Awoken

Prologue

"Yes, Frey, but how do you do it? How can you become a hero? Do I need a sword?" Frey chuckles, and I became even more confused.

"You don't just become a hero with a sword, Essie." I frown and my brain begins to race again.

He's so big and strong and so good at everything. Don't all heroes have to be like that?

"What do you mean?" I ask, my hand tightening around the wooden sword in my hand.

"I mean, Essie, that anybody can become a hero if they do...good things," he comes closer and crouches down to my level,"You could even be a hero. Right now." I frown even deeper.

"But I'm not big and strong. And I am not very good with swords. How am I supposed to be a hero if I don't have those things?" Frey chuckles again and reaches a hand up to tap my heart.

"Because it's all in here. As soon as you believe that you are a hero, you can be a hero." He stands back up and I look up at him suddenly.

"I'm a hero?" I asked in my high pitched voice. My auburn hair flows wildly behind me, falling out of the loose braid my father had put into it for me this morning.

"Yes. As long as you have good in your heart, you are a hero."

"Is that why you're a hero, Frey? Because you have a good heart?" He sucks in a breath as if I had caught him off guard, and grins.

"Of course. I'm the best hero!" I giggle. "I'll save the princess, and then I'll chase away the dragon!" He begins to chase me around and I laugh. The sun was beginning to light up with a rainbow of colours and a cool breeze blew across the plains of grass we were training in. The large 'Meeting Spot Tree' stood in the background and the wispy, long grass tickled my bare legs. My dress danced with my hair, and my feet remained bare. The sun, even as it left, was still warm and welcoming. Once Frey was done chasing me, he put on his fake serious face.

"Alright, let's get back to training."

"Yes, sir!" I replied, putting on my fake serious face too. Something sad crosses Frey's face and I frown.

"Whats wrong?" I ask, suddenly concerned. He shakes his head and all the sadness is gone, even if he continued to look at me.

"Your face is all dirty." He explains and I begin to rub my face. After a while, Frey laughs.

"You're just smudging it around everywhere." He licks his thumb and begins putting it towards my face. "Here,"

"No!" I begin to giggle and run again, but Frey catches me and stops me. He inspects my face again then catches me off guard. My eight-year-old brain couldn't quite comprehend it.

"Do you think, Esmira, that you are ready for sparring?" My face lights up with excitement. Frey has never offered to spar with me before! I begin to bounce up and down.

"Yes, yes, yes!" I yell.

"Alright. Now you have to use all of the skills I have taught you. This is going to be your toughest training session yet, do you understand?" I quit bouncing and nod.

"Yes. I am ready." I get into my fighting position and stare at him. "Are you?" Frey gets into his fighting position as well.

"It's on, Essie."

I was panting by the time we had finished the duel. So, I fell quickly into bed. I had had so much fun. Frey beat me of course, but I wouldn't let that stop me. He said that I was really good, and I was still only eight! Once I had come inside, I quickly bathed and slipped into bed, my mind reeling and my body aching. Soon, Frey enters my room and I turn to look up at him.

"Could we do that again tomorrow, Frey? Pleeeeeease?!" I bat my eyelashes and look up at him with my crisp blue eyes, hoping to persuade him. Frey stops to sit beside my bedroll. His face looks conflicted.

"We'll see, Essie. We'll see..." He frowns, then reaches a hand out to stroke a finger down the side of my cheek, his eyes sad and empty. He looked just like he did before we had fought.

"What's the matter, Frey?" I ask quietly.

"I am just afraid for you, Essie. The world is such a large place and...well...I'm not always going to be there to protect you."

"Why are you thinking like that Frey? You'll always be here to protect me. And, now you've taught me how to fight; I can also protect myself." He shakes his head slowly.

"Not always..." He huffs a deep breath, then sets a blazing look directly in my eyes. "Whatever you do, Essie, wherever you venture, whoever you decide to become, however you wish to fight the dragons, and evil things of this world, please know this. The world can be very scary sometimes. I can sometimes be very scared myself," I smirk at that. 

Frey? Scared? Yeah, right. 

"You can be scared but never allow yourself to be afraid, for the world is not as terrifying when a willful heart pulls back its covers and finds its true beauty." I frown.

"Why are you telling me this, Frey?"

"Because, I want you to know that if you keep that in your heart, your soul with never falter, and you will always do the right thing. That way, you will always be a hero." I look down at my twined hands, then look back up at him. His eyes were suddenly filled with tears.

"But, Frey, you just said you were afraid for me. Should you not be only scared? I thought you said that the world isn't as terrifying if a willful heart pulls back its covers. Don't you have a willful heart?"

Frey looks down at me distantly, as if he were contemplating it.  He then abruptly blinks back his tears and his familiar grin appears. 

"Come, lay down. You have a big day tomorrow of saving princesses and fighting dragons." He kisses my head as I lay down, his eyes suddenly void of tears. As my eyes droop I ask him a question that had been on my mind throughout the whole conversation, even if he had not answered my previous one.

"Will you never leave me, Frey?" I had closed my eyes, the words slipping out of my mouth tiredly. "You won't ever leave me alone, will you?" Frey was silent for a moment. Then he leaned down to give me a hug.

"I love you more than you could ever know." He whispers in my ear, as my mind drifts. He never really answered my question, but I didn't care, as the tendrils of sleep sucked me under. 

"I love you too Frey. Goodnight."

I feel a brush of lips on my cheek, then I hear his crunching footsteps as he walks away. The crunching stops. I feel his eyes set on me. 

As sleep captures me whole, I think I hear him whisper,

"Goodbye, Essie."

But I didn't know for sure.

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Hey Guys!

Thanks for reading if you have gotten this far :-)

It means a lot to me to check out all of your guys' profiles and stories so please vote and comment and I'll check it out.

Thanks again and I hope you guys like it so far.

Above is a picture of what I thought was the 'Meeting Spot Tree'. Think of it however you want though.

I don't often update because ideas come slowly to me, but I have a lot of good ideas now so there'll at least be a few chapters!

Also feel free to comment anything that I should change or other ideas you may want me to do, and I will take them into consideration.

I hope you like this!

Thanks!

- Ries