See You Again // DNF

Chapter Two

Clay doesn't mind his quiet life in the village, right outside the royal grounds. Although he doesn't exactly live the most glamorous life, he makes the most out of what he has.

Working at the blacksmith had earned him his own little house on the outskirts of the village. It was small, but it was enough for him. He had made it his own, adding little trinkets he makes at work, when the smithers have old metal scraps. They never notice when they're gone.

He can turn them into whatever he wants. One of his favorites he has made was of a little cat. He's always dreamt of having one. Maybe one day he thought he might get one, but at the moment, he doesn't have enough money or the space for a pet.

He has a small bookshelf that is in the corner of his bedroom. He saves his extra money to purchase books. His personal favorites were the ones that have adventure stories in them. Clay has always imagined getting away from the kingdom. Not that it was necessarily a bad place to live, he has just always longed for more.

He is an only child, which may have added to his craving of adventure. As a young child, Clay would run around in the woods behind his house and imagine himself as a brave, adventurous young man. He was always busy by entertaining himself. He liked being alone. He didn't have to hide himself from anyone.

Whenever he has a free day from his job, he finds himself wandering down side paths in the village. Sometimes, he goes into the woods, never too deep, but far enough to find something new. It was something he always looks forward to.

Wandering throughout the woods on one of his many days off, he found a beautiful little creek. There was an old fragile bridge that ran across to the other side, where there was a clearing in the woods. Clay often finds himself coming back to this spot. Sometimes he sits on the bridge, with his legs hanging off the edge. Other times, he wades through the water, that only went up to his ankles. He often brings his books to read there.

The sun shines gently on his face while he reads for hours on end. Sometimes, he would fall asleep on the soft grass. He usually wakes before the sunset, so he always has time to get home before nightfall. Walking home after dark can be quite dangerous. There is always the risk of getting mugged.

On one particular day off, Clay found himself wondering behind his house, a way he hasn't gone before. He had walked maybe half an hour before he discovered a new clearing in the scattered trees.

It was a large field, he could see the castle's walls in the distance. Clay had never been that close to the castle before. It was truly beautiful. He hadn't even noticed himself walking closer to the castle, until he found himself about ten feet away, staring down at a boy,who seemed to be around his age, with brown hair, and about three books surrounding him.