About a week later the three were walking through a small clearing when Corinne stopped
"Something about this is familiar." she looked around "I just can't place it. Something happened here."
Liana walked over to where she was "What?" just then, she squealed slightly as the ground beneath her gave way and she fell into a well.
Corinne looked down at the hole that was six inches away from her feet "That was it." she dropped to her knees and peered down into the hole "Liana? Are you okay?"
"I think so." Liana answered.
Corinne sighed with relief "Thank goodness you didn't..." she was cut off by a sharp gasp.
"I think I sprained my ankle!" Liana called up.
"Great." Corinne rubbed her forehead "How are we going to get her up?"
Jeremy pulled a coil of rope off of his horse's saddle "How about this?"
"Why didn't you mention that before she fell?" Corinne asked with a slight tease.
Jeremy formed a loop at one end and secured it "A rope's coming down, Liana."
"Okay."
Corinne watched as he lowered the rope "You really like her, don't you?" she asked quietly.
Jeremy glanced at her then nodded slowly "More than anything."
"I've got it!" Liana called.
"Alright." Jeremy hooked the other end of the rope around the saddle, just so there was no chance they'd accidentally lose hold of it "Ready?"
"Ready."
Corinne nodded, then began to lead the horse away.
As soon as Liana was close enough to the top, Jeremy pulled her out and sat her gently in the grass "Are you okay?"
Liana nodded "Except for my left ankle."
Corinne dropped to her knees and examined the foot closely "Yep. It's sprained. You're going to have to ride Jeremy's horse the rest of the way."
"How did you know that well was there?" Jeremy asked as he picked Liana up off the ground and carried her over to his horse "I mean, after Liana fell into it... or before..."
Corinne tittered slightly "Um... I've fallen in it before. And every other hole in France, Italy and Germany." then she smiled "And I know exactly where we are!" she jumped in excitement "Paris isn't too far away! We'll be there before sundown!" she shrugged "Quicker if we all had a horse to ride, but... Come on!"
Then they started back down the road.
A couple of hours later, Corinne was basically skipping down the road. She just hoped that they weren't too late.
She looked over at her companions and noticed Jeremy glance up at Liana, then at Corinne, then at his feet.
"Uh..." Corinne smiled "I'm... going to go see if anything looks more familiar. You know... to judge how close we are." then she ran off.
Jeremy stared after her "How did she guess I wanted a few moments alone with Liana?" but now that he had it, he wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Mind if I get down?" Liana asked "I need to stretch."
Jeremy quickly helped her dismount "Just try not to put too much pressure on your left foot."
Liana nodded "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you follow us?" she looked up at him "Did you not trust me, or something?"
"No! It's nothing like that." Jeremy said quickly "I... just wanted to make sure you didn't get hurt."
Liana couldn't help but smile "You were worried?"
"Well, considering I found you hanging over the edge of a rock structure hundreds of feet above a dried river bed, I think I had a right to be."
"But you came without Ian. I thought you never went anywhere without him."
"He chose to stay behind." Jeremy shrugged "I wasn't going to let him keep me from coming."
"Why?" Liana stared at him. Her blue eyes tormented him beyond compare.
"Because I... I love you." Jeremy finally said.
Liana's eyes widened "Really?"
"Yes." Jeremy looked away from her "Have for a long time."
Liana laughed softly "I love you too, Jeremy."
Jeremy's head snapped back in her direction "Really?"
"Really."
He stepped over to her then very quickly, before he lost his nerve to do it, leaned down and kissed her.
Corinne laughed slightly as she turned away from the scene "Sooooo cute." she waited till Liana was back on the horse before she returned to the others "Come on."
Liana stared at the other blond for a long moment and noticed that her eyes were sparkling uncontrollably "Corinne."
"Hm?" Corinne flashed Liana a wide smile, then continued walking.
"Yep." Liana thought "She was watching."
Thirty minutes later, they came to the top of a hill.
"I definitely know this place!" Corinne looked around happily "Over there is a collapsed burnt cabin. We're so close!"
"And there is no way that horse is real." Jeremy breathed.
Corinne followed his gaze to where a horse was standing about fifty yards away. The sun reflected off of her mane, giving it a golden glow.
Corinne shook her head "She has a tendency to show off." then she whistled "Come here, Victory!"
"You know that horse?" Liana asked in shock.
"Yeah. She was Louis' mother's horse before she died." Corinne answered "Plus, that horse saved my life. No one can ride her... except for me and Louis."
"Ah."
When the horse reached them, Corinne ran her hand up it's forehead "Hey, Girl. Give me a ride back to Paris?"
Golden Victory nodded then turned so her side was facing the girl.
Corinne turned to face Liana and Jeremy "Thank you so much. I never could have gotten here without you."
Liana's face suddenly registered that this was where they were saying goodbye. She slid down from the saddle "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
Corinne nodded "We're in France. And Paris is right over that hill." she pointed in the direction "It doesn't sound like there's any chaos going on, so I've still got time to get there and warn everyone. Those guys are probably heading straight for Paris, so you shouldn't have any trouble. And, you've still got enough money from the Inn to pay a couple of ship fares."
Liana nodded slowly "Oh." she looked down at the ground as she slowly walked over to the other blond "You know, I was thinking. We had the same dream that one night. I saw a lady pick a child up out of a cradle, and that was you. What if we really are sisters?"
Corinne swallowed a lump that was forming in her throat "Then we'd still be saying good bye. You have to go back to Alexa. And I... I belong in Paris."
Liana nodded "Yeah. Maybe it's better if we never know for sure."
"Maybe." the two girls quickly hugged, both holding back tears that were threatening to fall "You'd better go." Liana whispered.
Corinne nodded as she pulled back "Yeah." she walked over to Victory, then took a deep breath and mounted. Then she turned the horse towards Paris "Don't look back." she said to herself "Don't look back."
Liana slowly walked towards Jeremy's horse "Don't look back." she thought "Don't look..." she suddenly spun around. And stared after Corinne. What if...
(They are back in Paris!... and saying good bye. Forever! I'm sure you noticed that the horse is from one of my other stories 'Golden Victory'. Well. Thanks for all the Reviews, favs and follows! This story will be coming to an end soon. I'm predicting two more chapters and an Epilogue. Laterz! Oh yeah, Mariposa is next!)
