Bride of Adron | ✓

Chapter 14 - An Old Friend

The person standing in front of her was someone she thought she would never see again. Someone who she had lost all hope to ever get with. The girl for whom her heart beat. She looked the same, while also so different.

And even if she tried having casual relationships, her name was tattooed on her heart. For that reason whatever she felt towards Karol never worked out.

Zuzanna.

Zuzanna Winter.

She tasted the name on her lips, feeling like she was seeing her for the very first time. Unlike Noelle she was not well dressed, with short, brown, messy hair and a dark jacket paired with jeans shorts. She looked so unlike any other of the Lost Forest People; her eccentric style stood out like a sore thumb. It was too good to be true, and with what Noelle learned from her time in Dacnella... it probably was.

Zuza- the girl froze when she saw her, her mouth dropping to the floor. Then she made the move towards Noelle with a cry, throwing her arms around her before she even realised what was going on.

She felt like Zuzanna, and she sounded like her too. The feeling of her warm body pressed against hers sent shivers down Noelle's spine, and she slowly lifted her arms up, wrapping them around Zuzanna's back. Her eyes stung and her nose tingled, but she refused to cry as she hid her face into her friend's neck, breathing in the sweet smell she had missed so much.

Hugging Zuzanna felt like a puzzle piece just popped into place. A vacant void in her soul was mended, all that's to the girl enveloping her with her very being. Noelle missed that feeling so much, it hurt.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered, her voice cracking during the syllables from the raw emotion in her voice. As a response, Noelle only hugged her lighter. "I w-was so scared."

"Is this real?" Noelle sniffed.

"I sure do hope so," Zuzanna giggled, pulling back and wiping her red eyes with her sleeves. The girls stared at each other, goofy smiles on their faces as they absorbed each other's presence like a sponge. Noelle's eyes flickered down to her rosy lips for only a split second as she felt the sudden urge to kiss her, before she managed to take control of herself and look again into Zuzanna's eyes. It was only her emotions acting up and getting the better of her, for Noelle knew she would never dare.

"How did you get here?" Noelle asked, once she felt like she had calmed down enough to speak without bursting into tears. The girls were lying down on Noelle's bed, bodies pressed against each other and Zuzanna's head resting on Noelle's shoulder. They took solace in each other, just being in the girl's presence made Noelle so much more positive and happy about everything. She loved all of the friends she made, but with Zuzanna, she felt like she had a chance. "You need to tell me everything."

"Oh, where to begin?" Zuzanna jokes. Noelle adored her smile. "I woke up, I don't even know how long ago, in the middle of the forest. I had to survive there, alone, for days, just eating plants and sleeping in the trees before I came across this village. They quickly took me in, and a kind couple let me stay with them. Everyone here knew about you, and how you're the Bride of Adron, and I was worried sick! As soon as I found out you were here, I tried to find you, but I couldn't so I thought to wait here for you."

"You woke up here too? What do you mean everyone knows about me?" Noelle asked, her brows furrowed as she narrowed her eyes. "Was I followed?"

"Of course not!" Zuzanna said. "People would leave this village and see neighbouring towns to try and see how you were doing. They saw your wanted posters too. I mean, everyone wanted to know if you were safe as you're Dacnella's saviour."