Chapter 69

“How about we leave now?" Harry asserted. Oblivious to the fact that Anna was trying to make him feel better. “We can try again, maybe we won't end up in White Mountain?”

Anna knew he was working on distracting her by suggesting to travel back. If he needs time to open up his heart further, then she will give him enough chances to contemplate his feelings. She realized it had hurt him so and she doesn't want him to feel even more obliged to confiding her everything.

“That's a good idea, should we sleep here?”

“Yes, that will do, let's try here, Nathaniel is the nodders device fixed yet?” Asked Harry.

“Not yet dude, maybe a couple of an hour or more, for now, we should seek the conventional way.” he explained, glancing at Anna, “are you sure about this Anna?" Asked Mr. Faiz who suddenly woke up from his power nap.

“Yes, Mr. Faiz, we have to try. My friends need me.”

“Okay then, let's start. You two, hurry up.”

“So Harry, let me get this straight, you’re willing to travel again?” Anna added, glancing at Harry as he turned his head to the side, brushing his hair away from his high cheekbones, framing his eyes. She sat her teacup onto the coffee table and leaned forward to study him.

"Yes, I wouldn't let you go alone and you know that."

“Okay that settles then, ...well now that’s noted. I’m going to freshen up first.” Anna said, standing up from her spot on the floor. She ran her hands through her hair and it stuck in clumps, the paths of her fingers still visible right down to the scalp. Perhaps it was time for a wash, after all, there was only so much the cologne could mask anyway. 

She looked around at the men and covered her mouth as she fought back a yawn. This day had been long. The adrenaline was finally wearing off. She placed her teacup on the plate and started picking up the empty ones from the coffee table. Her shoulders rigid and unbearable still, she turned ready to take the painting back to the wall. However, Nathaniel volunteers to hang it himself.

“Thank you,” Anna said, looking up at him with wide eyes. She was used to doing things herself. It was strange to have three men offer to help her in one day. "Wait, Mr. Faiz, how about my job, I don't want to end up jobless you know." She asked.

"Don't worry about it, it's been covered, Ashley was back." Me. Faiz replied as he turned towards the door and Nathaniel followed him.

After her needed d bath, Anna set herself down as she lay in the bed. Covering her mouth as she yawned again. After cleaning up their mess Nathaniel made his way to the hallway to get some books for his entertainment. He would have to make do with the extra chair in the edge, although he was pretty sure he wasn’t up for sharing their bed. Trying to hold in a giggle at the thought. He grabbed several quilts and sat them on the bench in the corner before heading back towards the closet to grab them some more pillows.

Five minutes later.

*****

Fairyland

They landed near the woodland forest, it was just before dawn, and as the sun rose behind the cliff both were treated to the sight of a dark orange sky, shadow roaming across the clouds and peaks below them.

As the sunlight appeared over the summit, Anna realized that they were on the very edge of a snowstorm that chased them down the mountain of woodland. The air became alive with tiny iridescent needles of ice, too small to see unless the sunlight hit them but then reflecting a rainbow of colors. Walking past the woods, they could feel the chilly breeze flying past them. The snow falling on her face brings a smile to her face. The breath of fresh air gives her a certain sense of calm. Yet, the eerie stillness broken by the synchronized howling of animals reminds her they weren't alone. 

After an hour, they went towards the sounds of the clanking of the sword behind their previous camp, both knew what lies ahead. They watched the soldiers on the clearing behind the castle grounds where Jerome and some of his remaining men were running away from them. She drew a glance towards Jerome, who was fighting with two mercenaries at the same time. 

Jerome's palms were clammy and the adrenaline flowing through his system was shutting down his ability to think logically. He wanted to run or beat the living daylights out of them, either would do. He wanted to change into his wolf but could not. He knew a witch was nearby. Casting a spell to suppress their wolves. Yet his tension grew in his face and limbs, his mind replaying the last attack. His breathing became hastier, more superficial. In these moments before his storm. His thoughts were speeding inside his head. He wanted them to slow so he could inhale and exhale but he couldn't. His breaths come in gasps and he feels like he will lose consciousness, finally, he swung his sword as hard as he could, killing his enemies in one swing.

Meanwhile, Anna and Harry both picked up a sword from the wounded before Lord Colton's soldiers noticed their abrupt appearance. 

"Jerome, where is Lady Maria?" Anna shouted as she swung her sword at the nearest soldier, carving his shield as her opponent parried his blow evading her thrust and as carelessly countered back with a sharp thrust with his sword, she hastily boots him in the abdomen then swiveled her sword into his neck severing it from his body. Nonetheless, the blows propelled her and she crashed into the tree. Leaning, she stood up but fell over, blood flowing from the seams in her shirt. She then promptly threw herself at the other soldiers with reckless regard; “Shit!” She snarled, jumping back to recover. 

"I sent her away with the villagers," Jerome shouted back. He notices that today was the first day of winter and it comes as a robin's whisper, with the dance of birdsong notes and the faintest of carefree scents, yet the sound of anguish and fear surrounds them. The cries of the fallen and the clanking of swords overlay the sounds of birds from the distance unaware of the carnage. The newly clothed trees rose as white beings in that wintry landscape, for the grey clouds had left a bounty of snow, the sunlight bringing radiance to the snow that reflected upon Jerome's soul. But he was thankful that Anna was alive, however, he had hundreds of questions.

"Tell her, we couldn't stay longer but we will be back. We have a slight problem on the other side ." Anna answered back as she lunged forward, quickly sprinting towards the enemy and coming closer, then jabbing out her blade in an attempt to thrust them together, her reflex kicked in and ducked forward, the soldier tried to sever her legs but her sword clanged it. She darted at the one with one eye, but his attacks were beginning to weaken, so Anna adjusted her grip on her sword and swung it hard. Impatience being her greatest enemy with the making brisk punch in turning the assault back on the next one with two quick, precise thrusts and after just a few seconds of such vicious combat, both parties were in fairly bad shape, and not very eager to keep going. Both were aware of the damage - Anna can feel the cartilage of her nose crunch - but she was separated from it as if she were invisible.

"Jerome, I want you to know, we didn't abandon you," Anna shouted again, "and your men" she hoped he could hear her as she was breathless, gasping for air into her lungs. Yet, time seems to slow to a crawl and seems like her body floats like some plaything flung in slow motion - until she could feel herself dripping with sweat but her opponent wasn't down yet. Though he too was dripping with sweat. She couldn't feel her arms anymore from all of the wounds, but she has to defeat them no matter what.

Harry cold calculation of the aggressive soldier was difficult to imagine, the moment when the advantage was spotted, seized, and gained, and the ferocious deed was done, he was overriding every moral teaching and every shred of common sense, that had summoned to grab someone and hit them with his untrained sword-swinging, repeatedly, as hard, as fast, and deliberately as possible.

Suddenly, Harry was staggering and slumping, the full sensation of throbbing distress, dizziness was on his verge of vision, it flooded in on him in a way that almost overloads his brain. Meanwhile, yet another punch was being landed, and another, until he was just bouncing helplessly between surreal enough sensation and too much blade vibration. He was confused. And suffocating. A powerful spell cast on them.

Once again, although the whole thing plays out with dizzying speed, for Harry and Anna who were immersed in the fight, time seems to slow down to a crawl - probably a process of the brain flying into analytical overdrive to try to help them process and survive. "Harry, are you okay?" Asked Anna.

"Bloody not, magic. A powerful one." Harry answered, he staggered back, not knowing where she had gone. Anna bumped him and they both turned around. Then suddenly they were both gone. Vanished like they weren't there in the first place. 

Jerome thought that there was the kind of intoxication that shuts the soul down and the kind that wakes it up. With Anna, she was in a soul-coffin, as shut down as a person can be and still breathing. With her, the intoxication brings every fiber of his soul to a state of aliveness he never knew was possible. However, their disappearance again was making him feel uncomfortable, it seems like Anna was fighting for something, something he and Lady Maria couldn't help.

He wished them good luck and he shall wait for their return. But for now, he needed to finish this fight and call for help.

*****