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...
"You do well to take care of yourself, Lady Aurora." Puna said to Aurora as they were set to flee the village, "I'll see you again, hopefully to grace the young lass."
Aurora didn't know what to say, so she just hugged her with a smile,
"Thank you, Puna." She whispered over her shoulder and pulled away, she said her farewells to the rest of the families before walking to the horse.
Jamie helped her mount the horse, and as she sat waiting, she realized they were in for a long ride and have been up since sunrise,
Aurora was aware that Jonathan was out for them but as she waited a thought occurred to her,
"Jack.." She gained his attention, "How are we getting out of here? If there is a spy somewhere in the village I doubt he would let us walk without a fight. We can't move unseen, especially if we ride along the lake."
"Ah." Jack sighed, fastening the horse, "There's a secret route through the hills, it leads out of the valley, that's the path we will take."
Aurora was reluctant but she trusted Jack.
"This would do." The bundle had been placed on the pack horse, along with supplies they would need on the journey.
Aurora smiled and waved to Puna and Andrew again as Jack hanged on to the reins and sat up in the saddle.
"Ready?" He asked her, "It's a long ride we're facing tonight, but we'll be able to find sail to Bern before two dawns."
Aurora nodded and held him for support,
They began to set out, going as quietly as you can on a horseback. The horses seemed to sense the urgency, for there was little snorting or shaking of bridles .
They rode on soft dirt, and leaves, and the sounds of the hoof beats were thankfully muffled. Still, Aurora kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see Jonathan and his men darting after them.
The moon was nearly full, providing them with all the light they needed to make it Bern.
Aurora laid her head on Jack's back and tried to hold off the anxiety.
She didn't know how long it would take to ride out to the ship heading to Bern, but riding on the flatlands made her feel terribly exposed, Although it would allow them to see their pursuers.
Once their absence was discovered, it would be long before anyone realized that they had made it out of the village, and not by the usual route. And, when Jonathan learns and comes after them, she would have been home.
Aurora tried to stay awake, to alert in case of a threat. But the gentle rhythm of the hoofbeats, causing Aurora to sway in the saddle, made it a battle to stay awake.
"How long had we been riding?" She whispered to Jack, she was aware of the absence of digital clocks and how the people estimated time by the positions of the moon and the stars, but she could yet understand the art of it.
"We've been riding for an hour."
Aurora groaned, she could have sworn they've been riding for hours. The struggle to keep her eyes open became too much, and the next thing she knew, she was fast asleep.
Aurora shook herself to wakefulness sometime later, to realize they had stopped riding,
"Aurora." Jack came and knelt in front of her, handing her a jug of water.
She sat up and took it from him, taking a sip.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep." Aurora struggled to stand, but Jack pushed her down gently.
"You need to rest."
"Jack we don't have the time."
"We canna take the chance, you need to rest and my back will keep ye snug and safe." His voice was gentle.
She nodded and Jack lifted her on the horse, with that they set out again.
At first she tried to stay awake and stiff, but soon tire caused her to rest on Jack's back.
She felt warm and safe against him, she found herself nestling his arms, and before she realized it, she was fast asleep and knew nothing more until they halted.
Surrounded by woods that could provide plenty of cover for the night, Jack pulled her gently off his horse.
"We could camp here till dusk, so we might slip away unnoticed." Aurora nodded and took her eyes around, "Watch the horses, I'm going to gather some woods to start the fire."
Jack wandered into the woods and Aurora sat waiting for him. He soon returned with some woods and made a small fire to hold them for the night,
"Hopefully this time tomorrow I will be home." Aurora thought aloud as they laid around the fire for warmth. "This world would be a figment of my imagination soon, and no one would believe me if I told them I was here, that I was part of this world's history, I hardly believe it myself." She mutters and looks at Jack amusingly.
Beat...
"Is there someone you're yearning to see again in your world?"
"Of course, Mia."
"Just Mia, not a husband, or a betrothed?"
"No, nothing like that." She let out a small laugh.
"I find that hard to believe, a beautiful woman like you, that's inconceivable...."
Aurora laughs out loud, "Sarah is beautiful. I wish I looked like Sarah, She is gorgeous, I never thought any could be this beautiful. I'm not anything to look at, the real me I mean, you haven't seen the real me.."
"The most beautiful thing in the world cannot be seen or touched, Aurora. it's felt in the light of the heart."
Aurora smiled,
"Who taught you that?"
"My mother, she used to say it all the time when I was little." He muttered as they shared a gaze, "her words gave me hope in my point of weakness..."
"She was a smart woman."
"She is." He corrected her, "I know she's alive, I feel and I'll find her one day."
"I wish I could met her, I want to see the woman who gave birth to the extraordinary Jack Hyde. I want to thank her.."
Jack smiled and caressed her face, deep in thoughts.
"She would have loved you...." He muttered in a whisper.
"You mean, Sarah. . She would have loved Sarah.."
"Aurora, she would have adored Aurora. I do."
Aurora blushed heatedly.
Slowly and inexorably, Jack grabbed her by the waist, pulling her up close against his chest. His hand gently glided through her hair, as he looked at her in a way he had never looked at a girl before, not even Sarah.
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Her eyes were candles in that night, their light a spark of passion... desire. A smile crept upon her face, goosebumps lined her skin, not the kind than one gets in the cold, but the kind one gets when nothing else matters except right here, right now. She knew she would remember this night forever...
The next morning before sunrise, they were on a sail to Bern.
