Tied As One Eternally

Chapter 18: Nostro Dis Pater, Nostr' Alma Mater

So much time had passed...yet it felt like everything had happened only moments ago. If it weren't for the way she felt physically, Alessandra would think it had been only yesterday. Her heart, still just as broken as the day she left. She had to be strong, she knew she was doing this for Terzo and her own safety–a fact she had to keep reminding herself.

It was daybreak, yet another sleepless night had come and gone. It was time for another monotonous day at the convent where she had spent the last almost 5 months. There were no siblings–or anyone that she knew or projects to work on to keep her occupied, just days spent praying to Lucifer and attending rituals. The routine–bland and joyless, day in and out before she'd finally lay in that cold bed, unable to sleep and starting over in the morning. It wasn't a bad place. It was welcoming to her, but it would never be home–home was with Terzo, a home that was now off limits to her. She would drag herself into the shower, get dressed, and weather permitting–spend her day in the garden.

It reminded her of Primo's garden, though not nearly as lush. It brought back memories of the times Terzo and her spent there. When they watched Dracula together, his face lighting up as he talked about his mother, making love there under the light of the stars, and the place where they confessed their love–absolving themselves in each other's arms. It had all happened there and this was as close to it as Alé would ever get, a notion that brought tears to her eyes she refused to shed.

The other nuns in the convent left Alé, for the most part, to herself. Although occasionally when someone would stop to ask her how she was doing, she would always smile a little, though it pained her to do so, and tell them she was doing fine. She was dismayed that the occurrences of this had been increasing as of late and was happy she could hide among the foliage and stone of the garden. No one at the convent seemed to be as enamored with it as she was–she would go there and disappear into her thoughts.

She walked outside the convent, the warmth of the sun was not quite there yet, but its light was already glistening on the dew that lay atop the grass. She passed the tall hedges, the small waterfall, and then finally found herself at the swing. Such an odd thing to exist within a garden at a convent. She was told by one of the sisters it was because at one point they had a few orphan children that lived there. It was a painful note, but despite that this was her favorite spot.

Terzo and Cardinal Copia had spent all night in the car. Their eyes, tired but the adrenaline was still keeping them going. They had to reach her, to make sure she was ok. Terzo was never so determined, if it was true, it would breathe life back into him. The Cardinal had taken the wheel a few miles back as Terzo's vision had begun to blur.

They passed woods full of flourishing trees that spread for miles upon miles along the road. Their journey, taking them somewhere deep and hidden among them. Salvation promised at its deepest point. The glimmer of hope weighing heavy in the air.

Terzo desperately clinged onto that hope, could the Cardinal truly be right and they would find her at this convent? He longed to hold her in his arms once again. To feel the softness of her skin against his. The way her hair smelled with his face buried in it. Feeling her soul radiating with his as they held each other close. Tears welled in his eyes at the thoughts, if only it would be true.

As the sun began to rise on the horizon, Copia could make out the spire in the distance. They were almost there. The weary travelers, so close to their destination. The Cardinal prayed that he was right and that his friend would be reunited with the love of his life, but he worried what would happen if he was wrong. Terzo had already tried to take his life...a secret the Cardinal would take to the grave, but what would stop him again if Alé was gone–truly gone.

It wasn't much longer before the men pulled up in the drive of a very large, almost castle-like building that was hidden in the woods. It was massive in size, Copia wondered how they'd ever find her there if she was inside. The grounds alone seemed to span out farther than his eyes could perceive. Copia was shocked the place had managed to be so vast and yet so well hidden in the woods.