Once Upon a Jared: Short Story

The Two of Them

Jarod awoke with a start, realizing today marked Ferra's return. A pang of self-doubt clouded his thoughts - his scarred visage seemed an obstacle to love. Amidst his internal turmoil, he contemplated cutting his long hair, a sudden desire fueled by the allure of one girl.

Caught in his musings, Jarod's gaze fell upon a dusty dagger, untouched for years. The decision to cut his hair materialized as he glimpsed Ferra approaching the trap door. In a swift motion, golden locks cascaded through the window, symbolizing a liberating change.

Ferra, entering with curiosity, found Jarod in a compromising state. Her blunt words about seeking only conversation stirred a blush in Jarod, who scrambled to dress.

Ferra: "Didn't I tell you I am only here for your stupid conversation, nothing else?"

Jarod looked at her for a moment then he looked down, his cheeks turning bright red.

Jarod: "I'm sorry, Ferra. I didn't know you would be so quick to see me. I had just got done bathing."

Ferra slopped herself on the wooden chair and awaited him. Once Jarod was decent, Ferra said,

Ferra: "Okay, Prince. I'm here. What do you want to talk about?"

Jarod: "Well, since you were in such a hurry to see me, why don't we start by talking about you?"

Ferra: "I'm an orphan, not much excitement you're gonna get out of me. How about we talk about how the 3rd Prince, said to have died 12 years ago in the king's games, is sitting in front of me looking like an old grudgy man?"

Jarod looked down at his hands, which used to be callused from swordplay in his father's games but were now soft with no kinship to show for.

Jarod: "Ah, yes, a fatal blow it was, right across my eye, leaving me almost blind."

He looked up to meet Ferra's eyes, his own carrying a knowing, sad smile.

Jarod: "It was my sixteenth birthday, the last of the games. Were you there to see that? Everyone in the kingdom was invited to watch."

Ferra leaned over the table.

Ferra: "No, I was not there because I had to work for a mistress while she was at the games. I had only heard that you had taken a fatal blow and died in the ring."

Jarod's family, blinded by their own ambition and ashamed of his perceived failure, concocted a plan to fake his death and hide him away. Overwhelmed by the stigma of his defeat, Jarod secluded himself, shunning the world out of shame and self-loathing.

As Jarod probed into Ferra's past, her sassy demeanor gave way to a hint of sadness, and she began to share her story.

Ferra: "My parents died when I was a child, and I was left to fend for myself. Life was tough, Prince, tougher than your games. I ended up in a gang, scraping together what I could. Then, a crooked card game led to me winning some loot, but it wasn't enough to escape the misery."

Jarod, now more empathetic, listened as Ferra continued.

Ferra: "I took a job working for a mistress who cared nothing for me, just like everyone else. I became a pawn in her games, surviving day by day. No family, no love. Just the cold, harsh streets and the relentless struggle to stay afloat."