The Throne I Left

It took even less time than Johan expected.

He had just entered an alley when suddenly he heard running footsteps. First it was just far away, a faint sound in the distance as hard soles hit pavement, then it got closer together with the loud breathing that accompanied it.

There was a squeak of soles on the ground as the footsteps came to a stop behind him.

A breath hitched.

Johan turned around.

Silence.

“Interesting outfit.” Johan said drily after a moment of silence. The long ears hanging off of Frey’s hood swayed behind him as he panted for air, eyes never leaving Johan. He was still holding his fele and the bow in his hands, with its case on his back.

“Johan?” Frey asked breathlessly, staring at him in wide-eyed shock.

“Frey.” Johan shot back.

“Where have you been?! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Frey pulled his mask off one ear and shouted.

Johan’s jaw almost dropped right there. Was Frey accusing him?!

“Oh, is that what we’re calling it?” Johan said bitterly and felt anger prick the back of his mind, remembering that day and how terrible it had been. And Frey had been right in the middle of it! "Looking?! I seem to remember it much more like hunting."

“Hunting?!” Frey reeled back like he had been punched, then became smaller. He scratched his neck. “I- oh I guess that’s fair, actually.”

Johan almost laughed at the absurdity. Yeah, it was fair.

“Not me though! I would never!” Frey yelled, meeting Johan’s glare with defiance.

“Mhm.” Johan wasn’t interested in hearing excuses. “That’s not why I’m here.”

Frey fell silent. A deep frown grew on his face as he looked Johan up and down.

“Are you here alone?” Johan asked. If someone else rounded the corner now…

“Yeah.”

“In the city?” Johan asked again. He had to make sure he wasn’t being tricked.

Frey looked exasperated.

"I saw you." Frey started. "In the house, where you were hiding.”

Johan froze. He what?

“I saw you and I didn’t tell anyone.” Frey said, taking a step closer. “So, just trust me already. Why do you think you didn’t encounter anyone after that?"

"...Why would you-" Johan’s head spun. Everyone had been after him back then, why would Frey help him? It didn’t make any sense.

"Oh, fuck you!" Frey exploded, fencing the instrument through the air. "I don’t like you but I don’t want you dead! You were hiding in your own house! Who does that?! It’s obviously the first place anyone would look! How do you think you got out of there?!"

“I was fourteen!” Johan yelled.

“So was I!”

Johan stood back, suddenly unsure. Did Frey really help him?

“You weren't the only one who lost someone, you know. We all did and then you just disappeared!” Frey continued.

Johan didn’t feel bad anymore.

“Disappeared?!” Johan yelled. “I didn’t leave because I wanted to! If I hadn’t left I would be dead! Just like them! You took Note right in front of my eyes! You murdered him in front of everyone! And not just him! Signe too! Don’t talk to me about loss when you helped murder them!”

"What-" Frey's expression rapidly changed from anger to shock. They didn’t have time for this. Johan huffed, pushing down his own anger and resentful feelings, and forced a smile on his face instead.

"Whatever, let's leave the past in the past. Right?" Johan asked rhetorically. He clapped his hands in fake enthusiasm, and took a couple steps closer, grinning down at Frey.

"Wait, Johan. Do you think we-?" Frey started asking, staring up at him perplexed.

Johan let his smile dim and interrupted him. "Anyways, this isn’t about that. This is about them."

Johan studied Frey's face. His expression changed from anger to a mix of confusion and suspicion, eyebrows drawing close. For a moment he stared at Johan, not getting it. Then the realization hit him, face paling quickly and he staggered back against the wall.

"You had a vision?!" He shouted, his voice echoing in the alley and Johan's hand shot up to cover his mouth. Frey froze beneath him and for a long second they both stayed quiet, listening intently for anyone that could have heard them.

Not hearing anything other than the distant celebration, he let Frey go.

"Are you stupid?!" He hissed as he backed off. Frey swallowed, looking around sheepishly before turning back to Johan.

"...Come with me" Frey insisted, voice considerably lower than before, barely louder than a whisper.

“No.” Johan said, refusing to go with him. “Here is fine.”

Frey was about to say something but stopped himself and just looked around anxiously for a second.

"Ok. What did you see?”

“That’s none of your business.” Johan said. “All I need you to do is get me into Heaven.”

“Heaven?!” Frey asked, shocked. “No! Tell me, then maybe I’ll help you.”

Johan sneered. He didn’t want to. Nothing good could come from trusting Frey with this.

Frey didn’t let it go and jerked forward to grab Johan’s arm, looked up at him with his big, blue eyes.

“Johan,” He hissed, then his eyes softened. “They were my friends too.” He pleaded. “I would never-” He cut himself off and bit his lip.

Johan sighed, looking away. “Fine.”

He shook his arm free.

He quickly summarized what he had seen. The big tree, the earth shaking and the hand coming up through the ground. Frey’s expressions quickly shifted to shock and hope.

Frey shifted where he stood, hands coming up to his mouth. “This might fix everything.” He mumbled.

Johan frowned. What did he mean by that?

And as if a switch was hit, Frey looked up at him with a bright grin. “Yeah, I can get you in there. No problem.”

Relief flooded Johan, his eyes closing and he could feel the pressure lifting off his shoulders. He had had so many concerns and doubts about if Frey would agree or not, all pushed to the back of his mind.

Usually Johan would never ask for help. He preferred to work alone. He would only ever take jobs he knew he could by himself. The fact that he found someone willing to help him now was a miracle.

“Tonight.” Johan added and watched Frey’s head snap to him in shock.

“Tonight?!” Frey yelled. “This will happen tonight?!”

“Early morning.” Johan said and watched as Frey gaped at him. “We should go. Right now.”

“Dear Fate, be kind.” Frey muttered under his breath with closed eyes. Johan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Not you.” Frey snapped when he opened his eyes and saw Johan’s expression.

“Is there another Fate I don’t know about?” Johan teased but Frey just shot him a glare before looking back towards where everyone was still celebrating. Towards the distant sound of loud cheering, talking and singing, and even the sounds of a drunken fight. He sighed regretfully before turning back.

“It’s just a saying! Come on, we need to get going. Now!” Frey decided and stalked out into the street. Johan quickly followed after him.