Chapter 23: Hope

Luna POV:

She removed a white scarf from a random laundry line. "First, cover your head with this"

I covered my head with the scarf and followed her. She walked towards what seemed like a billboard and I followed her closely.

She gestured towards a poster on the board. And vividly imprinted on it was the cleanest replica of my face and side by side was an equally clear picture of Gabriel, with WANTED posted on it.

I wasn't surprised, just a bit scared. I had figured earlier that a lot of people were after me, despite not having any idea why. My poster amongst several other posters of scary-looking people.

"That's you, isn't it" She said

I nodded.

"They are offering a thousand quids for whoever captures you alive. That is a lot of money, a huge amount of money anyone would be willing to kill for"

I stumbled back in fear.

"Relax, I told you earlier. I'm not one of them" She said.

I heave a sigh of relief.

"What did you do to make the General want you this badly?" She asked.

She eyed suspiciously. "I could be harboring a dangerous criminal"

"No, I'm not I promise"

"So, what did you do? Are you a thief"

"No, I'm not I swear" I replied.

"So, what are you?"

"I did nothing?"

"Nothing?" She remarked with an arched brow. "Don't lie to me lady, the general won't offer a thousand quid for a woman who did nothing."

"Technically I don't know what I did, I woke up without a memory of my past. I have no idea why the General sought for my head."

She searched my face for traces of a lie

"You seem innocent and don't look like a woman capable of posing danger." She remarked. "Which is quite unfortunate for you, the bounty hunters won't care what you did or if you are capable of danger or not. You will be hunted down."

"I don't plan to stay here either" I replied

"They will find you regardless"

"I better hope they don't "

"Where are you headed" She asked.

"Hidden rain village"

"I'd advise you to turn back to where you came from. The road that leads to Hidden Rain Village is dangerous and treacherous. It's full of bandit and thieves, and bounty hunters. If you are not captured by bounty hunters, you are bound to run into bandits and thieves. You don't look like you can protect yourself, and traveling solo isn't helping your situation either. It will be best you head back if you care about your life." She said.

For a brief moment, I thought of letting everything go. I envisioned the life that awaited if I let everything go and went back to Gabriel. Perhaps the life I'm looking for is more painful than the one I already have. I had Gabriel now, and I wouldn't mind having him to myself forever. What I was looking for may destroy me and this was my last chance to back out of it. I imagined going back to tell Gabriel how I feel about him.

A smile found a way to my lips, but the joy was short-lived. I remember why I had left him in the first place. I am dangerous to be with and everyone who stayed by my side will their life always looking over their shoulder. I have brought nothing but death and chaos to his life since I set my eyes upon him. I already got him on a wanted poster, what else could I bring into his life? I had nothing to offer except to depend on him like a parasite and hoped he saved me from danger by risking his life, while I cowered like a coward

"I guess today must be their lucky day because I'm not turning back," I replied.

I covered my face properly with a scarf and walk in a direction.

"Lady, that isn't the way to Hidden Village." She said and pointed in the opposite direction. "It's this way"

"You won't survive alone" She sighed.

"I guess I have to figure a way out too" I replied.

I started walking towards a new direction.

"What is so important in Hidden Rain Village you have to risk your life for"

"Everything, Who I am, what I was, where have been."

"I don't think the Hidden Rain Village is capable of doing that"

"No, I have to find the secret underground forge, it has clues on how to regain my memory."

"The secret underground Forge? The one that doesn't exist?" She asked.

"Yes, that!"

"Sorry lady, I don't know who you told this load of nonsense, but like I spelled out earlier, it doesn't exist."

"Gabriel told me it does, I'm sure it does. He wouldn't lie to me."

"You are risking your life for what someone said"

"He isn't just anyone. You wouldn't understand" I added.

"You could end up dead"

"That is a risk, I'm willing to take."

"You are either the most optimistic human or the most foolish. Could be both."

"Do you know what it feels like to not remember a thing about yourself? It's like standing in front of a shattered mirror, searching for fragments of a reflection that once held my identity. Each shard, is a piece of your life, but they slip through my grasp like grains of sand. The harder you try to remember, the further it slips away. You long to recapture the forgotten moments, the faces, the laughter, but they elude you like wisps of smoke in the wind. It worsens when you are being hunted down like a criminal despite not having a clue of what you did or whom you hurt. I could be anything from a petty thief to a vicious criminal or an innocent woman who's being hunted down unfairly."

"Yes, like I said, you wouldn't understand. My choice of decision may seem foolish, but I'm willing to lose my life to find out who I am."

She stared at me blankly for a long time.

"I'm heading to Hidden Sound Village, the path cuts right across Hidden Rain Village. You can travel with me, I will protect you, but I won't take responsibility for whatever disappointment."

"No" I replied.

"No? Is that a way of saying Thank you where you are from?" She asked with an arched brow.

"No, I don't want you to accompany me."

"You are turning down help. Are you naive?"

"I would have loved to take your help. But I'm a danger to be with, your life would be in danger the moment you decide to help me. You seem like a nice woman and it would be inherently selfish to keep by your side despite knowing the danger I pose to those around me."

She chuckled softly and started to move menacingly towards me.

"You are foolish but adorable. In case you haven't noticed young lady, I am a danger myself. You pose no greater danger to me than the one I already am."

"So, it will be smart of you to follow me, before I change my mind" She walked past me and bumped her shoulder slightly against mine.

"Wait! You haven't told me your name"

"My name is Isabella. What is yours?"

"Luna."

"Luna? Quite a strange name. Well, Luna, it's a pleasure to meet you. We should go, before this low lives start swarming in like flies."

"And oh', I almost forgot," She added.

She went back to the big man still sprawled on the floor. She rubbed his body and brought out a pouch filled with money.

"Wait! you are robbing him? That's bad." I remarked

She laughed sonorously.

"I'm sure, he stole it too. We are simply borrowing it"

"That doesn't make it right"

"Too bad I'm not trying to do the right.