“I've been yours since the moment we met, all you had to do was ask. I would have surrendered all of myself to you a long time ago.”
Running his hand behind her head, Jay moved Alex in even closer and gave her a kiss more passionate than the last. Entangled in his arms, seduced by his lips, Alex did not want this moment to end. If only there had been a way to make it last forever, she would have surrendered her soul to make it happen. Breaking away from Alex, Jay gazed at her with bold resolve. Leaping up from his seat he grasped her hands in his as his eyes glistened with something Alexandra had never seen.
“Run away with me, Alex.”
“What?” she looked at him in surprise
“Run away with me,” he pleaded, “we can go back to East Ashland, the four of us. We'll get married, have a family. I'll keep you safe, take care of you, all I ask is that you stay with me.”
Ecstatic, Alex flung her arms around Jay's neck and hugged him. This was everything she had desired all along, to run away from her status and be with the man she loved. The path before her was clear now, she no longer questioned where she had to go. Best of all, she would walk it with Jay in a land where they could be free.
“Of course, I will. I will follow you to the ends of the world if you only ask me to. Just say when, and I will run and never look back.”
“Tomorrow. There is a luxury liner leaving for Ashland tomorrow night. I'm sure I can secure passage for myself, my son, and my cat.”
“Your cat?”
“If you change form before we get on the ship, no one will have to know it's you, and no one will suspect you ran away to Ashland with me. If your family has no idea where you are, they can't follow you and take you away from me.”
“All right, let's do this, tomorrow night it is.” Alex nodded with a smile. “I’ll pack a few things for Cosmo and myself and meet you here.”
“You really mean that darling? You are actually willing to spend the rest of your life with an old half-blood like me?”
“I keep telling you, you're not old.” she stroked Jay's hair, leaning her head back against his shoulder. “Your age, your blood status, it's all meaningless to me. All that matters is how you make me feel.”
“And how do I make you feel?”
“Well. For the longest time, it felt like my soul had been dead, almost like it died at some point that goes beyond my living memory. But now, with you, the sting of life awakens me as I draw breath for the very first time in ages.”
Shaking his head, Jay leaned down, kissing Alex again. This time it was warm and tender, making her go weak in the knees.
“Only you can take the last twenty-nine years of torment and make them all vanish with a simple kiss.” Jay brushed her lips with his thumb. “I could spend a lifetime kissing you and not get enough.”
“One lifetime is definitely not enough to spend with you, I could live a thousand lifetimes by your side and not get bored.”
“So, tell me, what is the first thing you wish to do together in our new life?”
That was a difficult question for her to answer. There was so much Alex wanted to do with him, so much she was yet to experience. Going through all the choices, she kept coming back to one repeatedly. It was simple to fulfill, and yet, it held the most meaning. Deciding on what she wanted to do, Alex glanced at Jay, confident of what her first wish would be.
“I... I want to see the sunrise with you.”
“Is that it?” Jay smiled at Alex. “I guess we've never have been together in the day, have we? Okay, the first thing we will do is watch the sun rise over the horizon, together.”
Entwined together, they held one another close, neither of them willing to let the other go. It was a rare moment, and they could have stayed like that for hours if it was not for the squeal of a happy pigrie, who had observed everything, to remind them of where they were. Looking up, a flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder illuminated the chaos of the surrounding room. Alex realized they needed to do something about it before anyone was to figure out what had transpired at the tavern that night.
“Maybe we should pick this place up. We can't exactly leave what is left of Mathis lying around on your floor. Not if we wish to pretend everything is normal.”
“Weee!”
“I suppose you're both right. Can't run off with my woman if I'm sitting in a jail cell for murder.”
Buttoning his shirt back up, Jay straightened out the furniture which got knocked over during the fight. In the closet, Alex found a broom and swept up all the glass shards littering the floor. The tavern came together in no time at all, and the only evidence of a struggle left was the still the smoldering, black pile on the floor. Silently, the two of them stood over the smoking mass and pondered the problem at hand.
“So, what are we going to do about him?” Jay glanced from Mathis to Alex.
“I have an idea, go hold the door open for me.”
Raising his eyebrow in confusion, Jay walked over to hold the heavy door open. Satisfied, Alex positioned herself behind the remains. The next part would require a bit of precision and concentration. One hand placed on top of the other, Alex stretched out her arms towards the ash and concentrated on a straight path to the door.
Venti
A gale came from her palm, picking up the ash and carrying it out the door into the pouring rain. What had remained of Mathis was quickly rejoining the land. No one would find him, not even if they were to look for him. Shutting the door, Jay walked over to Alex, putting his arm around her back, looking over the room together.
“You're not going to change your mind about running off with me, are you?”
“As if you could get rid of me that easily.”
“I would not dream of it. Our fates seem to be bound together.”
“I sure hope so.”
Trying her best to sound optimistic, Alex attempted to hide her uncertainty from Jay. As much as she wanted to believe everything was going to be all right from now on, she could not help wondering how long their happiness would last. She knew her family would not stop looking for her, and eventually, they would find her. Then, she would have to fight to protect everything she loves. Sensing the turmoil in her, Jay rubbed her back and kissed her forehead.
“Everything all right sweetheart?” he studied her with a worried expression on his face.
“Yes.” Alex forced a smile, “I'm just a bit tired.”
“I don’t blame you. You've had a hell of night love. Why not go home and get some rest, you will need all your energy for tomorrow.”
“You're right. Rest will do us both some good.”
“Pack what you need for tomorrow and meet me here at nine o'clock. We will leave for the docks as soon as you get here, and the following morning we will watch the sunrise together.”
“All right. I will see you back here tomorrow. Now you go and get some rest too, you need it more than I do.”
“You don't have to tell me twice love.”
The two of them parted with one final kiss before Alex stepped out from the tavern. Wrapping her cloak tightly around her as the rain came down in sheets on top of her, she walked down the path to the road. The cold water showered her body as Alex strolled down the muddy dirt path towards town, all the while thinking how tomorrow she would finally bid this forsaken kingdom farewell.
Halfway to the village, the rain picked up, completely obscuring her visibility. Straining her eyes, Alex tried to navigate the best she could through the wall of water, but she could barely see her feet in front of her. A strong gale came from the west and tore at her soaking wet cloak, making it a lot harder for her to move.
Struggling against the wind Alex kept her head down and held on tight to poor Cosmo who could not fly in the strong wind. Between the gusts and the rain, she did not see a figure who was approaching them from the opposite direction until it was too late. The stranger and Alex bumped into each other. The force of their impact
sent them both tumbling to the ground, and Cosmo rolling away into the grass.
Chapter 25
The Resistance
Sitting on the wet ground, Alex rubbed her aching head before realizing she lost her pigrie. Grasping around the field aimlessly, she finally took hold of Cosmo and pulled him back into her arms. Wondering who could be out at this hour of the night, in the rain of all things she glanced up at a cloaked white figure sitting on the ground across from her. Straining her eyes to see through the curtain of water, Alex let out a loud squeal. She recognized the figure right away, and she had already encountered this man a few hours prior.
“H-Henry?”
“Alexandra! What are you doing here?”
Henry pushed himself back up onto his feet and offered Alex a hand up. Graciously taking it, she was pulled up to her feet and shook off her already soaked cloak. Frowning, she studied Henry carefully, trying to figure out what he was up to.
“You know, I could ask you the same thing.”
“You first.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“Look, I'm not going to turn you in, Lady Hamilton. Such an act would be suicide on my part. Lest you forget, you have a lot more dirt on me than I on you. Not only am I trespassing in Manevia, but I was also sneaking around your palace earlier. So, whatever secrets you may have, they are safe with me.”
Eyeballing Henry with some degree of suspicion, Alex considered his argument. He brought up some good points. Lord Hamilton may care more about Henry's spying than about her sneaking out of the palace. At the very least she could always lie and say she was following the lad to see what he was up to. Trying to consider how much she should trust Henry, Alex thought it might be best to be vague, at least until she figured him out.
“I... I was with someone.”
Frowning in confusion, Henry looked behind Alex. Turning his attention back to his friend’s sister he scratched his head. Surely the girl could not have meant what he thought she meant. But, if she did, he had certainly found a powerful new ally. Glancing back and forth a few more times in case he missed something, Henry crossed his arms, stroking his cleanly shaved chin. Peering at Alexandra silently, he raised an eyebrow and heaved out a deep breath.
“Surely you can't mean Jay?”
“Wait, you know him?”
“Everyone knows Jay. And everyone knows he hates pure-bloods. Just the other week he tossed me out of the tavern because my kind was not welcome there. But you were seeing him? Romantically?”
“Perhaps. What is it to you who I see and in what capacity I see them in?”
“I'm just wondering. Jay obviously must know who you are, and yet, he seems to have absolutely no problem with you. So, I'm just curious how a man who hates pure-bloods ends up falling for the sister of my best friend. Who, may I add is not only a pure-blood but the Lady of Manevia herself.”
“He's a good man once you get to know him. He has his reasons for hating our kind, and frankly, I don't blame him.”
“Clearly, he does not hate all of us,” Henry mused, “or you must be exceptionally special to Jay if you got that man to give you a long enough chance to fall for you. Though, if you are seeing him, does it mean you hold feelings for this man?”
“Yes, if you must know, I love him.”
“Fascinating. I would have never taken you for the rebellious type, but here you are, in love with an ordinary barkeep. I wonder...” Henry smirked, “... does this mean I can trust you with my dirty little secret?”
“Depends on what kind of secret we are talking about? Are you also planning on murdering people to obtain power and wealth and taking me on as your trophy?”
“No, no, nothing like that.” Henry laughed halfheartedly. “Though you are stunning, and I would be a fool not to be smitten by you, but I wouldn’t dream of doing to you what Dalton wants. Quite the opposite actually. If you promise to keep this between us, I'll show you.”
“Henry, if I were going to turn you in, I would have done so this morning. Instead, I helped you out. So, yes, I'll keep your secret, but in turn, you have to keep mine. You owe me at least this much.”
“I swear on my honor Lady Alexandra. I will not tell a soul of your private matters. Now, if you will follow me, I shall explain what I’m doing here at this hour of the night.”
“All right,” Alex tucked a shivering Cosmo into a built-in pocket of her cloak, “but we really need to stop meeting this way.”
“I agree. I much rather see you under better circumstances as well.”
Henry beckoned Alex to follow him and set off down the dirt road, back in the direction she had come from a moment ago. Puzzled, Alex followed along. She was sure the only thing back in that direction was Jay's place, but she had never gone beyond the small cottage. Walking past The Black Paw, she noted all the lights were off in the windows, Jay was probably asleep by now. Her heart warmed at the thought that they would be together soon. Thoughts of Jay and the way he kissed her made Alex tingle, warming her up inside.
Not stopping at the tavern, Henry led her a few feet further down, to the point where the road ended, and the woods began. The rain soaked through her cloak, and the wet dress clung to Alex's skin, making her shiver. Taking hold of her hand, Henry pushed forward into a small clearing. Barely lit by what little light seeped through the trees was an overgrown dirt path which wasn’t on any map.
Clinging to Henry, Alex followed him down the dirt track, trekking deeper into the woods. Between the rain and enormous trees choking out the last bit of remaining light, Alexandra could not see a thing. Cosmo twitched and snorted in her pocket, begging her to turn back, but Alex was far too stubborn to listen. She was curious to understand why Henry had brought her there. So, she pressed on, growing more concerned the further they went into the void.
Suddenly, in the distance, Alex spotted a faint flicker of lights. Upon closer inspection, she could make out the square shapes of windows in which candles flickered like stars on a clear night. Approaching the ancient structure, she could see its thatched roof and crumbling stone façade. Puffs of white smoke flowed up from the chimney into the blackened sky. In the distance, she could hear the churning of running water, along with the creaking of an old water wheel.
“What is this place?”
“The old grain mill. They abandoned it after the war when there was no longer use for it. Now, it's used for meetings.”
“Meetings? What type of meetings?”
“You'll see. Come now, you're soaked to the bone.”
Approaching the mill, Henry gave the aged, oak door three raps. Following a brief pause, a small window opened, and a man peered out at them. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, the man on the other side slammed the little window shut. Alex could hear locks clanking on the inside, and with a deep groan, the door swung open. Walking in after Henry, Alexandra found herself in the simple room of the mill house. Across from them, a lit fireplace had enveloped her in its warmth. Wishing to get dry, Alex pulled off the hood of her drenched cloak without a second thought.
The surrounding room erupted into gasps and hushed, angry whispers. Realizing what she had done, Alex looked around the chamber. The small space was full of men, about a hundred of them if she had to guess. They varied in age, but they were all grays. Some of them she recognized from the village and the tavern, but most she was unfamiliar with.
A young man with long, dark, curly hair approached them and glared at Alex. She remembered him as the son of the village blacksmith. They used to play together with Richard when they were kids, before she and Richard became romantically involved. She had not seen Paul in ages since.
“What is she doing here?” Paul asked Henry with a hint of agitation in his tone.
“Lady Alexandra is a friend. She saved my life earlier. I assure you we have nothing to fear with her.”
“I don't doubt the lady's allegiance, I know her well myself. I am wondering why yo
u thought it was a good idea to bring her to our meeting. This woman has no business knowing who we are.”
“Yeah, Paul is right...” shouted a scruffy man whom Alex did not recognize. “The bloody princess doesn' need to get involved in the resistance's business.”
Following the man's words, the room boomed with angry voices as the men gathered close around Alex. Cosmo squealed in fear as Henry did his best to shelter them behind his back. Alex had always wondered who the resistance was, and now that she knew, they did not look like they would ever let her go.
The situation was escalating out of hand. The men encircled around her until the clanking of a metal stein coming from the corner stopped them in their tracks. An old man who frequented the tavern stood up, fixing his one milky eye on the men around her.
“You watch yourselves, you whippersnappers. Do you even know who yer threatening there?”
“Of course, they do old man.” Paul gruffed. “There ain't a man in Vega who does not know who Lady Alexandra is.”
“Is that all you know her as youngin? Sure you don't want to take another guess?”
“She was a friend of Richard’s, and myself, I know what she is. There is nothing else she might be.”
“What if I tol’ you the woman in front of you was Jay's girl? I reckon you don't want me telling him tomorrow you dared lay a hand on her. Do you?”
Whispering, the gaggle of men backed away from her. Each looked more astonished than the next as they gave her the space to move. A stunned Paul looked to Henry, who only shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head in confirmation. Pushing through the crowd, the old man came up and took Alex by her arm. Leading her away from the men to the safety of his table, they left poor Henry on his own to answer the questions coming at him from every direction about Alex and her relationship with Jay.
While her head turned to look at her childhood friend, the old man nudged Alex away and pointed to the bench in front of them. Not wishing to argue with him, Alex sat down, and the man returned to his previous spot across from her. Resuming his drinking the man kept his one good eye fixed on Alex, who was fidgeting in her seat while Cosmo flew up to warm himself on the fireplace.
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