AN-
First of all, I 'd like to apologize to any people who've been reading this fic for not updating for a long time. Just had lotsa problems of my own and was too distracted to write. Will try to return to normal writing state.
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Chapter 6
Fond Remembrances: Separation
The sun shone brightly on the weary travelers.
Riou raised his head. It was going to be noon. They had been walking for two hours across the grassy plains avoiding the dense forests just in case they were ambushed by monsters. Up ahead, he could see the small town of Kyaro.
Kyaro was a small town completely closed off from the rest of the world by high mountains. The only ways in were passes like the one they had just used. It was a nice little town though too far from other towns.
Jowy lived in his mansion with his mother, father and brother at the eastern side while Riou shared a small but comfortable home on the western side with his elder sister Nanami and his late grandfather Genkaku.
Nanami, Genkaku and him were not blood relations. Genkaku had never married and lived alone in his cottage until he found a small baby girl sleeping alone in the dense forest. He adopted her and took care of her as he could not just leave her there and there was no one else to look after her. A year later as the retired soldier was traveling through the mountains, he came across a horrible spectacle. About twenty men and women had been slain and their blood had painted the rocky ground a deep red. Praying for rest for their spirits, he heard a baby cry out. Removing a butchered corpse, he found a small baby boy, crying into his blanket. That had been Riou.
Genkaku had told Riou and Nanami this story when Nanami was eleven and Riou ten years old. He had felt that he had to tell them the truth. They had been surprised at first but it didn't matter to them. Both loved Genkaku like a father as he loved them like his own children.
Genkaku had been a peculiar father as he was not like others. He demanded hard work and excellence from his children. He was not a bad person, just not used to children having been a soldier for most of his life. So he began teaching them martial arts. Genkaku saw that both were born fighters and after a year of hand-to-hand combat, began the weapons' lessons. By this time, Riou and Jowy had become very good friends. Jowy had become an expert with his staff and Riou with his tonfars. Genkaku taught his son and his son's friend all he knew about fighting. Nanami also received lessons with a pair of iron rods. All three turned out to be very proficient with their selected weapons.
By the time Riou and Jowy were sixteen, much had changed. Genkaku had passed away a year earlier at the age of 62, felled by an incurable illness.
For two months, the once strong and muscular body lay on a bed, aging years in days, hard muscles wasting away into flabby fat. Doctors were stumped and none could provide a cure. But all would say that he hadn't much time left.
With his dying breath as the three youths sat by his side, Genkaku, former soldier and hero of Jowston wished them good luck and prosperity in their lives. He died, just another old man with a tainted past leaving behind two children not of his blood.
Nanami, Jowy and Riou all cried, missing their mentor, surrogate father and confidant. They buried him behind the old cottage he had built himself with his own two hands. A large stone was placed as a marker and all three knelt down to wish their respect.
Life became after sometime and Jowy and Riou were able to join the Unicorn Brigade. It was a military company specially for young men. Their commander, a man named Rowd, often made the youths practice fighting. Riou and Jowy dueled but neither could excel the other. After many months of preparation, the company deployed to the borders of Kyaro.
Nanami waved at her brother and friend as they marched, chests out, heads high, out of town and into the wilderness.
And now here he was, striding back into his hometown. So much had happened to him and Jowy. They had been betrayed by Captain Rowd, witnessed the slaughter of their friends, jumped off a cliff into raging waters, escaped prison, fought with monsters and had finally returned home.
It felt good to say that word.
Home.
Home Sweet Home.
Riou had terribly missed his sister Nanami. They had been separate for such a long time now.
But...
But while he was being reunited with Nanami, he would lose Eilie.
Ah, Eilie. Such a beautiful girl. Riou paused to look back at the girl only to find out that she had been looking at him too. Both turned a bright shade of red and quickly looked away. Rina watched on, amused and happy for her younger sister.
Up ahead, Jowy shouted to Riou that they had reached the town-gates. He hurried on as Riou closely followed.
Eilie had been dreading this moment since she had fallen for Riou. She, being a circus-traveler/performer would probably never meet him again while he would probably remain in Kyaro for the rest of his life with his sister and Jowy.
*Sigh*
Life was really difficult at times. She braced herself, soon she would forget all about Riou. She might fall in love again but she would recover from that too.
Who was she kidding? How did Rina deal with all this?
Slowly trudging towards the gate behind Rina and Bolgan, she wiped the sweat off her face and mentally prepared herself to look happy. After all, the two youths were finally home, and she of all people would know how it felt to return home. She never had a home, her home was wherever Rina decided they would make camp. She had seen people going back to their warm and cosy homes when she had to shiver out in the cold.
She genuinely felt happy for Riou but her heart still tugged at her insides. She could not bear the fact that she would probably never see him again. And being the person he was, he would probably be married to another girl by the time they had their next encounter.
Why?
Riou worriedly looked towards Eilie as Jowy fidgeted, unable to hide his anxiety. Rina, Bolgan and Eilie said their goodbyes and Jowy was off in a flash after telling Riou to meet him tomorrow. Riou glanced at the quickly fading figure of his friend and turned around.
"Um, well, this is it then," he muttered.
"Yes, thanks for your help. I hope we meet again soon," Rina replied with a dazzling smile.
Bolgan dashed towards Riou and gave him a tight hug.
"Riou Bolgan's friend forever, yes?"
"Y-Es, Bolgan," Riou managed to say.
"Let him go Bolgan, save some of him for Eilie," Rina ho-ho-hoed.
Riou scratched his head as he faced Eilie.
"So, um, are you okay now? How's that wound of yours?"
"Touching the bandage around her arm, Eilie smiled and said, "It's healing nicely and the wound wasn't so deep. I hope that you weren't hurt too badly yourself."
Giving her a smile, Riou replied, "It was worth it."
"Eilie-"
"Yes Riou?"
"Um... well... I..."
Breathing deeply, Riou started again, willing himself to control his feelings.
"Eilie, I really appreciate you taking care of me last night."
"Oh, that," Eilie blushed.
"I also enjoyed your company. I wish I could have, um, spent more time with you, but..."
Smiling wistfully, Eilie replied, "I understand Riou."
"You do? Oh, then this is it..."
"Yes..."
"Until the next time, Eilie," Riou said finally.
"Until the next time, Riou," Eilie said with as much weariness.
Riou stood under the wooden gate and watched Eilie regroup with her companions and climb the low hill. At the top she turned around a little.
Wiping a tear with her hand, she glanced one last time at Riou's erect figure and walked downwards.
Riou's hand shook uncontrollably. He had just let the love of his life go away. But he didn't know whether Eilie shared his feelings or not. She could just be trying to repay him. She was born a traveler and would remain so. He could not expect her to live in the same place for all her life.
He punched the wooden gate hard with his right fist and cleared his head. Regrets were useless. Things could not be changed now. The only thing left was to go home.
