Fire's Flame

Chapter 5~Goodbye~

Erik placed the girl down gently on the rocking chair he had in his smithy. Erik's smithy was both his home and where he worked.

"Where are we going to go?" she asked in her exhausted voice. As she gazed into his narrow dark eyes.
"somewhere far from here, you don't have to worry about it," he said looking into her wide green eyes trying to comfort the little girl.
"Please don't leave me like my father," she said as her eyes started to well with tears. Erik cupped her cheeks immediately and looked at her with pure compassion. The compassion she was hoping to see in her father's eyes. "I will never leave you, consider yourself my daughter from now on, do you understand?" She shook her head in agreement and gave him a weak smile.

Erik returned her weak smile and kissed her forehead gently. He patted her head before getting up to pack all the essentials for their long trip.

Erik had neither a daughter nor a son, but he had a wife whom he loved very much. But, like everything else that makes for happiness in life, that too had an end. His wife was murdered a year ago by a drunken English soldier. One day the Englishman entered Erik's smithy hoping to buy a sword. Erik refused to make him a sword because this man was known to kill innocent people just for entertainment. The man was obviously not happy about Erik's actions. That very night he set his mind on revenge and slaughtered his innocent wife.

Erik was completely torn apart, his soul left his body along with her soul. But with little Fire in his life, he started to smile again. The green-eyed girl brought happiness back into his life. He felt that he owed her something because she helped him recover from his loss.

"Sunflower! Let's go!" Erik's voice wandered to where he'd left Fire before he packed. He assumed she was asleep because she didn't answer. "Fire, are you asleep?" he asked as he made his way over to her. Erik's face contorted at the sight of the empty rocking chair he'd put Fire in earlier. Had her filthy father kidnapped her? Did she run away? These poisonous thoughts invaded Erik's mind.

His eyes widened and his breathing grew heavier. "Fire... FIRE WHERE ARE YOU?!" The burly man ran around his smithy in a panic, looking for the green-eyed girl. He paused when he heard a soft giggle coming from outside his house.

He hurried to get outside his smithy and saw little Fire playing with his black Friesian mare. He sighed with relief and walked up to the little girl. "I see you've already met Frida," he said as he looked down at Fire.
"She's beautiful, but why is she fatter than the other horses?" she asked, confused. Erik chuckled at her naivety before answering her innocent question. "It's because she's pregnant, missy," he said, patting Frida on the back. "How are we supposed to travel then? She can't carry us if she's pregnant," she said, looking at him with furrowed brows. "Frida is a very strong mare, Fire."

Just before Erik was about to help her onto Frida's back, someone called out to the green-eyed girl. "Fire..." both looked behind them and saw young Fergus. The two young souls immediately ran towards each other. They wrapped their little arms tightly around each other's bodies. They knew that this might be the last time they saw each other.

"I'm going to miss you so much Fergus," she said as she felt her eyes water. "I will miss you too, Fire" he muttered against her shoulder.
They pulled away from each other's grasps and Fergus let out a deep sigh. He was never going to see his best friend ever again. It broke his heart knowing this. Despite Fergus being one year older than Fire she was the one always protecting him. Fire never allowed anyone to bully Fergus. He didn't know what he was going to do without her. Was that it? Was this goodbye?

"Promise me you will take care of yourself when I'm gone. Don't let anyone get to you Fergus I won't be there anymore to protect you" she said trying to hold her tears back. " I promise..." his eyes became very watery and he couldn't hold his tears back anymore. Fire gave him one last tight hug. "It's okay..." she whispered to her childhood best friend. She felt him sob against her shoulder. She pulled away from him and turned back to Erik who was patiently waiting.

They waved at each other before Erik carried her and sat her on Frida's back. "Hold tight Fire." She nodded her head at him in agreement. He didn't ride with her because he knew it would be exhausting for Frida. So he decided to walk on his feet. Fire looked back at Fergus who was still standing where she left him. The memory of the sad look on his face was never going to leave her head. She gave him one last wave which he returned.