The Princess And The Lord

Two years goes by like a blink on eyes, a half refugee at L'markieth has returned to Harland, they build their new home again. thankful for the Royal frugality way of life since ages ago Harland kingdom has enough money to build their home again, the problem is the human resource because many people had died during the Wartime. There also manufacture problems where many factories closed down.

It forces many Nations to cooperated to build their home and Harland is no exception, in the old days Harland Have limited cooperation with other country and only have a bilateral relationship with few countries, the reason is because of Harland didn't want other countries to interfere with their state policy and not like others country Harland is quite self-sufficient to provide their own people.

But everything changed after The war, Nazareth might have gone but it leaving tons of problems to fix, Lucas as a new King have more burden than his predecessor to rebuild his country, he not even have time to mourn the loss of his family.

Fredhard as the king advisor and first assistant tackle most kingdom administration, just like other Kingdom they have shortages of labor automatically it double if not triple their job. Fredhard has a lack of sleep since the day the war's end, people praised him for being loyal and hard worker subordinated but anyone who close to him knew the real reason of his lack of sleep.

It's already one a.m but Fredhard still has a mountain of papers on his table, his eyes fixed on the laptop while his hand types something in a fast speed. once a while he checked the paper beside him while mumbles something, he let out a long heaved then he continue typing.

during his typing his hand reaches for the glass beside him without bothering to look, he suddenly knocks the glass over and the water spilled on the desk and papers, Fred raised from his seat in reflex, he lifts the papers and laptop immediately from the tables.

he sighs exasperatedly while look at the ceiling, he shakes his head cursing his clumsiness. he put his papers and laptop on the coffee table then he searches for tissue that he recalled was inside the drawer.

He opens the drawer while rummaged inside the drawer, suddenly his hand paused. under the stack of unknown papers he saw a photo frame, he feel hesitant but his hand moves on his own, he reaches the photo frame.

his gaze becomes soften and his mouth unconsciously lifted, it's a picture six of them fifteen years ago but it feel like yesterday. the six of them smiles widely, jay make saluted sign, Fargo raised his fist on the air, his damn fist cover half his face, Lucas make lazy smiles, even the quite Clift smiles brightly that day and Lory...

she stands next to Lucas, she rests her elbow on his shoulder while make 'V' sign, she was barely fourteen when they take the pictures, at that time the picture was taken during their beast subjugation outside Herriond city, he remembers is a high-level beast subjugation but still, these little kids smile cheerfully like they were on vacation. The duty to protect them falls on his hand and Fargo but with Fargo.

Thankfully Clift is a sensible kid so he only needs to pay attention to the tree troublemaker, Even though Lory the only girl in their group but she is the instigator of every reckless plan they had made. The only comfort him that she is protected with the most powerful beast in the world, so he becomes less worried about her safety but never in a million years he would think this could happen.

he never thought someday she would leave before him. she is five years younger, she should live five years longers than him but she...

he plops on the chairs, his body hunch as he looks down in grief, the grip on the frame get tighten he feel devastated, no words could describe the lost he felt, when the world celebrated their winning, rejoice for the end of war none of them could make a happy face, not even him who used to be good at pretending.

'Oh… Fredhard… take care of my brother, okay?'

he recalled that day, something inside of him told him there's something wrong about her but he didn't think it would be anything serious, also at that time he has more to worry for Lucas, so he overlooked her strange behavior.

"Still working?" a heavy voice suddenly awoke him from his stupor.

Swiftly he put back the frame into the drawer, then he raised from his seat and turn his head to the giant window "Ah, yes.." he give perfunctorily reply.

Fargo pretends he didn't notice the gloomy vibe inside the room, not like he surprised, it's been like this for all of them. he leans his shoulder on the door frame he brings two glasses on the left hand and whiskey on the right hand, then he raised both of his hands with a big grin "You want to have a drink?"

Fred brush his hair with his right hand "Sure!" he unbuttoned his collar then he back to his seat.

Fargo walk calmly to the table he put down the glasses and the whiskey bottle on the table, he takes out the ice cube from the refrigerator, he put the ice cube on the glass then slowly pour the golden liquid and the ice make clicking sounds.

He hands the glass of whiskey to Fred, he received the wine with nods. Fred leans his back on his chair, slowly she sips his whiskey.

"You should take a rest..." said Fargo before he drinks his whiskey.

he retort "Tell that to our king" 

Fargo sighs heavily, what can he said not just Fred and Lucas who drown their sadness with work, Clift, jay, and himself also do the same. he had been work nonstop since that day, he took his late uncle Zargan position as the main General, it's not an easy job to return the law and order back on Harland.

The robber and pirates who were become flourish during the wartime still remain and harmed his people, meanwhile, many troops were killed because of the war, and for the first time in history, Harland has shortages of soldiers.

The duty to find new recruitment falls on his hands again. Fargo has taken more responsibility than he has to but he doesn't care. the only way he could sleep is by tired himself to death. he has severe insomnia after what happened that day and not only him turns out it's happened to Fred and the others especially Lucas.

"Can you coax our King?" Fargo asks.

"I tried, but he said he will rest when I'm resting too" he put his glass on the table.

"So why don't you, it will good for you too" Fargo tilted his head slightly.

Fred bitterly smiles "Is not that easy..."

"Bad dream?" he guessed.

"No...it's a good dream, very good dream...." he stroked his jawline with a perplexed look "But, is only a dream when I wake up, everything is gone....it's happened every day, I just can't take it anymore" he gulped the whole whiskey, his hand plop on the table harshly.

Fargo pours another round for him "You not the only one..." he mutters.

"I heard about the weird beast appear at the west coast oh Hemlin, sounds like fun to me so I called her" Fargo laughing himself, then his expression becomes somber "Then I remember....she's not around anymore" the grip on his glass tighten.

"People said it would get easier when the years pass by but why...I still feel like sh*t" he gulped his drink, the alcohol burns his throat but he didn't hate it.

Fred twists the glass on his hand in slow-motion, the golden liquid glistening under the light, gradually his eyebrows furrows "I should have known..."

"Even if you do, you wouldn't able to stop her" the side of his mouth rises. He understands her temperament as he grew up with her. he looks gentle from the outside but tough as hell on the inside.

"I could try" Fred calmly said.

"I thought that's exactly why she didn't tell us, she already made a decision and she didn't need any of us tried to changed her mind" how could he not understand her reason but it didn't make it easier for him to accept.

"That what make thing so damn hard isn't it?" Fred cynically smiles "She doesn't even let us tried, she didn't give me a chance!" he throws the glass on the wall.

Fargo not even startled, he drinks his glass of whiskey calmly while Fred brushes his hair exasperatedly, the room becomes quiet.

"You blamed her?" Fargo raised his eyebrows.

He let out a long heaved, he weakly shakes his head "Of course not...I just...I miss her, I miss her so much, she is not just my liege, she's more than just a duty, I raised her, she is my... she is my...sister" his face looked forlorn as he voices his misery.

"I know," Fargo said in low voice, he pours more whiskey on his glass then slowly he shoves the glass in front of Fred. he knew his best friend needs to vent his anger and sadness or he would be suffocated, just like him before.

Fredhard take a deep breath, he lifts the almost full whiskey, in one gulped he drink half of the glass, he rests his head on the chair while closing his eyes for a few seconds. he stares at Fargo then he faintly smiles "I thought you will be in the worst condition than any of us" 

Fargo shrug, his mouth twitch slightly he shifts his gaze to the giant window across him because the darkness from the outside he could see his own reflection. there's a new scar on his neck that hiding behind his leather jacket that no one would notice.

"You know, there's a human trafficking organization, lead by Bradley family" he abruptly said.

"Bradley as the Governor of Treehorn city, aren't we export our machinery from there?" Fred frown in surprise.

"Uh-huh, that's why we can't touch them, not now at least.." Fargo clasped his hand above his stomach "They kidnapped a lot of Harland people, they sold them in the market like livestock for exchanged of weapon and food, that's how Treehorn city survive" his expression become cold as rage filled his eyes.

Fredhard stare at him probing stares "The Bradley is protected by his private army and he paid a bunch of mercenaries to protect his mansion, no one can touch them"

"Not anymore...." Fargo leans forward then he took the glass from Fred's hand calmly.

Fred narrowed his eyes "Fargy..."

Fargo shrug again "I'm sad, and they make me angry..." he casually said.

Fredhard sneer "The Bradley family would be furious"

Fargo vicious smiles "There is no Bradley family anymore..."

"Lory would love to hear that.." Fred smiles.

"I thought so too..."