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The Lost Stars ChronicleChapter 10: Fraun, Fritz And Frayla
Winter had embraced Dametreos with it’s frigid blanket. The Northern Isle was covered in ten feet of snow, and the entire Black Falcon mainland territory was blanketed. Further inland the reborn Forestmen forest was also dusted with snow, but the Varden Swamplands, being near the coast, simply plummeted in temperature and frost solidified the marshy ground. Inside Drullen Bell Keep, fires blazed and crackled, doing their best to heat the large expanse of stone rooms.
In one such room, Bjarn, Elk Man of the Forestmen, winced and gritted his teeth as Jack Craft slowly unwrapped the bandaged that covered Bjarn’s two fractured legs. A pungent smell filled the room, a smell of herbs and healing flesh and bone.
“Well, your elkship, what say you?” asked Jack, attempted a grin as the last layer of clothe fell away. Revealed was something that Bjarn certainly thought was not his own skin. It was pale, whitish, and loosely wrinkled. Bjarn felt the bile rise in his throat.
“Ah, don’t fret Bjarn. Ye look like a snail who’s lost his shell. You’ve just been hiding under a rock too long, once you've burned a little sun back into your skin you'll look right as rain.” assured Jack.
“You’d better be right.” snarled Bjarn, laying back on his pillows, “But there’s not way I’m going to soak in a little sun until this megabloks winter melts away, which won’t be for four more months.”
“Then ye’ll have plenty ole time to practice writing!” smiled Jack.
Bjarn grimaced. For a week now, Shainya had been aiding him in the revival of regaining control over his hand that had been crushed by a Cross Knight’s flail. His hand still looked a mess, just a clump of lumpy flesh with swollen sausages for fingers, but after much rubbing and massaging from Shainya, he had been able to move his fingers slightly. A little victory, but a victory none-the-less.
Now that they were home and Fraun had cooled off some, Reno, even though he didn’t know Fraun well, found Fraun and struck up a conversation with him.
“We never really got to know each other that well, considering the war and all. We both know Bjarn so I thought we should get better acquainted.”
“Yeah, we never did get to talk much, did we?” Fraun said depressingly, “Listen, I’m sorry for the other night. I didn’t mean to snap at you guys like I did.”
“There’s no need to be sorry. Everyone snaps at some point in their lives.” Reno smiled, “Even I have.”
Fraun smiled.
“Mind telling me what that was all about? You storming off that night that is. Why did you do that?” Reno said cautiously, not wanting to pry.
“Well you see it all happened when…”
Fraun awoke, the birds were singing, the air was fresh, and the sun was just coming out over the trees. It was a wonderful day, so far.
“Get up boy, get a move on.”
It was Voolmark.
“I prepared breakfast for you, it’s downstairs.”
“Alright, I hear you, I hear you.”
Fraun got out of bed, put on his clothes, then rushed downstairs to find muffin cakes and fresh goat milk at the table. After eating a plate of muffins and chugging down three glasses of milk he got up from the table.
“Thanks for the breakfast, Voolmark. I think your muffins are getting better every time you make them.” Fraun said with a smirk.
“Well boy, if you don’t like ‘em then I will just stop making them for you. Now how would you like that? Hmmm?” Voolmark said with a sternness that Fraun knew was fake.
“I think I’ll be going.” Fraun said. "I'm supposed to meet Frayla and Fritz.
“Aright then, just don’t get into any trouble now, you hear me!”
“Yes I hear you, and would you please STOP calling me boy? I’m sixteen, and old enough to take care of myself.”
“Yes, yes. Soon you’ll be off joining the Rangers or something.”
With that Fraun was out the door, and sped down the path. He couldn’t wait to see Frayla. He soon found her; she was standing holding her brother’s hand trying to make him stop trying to catch frogs by the river. He could here Frayla wasn’t too happy.
“...Now if I have told you once I have told you hundreds of times to STOP playing by the river. If you fell in you could drown!” she was saying.
“I know, I just wanted to see the froggies.” said Fritz.
“Oh, well that’s alright. Don’t start pouting, here’s Fraun.” Frayla said with a smile.
“Hi Fraun.” said Fritz.
“Hi there, little buddy. How are you today? Are you getting in to more mischief?” said Fraun.
“My sister says so, but you can’t always believe her.” said Fritz slyly.
“Oh you can’t, can you? Well, we’ll see.” Fraun said as he smiled at Frayla.
“Are you two boys going to stand there or are we going to pick blueberries?" said Frayla, who didn’t like were the discussion was going.
“We’re coming, Fritz just wants to go down by the river and show me all the frogs.” Fraun said.
“Well alright, just be careful, I don’t want him falling in.”
“Come one Fraun, hurry up!” Fritz said, running down to the river.
“Now you wait up Fritz…we don’t want you falling in…” warned Fraun.
But Fritz didn’t hear. He kept running, tripped on a root, and plunged into the raging river.
Frayla screamed, “Fraun! Get him, get him!”
Fraun ran to the river and humped in, clothes and all. He saw Fritz’s small head bobbing up and down in the waters, then it went under. Fraun swam with all his might. He was almost there. Then a strong current took him just out of reach of Fritz. He tried and tried but he just couldn’t swim hard enough to catch the small bobbing form that was Fritz’s body. Then the waterfall came. Fritz toppled over it, falling, falling. Fraun went after him. Then all went black for Fraun. He awoke to find himself on the bank. Then he saw the body of Fritz, laying in Frayla’s arms.
“And she has never spoken to me ever again.” said Fraun, “She and her parents blamed me for Fritz’s death. They didn’t even invite me to the funeral.”
“But it wasn’t you fault Fraun. You can’t let what they say bog you down. He should have listened.” Reno said comfortingly.
“But I should have saved him, I should have tried harder. It is my fault, and she will never forgive me. Neither will I.”
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