No Place For Me | [boyxboy]

CHAPTER 11

Two-hundred Days After

Many days had passed since Roxas left. In the beginning, Rue didn't have the heart to count the days, because the very idea of being left again caused his heart to unravel, so he didn't count in hopes that Roxas would return in no time.

After Roxas left that day, there hadn't been any strange activity around town. The knights had left, and everything and everyone went back to their normal. In the time that had passed, Rue hadn't heard any news or received any messages from Roxas. Meanwhile, Rue was too afraid to send him a message fearing it could cause Roxas trouble if he is in front of the wrong company.

Flying was the only form of transportation in Aangula, and Rue learned from Simon that it was also a dangerous way of traveling. The natives wasn't the only creatures that took to the sky and that dragons also ruled the air, a beast many around town feared, but Rue has yet to see with his own eyes.

After not hearing from Roxas, Rue refused to believe that Roxas met his end that way, the guy that saved him, no. Rue feared that maybe the Uniguards found out that Roxas had stored Rue somewhere and because of that he was deemed a traitor and was killed. Zsuzsi who read his thoughts whenever he appeared lost in them—whether he wanted her too not, reassured him that if something were to happen to the young prince, good or bad, the country would be notified as they have when his parents mysteriously died.

Rue became accustomed to his new life with the Arlets. The Arlets treated Rue like he was their son and often referred to him as such and people who have known them for a long time believed it only because of the mind control ability Zsuzsi possessed. The Arlets showed him love and respect, and they prepared him for the worst that could happen in the future.

Rue spent his mornings running errands for Simon. The first half of his afternoon, he spent it with Zsuzsi as she taught him about their world and its creatures. The next half of the afternoon he returned to Simon who helped him learned how to trust and understand his mana more, and how to bring forth the power from within and direct it in self-defense without draining. Simon was a much more compassionate trainer than Roxas. Simon even created a bow and arrow and trained Rue to use it. It was designed to help manage Rue's mana whenever his energy was low. Rue's mana generates the bow's string and arrows so no one else can ever use it.

In the evenings, because he had difficulties resting, he locked himself in the dark of his room often tinkering with his mana whenever he wasn't thinking about Roxas, and what Roxas short existence in his life meant to him.

Sixteen Months After

As many weeks became many months, Rue managed to package everything that had mattered to him in a box in his soul, where the key was lost immediately after closing the door. Rue had mourned and cried for those he had lost till he broke and couldn't cry or gather the muscles to smile anymore.

The town folks even nicknamed Rue snow often saying out loud when his back was turned to them because they wanted him to hear, 'how could such a handsome boy be so cold?' It was never Rue's intention to be cold towards others, but his heart had broken too many times for him to be lively.

As time past and without his mother to dye his hair, the strands that he had never believed was a different color was actually white. When it first started to grow, it did surprise the Arlets. They had never seen anyone with his hair color on the province before. White hair meant good fortunes which Rue thought was bullshit. After getting used to seeing himself with the white hair, Rue asked Zsuzsi to trimmed away the last precious memories of his mother.