Embers

Chapter Eleven

Franklin left the wall immediately in search of his duffle and his comfortable shoes. Knowing very well this would be his last night to be in the kingdom, or even the castle, he made sure to leave a note for his mother. She won’t be in bed until early morning seeing to everything as she made sure they were to their former glory. He made sure to detail he would be going with prentice and that it would be best to not send anyone for him. The Grand Forest is too dangerous for them to act impulsively only for the sake of bringing back the child that gave them nothing but hardship. When he thought that might urge them to bring him back, thinking he was acting impulsively, he made sure to write another line stating, he was of clear mind and body when he wrote the letter.

Wiping the nervous sweat trickling down his forehead he then got down to actually packing his backpack. He lifted his mattress and got out several pairs of knives, as if they would do anything he thought to himself, but better be safe than sorry, his mind countered hotly. He packed warm clothes as Prentice reminded him before he left, and took a look around his room to find anything he left. Sneakily, he found something extra to shove at the bottom of his pack. It was a dirty secret not even he would want to admit to someone he had. He packed everything to where they were just to calm his mind. All his dirty clothes were in the hamper, the bed was made without creases or bumps, and his curtains were pulled, which he expected them to be when he get back. Rubbing his hands on his furry pants and bulky sweater he batted his time impatiently.

He even knelt down one time to pray, but who would he pray to, he wondered. Taking a deep breath, he whispered a silent prayer to whoever was listening and begged for them to watch over him as he made his way into the heart of danger. He stayed like that for a moment of silence too.

Knocking four times continuously on the door, promptly opening to find the now sixteen years old Franklin rubbing his eyes, and a book nestled in his hand. The old teacher crouched down and looked at the boy. They shared a stare and his lips trembled to know what time it is. Franklin walked away from the door, eyebrows crinkled, mentally preparing himself for what was to come, and wondering how lightly he should pack food. How will he survive this?

Prentice walked slower now, waiting for Franklin to catch up to him. In hushed tones, he said monotonously, “Franklin, we are fighting for something bigger than we could possibly think of.”

In a solemn tone, Franklin replied, “I understand. I am willing to fight for something for once in my life.” He noticed how his words resonated between the empty walls of the hallway they were currently making their way through.

In his same voice, Prentice asked once more, “Do you know what your most important role is? This isn’t going to be child’s play. You can die and I would never forgive myself.” The last part he revealed with a sad voice.

They were now walking side by side and Franklin kept on twitching his fingers in front of him. Franklin gave him a look of reassurance and for him to have confidence even if he didn’t know what was to come. He was trying really hard to not make his stomach growled, but it started small then it became uncontrollable. He looked as though he was in pain and quickly masked it by looking away.

“To save Grand Forest from dying.” He said a little louder, trying to drown out the grumbling, angry noises his stomach made. The hallways seemed endless now since he thought they were walking for almost fifteen minutes. His feet were not taking it nicely. Sadly, his stomach agreed too, but he must focus, chided himself.

“NO, you need to keep yourself alive,” Prentice said, as if trying to force the words into his brain.

“Who will save the forest along with you?” Franklin asked cheekily, and for a moment he let himself smile. It might be the last one he does for a while, he thought sadly.

“You will, but safety comes first. You know this, don’t get on my nerves.” Prentice slapped a hand over his forehead and rubbed his eyes as though the stress is killing him slowly. He has a lot on his plate. Prentice needs to take care of his student’s life and complete his duties of being a protector, and then there is the problem of finding what the hell has been making plants carnivorous.

“What are we fighting for? We always fight if you haven’t noticed yet. I don’t think I like the aggressive you, Prentice.” This time Franklin changed the mood to being slightly playful. He wanted to at least let the old man focus on something else and set forth the plan.

“Be quiet and focus on your task ahead. You’re making me aggressive with you. You like to play with things like these. Why can’t you be quieter?” He said nagging at Franklin who now sported pouted lips and a bored expression.

“Oh alright. This is not so fun if I have to be quiet. Just know, I expect to have fun while slaying…what are we slaying again? I don’t think we have a name for it.”

“Well, you would know if you just listen as I talk. It is called light consumers. I gave them that name myself. Not going to say I like the name but it is suitable for what they are.” He said not looking at Franklin but more ahead. Franklin knew better than to believe him, he was proud of the name he found. He continued looking ahead as Franklin just shook his head, and yet opened his mouth to talk.

Franklin scratched his head and hummed before he spoke again, “Okay then. I don’t like the same, it seems too complicated. Prentice, I am hungry. Can we eat? I also need to grab some food from the kitchen.”

“You like to see me red in the face all the time, don’t you boy? What were you doing so long in your room?” Exasperated, Prentice sighed and they turned towards the kitchen.

“I am hungry. You must be. I never see you eat, and you must be a pack of bones underneath that cloak.” Franklin said jolly looking at the furious face of Prentice.

“We’ll eat then you need to pack. Pack perishable food, and your spells, nothing more. Also, I am not a pack of bones underneath here, you might be surprised what hides under my cloak, and I eat animals, not human foods. Has your father not told you?”

“No. Well, if you’re hiding wings under there then it’s fine. Good thing Father didn’t tell me sooner, or else you would have already shown them to me. We can do this, Prentice. I trust you.” Franklin said giving him a nod once more.

They sat down to eat quietly as their plates were piled with foods of different flavors, and vegetables. Prentice made sure to include all the major food groups for Franklin to eat, mixed a strength potion with it, and set his down in front of him. Immediately he started to eat like a rabid man-child gone rogue. It had Prentice’s eyes going wider as he shoveled food in his mouth and frankly not breathing as he should. Franklin handed the plate back to Prentice and asked for seconds.

“You know, Franklin. It is hard sometimes to know that you’re a prince. You act like a neanderthal.”

“The hunger I am feeling right covered the insult you hurled at me, Prentice. Please hurry with the plate. I would eat slowly this time.”

Prentice took out his second plate and left it on the counter, while he prepared the red meat for himself, tucked away at the far back in the freezer in case he was hungry. The king made sure he was always taken care of the moment he began his reign. Prentice could not say the same for Franklin. He watched as they shunned him for some reason, only now warming up to him. Hopefully, their good deeds cast away the bad ones he had of them. He sat down and they both looked at one another, daring to see who would eat what first. Prentice lifted his with his magic fingers and ate every bit of the bloody meat right in front of Franklin as he watched in slight horror, and a bit of interest. He began eating his plate like it was no big deal. In fact, it wasn’t. He washed his mouthful down with water and continued stuffing his face until he was a mouthful away from being full. He looked at Prentice who was already clearing away his dishes and washing to remove the stained blood on them.

“Do you normally wash the bloody dishes when you’re finished eating? I never pegged you for the domestic type.” Franklin said, half mockingly.

“Hope you don’t get killed, or else I would be trapped here all my life with your snobby family trying to repay them for the life you so blasted gave up to do something this foolish.” Prentice countered seeing his banter was never-ending.

“I always thought you knew of their snobbish ways. Which reminds me, had you told me this sooner I would have jotted that down in my letter of farewell to them all. Now you might just have to do it.”

“Get along Franklin. You’re as tiring as they come, boy.”

“It doesn’t hurt to have me around though. You enjoy it, Prentice. You’re more father to me than anything else. It means the world to me.”

“Just move and stop dilly-dallying Frank,” Prentice said hiding his soft smile.

Prentice and Franklin walked to the last tunnel leading to the dark side of the castle, where the shadows eat anything that comes with the light. The place had a draft that would scare the pants off any pansy who tried to be brave enough but Prentice only breezed through. Looking around Franklin could see what it was, a fan and a huge snip trap, designed to trigger when the thin string below his feet right now was cut by a passing person. This is too good, laughed Franklin in his head. A chuckle escaped and Prentice turned to look at what he was doing.

“You better not be doing anything funny behind there.”

“I have never been here before, only because I half believed that here was haunted,” Franklin muttered shamefully.

“Let me guess, someone told you and you believed rather come to look?” Prentice said now in his mocking voice.

“Prentice, of all the things you can say to me, you settled upon that?” Franklin cried incredulously.

“Payback is a dish best served cold, don’t you agree Franklin?”

Franklin twisted his mouth and folded his arms at how silly he was being, though with laughing eyes Prentice laughed at him. Before Franklin could ask his last question, he saw Prentice stop and waited for him. He outstretched his hand and opened a crack in the wall, and moved aside. Franklin’s eyes grew wide and his mouth opened. It rocked the entire ground with its movement with growling and hissing sounds that could be heard from the other side.

“After you, Master Franklin,” said Prentice crouching down to his ears still with his manically laughing face.

“That’s low, Prentice.” With that, he stepped on through and he began falling.