Chapter Nine
Death, Dan, and - Love?
I think that, at times, I would wonder what happened to the years.
One year had passed since Dragon Academy had started. Already it felt like 50. We were just beginning to learn how to use a few extremely simple Dragon Abilities. But it was Sunday. Religious Devotion Day. I was one of the few people outside on that day because my family was anything but religious. Ruben immediately headed off to find a girl who I honestly could imagine seeing at one of those insane bars, but I kept my opinion far from Ruben's. I instead looked for Freya, who had gone with her family to Alexandria to see a play and had supposedly returned.
I felt something was wrong, though. Freya would've bounded to my house by dawn to yap on how bad or good the play was, and give me every little detail on Alexandria. But she wasn't around. I decided to check the Academy first, thinking Ebon may be reprimanding her - the latest of his tortures.
I soon reached the Academy, to find that Freya was leaving it. She looked over at me, and I could see the sadness in her eyes. Something had happened. I walked over to Freya.
"Hello, Frat," Freya said quietly, walking over to me.
"'Ey, what's wrong?" I asked, returning to my natural accent. Something about it comforted her.
Freya took a deep breath and began to walk down the path. I walked beside her. She seemed to be thinking. We walked down to a quiet alley where no one ever walked. Freya turned to me. Her eyes were full of sorrow.
"You see," she said, taking a deep breath. "You know how we went to Alexandria?"
I nodded.
"Well," Freya said, taking another deep breath. "It was during the show. Matthew got bored and headed off. He somehow got himself stuck in an alley and -"
Freya trailed off, staring at the ground. Tears were forming in her eyes. She took a deep breath.
"I don't know what exactly happened, but. He died," Freya choked out.
I stared with shock. Matthew had died? He had somehow died while stuck in an alley? It seemed so strange, yet at the same time believable.
"I just don't understand," Freya muttered. She then looked up at me. "Why is it always me? How come everything happens to me? What did I do?"
Freya's shoulders were shaking. She began to sob. I held out my arms, and she collapsed against me. I didn't understand why Freya's life was rather harsh, either. I just hoped I could make it easier.
Freya had calmed down within five minutes, and she headed off to face Ebon, who had apparently made her so upset that she had simply walked out. I would've stayed with her, but Ebon's glare told me otherwise, and I slipped out of the Academy. I sat myself between a tree and the Academy wall and stared at the blossoms in the tree.
"Hey!"
I turned my head in the direction of the familiar voice and smiled.
"'Ello Dave," I said to Dave as he sat beside me. "What are ya doin' 'ere?"
"Trying to find you, of course," Dave said, staring at me with a look that said "You're stupid". "Been a while. So Freya's back, eh?"
I nodded. "Yes, and as usual disaster followed 'er ta Alexandria an' back."
Dave frowned. "Now what?"
"Matthew died," I told him.
Dave sighed. "It's always something. Poor Matt. He was a cool kid. Crazy, but cool."
I nodded, silent. Freya and her family never were able to get away from disasters.
"So, did you comfort her?" Dave asked.
"O' course," I replied, wondering why Dave would ask such a dumb question.
Dave grinned. "Ah, good. So there is hope in you two."
"Eh?" I looked at Dave with a quizzical look.
Dave chuckled. "You know what I mean."
"Fully. But 'ow many times do I 'ave ta tell ya that we're just friends?" I asked.
Dave laughed. "Frat, you keep telling yourself that."
I sighed. "Dave -"
"Fratley, I've been watching you and her. The whole city knows you're constantly around each other. Freya treats you like far more than a friend. You return this behavior naturally, even if you don't notice it. There's a lot more of a friendship between you, Fratley! One of you have to admit to it eventually!" Dave explained, ending with a grin.
I sighed. "Dave, what would ya possibly know 'bout the situation?"
Dave's eyes sparkled. "A lot."
I couldn't help but grin. "Oh yeah, when ya fell in love things really went well!"
Dave lowered his eyes and sighed. "That wasn't nice, Fratley. It's not my fault she -"
I frowned as I suddenly remembered why Dave's love relationship had not gone well. I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry," I said quietly and with sincere apology. "I forgot."
Dave nodded slightly. "I figured. You have the worst memory of the whole city."
I frowned, and Dave grinned.
"I'm surprised you remember your own name!" Dave said.
I sighed. "Ye revenge."
Dave smiled. "Yeah, but it still hurt."
I nodded and sighed. Dave's girlfriend had caught ill and died only a few days after she and Dave fell in love. Dave still hadn't recovered, thinking he was to blame. I had completely forgotten.
"Anyway," Dave said quietly. "You're obviously in love. The whole city has figured it out. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the King knows."
"An' Puck," I muttered.
Dave laughed. "The Prince knows everything. That little brat is the master of gossip."
Prince Puck was only four, yet he somehow still managed to spread gossip, and quickly. Perhaps it had to deal with the fact that his mother had died at childbirth, and the King was so busy with kingly matters that he never noticed when Puck escaped.
"Puck probably spread it," I said with a sigh. "Life can' be private! I take it that Puck knows of - of Matthew?"
Dave frowned. "Most likely. Thankfully, Puck doesn't spread that as bad gossip."
I sighed with relief. "Thank God."
"What are you guys doing?"
Dave and I jumped with surprise at the new voice. Freya stepped over Dave and forced herself between us.
"Jeez, Freya! Must you be in the middle?" Dave complained, moving aside.
"Yes!" Freya replied.
After much shifting, the three of us were at last comfortable.
"So, what were you talking about?" Freya asked.
"Ya seem way too cheerful ta 'ave just finished talkin' wit' Ebon," I said, desperate to change the subject.
"Rose was there," Freya said cheerfully. "Now what were you talking about?"
"Love," Dan said with a grin. I wanted to smack him.
Freya looked at him with surprise. She then looked at me with a grin.
"Seriously?" she asked.
"I hate ya, Dan," I muttered, smacking myself in the forehead.
Freya laughed. "I know that's a yes. So, what about love?"
"Who we love - or loved," Dan continued, adding the last part with guilt.
"Oh," Freya said. She then smirked and turned to me. "And who did you say?"
"Erm." I said, blushing.
Freya laughed. "I think I know."
At this point Dave and Freya fell into their own conversation, talking of the latest couples and gossip. I simply stared at the sky, embarrassed, and refused to become part of the conversation.
Dave walked with Freya and I once we left, but he quickly diverted his course when he noticed his mother glaring at him. Freya and I were alone once again. Freya sighed, staring at her hand.
"Didn't mean to embarrass you," she said.
I shrugged. "I guess I embarrass easy."
"I don't think so. I'd be embarrassed too," Freya said. She then grinned. "But you're so much fun to make fun of."
"I figured," I muttered. "Why are ya staring at ye hand?"
Freya sighed again. She lowered her hand and her head as well. She stared at the ground and stopped walking. I stopped walking, suddenly sensing something was horribly wrong.
"Freya?" I began.
"I know how Matthew died," Freya choked out. "It was me."
"What?"
"I had a heavy cart with me," Freya choked. "Mom had allowed me to sell some stuff to make money while at the play. Well, I was talking with a girl about five years older than me, and I wasn't watching the cart. It rolled away and - and crushed Matthew."
I could only stare dumbfounded. Freya fell to her knees, holding her head tightly. It looked like she was trying to crush her skull. I knelt beside her, and noticed that she wasn't crying. She was simply sitting in the middle of the street, clutching her head, and blaming herself for something that was an accident. An accident that had happened simply because everything was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and because Freya was the perfect spreader of bad luck.
"Freya," I said, at last finding my voice. "It's not ye fault."
"Of course it is! I was the one with the God-damn cart! I was the one who let it get away!" Freya screamed.
"Freya, ya didn' let it get away. It just did," I explained gently. "Ya didn' do anythin'. The cart simply got away, and Matthew was in the wrong place."
Freya looked up at me, biting her lip.
"I was supposed to be watching the cart," she hissed.
"Right. But everyone lets 'is or 'er guard down. Another person would've let the cart go astray if they were chattin'. I would've done it. Hell, my perfect mothe' would've done it!"
Freya giggled at the mention of Rose, which was exactly what I wanted.
"Freya, everyone makes mistakes. Everyone does something. And while the penalty of the mistake may be severe, it doesn't mean ya meant ta do it." I then smiled. "Now, if it was Arana that was with a cart -"
Freya laughed. "Arana's a bitch."
"No kidding. But I'm not done. It's not ye fault Matthew got hit. It's no one's fault. And if ya must blame someone, blame the Great Dragon."
Freya stared at the ground for a moment. She then suddenly turned toward the sky.
"CURSE YOU, GREAT DRAGON!" she screamed, shaking her fist at the clouds. Everyone immediately stared.
"Freya, let's just thank 'er that a priest wasn't around," I muttered.
Freya's eyes widened and her hands immediately covered her mouth. She looked around frantically, and when she saw no religious figures around, sighed with relief.
"I really don't want to listen to them right now," Freya muttered. "I already know I'm doomed to Hell. They don't need to tell me that."
I shook my head. "You're not going ta Hell, Freya."
"Puh," Freya said as a reply.
Suddenly Freya dragged me to my feet.
"We look pretty silly on the floor," she muttered.
She didn't start walking, though. Instead, Freya sighed, and looked up at me.
"Well, I guess I should get moving," she whispered. "Thank you."
Freya kissed me on the cheek, though it was a challenge for her since she couldn't reach my cheek anymore. She then left, and I watched her go, wondering what I had done to receive gratitude.
I did eventually figure it out, though. And I smiled.
Perhaps we were more than just friends.
------ Bwaha, I love leaving readers to think ;) So what did Fratley do to receive gratitude? It's easy if you think about it.
Sorry about the slow update, I'm boring myself to death with this story. I will speed it up, though, and then I won't be bored. So stayed tuned as we go through another time tunnel! =D
This story is copyright to me. Some events, characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.
Death, Dan, and - Love?
I think that, at times, I would wonder what happened to the years.
One year had passed since Dragon Academy had started. Already it felt like 50. We were just beginning to learn how to use a few extremely simple Dragon Abilities. But it was Sunday. Religious Devotion Day. I was one of the few people outside on that day because my family was anything but religious. Ruben immediately headed off to find a girl who I honestly could imagine seeing at one of those insane bars, but I kept my opinion far from Ruben's. I instead looked for Freya, who had gone with her family to Alexandria to see a play and had supposedly returned.
I felt something was wrong, though. Freya would've bounded to my house by dawn to yap on how bad or good the play was, and give me every little detail on Alexandria. But she wasn't around. I decided to check the Academy first, thinking Ebon may be reprimanding her - the latest of his tortures.
I soon reached the Academy, to find that Freya was leaving it. She looked over at me, and I could see the sadness in her eyes. Something had happened. I walked over to Freya.
"Hello, Frat," Freya said quietly, walking over to me.
"'Ey, what's wrong?" I asked, returning to my natural accent. Something about it comforted her.
Freya took a deep breath and began to walk down the path. I walked beside her. She seemed to be thinking. We walked down to a quiet alley where no one ever walked. Freya turned to me. Her eyes were full of sorrow.
"You see," she said, taking a deep breath. "You know how we went to Alexandria?"
I nodded.
"Well," Freya said, taking another deep breath. "It was during the show. Matthew got bored and headed off. He somehow got himself stuck in an alley and -"
Freya trailed off, staring at the ground. Tears were forming in her eyes. She took a deep breath.
"I don't know what exactly happened, but. He died," Freya choked out.
I stared with shock. Matthew had died? He had somehow died while stuck in an alley? It seemed so strange, yet at the same time believable.
"I just don't understand," Freya muttered. She then looked up at me. "Why is it always me? How come everything happens to me? What did I do?"
Freya's shoulders were shaking. She began to sob. I held out my arms, and she collapsed against me. I didn't understand why Freya's life was rather harsh, either. I just hoped I could make it easier.
Freya had calmed down within five minutes, and she headed off to face Ebon, who had apparently made her so upset that she had simply walked out. I would've stayed with her, but Ebon's glare told me otherwise, and I slipped out of the Academy. I sat myself between a tree and the Academy wall and stared at the blossoms in the tree.
"Hey!"
I turned my head in the direction of the familiar voice and smiled.
"'Ello Dave," I said to Dave as he sat beside me. "What are ya doin' 'ere?"
"Trying to find you, of course," Dave said, staring at me with a look that said "You're stupid". "Been a while. So Freya's back, eh?"
I nodded. "Yes, and as usual disaster followed 'er ta Alexandria an' back."
Dave frowned. "Now what?"
"Matthew died," I told him.
Dave sighed. "It's always something. Poor Matt. He was a cool kid. Crazy, but cool."
I nodded, silent. Freya and her family never were able to get away from disasters.
"So, did you comfort her?" Dave asked.
"O' course," I replied, wondering why Dave would ask such a dumb question.
Dave grinned. "Ah, good. So there is hope in you two."
"Eh?" I looked at Dave with a quizzical look.
Dave chuckled. "You know what I mean."
"Fully. But 'ow many times do I 'ave ta tell ya that we're just friends?" I asked.
Dave laughed. "Frat, you keep telling yourself that."
I sighed. "Dave -"
"Fratley, I've been watching you and her. The whole city knows you're constantly around each other. Freya treats you like far more than a friend. You return this behavior naturally, even if you don't notice it. There's a lot more of a friendship between you, Fratley! One of you have to admit to it eventually!" Dave explained, ending with a grin.
I sighed. "Dave, what would ya possibly know 'bout the situation?"
Dave's eyes sparkled. "A lot."
I couldn't help but grin. "Oh yeah, when ya fell in love things really went well!"
Dave lowered his eyes and sighed. "That wasn't nice, Fratley. It's not my fault she -"
I frowned as I suddenly remembered why Dave's love relationship had not gone well. I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry," I said quietly and with sincere apology. "I forgot."
Dave nodded slightly. "I figured. You have the worst memory of the whole city."
I frowned, and Dave grinned.
"I'm surprised you remember your own name!" Dave said.
I sighed. "Ye revenge."
Dave smiled. "Yeah, but it still hurt."
I nodded and sighed. Dave's girlfriend had caught ill and died only a few days after she and Dave fell in love. Dave still hadn't recovered, thinking he was to blame. I had completely forgotten.
"Anyway," Dave said quietly. "You're obviously in love. The whole city has figured it out. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the King knows."
"An' Puck," I muttered.
Dave laughed. "The Prince knows everything. That little brat is the master of gossip."
Prince Puck was only four, yet he somehow still managed to spread gossip, and quickly. Perhaps it had to deal with the fact that his mother had died at childbirth, and the King was so busy with kingly matters that he never noticed when Puck escaped.
"Puck probably spread it," I said with a sigh. "Life can' be private! I take it that Puck knows of - of Matthew?"
Dave frowned. "Most likely. Thankfully, Puck doesn't spread that as bad gossip."
I sighed with relief. "Thank God."
"What are you guys doing?"
Dave and I jumped with surprise at the new voice. Freya stepped over Dave and forced herself between us.
"Jeez, Freya! Must you be in the middle?" Dave complained, moving aside.
"Yes!" Freya replied.
After much shifting, the three of us were at last comfortable.
"So, what were you talking about?" Freya asked.
"Ya seem way too cheerful ta 'ave just finished talkin' wit' Ebon," I said, desperate to change the subject.
"Rose was there," Freya said cheerfully. "Now what were you talking about?"
"Love," Dan said with a grin. I wanted to smack him.
Freya looked at him with surprise. She then looked at me with a grin.
"Seriously?" she asked.
"I hate ya, Dan," I muttered, smacking myself in the forehead.
Freya laughed. "I know that's a yes. So, what about love?"
"Who we love - or loved," Dan continued, adding the last part with guilt.
"Oh," Freya said. She then smirked and turned to me. "And who did you say?"
"Erm." I said, blushing.
Freya laughed. "I think I know."
At this point Dave and Freya fell into their own conversation, talking of the latest couples and gossip. I simply stared at the sky, embarrassed, and refused to become part of the conversation.
Dave walked with Freya and I once we left, but he quickly diverted his course when he noticed his mother glaring at him. Freya and I were alone once again. Freya sighed, staring at her hand.
"Didn't mean to embarrass you," she said.
I shrugged. "I guess I embarrass easy."
"I don't think so. I'd be embarrassed too," Freya said. She then grinned. "But you're so much fun to make fun of."
"I figured," I muttered. "Why are ya staring at ye hand?"
Freya sighed again. She lowered her hand and her head as well. She stared at the ground and stopped walking. I stopped walking, suddenly sensing something was horribly wrong.
"Freya?" I began.
"I know how Matthew died," Freya choked out. "It was me."
"What?"
"I had a heavy cart with me," Freya choked. "Mom had allowed me to sell some stuff to make money while at the play. Well, I was talking with a girl about five years older than me, and I wasn't watching the cart. It rolled away and - and crushed Matthew."
I could only stare dumbfounded. Freya fell to her knees, holding her head tightly. It looked like she was trying to crush her skull. I knelt beside her, and noticed that she wasn't crying. She was simply sitting in the middle of the street, clutching her head, and blaming herself for something that was an accident. An accident that had happened simply because everything was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and because Freya was the perfect spreader of bad luck.
"Freya," I said, at last finding my voice. "It's not ye fault."
"Of course it is! I was the one with the God-damn cart! I was the one who let it get away!" Freya screamed.
"Freya, ya didn' let it get away. It just did," I explained gently. "Ya didn' do anythin'. The cart simply got away, and Matthew was in the wrong place."
Freya looked up at me, biting her lip.
"I was supposed to be watching the cart," she hissed.
"Right. But everyone lets 'is or 'er guard down. Another person would've let the cart go astray if they were chattin'. I would've done it. Hell, my perfect mothe' would've done it!"
Freya giggled at the mention of Rose, which was exactly what I wanted.
"Freya, everyone makes mistakes. Everyone does something. And while the penalty of the mistake may be severe, it doesn't mean ya meant ta do it." I then smiled. "Now, if it was Arana that was with a cart -"
Freya laughed. "Arana's a bitch."
"No kidding. But I'm not done. It's not ye fault Matthew got hit. It's no one's fault. And if ya must blame someone, blame the Great Dragon."
Freya stared at the ground for a moment. She then suddenly turned toward the sky.
"CURSE YOU, GREAT DRAGON!" she screamed, shaking her fist at the clouds. Everyone immediately stared.
"Freya, let's just thank 'er that a priest wasn't around," I muttered.
Freya's eyes widened and her hands immediately covered her mouth. She looked around frantically, and when she saw no religious figures around, sighed with relief.
"I really don't want to listen to them right now," Freya muttered. "I already know I'm doomed to Hell. They don't need to tell me that."
I shook my head. "You're not going ta Hell, Freya."
"Puh," Freya said as a reply.
Suddenly Freya dragged me to my feet.
"We look pretty silly on the floor," she muttered.
She didn't start walking, though. Instead, Freya sighed, and looked up at me.
"Well, I guess I should get moving," she whispered. "Thank you."
Freya kissed me on the cheek, though it was a challenge for her since she couldn't reach my cheek anymore. She then left, and I watched her go, wondering what I had done to receive gratitude.
I did eventually figure it out, though. And I smiled.
Perhaps we were more than just friends.
------ Bwaha, I love leaving readers to think ;) So what did Fratley do to receive gratitude? It's easy if you think about it.
Sorry about the slow update, I'm boring myself to death with this story. I will speed it up, though, and then I won't be bored. So stayed tuned as we go through another time tunnel! =D
This story is copyright to me. Some events, characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.