Chapter Five
Shortly after Kal and Doyle had left to capture the intruder, Freya and Fratley looked for other tasks that had to be done. Walking down a wide alley, Fratley broke the silence. "Freya, are you sure you're alright? That statue almost killed you... You don't need to hide your fears from me – I'm always here for you."
"I know, Fratley," Freya answered, "but I'm alright... Remember that I went through a lot during the time of your absence... If there's something I'd learned in those years, it's that one mustn't let their fears control them. I suppose, then, that I follow your own advice, for it was you who wrote, 'do not let fear stifle you'."
At this Fratley stopped and, turning to Freya, said, "I only wish I remembered doing so... writing that, I mean. I wish I remembered everything, of course. I do know that it hurts you to see me like this. There must be something we can do – something we haven't tried..." He turned away.
Freya took his hand and said softly, "We can recover, my love... Just like we are rebuilding our kingdom after it has suffered a fatal blow, we can rebuild our lives together – build new memories..."
"I just can't help thinking that it won't be the same..." Fratley said, now deeply troubled. "Not only have I lost my memories of you, but also of everything else... I don't want to be different than I was before.
"I suppose I must try... I'll try for myself, I'll try for you – No longer should I be sad, for I have you to love and to love me... And, I don't want to pull you into my despair... You've already been through enough of your own."
"You still show the same care, the same compassion as you always did," spoke Freya, a tear now rolling down her furry cheek, "I don't want you to change, ever. You're still here, Fratley."
Fratley wrapped his arms around Freya, and, wiping the tears from her cheeks, looked into her eyes and said, "Maybe, but it was you who said, 'to be forgotten is worse than death,' and I forgot you. I know that you're troubled by my condition... Perhaps you're not as troubled as you were in those years we were apart, but you are still sad, nevertheless... I love you, so I don't want you to live the rest of your life in sadness..." He trailed off, for he could think of any more words that would comfort his Freya. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her that it would be alright, but he didn't want to give her hope that may turn out to be false.
What am I going to do? He thought. Freya is my lady. I have to care for her, to support her... I don't want her to have to live with me as a burden – She should not have to care for me... I must find a way to return my mind to normal. But, we've tried everything – We've received the help of everyone from the Summoners to the Cleyran Maidens, and even of Doctor Tot, but to no avail... However, I must not let go of hope...
Freya closed her eyes and hugged her lover. If only..., she pondered sadly. If only things were how they were before... If only I had convinced you to stay in Burmecia; or, at least, not let you to go to Alexandria alone... If I had got you to stay here, we may have been able to defend, with success, both Burmecia and Cleyra... but more importantly, you would not have lost your memories... You would be the same Dragon Knight you were before... Oh, I don't want you to worry about me, me beloved Fratley, but it was such a long wait, and for something I truly didn't expect. If only...
Just then, King Puck appeared at the end of the alleyway and ran over to Freya and Fratley, who then turned to face him.
"Hey you two lovebirds," Puck called to them as he reached them. "Save it for later! I need you to go to the royal chamber. Doyle and Kal will arrive soon with the intruder, and I would like you two to be present during his interrogation."
"Of course, my lord...," answered Freya. "But... you won't hurt him, though, will you? He may have meant no harm in trespassing."
"I know, I know," replied Puck, "but I gotta at least make it known, especially to those Alexandrians, that we mean business now... We'll just make sure he wasn't looking for 'souvenirs,' and then send him on his way, I guess."
"Okay, your highness," agreed Freya, "we'll walk to the royal chamber now."
"Good," called Puck as he ran off down the alleyway, "I'll see you there soon."
"Hmm...," pondered Freya, alone again in the alleyway with her mate, "I wonder who the intruder is..."
"We'll find out quite soon, I'd expect," answered Fratley. He then took her hand, and they walked together in the light rain toward the Royal Chamber, where many meetings would soon come.
Shortly after Kal and Doyle had left to capture the intruder, Freya and Fratley looked for other tasks that had to be done. Walking down a wide alley, Fratley broke the silence. "Freya, are you sure you're alright? That statue almost killed you... You don't need to hide your fears from me – I'm always here for you."
"I know, Fratley," Freya answered, "but I'm alright... Remember that I went through a lot during the time of your absence... If there's something I'd learned in those years, it's that one mustn't let their fears control them. I suppose, then, that I follow your own advice, for it was you who wrote, 'do not let fear stifle you'."
At this Fratley stopped and, turning to Freya, said, "I only wish I remembered doing so... writing that, I mean. I wish I remembered everything, of course. I do know that it hurts you to see me like this. There must be something we can do – something we haven't tried..." He turned away.
Freya took his hand and said softly, "We can recover, my love... Just like we are rebuilding our kingdom after it has suffered a fatal blow, we can rebuild our lives together – build new memories..."
"I just can't help thinking that it won't be the same..." Fratley said, now deeply troubled. "Not only have I lost my memories of you, but also of everything else... I don't want to be different than I was before.
"I suppose I must try... I'll try for myself, I'll try for you – No longer should I be sad, for I have you to love and to love me... And, I don't want to pull you into my despair... You've already been through enough of your own."
"You still show the same care, the same compassion as you always did," spoke Freya, a tear now rolling down her furry cheek, "I don't want you to change, ever. You're still here, Fratley."
Fratley wrapped his arms around Freya, and, wiping the tears from her cheeks, looked into her eyes and said, "Maybe, but it was you who said, 'to be forgotten is worse than death,' and I forgot you. I know that you're troubled by my condition... Perhaps you're not as troubled as you were in those years we were apart, but you are still sad, nevertheless... I love you, so I don't want you to live the rest of your life in sadness..." He trailed off, for he could think of any more words that would comfort his Freya. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her that it would be alright, but he didn't want to give her hope that may turn out to be false.
What am I going to do? He thought. Freya is my lady. I have to care for her, to support her... I don't want her to have to live with me as a burden – She should not have to care for me... I must find a way to return my mind to normal. But, we've tried everything – We've received the help of everyone from the Summoners to the Cleyran Maidens, and even of Doctor Tot, but to no avail... However, I must not let go of hope...
Freya closed her eyes and hugged her lover. If only..., she pondered sadly. If only things were how they were before... If only I had convinced you to stay in Burmecia; or, at least, not let you to go to Alexandria alone... If I had got you to stay here, we may have been able to defend, with success, both Burmecia and Cleyra... but more importantly, you would not have lost your memories... You would be the same Dragon Knight you were before... Oh, I don't want you to worry about me, me beloved Fratley, but it was such a long wait, and for something I truly didn't expect. If only...
Just then, King Puck appeared at the end of the alleyway and ran over to Freya and Fratley, who then turned to face him.
"Hey you two lovebirds," Puck called to them as he reached them. "Save it for later! I need you to go to the royal chamber. Doyle and Kal will arrive soon with the intruder, and I would like you two to be present during his interrogation."
"Of course, my lord...," answered Freya. "But... you won't hurt him, though, will you? He may have meant no harm in trespassing."
"I know, I know," replied Puck, "but I gotta at least make it known, especially to those Alexandrians, that we mean business now... We'll just make sure he wasn't looking for 'souvenirs,' and then send him on his way, I guess."
"Okay, your highness," agreed Freya, "we'll walk to the royal chamber now."
"Good," called Puck as he ran off down the alleyway, "I'll see you there soon."
"Hmm...," pondered Freya, alone again in the alleyway with her mate, "I wonder who the intruder is..."
"We'll find out quite soon, I'd expect," answered Fratley. He then took her hand, and they walked together in the light rain toward the Royal Chamber, where many meetings would soon come.