Chapter 8
Autumn 18
It was day like any other but after Frey got dressed and walked out her door, standing in the middle of the square was Kiel. Why in the would was he just standing there and then approach the male. Kiel noticed her and smiled, "Oh Frey have you seen Leon?" "Leon no I haven't seen him at all." Kiel sighed, "I've been looking all over for him because I wanted to give him this." Frey looked at him holding some paper, "A paper?" Kiel nods, "Yeah Forte and I found this outside the town the other day but it's written in an old language, so I can't read it." Frey looked at the paper, "Hey there's something written on the back of this paper." Kiel spoke, "Oh yeah this side is written in the modern text. So one side is all ancient while the other is pretty new." "Well I think it's exciting but you shouldn't hold the paper so tight" Kiel smiled, "Don't worry this is just a copy Arthur has the original text so there's no need to worry I just wonder what secrets it may hold. It's why I wanted Leon but I can't find him." "Well I can deliver it for you." Kiel smiles, "Perfect because I'm pretty busy making Forte a cake. You should go speak with her next. Also once you see Leon give him this other piece as well it's seems to go with the first piece." Frey smiled and nods, "Of course I can." She smiled and placed the paper in her bag safety and then went to go find Forte. After making it to the home and entered she smiled, "Hey Forte have you seen Leon?"
The dragon knight looked at her, "Leon? No I haven't seen him but I heard Arthur was looking for him." Frey smiled, "Really thanks." "Hey can I ask you something I hope this doesn't sound rude or anything but what exactly do you see in him. Why do you like him? I mean Leon is well...interesting." Frey looked at her, "Well he definitely is handsome and I'm not sure why I like him. I just know that me and him understand each other really well I'm sorry but it's the best I can come up with." Forte smiles, "It's okay I think I'm not ready for a relationship yet but I can see you really do love him and I wish you all the best." Frey smiled then left to go speak with Arthur who should be in his office by now. Once she got there Frey got the same response however Arthur said something that made her a bit concern, "Absent minded?" "Yes but maybe Lin Fa or Xiao Pai know why he is acting like this. I mean he does live in their inn and he's probably close to the keepers. I'm sorry I couldn't help." "No it's alright Arthur but maybe I should have started with them first." Then Frey ran to the inn thankfully Lin Fa was not busy and the older women smiled at her, "Frey what are you doing here you should be with Leon at Leon Karnak because he brought two lunch boxes with him and yet here you are. If you here then why bring another lunch box if wasn't taking you." "Don't worry I'll ask what's up once I get there." Frey sighed as she then went to Leon Karnak and saw her lover standing at base "Leon!" The man turned around and blinked, "Frey what are you doing here?" "Well I...wanted to talk with you" "Oh about what?"
"First it's about the two lunches you brought." Leon just smirked, "That's your concern." "Well don't worry there's no one I just wanted to feel like there was." Frey just sighed then got out the pieces of paper, "Second Kiel was looking for you he wanted you to read this" Leon grabbed the pieces of paper and looked at them, "Did Arthur..." he mumbled to himself but Frey heard him, "What about Arthur?" "No it's nothing but thanks I will talk to Kiel later about this." Leon noticed a strange look in her eye, "What is it? Is there something more on your mind love?" "Yeah what are you doing here?" Leon sighed and turned back to the door. "Take a look at this." Frey slowly stood besides him and look closer and noticed a lot of names, "There are so many names here." "Take a look at the top one..." "Wait I can't read those ones." Leon just kept staring at the names, "They're old characters barley even used during my time I told you awhile back that my kingdom used the same language and writing as Selphia but these characters are from a different kingdom one that much older. A foreign language." "What do they say?" "Leon and it says Maria next to it." Frey then looked at him, "Maria?" "Yeah she passed away hundred of years of ago we were childhood friends." Frey then realized what was happening, "She was like a sister to me. Annoying but irresistible cute at the same time. I took care of her as if I were her real older brother. *then look a bit sad* I might have been the only person to think of her that way really. She was such a crybaby always clinging onto me, we went everywhere together. We even carved our names here one fateful day."
At this point Frey looked at him, She could see that this was a little hard to speak about for him, it must be taking a lot of strength to finally tell her after all this time about his past then Leon continue, "One day when me and her where here well Maria was crying. She wouldn't stop and I had no idea what to do then I looked at her and told I'll do anything you ask, as long as you stop crying. Then she replied, can I marry you." Frey just looked at him a bit shock, Leon honestly didn't want to look at her anymore but he decided awhile back that Frey needed to know the truth of why they couldn't get married. Leon held a sad smiled, "Still a kid I agreed without giving it much thought and as a proof of our promise we carved our names right here using a language we just learned. It was like a secret code that only the two of us knew." After he was done Frey had no words, "Pretty cliched tale. I'm pretty sure you heard stories like it a thousand times already and soon I forgot the promise regrading it as if it was another play date. She never cried after that. Not when I teased her or even when she got herself injured. In fact she didn't cried the day I decided to become a guardian. Everyone was there to see me off and Maria stood all by herself behind my family and friends. She just quietly looked at me, her eyes were to burst in tears at any moment. That's when I realized that sweet girl, whom I adored as a sister believed my promise." At this point Leon felt he wanted to cry but did not do so, "I'm such a hopeless fool...it's why I decided to never get married I can't trample on her feelings any more than I already have. Obviously this won't change anything but I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't honor my word. I'm sorry that I told this." The peacock fan he held all the time close and Leon just looked at Frey, "Are you...jealous?" "Why are you even asking that just don't even say it." Leon open his fan again and smiled, "Just as I expected."
"Seriously, your just too cute you know" Leon staring at her, "Well that enough teasing for today." Then Frey blushed at him and got a bit upset at him, "Leon!" Leon laughed but then smiled sad once again, "But you know for as bad as I feel it's still a precious memory to me. It's why I wanted you to know. Everything that happen to her, me taking her tears me taking away her despair, it's all my fault. I will never forgot the look on her face that day. Leon smiles, "I'm so sorry Maria I'm so sorry that I broke our promise." Then Leon finally turned to Frey, "Love...do you regret you decision to date me? I mean now that you know about Maria can you still say that you love me?" Frey smiled and nods, "Yes even now I still love you." Leon blushes at bit then cleared his throat, "I really wasn't planning on telling anyone about Maria. I want to keep the promise with me and just live with the burden but I had to tell you because you the only person who is allowed to know and it's finally answered your question but things still won't change." Frey just smiled at him, "That's not true I learned some things about this" which caused Leon to go a bit shocked, "I finally know about your past. Something I knew nothing about. Everyone has a past but the fact is that yours pains my heart so is proof positive of just how much I love you. It's something in your story that helped me realize that fact." Leon looked at her, "You mean that?!" Frey nods, "Of course I do. I love you with all my heart and soul. Love can come in many shapes and sizes. It can be painful and heart wrenching just as it is joyous and fun. But none of that matter because love is love and I love you, pure and simple." Leon just smiled, "You make a powerful case." "Trust me I know." Leon just kept his smile, "I swear it's always such a joy spending time with you. You made me realize so many things about the world."
"Really? Like what?" Leon smirked, "Well like the fact the women nowadays are far more aggressive than they used to be. Where saying embarrassing things can also be less embarrassing." Frey looked at him, "Leon! Come on!" Leon looked at her, "Also how hard it is that I can't get any closer to you... um anyway I think I'm going to stay her a bit longer and talk with her." Frey nods, "Okay well don't stay out to late okay." Then left and by the time she walk in her room she sighed, "I think it's about time Leon comes back from the tower I hope he was able to translate that text for Kiel." Meanwhile back with Leon and Leon couldn't believe what he was looking at, "How in the world did Kiel find this." Leon then looked at the door and thought to the conversation with Frey, "Love me with all my heart and soul, huh?" Then he got serious, "I...I want to get closer and hold you in my arms but...wouldn't that mean I would trample all over Maria's feelings. Would she be able to forgive me after that? My heart is torn and I'm in agony because I love her so much, geez."
-the next day-
After going to Leon and saying that he was busy, she went over to Arthur room, "Hey Arthur hard at work I see." Yes but is something going on between you and Leon he's taking a break from his translation work." "Really?" "Yes he's working on the text Kiel found for him but said that he needed to rest." Frey then got up and went to go talk with Kiel and see what the problem was, "The text Leon was helping me with well he stop translating in the middle of the first page." "Well that really unlike him" Frey said. "I know could you go see what up your the only person he'll talk to about his problems. Oh before I forget you can look at the translation of the pages so far." Frey smiles, "Thanks I'm going to look at the text." Then looked at the pieces of paper the first was the entire story Leon told her about with Maria. Frey looked at the second page and saw that it wasn't translated yet but then she Leon handwriting and it saying 'I can't read this anymore.' Frey sighed as she place the pages down and then went to the inn to discuss this with Leon, something was not right and she need to figure out why.
Once she made and saw him, "Hey Leon." Leon turned to her, "Yes what is it?" "About the translation?" Then she noticed he didn't say anything, so she even got more, concern "Is it hard to talk about?" Leon looked at her, "Well...I..." Frey sighed, "Was it Maria who wrote that text?" Leon got shock, "So you read it to" then he calm down, "Your very perceptive. It was probably written by Maria after it was only the two of us who knew about the promise. The second page is a follow up to the contents of the first one. So if I were to read it I might find out what happened to her after I became a guardian." Frey smiled, "Does that mean..." "Yes but I was scared. The moment that idea came into my head it frighten me terribly. Think about it, that promise could've messed up her whole life. Change her future plans. I don't know if I could live myself if that were the case. I can't forget the look she gave me in the day, to known she was in that much agony, it just makes my body shiver. If she lived a miserable life because of me then how can I be permitted to live a happy life here, without her. *gods he didn't want to say this and it was hard for him* "So I decided to suppress my feelings for you." Frey looked at him shocked, she could feel her heart ache from that. Leon looked a bit sad again, "But when I'm with you it's so hard. It makes me want to touch you and hold you close. Yet I want to keep my promise to Maria. It's like they're two sides of me going to war with each other. This was is in dead heat, no end to be found.i know I should run away but I need some time. So I'm sorry will you leave me alone with my thoughts, I'd just for a short while."
-the next day-
Frey went to go check on Leon but was stop by Xiao Pai, "Oh hey Frey." Frey smiled softly at her, "Hey." "Lately Leon's been very upset and Mama is worried. Did something happen?" Frey looked at her, "Yeah you can say that but I can't do nothing about it." "Well sometimes it's important to solve things on you own. You can always depend on others for everything." "Yeah that true" Xiao continue, "But there are just some things you can't do alone. When you feel hopeless or sad I always tell myself that the worlds too big to take on by yourself. They are lol of people in this world but we all must help each other." Frey smiled at that, "I wonder if I can also help." "I don't know the answer but just do what you can." Frey nods and then when up the stairs and opened his door, "Leon." Leon looked at her, "Can you leave me alone." "No!" Leon then looked at her, "What." "How could I when you have that look on your face? When I know someone I love is suffering? How can I just wait and do nothing about it?" Leon looked at her shocked, "Frey..." "Leon I cant be Maria I don't even know what she was like but if she loved you the same way I do. She's probably thinking the same things as am I now." "Same things..." "Yeah she wanted to do something for you Leon. She wanted to help mull things over and get confused right alongside you. We can never be the same person or do the same things but I want to help you in my own way. Am I butting I'm too much." Leon nods, "You are...*smiles* but I like it, it gives me strength." "I want to ask you now that I have you here which do you think is better. Do you prefer coming home and saying I'm back or welcoming someone home with welcome back. Just answer the question?" "How about welcome back." Leon nods, "Okay. After this let's go to the tower together and this time your going to make me spill beans and share all my feelings with you, I promise." He then grabbed her hand, "First things first we need to go see Kiel."
Of course they went to go and see him Leon went and translated the rest of the text and after he and Frey went on adventure everywhere in the land of Selphia. Each page they found was another clue to what happen with Maria and when they finally found the last clue Leon hands were shaking. He couldn't open the box they found and Frey places her hands on his and open the box for him. Leon looked at her and just smiled he could feel his tag wag some, 'I love this women in front of me I have for a long time and if I knew Maria had a happy life then maybe I can too maybe...' until Leon read the text. He blinks and started to laugh and very uncomfortable laugh that scared Frey a bit. "She hates me and wants me dead. I don't blame her though after all the crap I pull" and Frey slap him, "Don't you dare say that I don't think she really means that I-" "And what YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HER I...IM THE ONE WHO KILLED HER!" Before they knew Leon and Frey has their first fight arguing back and forth and until Leon said, "Just leave me alone your useless." Then he stop, he went to far and Frey felt tears come out of her eyes. "Frey I'm sorry that was too far maybe we should call it quits and I need to get some rest." All he say was Frey walking away, the two of them both need to be alone and Leon sighed and he walked back by himself and he didn't like it at all. Her warmth her smile, gods he was such an idiot and he was the one who made her care, Forte was going to kick his ass if Frey told anyone. By the time the came back no one what happen except for Xiao Pai and Lin Fa. Leon told those two.
-the next day-
Frey wanted to apologize to Leon make amends for what she said, she saw Xiao, "Frey Leon told us what happening and told me to tell you that he is at the lake." "Thanks and I'm sorry I never meant to hurt him I'm only trying to help I love him I really love him." Xiao smiled, "I know the entire town knows you do and so does Leon you just make him see that see what has been in front of him all along." Frey smiled and saw ran out of the inn to go meet with Leon who was staring at the fish. He could hear her footsteps and his of course because he felt guilty his ears and tail were were down. "Frey I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry I was so frustrated and this entire thing is making me go crazy. I just..." and he felt her hug him kisses his cheek, "Don't Leon your no longer alone anymore I'm here I'm not Maria nor will I ever be but I love you just as much as she does and she wants you to be happy." Leon just smiled at that and hugged her back, like a weight was lifting he was going to ask her until Kiel interrupted them and see that their was still one piece missing the first page because he explain the first page was actually the second one.
Once he left Leon looked at Frey, "I might have a feeling of where the last page might be." She just looked at him, "Where?" "Under a big lonely tower." Frey smiled, "You mean Leon Karnak right." Leon nods and then grabbed her hand, "Come on." The couple then went back to the tower and as the begin to dig once again they found a chest. Leon hands were shaking again, "Want me to open for you?" Leon shook his head, "No I need to do this I need to use my own strength and find out for myself what happen." After opening he read it out loud so Frey could. It explain Maria's story and how she wrote a books in the old language. "Haha who knew that the book I was given by Arthur and Kiel was Maria life story." Frey looked at him, "What was the book about?" Leon smiled softly, "It about a women falling in love with a man and the two having a wonderful life together. You can by each page how happy the author truly was." He smiled happy, he was genuinely happy now he knows what finally happened after all this time. He started to cry a bit, "I'm so happy because she was able to find happiness and now thinking about it how a wish on star will make it come true. Each of the pages are marked and it's starts with a single point and then point by point makes a star. I remember it all now everything was prepared for me. To make my wish come true and to wish us both happiness." He stop crying and looked at Frey, he smiled genuinely, "I promise to protect you." Frey looked at him, "Leon" she softly.
"I can finally face you now, no actual ever since you ask me out I've been filling myself. I was scared to accept the consequences of my actions, I couldn't even face you." Frey looked at him shock but the man continued, "Even when I was with you my heart was somewhere else." Frey just looked at him, "it was actually the same for me" and Leon looked at her confused and shocked. "Ever since we started dating I was hiding my true feelings Leon. How could I be happy? How could I be satisfied? I wasn't concerned with marriage or anything of the sort but how could I have accepted the fact that your heart was bound? That I was causing you grief?" Leon just kept silent, "I couldn't, not until now and I was afraid to face that. I was ignoring my feelings trying not to let them show. So...can we start again? Start anew together." Leon smiled softly, "Yes I like that idea. I feel like I'm actually with now like really with you, in mind, body, and soul." Frey smiled happily she felt the same way. "Oh that right this calls for something else we discussed. Do you remember?" Frey nods, "Of course I do." She looked at him and smiled, "I'm back Leon." "Welcome back Frey." Frey smiled, "You kept your promise." "Of course I did and I never going to break any more promises and that's why." He looked at her all serious and smirked, he also closed his fan he was holding, "We should get married!" Frey looked at him shock she thought she would never him say that but that's all him, "I know you been waiting for a long time but now I can finally say what I wanted to say. Frey I love you and everything about your the one person I can't live without so will you marry me Frey." Frey looked at him and just shook her head before walking up to him and kissing his lips softly. Leon looked at her shock, "Of course it's a yes." Leon smirked, "Good we can get married in two days from now."