Alanis thought letting go of her first love would be the most painful thing she would ever endure, but little did she know, the path the light goddess set before her, would be paved in heartaches beyond compare.
With her past and Berthold behind h...
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The sun would be setting soon, Alanis mused while tilting her head back, admiring the eerily beautiful clouds that bruised the sky above her. For a small moment, she let herself drift into a careless daydream, forgetting her current situation and the secret burden that came with it.
Nearly three weeks had gone by. Though their march south, to Larska, was more lax than the prior, it was proving harder on her than the last. Without the prince at her side things were indeed different, harder. Things she didn't have time to ponder before plagued her now that he was no longer distracting her thoughts of the future.
"Have you decided what you're going to do?" Lysa spoke from Alanis' side.
Her traveling companion's dark eyes were on the emerald ring that Alanis wore around her neck, studying the careless way she twisted it around her silver-chained necklace.
Almost had a minute of peace—can't have that, Alanis thought while dropping the ring to her chest. Though it was short lived, those fleeting thoughts had helped calm her for a moment. Her nerves were hitting her full force now that they were near LarskaTerritory.
"I was hoping time would help me decide, but I'm stuck..." In fact, time had made things worse, not better. Alanis had three weeks to decide, to give Faris her decision regarding his proposal, and she was still no closer to having an answer for him.
Alanis sighed heavily, her eyes closed as she thought back on all her reasons not to accept. Deep inside, she couldn't shake the feeling that the prince would be better off without her, given their current standings. And to make matters worse, he was now betrothed to the sole heir of Halliwell. Alanis didn't want to think of the repercussions that would follow his broken engagement.
"If you love him, you should," Lysa said, hoisting herself upright to sit properly. Alanis' eyes opened, peering up at Lysa's growing smile. "I know you've got your duty to the light goddess and all, but you shouldn't have to go it alone."
Alanis bit her bottom lip, smiling. That sounded an awful lot like something Faris had said to her the night he proposed.
"You know, that's what he said. Isn't that funny?"
"I know the man is a complete fool, but for once, I must agree with him." Lysa scooted back as Alanis sat up to join her. "You know, I don't think I would have grown as much as I have if I didn't have Benjamin around... Maybe one day, after all this is over, he'll get to asking too."
"Yeah, I get what you're saying. I just wish it was as easy as me saying, yes."
"Nothing ever is," Lysa stopped and flicked her on the shoulder before adding, "as easy as that... Still you don't have to answer. Not until you're ready."
