Blossoming Love (a Frazel Fanfic)

Dinner Date or Maria Bakes Good Bread

Over the next few weeks, Frank suffered from the same ailment that Hazel had learned to live with. His appetite suffered and his sleep was disturbed. He thought of Hazel like a hungry man thinks of food — all the time. The only thing that seemed to help was when he spent time with Hazel. With each day, the ailment only grew stronger and Frank became more and more scared of these newly awakened feelings.

     Frank tried to shoulder the burden. He didn't tell anyone of what he was suffering from because he wasn't sure what it even was. Besides, his grandmother would probably tell him to toughen up. Instead, Frank spent more and more time with Hazel. Both were reluctant to be parted, so they stayed longer in the evenings and got up earlier in the mornings. They spent their days as usual, but each moment seemed more precious now.

      Hades remarked that Hazel was working hard and he was proud of her. Frank's mother gave him a hug and told him to take care. His grandmother said she used to stay up one night a week to guard the family's herd of goats.

      The goats were growing sleeker with all the extra attention and their milk was creamier than ever. The sheep were similarly content and when it came time to shear them, Frank offered to help Hazel.

      Hades, Maria, Bianca, and Nico were all out that late summer day to shear their sheep. Frank has never done it before, but he was excited and watched as Hades showed him how to remove the wool without cutting into the skin. "It's very important that we do this correctly," Hades said. "We don't want to cause the animal pain, but we also want to remove as much wool as possible."

    Frank nodded. "What happens if they aren't sheared?"

     "Their wool just keeps growing and growing," Nico answered. "We once spotted a sheep — it must have gone rogue — with so much wool that it was twice its size. It could barely move, so we captured it and removed its wool. The poor animal had skin infections, but it recovered."

     "It's this one right here," Hazel said, pointing to a spindly legged one. "Argus."

      "He never ran away again," Hades said, "not after my children helped him."

     His voice was full of satisfaction and he smiled down on his children. After he finished his demonstration, he let Frank try. Frank was very nervous and slow at first, but he was soon shearing sheep. His arms were shaky and sore by the time they finished, but Hazel smiled at him in a way that made the whole endeavor worth it.

The sun was starting to set. The sunset make Hazel's curls look even shinier than normal, but her rose-bud shaped lips were what caught his attention the most. Frank found himself wishing for another kiss on his cheek. Hazel caught him looking and she felt her cheeks blush, which only made her more becoming. The way he looked at her made her feel like the only maiden in all of Lesbos.

Hades patted Frank on the back and the moment broke. "Thanks for your help. Would you like dinner over at our house tonight?"

Frank smiled. "That would be wonderful."

***

Hazel forced herself to act primly with Frank over, though she longed to dance and leap in joy. Maria had cooked fish with leeks that night and they enjoyed it alongside some hearth-baked bread. "You're a great cook," Frank said, smiling at Maria.

Maria blinked happily. Hades smiled. "Tell me, Frank, how old are you?"

    "Fifteen," Frank said, "almost sixteen."

    "The same age as my daughter, Hazel," Hades commented.

     "It's about time the girls get married," Maria fretted. "Bianca is seventeen already."

    Bianca scowled. "I don't want to get married."

     "Nonsense," Maria said. "Every woman longs to be a mother and a wife."

     Bianca shook her head. "If I could be a virgin forever, I would. I should like to be a huntress like Atalanta or a priestess."

    "Atalanta married," Maria said, "and besides, they aren't many opportunities for girls to become priestesses here."

     "But there is in the city," Bianca argued.

      "She does have a point," Hades said. "Imagine our eldest as a priestess."

     Bianca gave her father a winsome smile. "So you approve?"

    He nodded and she gave an excited little noise somewhere between a scream and a cry of elation. "Thank you, father."

   "That is all very well," Maria said, "but Hazel is of marriageable age. We should start looking for a suitable husband."

     For some strange reason, the idea of Hazel marrying cleaved Frank's heart in two. Hazel felt the same sadness mingled with fear. What would her husband be like? Would he be kind or harsh? Would he be her age or old enough to be her grandfather?

    Hades shook his head. "Hazel is a beautiful maiden. We'll soon be having men vying to be her husband. There is no reason to send her away before we must."

***
The next day, Frank was eating dinner with his family. He ate without really tasting anything, so preoccupied was he with thoughts of Hazel. After he clattered his spoon in his bowl for the thirteenth time, his grandmother gave him a sharp look. "What's going on, Fai? You're even clumsier than usual!"

Frank looked down at his bowl. His grandmother was the only one who called him Fai. It was the name of their ancestors, as his grandmother frequently him, reminding him how their family had emigrated wide and far.

Frank sighed. "I'm not sure what, grandmother, but I will be fine."

His grandmother gave one last snort. "Does it have something to do with the dinner you had with Hades yesterday?"

Frank flushed and shook his his head, but his grandmother raised an eyebrow. "You've been acting strangely, recently. You've always been a clumsy ox, but now . . ."

Frank's mother put a hand on his shoulder and kissed his forehead. "We're worried about you, Frank."

Frank smiled. "I'll be fine, mother."

She blinked at him. "I hope that's true."