going on right in front of his very eyes that he could not comprehend. It was as if Amarant was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe there was something that Lady Freya wasn't telling him?

"Lady Freya," Amarant mocked with amusement in his tone, "I didn't know you gave up fighting," he smirked widely crossing his arms.

"Lady Freya," Sir Fratley sighed going over to his weapon and picking it up. He didn't have a coa,t but headed for the door anyway stating, "Whenever you want to start telling me the truth, you'll know where I'll be," and without a reply from her he headed out the door closing it with a little force to rattle the walls next to it.

The room became aekward. With Freya's head down, Amarant couldn't distiguish whether she was upset or angry; she could've been both, but he didn't know.

"We fight now!" he exclained.

"YOU!" her head snapped up fast, anger coursing throughout her body. Her eyes were dark. She pointed a finger at him slowly getting in his face. "How dare you?! How dare you?! You know my situation, and how long I have waited for him to return!!!

But you don't care. You had to be the inconsiderate jerk and do everything obnixious in your powers to chase away the only thing I look forward to," her voice became softer, "I always wait and wait for him to return home, terrribly worried that something may have happened," as she spoke the tears corsed down her face, "Sometimes my mind shifts and I think the worst, and end many days with many sleepless nights."

This woman was hard to figure out. She must've been bi-polar. One minute shes yelling at him with fire in her eyes, and the next thing she was crying and confessing everything out to him which he really couldn't care about because it was the emotional things that only woman did, and if you didn't handle the situation properly it would end horribly.

Freya stopped talking and turned to the fire. "I want you out."

Amarant really didn't want to leave because it was raining and he was sick of getting drenched and then taking forever to dry off.

"You owe me another fight," he said going over to the fire next to her but at a safe distance. Goosebumps crept up his body at the idea of someone living in this place on a daily bases seem outrageous.

"I owe you nothing," it was a little hard to hear her with her voice echoing toward the ground, and her speaking softly, "You owe me, and I want you to leave NOW!"

Amarant couldn't argue with her anymore. It just wasn't his place to be. He over stayed his bounderies a little to long, but he felt that he had every right to do it. That jerk would probably up and leave her again anyway so why not make it sooner than expected.

"I'll be back for our fight," with that said he walked out. Freya let out a loud yell a kicked the nearest wall causing a crack to travel up the ceiling. The tears weren't coarsing down her staind cheeks, but flowed softly as she let all of her heartache out. She had lied to him and he was gone. Staying in their home was just too depressing, she had to leave. Grabbing her coat and helmet, Freya was about to leave until her pike came into view. There was no point in leaving it behind; her pike was her only companion now.

--

The pub was quite empty. Only a few drinkers were scattered about in a mass of red bar stools and burgandy counters and one person caught her eye; a mass of crimson red hair. 'He just had to be here!' she thought bitterly to herself and was about to leave, only to stay when she realized she really needed that drink, so she took a seat at the far end of the bar.

"What can I get you Miss Freya?" questioned a short burly burmecian with a kind smile.

"Surprise me," mummered Freya, resting her chin on her hands. The bartender went off to get her drink. It was then that Amarant noticed Freya in the corner, so he got up, grabbed his drink and went over to her.

"Get away from me," she replied not looking at him when he came over to her.

"Your weak," he replied darkly. This monk did not know when to give up.

"How about now I take my pike and stab you!" glared Freya gripping her pike, ready to actually do the deed.

"I would like to see you try!" challenged Amarant getting up--.

"There will be no fighting in my bar," exclaimed the bartender placing Freya's drink down. Both sat down and drank. Freya ordered a Tanzanite, which was a kind of Burmecian Whisky. A few drinks later Freya was gone. Apparently, one should not drink when they are angered for Freya was drunk and it was obvious.

"I don't even remember Fratley," she told Amarant slurring almost every word.

"Your drunk," Amarant simply replied.

"Are you kidding, I am just fince," and just to prove that she got up and tried to walked, only to stumble around like a fool. Amarant picked Freya up, threw her over his shoulder, threw a good amount of gil on the table, picked up her pike and left.

"Get off me!" yelled Freya, "I am not a baby. I can walk myshelf." Amarant ignored her and continued to her house. When he stepped inside he dropped the pike which landed in a loud clank and then threw Freya onto the couch.

"Did I ever tell you, that I always liked you," Freya slurred, stumbling over to Amarant and wrapping her arms around him and about to--.

With one swing, Amarant hit Freya in the back of the head causing her to lose consciousness and fall only to be caught by Amarant who then placed her on the couch.

"I'm not doing anything you'll regret," he told her unconscious form and then going over to the other couch and laying down, not caring that he was soaked...

--

Yay!!! My first chapter of 2007!!! My writting buddy TailsPandR'sPlace helped me out with this chapter. You should check out her works . Calling all Freya/Amarant fans, hes gone!!!! yes!!! I mean aww man... much more FreyaXAmarant coming up. Tell me what you think!