“Today I bare sad news... The heir of the Silver household Young Lord Fletch died last night. Through his days he trained to become a royal guard to protect our people. Casting away himself he trained day and night in order to become the strongest and be able to save anyone he ever could. I often found him cutting his hair so he could blend in with the people of this kingdom so he could work and help others without the consent reminder of how he was supposed to act.”The woman paused and took a breath, and smiled “ I know he would look to us and tell us to raise our hearts to celebrate the love and safety he brought throughout his short life. And to tell us about his love and safety is Gale.” I watched as the Queen slowly stepped away from the flower and gestured for me to go to it I looked out to the people, as each step made my heart more silent and steps pound as if earthquakes that shook the of his death deeper into my mind. I looked out to the people with each pounding step when I finally reached the flower I stared into the eyes of a child who was looking to me with utter sadness and confusion. I saw his silver hair and thought of Fletch seeing him looking at me worried about how I was, to show him I was okay I smiled it cracked through my sore face reminding me of the hours I had spent crying. "My name is Gale and I am human, the thought of that may drive a few of you away but putting that fact aside for a moment… Fletch and I fell in love despite our different worlds, despite our different families he put it aside and treated me as he would anyone else, it was short lived he began to treat me as if I was the royal... It was real and warm. The way he used to help others despite what they had done to him or the fact he never wanted to hurt someone and always wanted to make sure the law was upheld. But the law of using magic with magic energy was one he put aside when I was about to die. Using magic he saved me and damned himself. Even in the end his smile and warm couldn’t compare to the brightness of the sun.” Tears streamed down my face and I clutched my fist to my heart thinking of his jokes and his laugh that seemed to cast away so many of my demons. “He once pushed my hand to my own heart as if to tell me to hold him in my heart. That’s what I’ll do and I hope the rest of you will as well.” I looked out to the people and felt tears creep down my chin and drop down. I felt like an alien in a glass jar put up on stage as all of these people stared at me. Humans weren’t really well known for their love toward each other, we were well known for seeking revenge and killing helpless magical creatures. The king pushed me aside and went to the flower I stepped back and stood next to Fletch’s brothers careful not to stand right next to them I made sure that I was not making myself seem as if I thought of myself as an equal to an heir of the royal house. “Let us pray,” The king began to pray I couldn’t understand most of what he was saying and just closed my eyes as did the others. After what seemed a few minutes of prayer he stopped and I opened my eyes to see him still in front of the flower, “now the royal family will go to speak to the spirit of the young Lord.” The Queen and other royals began to walk off the stage I followed them and we walked into the street, the people cleared the way and bowed as we walked, giving their regards as we passed. I was surprised I didn’t get any hate, perhaps it was because I was with the royal family. We walked up the mountain and into the clouds, clean gravestones were lined up, in the distance a field of flowers covered the hills. A Gazebo stood as if it grew out of the ground, branches with leaves and flowers bloomed from its vines that trailed down the pillars. Its wood was red and smelled beautiful, we walked toward it on grey stones. I looked to a flower that grew from between two stones and picked it smiling at it I gently stroked its petals. I looked back to the Gazebo and looked to the brother who was around my age, who didn’t seem bothered by the fact that his brother was dead, was it because now he had a shot at the crown? “I hate this can’t I just go home.” The Queen snapped around and looked down on her son in disbelief of his words “It doesn’t change the fact he left his royal duties, ran off with some human. And guess what he’s dead and he deserved it leaving us like that.” The king kept walking the rest of us stopped looking to this child, “If you knew him and loved him why would you let him use magic why would you let him kill himself in such a horrible way?!” I watched as the Queen raised her hand to him I caught it and patted the boy’s shoulder instead “You brother is a wonderful man and you know that, don’t let your anger eat away at the image he left behind. I bet he would tell you that he would want you to watch over the family and take good care of your baby brother.” I tapped his chest and looked to his short hair his ears went back as he looked down I looked to the Queen and smiled, we kept walking the two brothers began to hold hands. The youngest began to cry “What if he is cold?” I let his brother handle his worries not knowing much about how they looked to the dead or where the dead went. The Queen stepped into the gazebo and I stayed at the edge until the two brothers slowly stepped into the gazebo. The Queen bit her finger and a drop of blood dripped onto the ground and she began to chant I slowly backed up and went behind the brothers in fear of what messed chanting and magic that used blood. Was she going to kill herself just to see her son again? A buff of neon fog blasted out and a voice rang out “Mother! I missed you.” I hid and shook my head knowing there was no way he was here closing my eyes so tight as if it would make the sound stop. “My brothers please do not cry, you must be strong for mother. She needs you now more than ever you must remember the lessons I gave you and prepare to rule the kingdom on Father’s fall.” I felt tears fall down my face, “Are you cold?” The little voice of his youngest brother rang out slurred with tears and a mix of trying not to cry and wanting to be with him. “Of course not I have your love to keep me warm,... Mother I-.” There was a soft chuckle with a mix of tears “you were meant to join the Royal guard no doubt about it, my love. I am so glad to have heard so many good things about your bravery and selflessness of your short life.” There was a pause a warm hand gently touched my shoulder I opened my eyes and turned to see Fletch his eye looked to me and tears fell down my face “Gale?!” Fletch wrapped his arms around me and I cried “I love you so much... I miss you.” He lifted my face to him and kissed me his lips were warm and gentle his hand followed the curves of my face and his face went sad. “I am so sorry Small... I wanted to grow old with you and have so many things. I wanted to introduce you to my family in person to show you my world to have you meet my friends.” Tears went down his face “live on for me I want to watch you grow old and happy have children and live a long life.” I shook my head and tears went down my neck as I looked to him “You are the only one I wanted to have kids with you then, I will grow old for you.” Fletch adjusted my crown and smiled looking at my outfit and I reached out to his face “I love you so much my beautiful small.” I touched his face and he held my hand and closed his eyes his hands began to fade he put my hand to my own heart and smiled “I love you too.” I watched as his body faded his eyes were the last to go they slowly closed and disappeared, I clutched my fist to my chest. The father walked out and a few moments later the rest of the family followed, I went to his grave and gently stroked it the cold stone. I went to the field of flowers and gently picked each flower, setting the bundle of colors on the green grass in front of the cold grey lifeless stone. Days slowly dragged by Scale knew Fletch very well and took it upon himself to get me a job as English teacher for the kids of this wonderful world. This world seemed so far away from what I used to know, I met so many different types of kids and as I grew old each day. I visited Fletch’s grave daily after work telling him about my daily life. I helped with Queen make the hike once a year on the day of his death, with the rest of her family she would always stand amazed at how I did it every day. To me, it was a walk down the street but each year it seemed harder until suddenly we visiting Fletch’s grave and her grave. Time began to pass quickly the Father came next and the now oldest son took to the throne. “Fletch, I retired today and only at 84... Jimmy and Jamie still call me; father, and they look to you as their father too still. So in some way, we did have kids and grow old together.” I breathed heavily as I looked to the field of flowers I felt my heart slowly fade, I laid back looking to clear sky I closed my eyes and felt my eyelids go heavy. When I woke up I was in the field of flowers my mother stood, picking some flowers his long hair blew in the cool breeze. I stood and she turned and smiled tears formed in my eyes as I ran to her trampling flowers in the process. I wrapped my arms around her and she laughed and took one of her flowers and gently put it in my hair. “You are so big now,” her bright blue dress stood out in the sea of yellow and purple flowers. I looked into her eyes and she pulled my cheeks "you're still my little baby boy though.” I chuckled and hugged her closing my eyes “Yes he is your baby boy but he is still my small,” I felt my heart stop as I looked around my mother to see Fletch. His long white hair blowing in the wind with his warm and gentle smile his scars gone his arms open to me. I ran to him stumbling as I frantically jumped on him we fell back and tears poured down my face as I hugged him and kissed him. “I told your story and helped raise hundreds of children I watched them grow every day. I saw you in their eyes every time.” Fletch gently touched my face I held his hand so tight “no more leaving me.”Fletch gently wiped away my tears and I smiled every so gently even if this was a dream I hope I never wake. Fletch chuckled and adjusted the flower in my hair, “no more leaving.”
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