The Cunningham Saga: The Fate of Yesterday

Chapter 9- Let's Meet the Counterparts

Elizabeth

I've been trudging in the snow for what seemed like forever but there was hope in the distance. A small cabin-like cottage with shingles orderly placed along the roof. I looked at it with a sense of relief and began the run toward it. I knock on the door and a small child answers the door. She seemed to be about eight or nine and had a bright smile on her face.

"Hi, I'm Lillian! What's your name?" The little girl asks

"Hi Lillian, I'm Elizabeth?" I replied softly.

A woman who seemed very tired grabbed the door and gestured to Lillian to go back inside.

"My friend is in desperate need of assistance. He has a huge gash down his arm and has been passed out for hours. Can you help him?" I ask urgently

The woman stares at me and then the prince as if she is making sure this isn't a trick. I assume she saw the bloodstains on his arm because she then nodded. We both struggled to bring the prince inside. I must admit, it was nice to have someone help for a change. We cleared off a long dinner table and laid the prince on top. She grabbed sewing equipment out of a cabinet and began to clean the separate tools. She handed me a wet rag along with a bottle of alcohol and told me to clean the wound. I gagged at the mere thought of having to clean this gory wound. I doused the rag in alcohol and slowly began to clean his wound.

"OOOOOOOWWW!" The prince sat up quickly wincing in pain.

He looked around confused and scared as I tried to reassure him that everything would be okay.

"You're okay just lay down!" I eventually yell in a moment of impatience.

He continued to whine until Lillian suddenly hit him with a paddle in the back of the head.

"Oh goodness Lillian, that was unnecessary don't you think?" The woman asked.

She shrugged and walked back to what she was doing. The woman began stitching and I closed my eyes for the entire time. Once she was done she cleaned everything off and started to make tea as if she did this every day.

"What is it you do exactly?" I mumbled in curiosity

"I used to work as a maid in kingdom Armageddon but once I had Lillian and her father left us I decided to start a new life here," She said looking at the ground.

"Lillian has a wonderful mother," I say reassuringly

She smiles at me and calls Lillian in.

"Wake him up," she says as if it's routine.

Lillian grabs two pans and starts clanging them together with various *clancks* and *bangs* until the prince slowly begins to sit up grabbing his head in pain.

"Where am I?" The prince asks cluelessly

I chuckle and put his arm around my shoulder to guide him outside.

"He seems to have a minor concussion, but I'm sure he'll be fine in no time," The woman chuckles

Lillian runs out the back door and brings around a beautiful black horse along with a map with the entirety of the snow forest sketched upon it.

"How can I ever repay you?" I ask.

"No need. Your company is gift enough," she replies

I smile and begin to mount my horse but I hear the women yell.

"Wait! I know who you are. You're the one who has come here to fulfill the prophecy. I can not thank you enough for being brave and coming here to save our kingdom," She says with emotion in her voice