A Place Without Heaven (Remake)

Chapter 8: Promise(Part 1)

            "Why him...?!" I complained almost everyday, up until today. But, lately I found myself respecting him as a teacher, for him being smart, athletic and charismatic at the very least, though the fact he is very annoying doesn't change "Hey, Ed, why don't we have a race today?" He said. "Race at what..?" I asked, with a rather annoyed tone. "Horse-riding...!" He said. "Huh?"

"As expected, Doghanik Empire really has some places for racing" Fiore said as he clapped his hands. "Is that your habit?" I asked. "Habit? Ah, this clapping? Yeah, I've been like this since I was a kid. I would always clap my hands on something I think is intriguing, or when something awed me" He said. "I see..." I lazily nod.

"By the way, have you ever ridden a horse yet, Prince Edward?" He asked, as he putted his helmet. "Y-yeah..." I mumbled. I thought that if I were to tell him about my motion sickness, probably he'll laugh, so I lied.

I tried to climb the horse. "Still, you can't climb the horse by your own, yet" He chuckled, as he held out his hand to help me. "I can't do anything about that, can't I? I'm still a kid, enough to be this little" I said, as I took his hand.

"Ed, how about we say the loser gets to follow one order of the winner, what do you think?" He smirked. "Why?" I said. I get a bad feeling about it. "Well, it's kinda boring unless we put some tense on it..." He grinned. "Fine" I nodded as I felt shivers. "Why is there any need for a bet like that? I know that I'll lose otherwise!" I complained in my mind, as I was trying to hold out my puke, as the horse moved a bit.

"Ready, set....Go!" He signaled, as he went on ahead. "Ah, you cheated...wait...Fiore..!" I shouted, as I chased over him. "Hahah...! Sorry, Ed but this is all for the one dare's sake" He laughed. "You cheater...!" I shouted.

And so the race began, as we rode our horse. The trail was the Kingdom's ranch. It starts in the Kingdom's gate to the port not so far from it. We rode our horses, and passed the road near the seashore. "Are you tired, Ed?" Fiore shouted as we reached the forest. "Like hell!" I shouted and passed him with a speed. Well, the truth is I am barely keeping my conscious and my mouth so that I won't show my shameless side to him.

We rode our horses in a path with its sunlight covered by enormous trees. I panted as I put my strength and balance in a firm stance. The next path was very dangerous. It was the Cliffside, the knights used to train their horses in narrow paths like this. I slowed my horse's speed to be safe. Fiore was running behind me just a bit near. I started to lose my firm balance. I was starting to lose my conscious...

Before I noticed, I was about to fall of the cliff from my horse. "Got ya..!" Fiore said, as he saved me from falling. "Are you al--, I guess he was tired...Well, I can't blame him, no matter how great his magic are, his still a kid, he will be easily tired out at this..." He mumbled. I was out cold from the fatigue I felt, as I kept on holding my puke.

I dreamt of my usual dream. Maybe, it's more suiting if I call it a Nightmare. In the dream, I was always forced to remember the things that made me this pathetic, my parents abandoning me, my sister betraying me and my first love rejecting me.

I could only remember it all vaguely. Although, I get the feeling that it was all my fault, that everything ended like this. It was all my.......fault.

Tears flowed from my eyes. Even though it was a dream, I could feel my cold tears. It hurts, everything hurts...I hate this feeling...I hate this feeling of losing everything. I don't wanna lose anything anymore...I don't wanna...!

I opened my eyes slowly, instead of the unfamiliar ceiling I hadn't gotten used yet, I saw my dad. I saw the Emperor, Geralt. He was holding my hand firmly with a worried face. His warmth, his worried face made me at ease. This was it. Maybe this was the warmth I longed, the warmth of a parent worrying for you.

"Ah, Ed..! You're finally awake, my son" He said and hugged me in a sudden. "Dad, it hurts" I said as I chuckled. "Ah sorry, does it hurt somewhere?" He asked, with a very anxious tone. "It doesn't" I said. "Is it over here? Or perhaps here...?" He asked and patted my body. "Like I said, nothing hurts" I insisted. Perhaps, it was very cozy that I ended up acting like this. Fiore chuckled besides the door, and left with his hand in his pocket and with a smile in his face. For some reason, I had gotten a bit used to this place and this warmth happiness.

But I didn't know yet that the half of this happiness will someday disappear. Maybe that time, is not that far from now. And also someday instead of only the half, the whole of it may be gone before I notice. So for now, I will cherish it with care as long as I can. Cause this place, this feeling, and this time, also this people are my irreplaceable precious treasures. They are the treasure of a person who hadn't known happiness for a long time, until now. As my first treasure, I will protect it, so that no one will steal it from me....

"Are you alright, already?" Fiore asked, as I went out my room, not long after Dad came out. "Not yet, I'm still feeling bad..." I mumbled. "Where does it hurt?" He asked, as he rubbed my body, to check if I was alright. "Not my body, but my heart" I said. "Huh? Are you trying to be a poet?" He asked. "No, I ain't! Sheesh, I mean that I'm feeling bad. Fiore, I think I'm cursed, perhaps..." I said. "Why? And what curse?" He asked back. "I think I'm cursed to lose all the people that are important to me, because once again I get the feeling that I'll lose someone..." I said, as I clasped my hand near my chest. "Sheesh, if you think positively you'll be able to meet someone again, so you can find someone important again, won't you?" He said, as he patted my head. "I guess so..." I said. "It is, so don't bother such things and go behave like a normal kid you are, OK?" He said. "Hmm" I nodded at him, before I went back my room.

"I'll be able to meet someone again, huh? Perhaps, I should believe him for once. Even if it'll hurt in the end..." I mumbled, as I went to bed. I'll surely lose someone, once again. But like, Fiore said, I'll surely meet someone, once again. So I can rest assured...for now.