Anna reached out and hugged her friend. The pain on Cassandra's face was such a vivid thing; it was almost as if Anna was experiencing it herself.
"I am so sorry Cassie" she whispered. "Come on, lets get you back to the hospital… maybe talking to someone will help."
Cassandra simply nodded, she had nothing left inside her. No feeling other than despair. When Anna took her hand, and started pulling her back towards the pathway, she did nothing, but simply allowed herself to be pulled along like a child.
The pair had taken half a dozen steps when from the woods to the right came the sound of heavy footsteps through the underbrush. Cassandra's head snapped up, as she watched the spot with weary eyes. 'How much more could she take?' She wondered even as her traitorous heart picked up speed.
Surprised that Anna had not yet tugged on her hand and forced her to resume their march, she risked a glance at her friend. She too was staring at the spot in the woods from where the sound was coming from. They didn't have to wait long, within minutes; a figure could be seen making their way through the thick woods towards them. A figure …. In a red coat.
"William?" Cassandra whispered unable to believe her eyes. She dropped Anna's hand and took a step towards the figure before calling out again, more loudly this time; "William?"
The man's head came up instantly, and Cassandra's heart stopped. Ignoring Anna's shocked gasp, and the pain in her ankle, Cassandra sprinted towards the man. He was bruised, and bleeding, but otherwise looked no worse for wear. He opened his arms the exact instant that Cassandra leaped into them.
"Cassandra!" he said excitedly. "My word, love, I never thought I'd set eyes on you again!"
Cassandra brought her hand up, stroking his face from chin to jaw. "You're here! You followed me! But how?"
"That day on the battlefield, I saw you riding into the thick of it, and suddenly, I knew nothing else mattered. So long as I lived, nothing would matter more to me than you. When your horse misjudged its jump, and you were launched into the air, my world stopped. I didn't think twice, I didn't look back. I changed course, and I went for you. It was a struggle, getting to you, and then getting you onto my horse and away from the battle. I brought you back here, but we got caught in a storm. I couldn't see, so I dismounted and laid you down as gently as I could before I set off to find help. When I came back, you were gone. I searched and searched, until I came here" his eyes left hers to scan the ruins of their old home. "And I realized that you had been telling the truth all along. I thought I had somehow left you behind….."
William's sentence was cut off as Cassandra's lips captured his, pressing herself to him so tightly, it made her ribs ache. At the sound of a soft cough, Cassandra turned her head and smiled at her friend who was standing there, a mixture of shock and disbelief clear on her face.
"Anna?" she said with a smile. "There is someone I'd like you to meet. This" she said gesturing towards the man beside her, "Is my husband. William Tavington."