The Golosina, the Forgotten Land and the Skurkene - 3. Chapter 3

‘So, I go to stab you,’ fourteen-year-old Freddy leaned forward, prodding Tav’s side with a stick.

‘Yeah,’ Tav said, flatly.

‘Come on,’ grinned Freddy, poking at Tav.

Tav rolled his eyes. Pulling a ridiculous face, he clutches his hands to his cheeks and rolls his tongue.

‘Dead.’ He states and then shakes his head, mortified at the acting.

Freddy laughed and then sat down on the grass.

It has been a few years now and they would always meet in secret in the garden at least once a week. Sometimes Tav would state flatly that he wouldn’t come and then eventually turn up and be annoyed at Freddy who would just laugh.

It became the best part of the week. They started off practising for their storyline but eventually just messed around the garden most of the time, playing games and telling each other how their worlds were. Over the years, Freddy would tell Tav about his sword lessons, his riding lessons, how he kept failing art class which Tav would roll his eyes at. Freddy didn’t admit this to Tav, but his heart was beaming know he was getting to see Tav after class in secret, it was so exciting for him. Tav would tell Freddy about his evil laughter classes which was plain ridiculous, his clothing lessons, and his spell lessons, he bragged how he was the best in the spell class but eventually admitted he wasn’t as good as some others.

‘Well, at least you’re definitely better than me,’ Freddy grinned, when they were lying next to each other on the grass.

Tav turned to look at him. Freddy was like a blonde idiotic puppy just full of stupidity and fondness.

‘That’s not comforting,’ Tav turned his head back. He paused. ‘How’s the Keira situation?’

Freddy didn’t reply, he pulled at some grass. Keira was also fourteen now. It would be four more years until their storyline was to play out. She was quite popular, with long brown locks of hair and slim waist, good cheekbones and A plus smile.

‘She aced her classes I think,’ Freddy eventually said, clearing his throat. ‘She’s a good student; we’ve had out introduction and she was polite and nice and that.’

‘And that,’ scoffed Tav.

Freddy and Keira had their meeting, it wasn’t as sweet as thought of, it was actually quite formally. In a meeting room, one in each end of the table, signing documents and asking questions.

‘We had a list of questions to ask each other, to get to know each other better,’ Freddy said turning his head to Tav. ‘Found her favourite dish is pasta.’

‘Wow,’ Tav said, dully.

Freddy beamed and gave a hearty laugh, ‘Someone is jealous, eh. Don’t you have to do this formalised romance thing as well?’

‘It’s not the same for us, we just are alone, really.’

‘Lucky boy.’

Tav couldn’t help but snort out a laugh to that. That made Freddy grin even more.

They stared up at the dark sky, seeing all the stars coming out. It had been a warm day so the sky was very clear.

Freddy felt nervous when he had to meet Keira, it wasn’t something he particular looked forward to. He felt the same way when he had to take his teeth checked. She wasn’t a bad person at all. But she wasn’t fun to be around. Tav was fun. It was so easy to wind him up and get him to react, it was hilarious, and when he got Tav to laugh and smile it felt amazing.

‘So, what happens when I stab you,’ Freddy asked.

‘We’ve literally just acted out.’

‘But you don’t die, for real,’ Freddy paused, his voice small. ‘Do you?’

‘Of course not,’ Tav scoffed. ‘It’s not a real death. So, you stab me and I turn into mist. The mist goes back to my world and I just sort of form back to who I am now and just retire.’

‘Is it painful?’

‘Don’t know. No one has ever said it hurt, so should be fine.’

‘So dramatic,’ teased Freddy. He grinned whilst feeling Tav’s glare at him. ‘I’ll just do stab you lightly then. OW’

Tav punched him in the arm. He sat up.

‘Back again in a few days?’ Freddy looked at him.

Clicking his tongue, Tav pulled a face. But he nodded. He stood up. ‘Bye now.’

‘See ya,’ Freddy almost sang out, watching Tav try to hide his smile.

The next week Freddy lay on the grass and waited for Tav. He stared at the dark grey clouds in the sky. It smelt a bit damp and Freddy stroked the moss on the rocks next to him. Normally Tav wasn’t this late. He closed his eyes for a moment. It felt darker for some reason. Did he fall asleep? He only shut his eyes for a second. He sat up.

Tav wasn’t here. Maybe he saw Freddy and left?

Freddy was sure there was a reason he wasn’t there so he got up and left the garden, thinking to try again in a few days.

But Tav never came back. Freddy was trying not to feel so disheartened on it. Perhaps Tav thought he was doing what was best. After all, he was a villain and Freddy was not. Freddy ached more than he realised. He really missed Tav. All he could think about was Tav.

He found himself just thinking of him in all his classes, when he ate his food and when he was working out. It would have been nice just to at least say good bye. Maybe it was too hard for Tav.

Despite himself, Freddy could never get mad at Tav.

Now, Freddy was now older, eighteen, blonde thick curls of hair, broad shoulder and armour that showed off the lining of his muscles. He was ready for his storyline to start.

It was sword fighting practise now and Freddy was watching the demonstration, the other princes watched with pure excitement, with large smiles, at the fantastical dramatic display of the sword fight between the instructors.

‘Remember that your face will be watched while you fight,’ said one of the instructors, finishing their fight. ‘So don’t pull any strange or weird facial expressions.’

‘Yeah, I’ll just smile and stay handsome while I’m being stabbed to death,’ thought Freddy. He wished Tav was there so he could laugh at that stupid comment.

‘Prince Alfred,’ barked a new instructor all of a sudden. The new instructor stood in the great hall holding a scroll. ‘Come with me.’

‘Oooh,’ the class of Princes mocked.

Freddy smirked at them and went off with the instructor. It was time for his storyline to start.

The instructor placed him in a carriage, and threw a script at him. Freddy glanced over it. He had gone through it a million times with Tav in the past. Sometimes Tav would pretend to be both himself and Keira and make kiss faces at Freddy which made Freddy go red and laugh.

Clearing his throat, Freddy leaned forward, elbows on knees, listening to the instructor.

‘The minute you step out, it starts,’ the instructor stated.

Freddy nodded, ‘Ready.’

He saw the cloud come down from the sky outside the carriage window. The cloud that recorded everything.