Fog of Shadows

Part 22

After her bath, which consisted of a large bowl and a cloth, and a somewhat decent dinner Alissa sat on her bed and replayed the events of the day in her head. It was obvious to her that Janet did not want to be rescued, otherwise, she would not have run away and led them to those secluded places; it also became clear to her that Lillian had some feelings for Flinn. This did worry her a bit; after all, Lillian was shy, petite, and very pretty. Lillian was a girl in every sense of the word and Alisea was afraid that Flinn might develop feelings for that girl. Hoping to get her mind off that idea, and to thank her for her help earlier in the woods, Alisea left her room and knocked on Willows door. It surprised her that Willow immediately opened the door, even before Alisea's hand was off it. "Yes?" Willow smiled at her warmly. "I...umm... I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For earlier in the woods, I would have been lost without you."

"Oh, don't mention it; I just did what any good friend would do, but something tells me that it's not the only reason why you are here. You look a little upset."

"I do? Maybe I am just tired from the day."

"Or, perhaps, it has something to do with that boy and how much of a gentleman he was around that Lillian"

"He is friendly to everyone."

"I haven't seen him this friendly around you."

At this Alisea had little to say; it was true that, since they arrived at the island, Flinn hardly even looked at her and when they had regrouped in front of the inn; he hardly asked what had happened to her. Maybe Willow was right at some points.

"We are all really busy and hardly have the time to even talk to each other, so of course, you would not see us interact much."

"But he still shows more affection to that Lillian then to you." Willow put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder and ushered her to sit with her on the rickety bed. "It is alright to be upset and you do not have to defend every single one of his actions; he is a man and men will never treat women right. The first thing on their mind is themselves and so is the last thing on their mind; everything in between exists solely to serve their needs."

"You seem to have a lot of poor experience with men?"

"I had my heart broken on several ovations and I have observed a lot of others"

"That doesn't mean that Flinn is like those other guys."

"And what makes you think that he will be different from any other man out there?"

"I just thought they cannot all be the same, if women are not all the same."

"We are more similar than you think." noticing her friend's fatigue, she pulled her onto her lap the way a mother would comfort her child and gently brushed her Soft copper hair with her fingers. "You will learn this in time." Meanwhile, Alisea's eyelids began to get heavy; the rhythmic brushing of Willow's fingers through her hair was a lullaby calling her to rest.

"Maybe, or maybe you will learn yourself," she muttered half asleep. "Maybe..." Willow let that sentence hang, "You are going to be a great mother one day."

"I cannot."

"Then adopt, or take one in from the streets."

"What if I were to adopt you?"

"Cannot, I am too old and I still have a parent."

"Are they here?"

"No, he is on my home-island resenting me."

"Then I will adopt you, besides, you are more of a manageable age for me."

"Sounds great," mumbled Alisea on the verge of sleep. Within minutes, Willow could hear the slow, deep breathing of the young captain's sleep in her lap. "Yeah, sounds great," muttered Willow under her breath and slid out from underneath her new sleeping daughter. For her, the air felt cold and she walked to the window. "I will not let you in," she whispered to the fog, only to have the fog whisper back to her.

"Yes you will, you owe me everything."

Willow jumped back from the window and covered her mouth with her hand to keep quiet. She knew the raspy voice and was terrified that he found her; she had hoped that the disguise had worked, though a part of her had the feeling that it never did. "No, I cannot, I have moved on. I have a daughter now. I have a life." She cautiously approached the window and pressed her hands against the windowpane; even though the window was nailed shut, she felt that she needed to keep the window closed. "Without me, you would not have a daughter." Said the voice.

"But I cannot continue with the life I had." replied Willow in a pleading tone.

"Oh Mon chéri, I will only ask you for one more favor, then I will set you free and you can life happily with your daughter for the rest of your existence." the voice now sounded sweet and luring.

"What do I have to do?" her voice was shaky and her hands were trembling.

"Simple, let me in."