Chapter 53

Heather has been on the road for two days now.
Alone.
Something which she has never done before.
She had never made the entire journey alone herself, not even when she had left her house to go to Warsavor. Alexander and his parents had escorted her. Even thinking about him makes her heart clench.
She is not proud of running away from Warsavor, but she was left with no other option. She may have had the choice to wait and talk to Alexander, but given the situation, it did not seem like the best course of action. Everything was at stake.
She didn't want him to be at a crossroads with his family, nor did she want Malka and Juan to stand with her man in opposition to their parents. It was not fair to anyone of them.
Irrespective of everything that happened, including her short-term relationship with Alexander, she did not feel guilty about it or regret it. However, she did believe that Alexander was somewhere at fault. She had come to terms with this. He should not have kept her in the dark about his engagement with Diona, and perhaps he shouldn't have pursued his feelings for her in the first place. She cannot, however, hold him responsible for doing so.
This two-day-long voyage has given her a lot to think about.
Most importantly, if they ever crossed paths, she had made the decision to extend an olive branch to Alexander.
It is, however, practically unattainable because Alexander would be unable to find her. She had purposely chosen a route that would take her far away from Mystes. She cannot let him find her under any circumstances. She cannot afford for all of her efforts to escape to be in vain.
The two-day journey, however, turned into four, then five days. She was fortunate that Mabel gave her a Cannaught, who had been a wonderful friend to her. The absence of Alexander’s presence did make her feel lost, but her new horse wasn't a bad conversation partner.
It was also noble of Mabel to provide her with a few food supplies. She was also saved by the money she had made over the course of two years and the brief time she had spent in Warsavor.
Heather had high expectations of discovering herself from this journey. Admittedly, it was a bold move on her part, but it is also something that she cannot regret. It was about time she learned to be independent, like she was in Mystes. She needed to start acting more independently, much like she did in Mystes. Now that she is increasingly self-reliant, she can experience the outside world. A setting where evil people exist. A world without the friendly natives she resided in, Mystes.
A fresh beginning and a new journey.
The thought made her constantly apprehensive yet also made her feel thrilled about it.
However, the same was not the case with Alexander. The first moment he got, he departed in search of Heather. He was aware that following her would be a dangerous move, but he believed that he did not have a choice. He won’t be able to rest in peace until he sees Heather and clarify everything with her. Further, he also needs to clear her name.
Alexander had formulated a plan. He was uncertain if it was a good plan or not, but that was the only way he would be able to achieve his goal.
He was still very much conscious of his mother's remarks about hurting Heather, and he didn't want to ever take them lightly. He was also aware that his family would be understandably suspicious of his whereabouts the instant they noticed him missing from the house.
He did have an idea for that.
Juan will speak the truth. Alexander's brother will attest to the fact that he did actually look for Heather, and his family will eventually learn of his adventures. After all, his mother had allowed him to meet Heather once to formally break things off.
On his early journey toward Mystes, he could not help but stop at Mable.
There was something about that woman which made him put all his faith in her. Even before, she had led him to Heather, and somewhere he had the impression that in the present, she was the only person who would be able to guide him in the correct direction.
As he landed on the feet of his own horse, he went to Mable’s small residence and knocked on her door.
“Alexander,” Mable opened the door and greeted him with a lovely smile.
“I am sorry to visit you this early morning,” Alexander said. He was cognizant that disturbing her when it was still dark around them was improper.
“Do not fret. I had been expecting you. Do come in.” Mable said as she opened the door for him to come inside. She escorted him to a table and offered him tea there.
“No, thank you….” Notwithstanding Alexander's objections, Mable persisted.
“You need all the energy you can get. Alexander, you still have a long way to go.”
“Why do I feel that you are right as always? I have a strong feeling that it won’t be easy to regain what I have lost.” Alexander said.
“Because love is the most priceless treasure one can own. If lost, it is challenging to earn it back.” Mable said with a smile on her face.
“You were aware that Heather was the person I was looking for at all times. She was my lost soul, though I didn't know it at the time,” He stated.
“I neither confirm nor refute that assertion. But what I did know was the journey you began would not come to an end so easily. Life is hard with uncountable obstacles. Your response to the challenge, not the obstacle, defines you.”
“You love to play with words,” Alexander pointed out.
“But do you love Heather enough to not give up on her?” Mable queried. She wanted to hear his response even though she already knew what it would be.
“I love her enough to battle against everyone. I feel like I have lost her before, and when I found her, I lost her again. I can't allow that to occur a second or third time. She won't be able to get rid of me after I find her," Alexander vowed.
Mable remarked, "I'm proud of you, Alexander," her eyes were still filled with unshed tears.
“I wanted to see you before I went looking for her. I personally appreciate you for guiding me down the right way in the past because I needed your blessing to show me the right path today.”
“Fortunately, Alexander. This time around, I won’t be able to help you, not because I do not want to but because you no longer require my assistance. I will tell you the same thing I told Heather. Listen to your heart, and you will find your destination in due course of time. The journey will be hard, tears will be shed, the heart will bleed, but if the intention is right, you will get everything you desire when it is meant to be.”
Alexander nodded and continued towards Mystes with renewed optimism.
For the first time in the long run, Mabel felt hope. There is so much these children are unaware of, and so much they have suffered and yet to more, but it won’t be long before the truth comes to light.