Aurora Lawton is a hopeless romantic, with a reserved life. She owns a small bookstore in the heart of New York, where she spends her day and most of her time engulfed in the fiction section of the store, causing her to be absent and transparent to...
Aurora hadn't realized how exhausted she was until she fell asleep against Jack's back. She wasn't even aware of how long they had traveled through the night. But when she awoke everywhere was bright and sunny.
She rubbed the remaining sleep off her eyes, looking around the green forest,
"Jack, Where are we?" She asked before he answered her, he signaled his men to stop, "We would rest here for an hour." He said and got off his horse, before helping her down.
"Jack, I'm thirsty."
She said and Jack hovered to his to the saddle for his bottle but found it empty.
"I think there's a river somewhere." He held her hand and lead her up the hill, where they spurred out at the edge of a small river.
Aurora quickly lets go of Jack's hand and made her way towards it, "Freshen up." Jack said to her and left her alone.
Aurora bent and scooped some water, before hugging her knees on a rock that was in the river and as she sat there she couldn't help but run her mind through her Journey so far.
She's been lost, homeless, attacked, kidnapped married and assisted in not less than six months of being in this strange world. She's had enough, she just wanted to finally go home.
She thought as she wiped the tears away from her eyes and just at that moment she heard someone call out her name and she startled out of her thoughts to see Jack taking off his clothes,
"What are you doing?" She asked him in shock.
"Coming to you." He said as he pulled his shirt off, revealing his tan abs that made Aurora blush and look away shyly.
Then without anything but his underpants, Jack swam into the water and came to the rock she was on. He placed his elbow on it and shook his hair like a wet puppy and Aurora couldn't help but chuckle, before returning to her strained mood.
"What seems to be the matter, I would expect you would be happy?" Jack questioned as he hopped and sat by her.
A distant smile appeared on her face, "Yeah, I'm just a little tired that's all."
"Well, You've never been a good liar." He said and she chuckled slightly but says nothing else.
She didn't want to burden him with her worries, "Do you miss him?" Jack asked suddenly and she whipped her head to him.
"What?"
"Do you miss Jonathan? You two were married, you must have-"
"No." She cuts him off, "I feel nothing but hate for that arrogant weasel, he's wicked and selfish. He has no love or compassion for his people, he's not fit to be king." She spat in anger, her hate for Jonathan was growing by the second.
"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Jack asked and Aurora's eyes filled with tears. But she sniffled and nodded.
She told him everything, from the contract to his constant threats for an heir. Jack was furious, "She was just a child and he killed her, like she was some infested pig." More tears filled her eyes again and Jack ran his hand on his face as a brunch of guilt rushed through his face,
"Did you know her?" She asked in a pained tone.
"She was an old friends daughter. One night she fell ill of a very strange disease and the people thought assumed it to be witchcraft."
"What sort of disease?"
Jack described the strange illness and Aurora gasped out in shock.
"Are you okay?" he panicked.
"That's not a disease, Jack. That's Chickenpox."
"How do you mean?" he became curious.
"Chickenpox is a contagious infection caused by a virus. It's very common where I come from, though It mainly affects kids, but adults can get it, too. It's not witchcraft, Jack. It could have been cured and-" She choked as more tears filled her eyes.
Jack held to her,
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Aurora-."
"Don't be sorry." She cut in, sniffling. "It's not your fault Jonathan is such a crude man." She spat and he held her tighter.
They sat in silence for a bit as Aurora tried to calm herself and once she regained herself she looked at Jack to see him staring at her,
"Thank you for saving me again." She whispered with a small smile and he returned it, "And nothing giving up on me, I know I can be quite overbearing sometimes."
"I will always save you, Aurora." He told her and she smiled at him again before leaning against his shoulder.
"Come on."
He got up to his feet and helped her up, "So, what's the plan?" Aurora asked him as they returned back to the docks.
"We have to sail to Venice. I have a cousin there, we would stay with him and his family. Until I can find us a way to Bern for the gemstone." he answered, wearing back his clothes.
"And you're sure this gemstone can get me home?"
"It's worth the try." He answered and she sighed slightly. But nodded. with that, they walked back and joined the men.
They ate, chatted and rested for a few more minutes before they had to ride again,
They rode hard for several more hours till they got to the port to Venice. Aurora felt saddened hearing the men were staying behind, in the few hours they had all spent together she grew fond of them,
"Take care," she said her goodbyes and thanked them for saving her, before getting on the longboat with Jack. The longboat took them to the ship and they sailed to Venice.
As Jack proceed to speak with the captain of the ship. Aurora leaned against the rails of the ship and stared out the blue horizon, wondering back at all the things that she had been through.
She hoped this was her last route home,
Amidst her thoughts, She felt a light hand touch her shoulder and turned to see Jack, "Are you okay?" He asked her and She smiled at him, before returning her eyes back to the horizon.
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