The curse from long ago(Fruk)

5

1608

As time passed, Francis and I decided to go our separate ways for a bit. We had spent more than a hundred and fifty years together and decided that maybe we could find answers for ourselves away from each other.

The new world had been discovered, and the first-ever town was established there two years prior. So many things have changed from when I was younger. The fashion, education, people. I felt out of place sometimes, but I did my best to keep up with all the new fads.

I was educated in nearly five different languages and went to all kinds of universities over the years. I still made time to visit my family, but my memories of them faded.

I got a great job with the British monarch, and it was hard to see all the atrocities, but I think I began to feel numb about it. I represented Britain in their affairs, and it pissed people off.

Luckily... I won't die so being stabbed isn't too bothersome. How do I know that? Not because I have been stabbed... It's because I've tried to kill myself so many times. Knife to the throat, jumping off cliffs, hanging myself, poison, and any other type of lethal thing. I have tried it, and nothing works. I wake up healed as if nothing happened.

There were wars with France, and I never got a break when doing this. I've been doing this for twenty years, and I plan on stopping when people noticed I haven't aged. Then on to the next career. Might I want to be a doctor next? That could be fun.

On this particular day, I was told to meet the French representative, and I knew there would be hell. They get new ones all the time, so there was no negotiating. I do admit that I'm hard to negotiate with too, but only because the French demands are ridiculous.

I arrived at the meeting point with a few men and swords by my side. When French troops arrived, I recognized which one was the representative. He got off his horse and just as if everything was in slow motion, this man walked toward me taking his helmet off.

To my surprise... It was Francis.

I stared at him, shocked, and he just smirked at me. "Arthur... How long has it been?" He snickered.
"Feels like a century, huh?" I glared at him; I felt suspicious about him.
"Ahhhh... Not quite..... maybe you need to work on your math, old friend."
My troops looked at me, confused, but I reassured them. They could tell we knew each other, but they weren't expecting something so heated.

"I didn't realize the french were still allowing women in the armies... No wonder they surrender so much," I spat.
"Ahhhh? I didn't realize the British let their troops hold insects hostage for their face," he laughed at me.

I breathed out and gestured for him to take a seat beside me so we could discuss. "So... you called for this meeting; what do you want?" I asked, annoyed. "Ahhh, already getting to the stuff, huh? How have you been? It has almost been a century, right?" He smirked menacingly. It was like he had become hateful and bitter.

"Listen..... we want some of the new world; give us some more, or it will be a war..." he smiled like it was nothing. "Pfft... You have your territories already, and you can't have anymore... Try asking Spain," I mocked him.

"Ahhhh, of course... As soon as I saw you, I knew it would be this way. How about we give you some money? We know how your British monarchs are," he laughed.

I held a knife to his throat, and he looked at me unamused. "Really? Do you think that is going to scare me? You act like I haven't tried that before," he laughed. "I may not be able to kill you, but I can make you disappear," I hissed. I knew he had lost his mind from just our small conversations. There was no way we could see eye to eye anymore.

The troops noticed the fight and had their swords ready to fight each other. Francis waved for his people to stand down, and I did the same. "Hmmm... maybe I will ask Spain..... for now..... next time, I doubt my boss will be so okay," He smiled at me.

He pinched my cheek, and I slapped his hand away from me. "Next time I see you, I may not be able to kill you, but I will enjoy striking you down," he said grimly. It was like his eyes showed me he had lost his soul. He had become someone I did not recognize anymore... And I think he didn't even recognize himself, either.

"Well..... whenever you stop acting like a crazy person, you should try and find me so we can talk."
"Ehhhhh? Talk? About what? The power of friendship? You are such an idiot, Arthur!!! We are stuck like this forever, so live with it," he hissed at me.

He began to walk away from me, and I stared at him sadly. He was far gone, and I didn't know how to save him. The memory of how he used to be was in my mind, and I felt sad seeing him now.

"Goodbye, Francis..." I whispered.
"Goodbye, Arthur...." He said ten feet away from me. I did my best to hold back all my emotions. I returned to the troops and explained that we were returning to London. I'm sure they were glad a fight didn't break loose between Francis and me. It's no wonder France has been a little brutal lately..... Francis had no more empathy for anyone.

He was probably killing others to make himself feel better about his life and actions. It horrified me and shook me to my core.