|Mianite| The Missing Woman

[Chapter 60] Heart

[Alva's Perspective]

"There sure is a lot of climbing in this," I said after a while of us all struggling to get to the roof. The large cloak I was wearing was a tad cumbersome, but I refused to relinquish its warmth for any practicality it might yield in return.

"I miss being able to fly," James said as he dangled from the platform in front of me.

Tucker groaned in frustration loudly as I saw him fall through the air and land on his back, not bothering to get back up.

Finally Jordan and I got to what seemed to me the second to last step up towards the roof. Unfortunately, it seemed too high of a climb for either of us.

"Lift me up to the next step," I said. "I have some rope in my bag that everyone else can climb up now that we are at the top."

"Oh thank the gods," I heard Tucker mumble from his spot on the ground.

I smiled and Jordan laced his hands together, creating a foothold for me to step into. Once I had been elevated to the top step, I felt someone grab my shoulder.

"Alva?!" Jordan shouted when he saw my shocked face disappear too quickly for me to have pulled myself up.

Alister threw me against the roof, holding the front of my borrowed cloak and pointing a finger in my face.

"Who-" he shouted, pausing for a moment to look confused. He continued at a much softer decibel. "Who are you?"

"Alva," I said to him.

"No," he said calculatedly, "Alva is six. You are not Alva. You can't be."

"Lady Faith?" I whispered, hoping the others would not be able to hear.

Alister seemed confused for a moment by what I said, and although he released me it was clear he had no idea why he knew the name. He walked away from me, scratching his head and looking into the distance.

I walked back over to the ledge and looked down to Jordan, who looked very worried.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

I nodded, looking around for something to tie the rope to and to make sure Alister was still preoccupied with his thoughts. He was standing against a small structure protruding from the roof that housed a bell.

I secured the rope around the chimney and dropped it down to the others. They wasted no time in climbing up to see where the platforms had lead, but just as the rope went taut Alister grabbed me again, this time bringing me over to the structure he had been standing near. He shoved me against it and looked into my eyes, again keeping a tight hold on my cloak.

"Why do I know that name? Faith?" He asked me darkly.

I saw Jordan's fist before I could say anything to stop him, knocking Alister to the side.

"Are you alright?" He asked me, putting his arms around my shoulders and looking into my eyes.

"I am fine," I assured him. "He was not going to hurt me, he is just confused. His memories have been altered too."

"Dang it," Jordan said, looking towards Alister, who was now beginning to stand up.

I turned to Alister and asked hesitantly, "Faith in what?"

Jordan gave us both a confused look, but Alister looked somewhat terrified. His pupils dilated and he stared into the distance. Jordan seemed to dismiss it as some reference from our childhood that I had remembered in an attempt to bring Alister to his senses. I thanked the gods that Jordan did not know the name 'Lady Faith.'