XI

Calef found himself in the worst possible situation. He had nowhere else to go, and no one to turn to. The only real friend he had... was wounded and betrayed by a split second choice too hastily made. Greyson was gone. He was never coming back, he knew it. Now, he felt that he was dying. Actually dying. His will to live had suddenly collapsed in on itself and his body obliged the will of his broken spirit.

He would die here.

Right here.

In the middle of Avalon's town square.

He didn't care. In his mind, he'd lost everything.

Greyson rushed as fast as he could. He made it to the outskirts of Avalon in record time, but he still had to get to the main areas. Then there was the matter of finding the young man. He had to find him. He just had to. There was no other alternative, and failure was not an option. He was on a mission. Greyson made sure Tarrok was cutting every corner and shaving off as much time as he could manage. He was running his horse far more than would normally be required in a day, but this was an emergency, and Tarrok was the best suited for the job. Greyson would make it in time. He just had to.

Calef sat there, having not moved a muscle the entire time. Passers-by wondered if there was something more to the story that they hadn't been made aware of. One man suggested that the statement that Greyson, whom they've known since he was quite young, really was the son of the powerful Duke of Avalon. Another woman said that they were either both driven mad from some experience in the woods or were just seeking attention, and still someone else said that there was a scheme going on or conspiracy of some sort.

This angered Calef much more than he knew it should, but he let the flames get out of control and he allowed the rage to set all the way in. This was it. His final stand. This was where he ended. If nothing else, he would defend the honor of the one person he'd come to have any vague semblance of a connection with and do so at the expense of his own, worthless life. He looked up and spoke the first truly honest words in a long time.

"Shut the fuck up, you daft shit-for-brains! There's more to him than you will ever know!"

One such gentleman took the bait quite nicely.

"Yeah? What makes you think you can say anything to us about being shit-for-brains, thief?"

"What was that, you bloody scoundrel?"

"Well if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black..."

"The pot ain't calling the kettle shit, you just don't like me calling y'all's thievery out. Yeah, that's right. I know what all of you do in the dark, and it makes me sick! That's hardly a way to treat your valued-"

The man had enough, so he punched Calef. Right in the jaw. He fell back, but rebounded quickly.

"A fucking damsel could hit harder than that. Hell, my grandmother could hit me harder and she's dead, for crying out loud."

The man punched him again, this time... he struck the nose and broke it. Calef stayed down a moment, but came back as soon as he was conscious.

"That one was a little better, I admit. This time, could you do your job right and FUCKING KILL ME ALREADY!" Calef had had enough. He was done wasting time, so he got straight to the point.

"My pleasure," the man said. Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, a horse ran into the square and forced its way between Calef and the townspeople.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" came the booming roar of the enraged rider.

The man fell backward and Calef shied away a little. With all the courage he could muster up, Calef hesitantly looked up at the rider.

The suffering in Calef's eyes tore Greyson apart. The heir of Avalon felt every bit of pain the troubled, impoverished youth was experiencing. His heart lurched and his stomach once again tied itself into many knots. I'm so sorry, Calef. I forsook and betrayed you.

Greyson's heart became a raging furnace with a dragon that had just been forcibly awoken. The last few days flashed through his mind, and he came to a devastating conclusion. Calef gave this furnace life by waking the dragon. The monster inside him would only ever be placated by the guarantee of his friend's safety. Calef's safety.

That was all that mattered. Everyone and everything else could burn to the ground, leaving nothing but ember and ash and Greyson wouldn't care. As long as Calef was safe and with him, he was happy. He would always be happy.

The crest on the breastplate gave away exactly the person behind the layers of steel that made up the protective guard the warrior sported. The horse also have a telltale sign.

Greyson came back. Greyson came back for him. Why would Greyson come back?

"You shall not lay another finger on this boy, for I have been sent to retrieve him. He has been summoned by the Fallhearts." Greyson said, hiding behind the anonymity the helmet provided. The townsfolk backed away once Greyson drew his sword.

"I've been... summoned?" Calef repeats. The look on his face said everything. What the hell?

"In the name of Duke Eurubus, you've been hereby ordered to come with me. If you do not comply, I will be forced to resort to... alternative methods."

The audience looked on in eager interest. Would Calef let his tongue get the better of him, or would the Duke get him to show up quietly? Then there was the matter of why the Duke wanted to see him. Was Greyson involved in this somehow? Had they, perhaps made a miscalculation? They always figured Greyson was an orphan that made his way into town that did small jobs here and there for the townspeople whenever he needed money for something.

Calef extended out his hand and Greyson, whose identity remained hidden from everyone else somehow, took it to help him on Tarrok. Greyson put Calef in front of him and made sure the latter had a firm hold on the saddle horn before dashing off to take Calef to the Fallheart Estate.

They'd taken "the scenic route", whatever that meant. Greyson said it was to make sure they wouldn't be followed, but Calef knew otherwise. He resolved to confront Greyson on this once they stopped, which took a couple of hours.

"What in the fuck are you doing, Greyson? And what's with the disguise?"

Greyson took off the helmet. "I wanted to be alone with you and to make sure we were - no... make sure you were safe."

"Wait... You really did all of that... Just for me?" Calef was taken aback. "Wait... We're not headed for the Fallheart Manor, are we?"

"Actually... we are. Just... not because of my parents. They weren't the ones who summoned you. I was. I just wanted to get you directly."

"Okay, this is starting to feel like you've suddenly become obsessed with me." Calef commented.

Greyson couldn't look Calef in the face as he said, "Uuhhmmmm... I... I think I am..."

"What?" Calef took a defensive step back.

"I think I've become really attached to you for some reason. I don't know where it came from our why it started, all I know is that... I really like having you around... And that... I want you to stay around."

"Sounds to me like you're..." Calef swallowed as he neared the phrase. He had trouble mustering up the gall to say it, and it overcame him in the end. He couldn't admit what these words sounded like to him. If he made the wrong assumptions, things could end very badly. Not just for Greyson, but himself as well. This was a very dangerous game he was playing, and Calef didn't think he had what it took to play.

"Sounds like what?" Greyson inquired. It seemed to Calef that Greyson didn't understand what the former had in mind, but Calef's silence said it all.

"You think I'm in love... With you."

Calef's face went hot and burned bright pink or of embarrassment. He couldn't even speak. "Well... T-that's... That's what it kinda..."

Greyson put a finger over Calef's lips to stop him from talking any further. "Wanna know why it sounds that way?"

Calef just looked Greyson in the eye. He couldn't find it in himself to respond honestly, much less at all. They both anyway knew the answer at this point, now it was just the final acknowledgement before the situation became much more real.

Greyson whispered, "Because it's true."