The Exiled Gem

Broken Promises

'Come on now, stop glutting, Mercury.' She sighed, stroking its back. But the horse wouldn't oblige. He strangely reminded Alexandra of Jade - loyal; but keeping a mind of its own. Not hesitant in disobeying, if it wanted to.

And she couldn't bring herself to pull the horse away. Especially, when she knew that she could be leading him to his death too.

'Please?' Alexandra ventured. Horses were moody creatures, she couldn't bark at Mercury like she could bark at Jade. He'd simply refuse to let her mount. Or worse: topple her off when she was on.

But the horse didn't move, in fact... Alexandra realized that it wasn't eating. He was just staring at one point, beyond the grass, in the shrubs. And whatever could make a fidgety and wild horse like Mercury - freeze - definitely deserved a look.

Alexandra walked to his other side, holding the horse's face in her hands. She peered down the shrubs.

'Dove's droppings!' She inhaled, covering her mouth. A thin, coiled structure. Its skin reflecting the sun in a blinding flash. A huge, Iron snake!

Iron snake?

Alexandra's brows furrowed. She stared harder. It was making no movement. None of them were making any movement. Then, with a rare surge of courage, she shot out a hand and picked up the coiled thing.

She was utterly ashamed to find out that what she had mistaken for a coiled snake, was nothing but an iron chain. Its cold surface painfully familiar. And how many iron chains could be thrown into bushes? There was only one chained woman on the loose!

Conclusive proof - Alexandra had to enter the forest. Alexandra had to pursue a mad aunt. Alexandra had to make that final stand - alone.

* * *

Riding into the Ethorian forest, brought back a warm memory. Sixteenth March. A bright, sunny dawn. And somebody named Liam had entered her life: only to turn it upside down. But the upside down version, was what Alexandra personally preferred. That Idgardian forest had had the same uneven, unpredictable and rocky terrain. And Alexandra - rather annoyed at having to share a ride with a common man who got onto all her nerves - had been cooked with worry.

Mercury, meanwhile was showing his true colors.

The extreme, breakneck speed he had achieved, gave Alexandra the feeling of gliding through space. Trees - now only a blur of green and brown - whipped past her. They were slicing through wind, and Alexandra was not enjoying.

The familiar, disturbing feeling of her body moving ahead, but her stomach trying to stay behind engulfed her. Mercury's head was slightly bent. He was staring ahead, unblinking, and speeding up with each passing second.

Not enjoying was still fine. But when the speck of in-motion black appeared in front of her, whom she recognized as Aunt Sabel immediately, Alexandra completely lost her spirit.

With Mark and Liam, a strange, secure confidence had gripped her. Alone... Alexandra felt vulnerable. She was not at all ready to face Aunt Sabel again. Somehow, whenever she faced her, Alexandra felt afraid. She almost felt as if somehow, she deserved all that suffering.

Just her stupid imagination. Alright, Alexandra could agree the Aunt had suffered. But she wasn't responsible for it - she hadn't even been born then. Still, Alexandra had half a mind to ask Mercury to slow down. To let Sabel escape. To let it all just be over - the simpler way.