.
Lym was in total awe, listening to Galleon's story. It's just simply amazing, for her to know his brother had had a great bodyguard. But something just didn't feel right…
"Why you didn't like him, Galleon?" No offense in Lym's question, just a plain curiosity. She had already understand, that everybody had people they didn't like. She didn't like Zerase in the beginning, and Jeane, that scandalous runemistress with her 'proper dress'. Was that thing she had always worn could be counted as a dress?
But, back to topic, she really was curious.
"That's—" Galleon seemed a bit wavering to talk about that. When the Queen asks a question, he should answer them without any word of lies. But, he just wavered.
"Lym," Frey patted his sister's shoulder, smiling. "Let's continue the talk next time, okay?" It looked like Frey had noticed, Galleon wasn't ready for that part.
"But—"
"It's too late to continue the rest, Lym. You and everybody else need to get rest too."
"It's right," said Miakis. "Or else, Kyle would lose his charm tomorrow morning due to lack of sleep."
"That's true," Kyle pointed his own eyes. "My panda eyes are showing, see?"
Lym pouted her cheeks. But, they're right. Her eyes started to felt so dry, and tomorrow, everyone had their own duty too. Her brother seemed to be tired too.
"I promise we will continue it next time," Frey assured her. Lym nodded in agreement. She too, didn't want anybody collapsed tomorrow just because lack of sleep.
And that had saved Galleon very much from the talk.
Galleon went back to his room and sat on his favorite wooden sofa. He didn't even bother to light up the room even though the room was quite dark. Different with other Queen's Knight, he wasn't feeling like to sleep. His sleep hours had reduced due to his age.
He sighed. He would be retired soon, from his duty as Queen's Knight. It's the time though, since he was no longer young. He should retire before he became a burden to others.
After that talk, he became a bit restless. He doubted that he would be able to sleep tonight…
… as there were facts, that no one knew except him, Ferid, and the late Queen Arshtat.
And Frey too, was unable to sleep. He suddenly felt a bit nostalgic with memories of his childhood. Those happy moments, when his father and mother with him, and his bodyguard who had always been there when his parents both were busy. Lym wasn't born yet, of course. While his parents were busy, it's his bodyguard who would always by his side.
"Oh…" He suddenly remembered something. He opened his lowest of his old personal drawer and reached the deepest part. His smile widened and he pulled something out, it's something like a short staff and wrapped in a large piece of cloth. His fingers carefully untied the string, then unwrap it.
It's a children's practice tri-sections nunchaku, made from bamboo. It was light yet sturdy, best for children's serious practice. This thing was his second nunchaku, as his first one was made for fun purpose. This one was shorter than the current one, and longer than his first toy nunchaku. He won his first real fight with this weapon.
And this too, served as a memento from Lazlo. It was given to him, when he was dying due to fatal injury and poisoned.
He remembered that night, when he had the news his bodyguard were about to die he rushed from his bed to his room. Even his mother and soldiers couldn't stop him, as the sight of blood was sure not for children to be look at. He couldn't let him die, as Lazlo was closest to him next to his parents.
And when young Frey was there, he saw blood. A lot of blood. His father and Galleon were there too, looking at him, and surprised Frey was there. His bodyguard was on his bed, with his upper body covered with bloody bandage. His face was as pale as dead, but still enduring the pain.
When his ocean blue eyes spotted young Frey, he smiled warmly to him. Young Frey cried loudly, so loud like a crybaby.
Don't cry Frey, he said, called by his name only. Little Frey hugged his forearm really tight. You're soon to be big brother, remember? Your little sister will be here with you soon.
Back then, Frey surprised of knowing his yet to be born sibling's gender. A lot of for fortune-teller had assumed it's going to be a boy, yet Lazlo said different. Since he was so young, he didn't notice anything weird.
He handed little Frey a late birthday present. It's something that he had wanted when they secretly went to street market. A real nunchaku.
Things may not become easy from now on… But stay strong and protect your sister…
He said it, with blood coming out from corner of his smiling lips.
Suddenly, Frey jolted up. He looked around, and stretched his arms, assumed that he had fallen asleep while in his thought.
When did I fall asleep?
And he dreamt about something that was long time ago. His ambiguous words, which Frey could only remember some of those. It's actually quite strange, since he had always known about everything. Lazlo was right, Lym was born as a girl, despite of fortune-tellers' assumption. He sounded very sure about it.
Yes, even for Frey himself, Lazlo was a mysterious one. Frey, as he remembered, was awfully close to Lazlo like his own family. Yes, he was closer to his father and mother. But Lazlo was different. When he was close to Lazlo, he actually felt really comfortable and safe. Any other children had liked him. When Lazlo was off duty, some servant's children would come to him. There were times Frey was actually jealous of those children.
Frey yawned, while checking the time. He couldn't believe he actually had fallen asleep for three hours. Short sleep, but he felt energized a lot. He doubted he was able to sleep again, even though there were still some time before dawn.
"Let's go, partner."
Smiling, he took his old nunchaku and headed to the training hall. He wanted to try out his old weapon.
Miakis yawned quietly, while accompanying the Queen who only managed to sleep for three hours. Fifteen minutes ago, the guards reported to her the Queen had waken. Miakis sighed tiredly. Her eyes were really dry. Lym had told her to go back to sleep. Still, Miakis couldn't let her majesty went for a walk by herself.
But, it looked like not only Lym. Frey, the commander of Queen's Knight was found in the training hall, practicing with a set of not familiar looking nunchaku. Lately, Frey trained himself with sword and sometimes with his own nunchaku. The thing he swayed here and there wasn't something Miakis had seen him using. It's plain and old, and somehow to short for him to be used, as it appeared to be used for children.
"Brotheeer!"
KAPAAW!
Lym joyfully tackled her brother's back so suddenly and actually made him had his forehead hit by that no more suitable nunchaku, hard. Frey crouched, holding his painfully aching forehead which might be forming a big bump. Maybe Miakis needed to warn Lym next time if she ever wanted to call someone who was seriously practicing.
"L-Lym—" The current commander of Queen's Knight turned to his sister, while rubbing his forehead. Hopefully it wouldn't swell up. "Why are you here?"
Lym pouted. "I can't sleep well! It's because you didn't let Galleon finish the story!" Suddenly, she became a little girl demanding for storytelling. Miakis looked at the nunchaku he used earlier. It's old and really simple one, and didn't suit him at all.
"Commander, why do you use that one? It's too short for your height."
Frey smiled wryly. Miakis was right, the nunchaku didn't longer suit him to be any use. It's best to keep for memento only.
"This actually is a gift from Lazlo before he passed away."
That lit up Lym's curiosity more and more. Since she had never met that Lazlo, the more she heard about him, the more she wanted to know. He was the one who helped their father and mother to be together and his brother's protector. And he came from the same land as his father, a place where she actually would like to visit. How she wished to be able to meet this person knowing how wonderful his brother and Galleon described him.
Looking at his sister's reaction, Frey smiled and turned to Miakis.
"Miakis, please tell the royal kitchen to prepare Queen's breakfast earlier, something could be eaten easily while listening to stories. After that, you may go back and rest for a bit more."
Soon after Lym heard those words, he hugged her brother really without any warning. Her brother was the best!
"Thank you, brotheeer!"
"Prince! Please don't run!"
Some guards and a Queen's Knight new apprentice were running, chasing the young prince Freyjadour Falenas. The prince was barely six in the next year after Queen Falzharm ascended to the throne, but his short legs could run very fast knowing the royal ship that had went to Rainwall was back. It was two days earlier than scheduled. His mother had let him to welcome the company himself, accompanied by guards and the new apprentice.
"Ow!"
And he fell, tripped by a stone. His knees were scratched, and painful. But he tried his best not to cry, since he was going to be a big brother soon. He had been practicing to be a good big brother for months.
But of course, the guards and the new apprentice were panicking, as their imagination went wild like had their heads on the chopper. And the young prince started sniffling when his knees started to sting.
"Prince?"
But someone called the injured young prince from the ship. He was wearing the iconic black and gold colored uniform with white-ocean blue accessories, symbolized as an official Queen's Knight. He had a black thin headband on his head. His ocean blue eyes looked surprised, but then he was smiling gently toward the prince. Frey just had totally forgotten the pain on his knees and smiled so happily.
Right after the planks were placed, Frey couldn't wait anymore. He started to run again faster than before, boarding the ship. His bodyguard was there, kneeling to greet his master. The little prince just threw himself and hugging his protector very tight. He was in complete excitement greeting the man.
"Welcome home, Lazlooo!"
And the man hugged him back, warmly.
"I'm home, your highness…"
To be continued
