THROUGH TIME CHAPTER 13
I hold my breath having my gaze on the little prey, my bow pointing towards this, there was no way to escape nor mistakes, my angle shot and position were perfect. I let go the arrow in a perfect shot and I could hear how this one cut the air, but for some reason the arrow didn’t hit my target falling some centimeters away, alarming this one and allowing its escape.
I sighed in frustration throwing away my bow as far as I could, I’ve been trying to hunt something all the morning, but with this one it was the fifth target that I fail, since I have memory of me hunting I have never failed so much times in a same day. And is that in the moment where I had to have my mind blank, so I could concentrate all my attention in my target, Rena’s face came up in the back of my mind like a shadow that never goes.
Rena had left the castle this morning, the only thing that she left back was a little note giving the thanks and the request to not follow her, and just like that she disappear without any explanation and it haven’t passed not even 12 hours since she left but I could already feel the emptiness that I hadn’t feel since she came.
Not even hunting couldn’t make Rena go away from my thoughts, does this mean that I would never see her again, the mere thought make my heart ache, maybe my destiny was being alone. A lot of questions came up to my mind, ´should I go after her?’ but she asked not to, ´is she ok?’ ´would she be too far?’ ´Could have I done something to prevent this?’ ´Did I do something wrong’ more and more questions came up but not a single answer.
I went back to the castle giving up to the idea of hunting something this day, in fact that only made my thoughts travel to the same person all the time, who no more than 24 made my day better but now she is gone she left behind a completely mess.
Being still really early in the morning I went to the kitchen, although I didn’t had appetite, I would look for a simple thing. When I entered to the room I could felt the tension in the air, and how Rena’s presence was needed to light up the place. No one said nothing nor came up with the topic, even though everybody already knew it. Even the little argues between me and Yuki stopped. Even so I could feel her gaze over me all the time even Aiko’s, like waiting something from me
“Won’t you go after her?” Yuki broke the thick silence, that was what I’ve been asking myself all the morning, but there was something that was stopping me and I always used the same excuse.
“She asked not to, so I will respect her decision” I heard Aiko sighting at the bottom of the kitchen with my reply, it has been some time since I sense that Yuki and Aiko knew something that I don’t, but in fact in this moment I don’t really care anymore.
I got out from the place without having eaten more than a simple apple and I went to my office, it feels like my boring and simple life came back again, and I hope that at least some numbers could Rena go away from my mind a little bit.
And how wrong I was… again, being in this place only bring her memories back, how she distracted me with commentaries or with casual discussion that had nothing to do with work, the long minutes the I could spent only staring at her without getting tire of her beauty, remembering every expression and features.
The memories from the past day reply on my mind, how dazzling she looked with the slight breeze brushing her hair, seeing her giving her all to learn how to ride a horse, and the free and good that I felt talk to her for hours about thing without sense or just enjoying her company.
If I had known in that moment that I would be the last time that I saw her and that I’ve been feeling this way I had do something, I would have hold her tight to make sure that she would not go, I would ask her to stay with me and I would tell her that the truth is that I… and there was again, the barrier that didn’t allow my thoughts to continue from this point. What would I have tell her, what is the truth that I want her to know.
“Could you please stop sighting all the time, is annoying” Paruru complained, she was the only one that hadn’t mention something about Rena, and that was something I really appreciate.
“I am sorry, I’m a little distracted today” I gave her my apologies, accepting that couldn’t take Rena out from my mind.
“You know, you should stop being so coward” She told me without notice, there was no need for me to ask what was she referring to, I knew exactly what she wanted to say with that.
“Now you too come with that, give me a break” I answered tiredly.
“I won’t tell you anything more, I can’t decide for you”
“I would go out for some air” It looks like everyone had agreed to be against me today, everyone were expecting something from me, even a part of me were waiting for me to do something, but the again it was this other part of me that was holding me back, something got me in chains and didn’t allow me to go out running after Rena.
After walk around the castle like a soul without direction, I went back to the room. When I entered there Yui was there too, when I saw her, her words came back to my mind like giving me clues. Fear, is that what is stopping me, but fear to what and why.
Suddenly the door opened again and Yuki was the person who came into this time, Peruru Yui and Yuki share what I can describe like a conspiratorial gaze with each other, I already knew what was coming and if I’ve been avoiding it all day, I knew that this time was going to be different, this time I wouldn’t be able to escape from their gaze.
“What is what you all want, I have a lot work to do, so if y-“Yuki stopped my words throwing aside all the sheets of paper and more things that I had in the desk, making a huge bang take place in the room.
“I am already done with you, stop being this coward and go after Rena” She screamed at me, I sigh trying to keep the composure, I hadn’t the desire to fight in
this moment.
“I won’t argue with you about this anymore” I got up from my place to get out from the the room, but was Yui who stopped my tracks.
“Do you remember what I told you? Are you really going to let her go?”
“No… I don’t want to let her go, but I just can’t do it. I am afraid and I don’t know why” Finally I let out my true feelings, only Yui can have this power over people that allows them to say what they really think.
“You are afraid that you might lose her like you lose Mayu, you are afraid to fall in love again and go through that pain again” Declared Paruru who had been in silence until now, reading me perfectly and putting in words what I couldn’t.
And that’s the true, Mayu and the pain that she left, that was what was holding me like a curse, I didn’t want to go through that again and yes, I was afraid to fall in love again, that’s why it was easier to let go Rena, like that I would stay away from the danger.
“Then? You haven’t change your mind yet? Would you allow her to spend the night outside, you know too well how danger it is outside the city” Asked Yuki for the last time, because I knew that she wouldn’t try anymore. I didn’t answer anything having a battle with my own feelings inside me, trying to decide what I should do.
“Fine, I’m done waiting for you to do something, if you don’t go will, I won’t allow Rena to spend the night outside” Final announced Yuki. I already took my decision.
“You won’t go anywhere” I raised my voice to make her stop her tracks “Because ‘it’s going to be me the one go goes after her” it was decided, I won’t let Rena go, she came to my life when I most needed her, I am tired to feeling alone, so I won’t let this feeling vanish without doing something, not this time.
Yui, Yuki and Paruru smiled with relief, I will have to thank them, because if it wasn’t for them I would still be blind and stuck in my debuts.
“By the way Jurina, maybe I told Rena something like I were your secret lover, well about that… I am really sorry I went too far” Confessed Paruru with true shame and regret in her tone. That explains a lot of things now.
“We will talk about that later, in this moment a have something more important to do” I didn’t want to lose more time, I wanted to see Rena and I wanted it now.
I was running with all my might, taking my body to the limits, I was feeling how a fire was growing inside of me, making my heart beat wildly, and not because I was running, it was a different feeling, even different from what I felt for Mayu, it felt even bigger, so much that I couldn’t hold it back.
Even though I was still scared, love was frightened, but it doesn’t stop me anymore, I was willing to go through all that if it’s for Rena, this time I’ll do it right and I won’t let go the person that I love so easy, because that is what the butterflies in the stomach and the stupid smiles means, and I am not afraid to accepted it anymore.
“I AM IN LOVE WITH RENA” I screamed with all my might, finally letting those feeling to take control all over me.
I rode on the horse as fast as I could, Rena couldn’t be so far, knowing her unathletic person and the fact that she didn’t took a horse with her, she could only have made it to the first town, knowing how dangerous this one is make me want go even faster, if I keep this speed which is beyond the safe one, probably I would
made it when the sun is already gone. I just hope to do it on time and that she is safe.
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My feet were hurting for all the walking, and evening was already falling, I’ve been walking all the day without aimlessly. The only information that I could get in the time that I were in the castle about someone that maybe knows what was happening to me was just a name, Yokoyama Yui, sometimes I overheard Yuki’s conversation with Aiko about this strange woman, and it lookd like she exactly what I am looking for, but the thing is that I don’t know where start my search.
While I was walking, sometimes I couldn’t helped but to look back once and once again, unconsciously whiling to see Jurina at my back, asking me that please stay with her, but of course that would never happen, after all it was already time for the people in the castle to know about my departure, and even if I left a note asking to not follow me I know that it wasn’t necessary, Jurina won’t come for me.
I wonder if she took breakfast properly, after all she doesn’t take care of her own body like she should, and if she could finish with all the work without overworking herself. I feel a little bit guilty, because I didn’t finish my part and that suppose more work for Jurina.
Even if one of the reasons that I left the castle was to forget about Jurina, I didn’t seem to be easy at all, because my heart was refusing to let her go that simple.
Finally, after walking what felt like an eternity, I started to distinguish what I could define as a little town, but everything seems dirty and destroy, and not too much people were seen walking around, the place has a gloomy and creepy aura, completely different from what the city of the castle has. In fact the little people around were different too, all them seem like criminals with dirty clothes and scars all over their faces.
The truth is that I didn’t want to spend the night in this place, I hadn’t more options since I don’t know how far the other town maybe is, and it’s getting dark already.
Walking around the place I found what looks like a hostel, but like the rest of the buildings in the town its appearance was wasted. I sigh looking and accepting the place where I would have to spend the night, I just hope that the money is enough, in the rush when I got out from the castle I didn’t think about that, and the little that I bring with me I already spent the half in food and water. But I guess that it can’t be expensive judging the way it looks.
I went into the place and indeed it was like I imagined, it was completely empty and kind of dark. There were a couple of coach but those were full of dust, in the corner I saw the counter and ringing the little bell I waited until someone to appear. I froze on my place when from a door got out the same drunk men from the city. I struggled internally if I should get out from here or not, but I reached the conclusion that it’s better here than in the streets, even if both sound dangerous at least here I would have a bed.
“What do you want?” He asked contemptuously, it looks like he didn’t remember me, or at least he was pretending not to.
“I would like a room please”
“It cost 7 gold coins” I opened my eyes in shock hearing the ridiculous cost, and effectively I only had 5 coins.
“Can’t you leave to me a little bit cheaper?”
“Aren’t you a prince’s friend, you should have a lot of money, don’t you” After all he did remember me, but that’s a point for me because I knew that he likes me.
“Not really it was the first time I saw her, then can’t you leave it cheaper?” Why couldn’t be this secure when I talked to Jurina, just like the Rena that I was in XXI century.
The man looked at me from head to toe with that disgusting glare, I hated do this, but what another option I had.
“Sure, if it’s for a beauty like you” Bingo, I gave me the keys for a room in the second floor, and without losing more time I went straight to the room.
I was really tired, and the room wasn’t that bad as I thought, I wanted to go to bed as soon as possible. When I was about to fall sleep the sound of the door woke me up, I alert when I saw the same men coming in, and for the way he looked at me I knew that I was in danger.
“Do you need something?” I asked
“You shouldn’t have come here beauty” I couldn’t say nor do anything more because he rushed towards me, and even if I struggled with all my strength to take him off of my, he was clearly stronger. It doesn’t matter how much I screamed for help, no one would come, even though I was waiting for someone to rescue me, waiting for Jurina to rescue me.
When the men was about to rip off my dress the door opened sharply, making the men freeze and my breathing stopped when I saw the person that changed my whole world, and the only one that make my heart race and my face blush standing there, it was like if all my pleads had reach Jurina who was standing there with bated breath like she had just run a marathon, she was again in front of me, saving me again and again, and being be my side when I needed her. When I saw I knew that there was no way back, I already passed the point of no return to long ago, I was fully and completely in love with Jurina.