Hidden through time

43. Now what?

Written 2016 by VeGirl ©

In my struggle to find a place; a purpose in my new role, I often seeked solitude on the bench by the lake. Here I could ignore the two bodyguards that refused to leave my side. I could be alone with my thoughts. It was conflicting thoughts that surged through my mind, thoughts of how different my life here was from the life I had lived with Charles, and how alike it was. How could it feel alike when this was my grand adventure?

"Francine?"

I turned and saw Ty approacing me with a troubled face. "What happened?" I was instantly on my feet and walked towards him.

"Oh... err..." The way he avoided to look directly at me, felt ominous.

"Is it something I've done?"

He looked startled up at me, before once again looking away with cheeks blooming in an embarrassed way I had never seen on him. "Err... no." His eyes seemed to find something to hold on to, far away. "I... I'm leaving."

"We're leaving the castle?"

"No... I'm leaving."

The emphasis was clear that I wasn't included and at first I thought he was going on a trip. Then it dawned on me; he wasn't leaving leaving the castle. "You're leaving me." It was a little uncertain if it was a question or a statement.

"...yes..." His answer was silent and the shame clearly detected in that voice.

"Why?" Perhaps that wasn't essential in this picture, but that was the only thing that passed my mind.

"Eirian..."

"But I thought..."

"She's been released from her realm."

I was more confused than hurt I think, but instantly turned towards the reflection in the surface of the lake and growled her name, commanding her to come, accompanied by Ty's objections. Sure enough, it didn't take long before my reflection made the surface of the water stir and my doppelgänger arose from the lake. 

"Greetings sister." She smiled delighted and inched herself to Ty's side who instantly pulled her against him.

At the same time I was glad to see her again, I was disturbed. "What's going on?"

"I've been released from my obligations from father and can finally start to live." Her smile was sincere and she beamed at Ty. "So I'm releasing him from his obligations as well."

Wasn't she dead? went through my mind and I wondered if there was any real difference between life or death when you were a goddess. I realized that my mouth had fallen open in an unbecomingly way and hurried to close it. "You're getting back together?" I realized in what felt like a cold shower.

"Finally." She smiled adoringly at Ty who still avoided meeting my eyes. "And I'm releasing you from yours." She smiled at me. "You are free to live your life as well."

* * *

The cold shower of being dumped by Ty wasn't the only shock. Being homeless and released from my position as potential Princess of Alfheim was slowly seeping into my mind. It had not been just a slow dance into the sunset; it had its obligations and my social status wasn't my primary trouble.

Ty had offered me to stay in his home for as long as I needed, but the curiously concerned looks on every face I met was overwhelming, however much they tried to hide it from me. 

I wandered the land aimlessly without knowing what to do or where to go while making plans. To go back to good old Scarborough wasn't really an option, but what was my alternative?

Now that Ty had found the lost love of his life, I had no idea what to do. All I knew was that I couldn't stay, so I packed the little belongings that was truly mine and with a vindictive mind slipped one of the dresses I had truly liked in my bag and slipped out of the castle.

Finally I managed to find Ty when he was alone, to meet Eirian was a bit too much for me. "Would you please snap me back to my home... or anywhere?"

Regret and guilt shone through his beautiful eyes. "Francine, don't go. I never meant for this to happen."

His guilt was too much for me to handle, I was already emotional enough. "If I ever meant anything to you, let me go." I begged and felt my vision blur with tears.

He sighed, looked around and snapped his fingers.

Immediately and with a wave of vertigo I was far away from the mansion in Alfheim; far away from anything I recognized actually. Fresh air filled my lungs, and all the emotions unknotted the pain in my stomach. With a look around I wondered where I was? I stood in a clearing of a forest, wondering first of all what I had done, and secondly where the heck I was.

With no direction of what was what, how was I supposed to know where to go? A new kind of distress filled me and I had to calm down, after all, I had asked Ty to send me away.

I slumped down in the grass, silently thanking some higher being that I had been dressed in trousers, not a frilly dress at this occasion. "Let's think this through," I told myself without risking being overheard in my solitude. "Didn't John talk about anthills being on the south side of a tree, or was that the north?" My son's scouting didn't help much now. I exhaled a sigh as I realised that I had no clue at what way to go even if I did figure out which was what.

This instant travelling had both ups and downs, that was clear now and I chastised myself for not thinking things through.

"Oh well..." I got on my feet, determined to make the best of this; after all, I wished for an adventure. I wasn't gonna cry about it.

.