At first, it was an easy conversation with a woman named Rosalene. She was a rather kind woman despite of her history with her family. They exchanged pleasant words about themselves and their favorite places. It was not until Dryn had seen someone familiar walking into the Pony and toward the hallway.
Dryn had followed the figure, calling out and following until the figure had spoken and turned around. It was him. It was Keaton. Dryn was conflicted of how he felt at the current moment. Should he have felt shocked? Upset for how things had gone separate ways as sudden as they did by Keaton going away when he did? Relieved that Keaton was actually alive and not dead somewhere? There was also the fact that it had felt some sort of ghost from the past entering his life as much as the man before him stood there. “Too soon,” was his response of Dryn’s question to tell him what was going on before he ran off.
Dryn barely composed himself before taking his leave, sadness in his eyes. The last thing he would want is to lose someone else by death. It was at that moment that he needed to go to the graveyard. It was the only place where he could have thought what he did. Even though he was followed by Amanda, it did not cause him to change directions as they spoke. She asked of what had happened in the Pony, him responding that he had seen someone who he had romantic ties to for the first time in a long while, thinking that Keaton was so far away. He had told her that sooner or later, he needed to go away, her response of asking why. They had finally reached the graveyard and Dryn had stopped in front of a grave next to two adjoining tombstones. He unbuckled his blade before sitting down in front of a grave, placing his sword on his lap.
“To get stronger so I can protect the ones who I care about,” answered Dryn.
“So, you need to leave?” asked Amanda. “That doesn’t seem fair…”
“Some things aren’t fair,” replied Dryn.
The girl shook her head, walking over but staying a little bit away.
“But… Not you, you can’t,” said Amanda.
“And why is that?” asked Dryn.
“Because you’re you,” answered Amanda. “You never leave, you never have.”
Dryn rested his hand on the grass in front of the tombstone.
“I…,” muttered Amanda, shaking her head lightly. “Everything is messed up…”
She glanced around before looking back to him.
“Never mind…,” said Amanda. “I’ll leave you alone…”
“If that’s what you wish,” replied Dryn.
“Nothing’s what I wish anymore…,” replied Amanda, shrugging lightly. “I’ll be at the Inn…”
“Very well,” replied Dryn, seeming to be in thought.
Amanda walked close enough that she could lightly hit his arm like she always did.
“See you around…,” said Amanda, joking afterward. “Don’t get home too late, kid.”
“Mm,” said Dryn. “I’ll try my best.”
However, a tear streamed down his right cheek. Amanda nodded, watching him a moment before crouching down behind him and resting her arm on his shoulder.
“I can stay if you want me to…,” said Amanda. “Got nothing better to do…”
Dryn did his best to try and compose himself. However, it was not possible for him to as he started to cry softly. She sighed as she moved forward lightly and moved to sit on her legs instead, moving her arm to put it on his other shoulder, resting her head on his shoulder lightly.
“I just… want to make sure I’d be strong enough to protect those I care about…,” said Dryn, continuing to cry softly. “I’ve too many people already…”
Amanda rested her chin on his shoulder lightly to try and look at him.
“Maybe, but you haven’t lost everyone that cares about you…,” said Amanda.
His body can be felt that he was trembling as he cried. It was as if he didn’t want to lose himself while doing so.
“Perhaps but… How long could that even last before I lose someone else..?” asked Dryn.
Amanda lightly poked his cheek with her right hand, mostly to get him to turn his face so she could look at him.
“Well, I don’t plan on leaving any time soon…,” said Amanda. “Not forever at least…”
Dryn cast his gaze over toward Amanda now, his eyes still watery. He did not even bother to hide the sadness in his eyes.
“You think I would follow you out here if I didn’t care?” asked Amanda, looking at him. “I get it, it sucks losing people… But don’t let it turn you into me, please…”
“I try to be strong,” said Dryn. “Yet no matter how much I hide it, in the end, I’m still a fool for hiding things in the first place.”
“You think I don’t understand that?” asked Amanda. “Have you ever wondered why I’m such a shut-in jerk and brat?”
“Because it’s natural for kids your age be rebellious?” replied Dryn.
“No, be--,” chuckled Amanda lightly. “Well, yes, but that’s not why… Because of all the people I’ve lost, and all the ones that left, they killed me… And every single piece of me is broken, but I use being a jerk and brat to hide it, just like you with trying to be strong… We cover it up, I just cover it up with being angry, shutting people out, pushing people away…”
“Yet you still cling on to Kristophor and me,” said Dryn.
“Because you two are the only people that haven’t left me…,” said Amanda. “Because you’re like my dad and brother, and I would probably literally die without you two.”
“Amanda…,” said Dryn. “Thank you… for everything.”
“For what?” asked Amanda. “You’re the one that helped me through trash.”
“For being here…,” answered Dryn, moving a hand to ruffle her hair lightly. “Even though I try my best to hide my tears from others, I still needed someone to be in comfort even if I didn’t say it out loud.”
Amanda nodded lightly, putting her head on his shoulder again.
“You don’t need to hide them from me, I get it…,” said Amanda. “But you’re welcome…”
“I came here for this because… this was where I buried my first lover,” said Dryn, looking at the tombstone. “And after that, no matter how much I tried, I never had any long-lasting relationship with anyone.”
“Honestly, I didn’t even know you ever had one…,” said Amanda, nodding softly.
“Maybe… after my lover had passed, I was too scared to lose someone else, too overprotective…,” continued Dryn. “My lover was my world, but in the end, I failed to protect when…”
He shook his head, not wanting to recall the memory completely.
“I feel to blame for the death and any misfortune ever since,” finished Dryn. “I went from wearing crimson to when I lost myself and wore black… I wonder if I even chose to leave my attire black to atone for my sins.”
Amanda sighed, biting her lip lightly before looking at him again.
“Stop blaming yourself…,” said Amanda. “It won’t do you any good… Do you know who showed up again last night after almost a year?”
Dryn glanced over toward Amanda, tilting his head to the side. Amanda glanced over her shoulder briefly then to him.
“Ms. Brandi…,” answered Amanda. “After almost a year, same with this person you were talking about… You can be mad, and angry, and absolutely hate them, but please don’t shut yourself out like I did with everyone else… I don’t want you turning into me… That’s why I followed you out here… Because I get it, and I’m still trying to deal with it.”
That was the thing. Dryn didn’t hate Keaton or was angry at him. Despite feeling conflicted and confused as to why Keaton had shown up so suddenly and without explanation of what had happened with him, he was relieved that Keaton was still alive and breathing. His ties to him wasn’t as long as the one Dryn had with Agreis, but Dryn would have still been sad if something did happen to the other man.
“I won’t…,” said Dryn. “I promise. I best… head home for now. Thank you for this, though, Amanda. I truly mean it.”
“Promise you won’t leave?” asked Amanda, nodding. “Without talking to me first at least?”
Dryn chuckled and nodded, kissing the top of her head lightly.
“I promise,” answered Dryn.
“Good…,” said Amanda, nodding and moving her right arm to mess with his hair. “Don’t get into too much trouble… You know where I am if you need me.”
Dryn smiled genuinely and finally before standing up on his feet. He moved to walk away afterward.
