Chapter 10- Love is always…complicated

Freddie was faced with something he had never imagined himself encountering in his entire life, or sixteen years of it anyway. He was talking to his, supposed deceased father, who now it seemed was just slowly dying. However the man seemed like he wanted to spend his last hours or if he was lucky, his last day, with his one and only son.

"What makes this girl so special to you, son?" Phillip asked, his droopy eyes twinkling a little as he spoke.

"What isn't special about her…" Freddie said, sighing dreamily. "She's obnoxious, aggressive, loves to beat up nerds-especially me, some days she absolutely hates me and others it seems she could possibly be in love with me… it's crazy, but love does that to you…"

"I know, Fredward," his father said, crinkling his face into a weak but heart felt smile. "That's the way I always felt and still feel about your mother…"

"You still love her?" asked Freddie, looking a little happier.

"I've never stopped," the man said, managing another small smile but then winced.

"Oh," Freddie said, looking down. "Dad?"

"Yeah son?" asked Phillip.

"Mom still loves you," Freddie said, still looking down but then faced his father's eyes which were moistened with tears of joy. "There's never been one day gone by, when she hasn't mentioned you or a thought of you."

"Well that's a comfort," Phillip said, bringing a frail hand to wipe his eyes. "Now, about your girl…"

"She's not my girl," Freddie said as he stood up and made his way over to a window and stared at the dried up hills and dying trees and added quietly. "But I care for her so, so much."

***

"Freddie, where are you?" Sam called into darkness. It seemed like she was floating through the air, almost like a cloud.

"Help me Sam," his voice sounded far away from her.

The girl felt her legs kick into a jog, then a run and then a sprint. She needed to find him before it was too late. Sam reached the edge of a cliff and felt someone pick her up roughly.

"Put me down!" she screamed but her voice was breaking up, like bad phone reception.

The blonde girl felt helpless. She could do nothing for the boy who was sliding down the cliff-face, slowly, slowly… to his doom…

"Sam," Freddie called out. "I'm slipping…"

"Just hold on!" Sam called out and struggled out of the persons grip.

"Where do you think you're going, my sweet?" the evil man asked.

"Get away from me!" yelled Sam and stomped harshly on the man's foot, he cried out in pain and stumbled backward off the other side of the cliff.

"I can't hold on for much longer!" Freddie said, urgently and frightened.

Sam made her way to the edge and knelt on the rocky ground, peering over at a rather red-faced boy. Her heart raced, her face felt warm and she leant over carefully, lending Freddie a hand.

"Grab it," instructed Sam, loudly.

"Sam, I can't…" Freddie said, struggling to reach up.

"You can," Sam shouted to him and felt a stinging in her eyes which she blinked away rapidly.

Freddie somehow managed to swing up and grab the girl's hand and she tried to pull him up but his leg got caught on a tree branch and Sam was now almost dangling from the cliff, while still holding onto the boy.

"Let me go Sam," Freddie said, looking into her eyes.

"I'm not letting you go, Freddie," Sam said, stubbornly and couldn't hold back her also stubborn tears.

"I don't want you to die," the boy said. "Let go of my hand… Save yourself!"

"I can't," Sam said. "I don't want to lose you… I love you… I always have and I always will." more tears fell from her eyes.

"Sam, I…" Freddie started but then realized what the girl said. "You love me?"

"Yes, that's why I won't let go," Sam said, still gripping his hand tightly.

"I love you Samantha Puckett," Freddie said, smiling sorrowfully, somehow pulled himself up and, with his other free hand stroked her cheek softly, wiping some tears off her face. "…forgive me for doing this…"

"Freddie, what are you…" she broke off as his fingers slipped through hers and he fell to his doom. "Noooo! Freddie, no!!" she screamed through the chasm.

Her voice was still echoing, as she hauled herself up, still in despair… tears now cascading down her cheeks. She collapsed onto the gravel and just for once didn't even try to stop herself from crying…

Samantha woke up with a start, as she heard the door open suddenly, revealing the evil King Harold and his useless sidekick-Julius, she thought his name was. It didn't matter, all the mattered was that they were in her little prison cell.

"Samantha, dear, dear Samantha," King Harold said, with a cruel twisted smile.

"Come to let me go?" Sam asked, bitterness coating every syllable she uttered.

"Now, now," Harold said, wagging a finger at her. "Who's to say I have to ever let you go?"

"What?!" shouted Sam, confronting the man. "You're keeping me in here, forever?!"

"That depends," King Harold said, again with a creepy looking smile then he faced the boy. "You, get out."

"But why do I have to…" protested Jack but upon seeing Harold's eyes glint red he scrambled out as fast as he could.

The evil king faced the fierce looking blonde girl and smiled, yet again, looking as evil as ever. He walked slowly around Sam while speaking in a hushed tone of voice.

"What do you mean by 'that depends'?" demanded Sam after the boy had gone.

"Well, I've given a thought about your current predicament…" Harold said.

"You put me in the predicament to start with," Sam muttered under her breath.

"I have decided I shall be the generous person I naturally am," King Harold said grandly while Sam scoffed. "I'm going to give you two options. Number one-stay here and starve to death…"

"Oh, yeah," Sam said sarcastically, pretending to think about it. "What's the second one then?"

"I've always wanted someone by my side as a queen," King Harold said, grinning with creepiness. Sam's mouth dropped wide open in horror.

***

Phillip looked at his son thoughtfully. He would make a fine ruler of his people, when he was eventually, you know…gone.

"What else can you tell me about this girl?" he asked, his voice still sounding raspy and weak.

"Oh dad, I would love you to meet her," Freddie said, almost breathlessly. "Sam is beautiful, not only in looks, which she always underestimates but her heart as well. Yes she can be a bit of a bully but when it's called for, she is the most kindest, caring, gentle girl I have ever known."

"You are really in love with this…Sam, aren't you?" asked his father.

"More than I can say, dad, more than I can say…" Freddie said sighing and then looking at Phillip who was holding his side and grimacing in pain. He immediately rushed over to the man's aid. "Dad… Dad!"

***

"So do you girls live all by yourselves?" asked Carly, looking around the small kitchen.

"No, our father is bedridden," Penny explained. "…we look after him when Mam is working. Of course that's all the time now…" the girl trailed off.

"Mam is never home," Gretta said, almost angrily. "It's like… it's like…"

"…she doesn't love us…" Penny finished.

Carly's heart went out to the two young girls. Their mother would have cared for them, since she was working to put food on the table-even if it was disgusting, as she thought about the lunch and almost gagged again. Focus Carly, focus. There they were, Penny and Gretta, two daughters taking care of each other and their sick father. How could a ten and an eight year old be held so responsible?

"You mother does love you," she reassured the two girls. "Why else would she be out working to create a home for you girls?"

"She's never here," repeated Gretta, sadly.

"Aww come here," Carly said, and stretched her arms out wide giving both of them a huge hug. "You Mam will be home before you know it." and she hoped she was right.

Just then, they heard a sudden knock on the door. Carly told the girls to stay calm as she went to open the door. She found a worried looking boy-she knew this boy. He came to visit them in Seattle and then had taken Freddie away to Berathibin Kingdom.

"C…Carly?" the boy asked and then smiled a little.

"Quentin," she replied and smiled back.

***

Quentin felt his heart warm to the sight of the pretty brunette girl but then shook off this feeling as he remembered the reason for coming to the dingy house. Carly stepped aside and allowed him in.

"Penny, Gretta?" he called out.

"Uncle Quentin!" they both squealed and ran to give him kisses, one on each cheek.

"You're mother was worried about you two," he said quickly. "…and wanted me to check in on you… looks like your in good hands…" he looked around at a blushing girl. "I also wanted to see how my favourite neices are doing."

"We're you're only neices, silly uncle," giggled penny.

"You know what I mean," Quentin said, spinning both girls around and then setting them down. Carly giggled as both girls ran into another room, probably where there father was.

"You're very good with children," she commented, and noticed a spark she hadn't seen before.

"Thank you Milady," he said, with another smile that made Carly's heart flutter a little, he then turned serious. "I bring bad news. Prince Fredward has been taken prisoner in the castle, by King Harold."

Carly gasped. "Oh my God!" she said. "What do we do?"

"Nothing, I'm afraid," Quentin said helplessly.

"We have to do something!" Carly said, with determination. Quentin's face broke into a grin.

***

There you have it… the next chapter will be up hopefully soon!

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