I apologize for the delay but I have a reason. I traveled for a few days and there was no internet. Sorry. I also want to thank the support and hope not to disappoint with this and the next chapters. And sorry for the mistakes in the preview chapters.
Now, enjoy this chapter...

Chapter 7

Elissa couldn't stop shaking, her entire body shivered with cold. She was trying to control her body but couldn't...

They were in a farm which they found with great luck, the people have been kind and gave Elissa and Alyn shelter. When Alyn knocked on the door of the small house he found a woman with a warm smile on her face that rushed them to come into the house, after seeing the state of Elissa, she began to make tea. Now, Alyn put a piece of wet cloth on Elissa's forehead in an attempt to cut the fever that she had. He knew from the beginning that her body wasn't ready to make a trip but she insisted, have caught the rain didn't help the weak body of the Princess. The fever wasn't high and that he could tell but what worried him was to keep her body warm and all her clothes were wet, she needed to wait for the clothes to dry in order to warm up her body but... The horses were at the small stale; the farmer was kind and put them in the stable in order to rest.

"I'm fine Alyn..." Elissa was lying on the small couch that was in front of the fire that lit up the room.

"I shouldn't have heard your pleas..." he was tired but couldn't sleep even if he wanted. Alyn have to watch Elissa, he was expecting that with the new day she was better. He could tell that the fever was not very high so she would be better in the next day.

Elissa smiled.

"I would have done it without your help"

"For knowing that I came..."

Elissa tried to relax but couldn't. The lady approached with a friendly smile and a cup of tea.

"Drink" The delicate fingers of the woman involved her, handing her a cup of tea.

"What is it?" Elissa pulled the wet cloth that was on her forehead and leaned on one elbow.

"It is a tea with healing herbs. The only thing you need to know is that will make you feel better" Elissa looked at the liquid.

"Milady, please drink" Alyn pushed the cup to the lips of Elissa and she nodded slightly. The smell of the tea was amazing. When she felt the liquid down her throat Elissa felt the hot and sweet tea, smooth. She had the feeling that the tea contained a few drops of honey and when she drinks it she felt her body less heavy. Elissa felt the delicate hand resting on her forehead and found herself asking the lady's name. The woman was small and frail but moved with great grace.

"Maria... You need rest; you will feel better when you awake up."

"Maria, our guest is feeling better?" the farmer approached.

"You will feel better if you remove the wet clothes... I think I have some that might serve to you." Maria disappeared to return later with simple clothes to replace the wet. Alyn and the farmer left the room and with some help Elissa changed the clothes. At the moment she rested on the couch she sighed and Maria smiled tenderly.

"Thank you"

The two men entered the room when someone knocks on the door, the rain could still be heard.

The farmer opened the door.

"Sorry, I saw you're light and..." Elissa's heart stopped at that moment when she heard the unmistakable voice of her beloved sister. But what she was doing here so far from Cloister and with no one to protect her?

"You can enter; this storm will not end so soon, beyond that you will not find any shelter close by..." Alyn rose offering where he was seated and approached Elissa putting his hand to her warm forehead.

Isabelle enters with a smile. With the grace that Elissa saw on the woman, Maria approached Isabelle with a cup of tea. When the eyes of Isabelle found her sister in the couch she almost froze, she always thought that Elissa wasn't dead and now couldn't believe she was here.

"Elissa?" Her voice was weak; she could feel tears formed in her eyes. Isabelle couch beside Elissa

Isabelle's body convulsed with each sob that was heard. It was her sister who was in front of her, it was Elissa, the one that everyone thought was dead and Isabelle could never share that thought. She always felt in her heart that somewhere, somehow she was alive. Elissa opened her eyes and tried to hug her sister, with that movement Isabelle bury her face in Elissa's black hair. She could feel the gentle touch of her sister.

"Elissa..." Elisa kissed her wet forehead and with the small gesture Isabelle could feel the warmth of her sister's body. How much she miss her? Isabelle couldn't tell...

Elissa's fingers stroked the hair of Isabelle quietly as she moved away from her body. Even having set away a little Isabelle couldn't undo the embrace for fear of being just one more dream. She didn't want to be disappointed again by dreams that once she awoke always find sadness and disappointment...

"I'm here...Forgive me..." Elissa Apologized for not being at her side, apologized for make her think that she died and made her suffer for her supposed death...

"I always thought you were alive, I never gave up on you..." Elissa smiled with that statement "But why didn't you say something? Why didn't you send a message?" Isabelle throat was tight as Elissa. She was afraid to talk...

"In the beginning Princess Elissa found herself very ill. She was very close to death... Later, she improved and then we send a message to Cloister stating that Elissa was well and alive"

"Princess?" the voice of disbelief was heard in the room. Maria couldn't believe, her husband couldn't believe.

"But I was not informed of any message; I believe that we received none..." Isabelle's gaze was thoughtful "Who are you?"

"Alyn. He found my body and saved my life... I'm grateful for that"

"Thank you, milady" the smile that graced the face of Alyn could not be greater and prouder.

"What happened, what happened?" Elissa's gaze became distant as she stared into the flames. Every time she tries to remember what happened, she couldn't and only one person could clarify her mind in that field. Only one person could tell her what happened that night.

"I don't know... I don't remember..."

Maria approaches both.

"Princess or not she still needs rest."

Isabelle smiled and muttered an apology to her sister, she could see that Elissa was tired. Well, she was too. Maria came and took the cup of tea from Isabelle. Elissa could feel her body heavy and feverish. Alyn saw Elissa effort to stay awake.

"Don't worry milady, when you awake up you still can talk to your sister." she smiled and close her eyes.

When she knew that Elissa sleep, immediately Isabelle looked to Alyn with a worried look.

"Is she Okay?"

"Her body is still weak and she wasn't prepared to make any trip..."

"But she insisted, right?" Alyn nodded with amused. Isabelle looked at the house owners "I'm grateful for your help... I don't know what to say"

"Milady, you don't have to say any word." The farmer smiled with kind.

"It will be better to remove those wet clothes"

After drying and Mary and her husband go to rest, Alyn remained with Isabelle as he told her everything that had happened to Elissa since he found her. Isabelle knew that she had time to hear from her sister what had happened but apparently Elissa just remembered what had happened since she woke up in the bed of a room at Monastery, as Alyn told. He could see her sister's forehead scar, one of the witnesses to what happen.

Elissa awoke without breath, in the entrance of the house shadows of men were visible, and scared she cried with fear, almost uncontrollable. It was hard to know who it was in the light of the sun that was blinding her vision. Isabelle put her hand on her sister's shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"Elissa, it's alright..."

The men approach and slowly entered the house followed by the farmer, when she saw who they were, Elissa couldn't stop smiling. Quickly she rose and approached Elmont, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a hug. The men around them cheered with happiness, it was hard to believe that the Princess Elissa was there with them.

Elmont gasp for air when her arms wound is neck, pulling him closer. She was so real, he was having a hard time to believe she was there, in front of him. Her black hair was blurring his vision, the smell of her made his heart pound. He couldn't believe in his eyes. When she pulled away a blush was working its way to her cheeks because of the impulsiveness of her actions. They locked in each other. It was hard for him to believe his eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted when Roderick broke the hug that linked her to Elmont. The smile that appeared on his lips died quickly when he saw Roderick. He had to look away...

"Elissa is alive I knew..." Isabelle's voice was heard, she didn't lose the sadness that appeared in Elmont's eyes when he saw Roderick hugging Elissa.

"We were looking for you Princess Isabelle..."

"Elmont, I'm really sorry to have worried you but I had to..." He smiled at Isabelle; he could understand it and was grateful, somehow. His heart burst into frenzied gallop when Elissa hugged him, he worried that the sound would be heard by all his companions... He was afraid she was not there, that was only a dream... Elmont looked to Elissa and at great cost he contained the suffering and joy he felt, contained the jealousy of see her in the arms of Lord Roderick, contained all the emotions that he felt for her.

Elissa moved away from the embrace of Roderick and sustained his gaze with great effort, Roderick exuded the confidence of a winner. His smile was directed to Elmont. As concerned Elissa he believed she was, and always would be his property and nothing could change that fact, certainly his engagement with her would be resumed. When she steps away from Roderick, Elissa saw Crawe that bowed slightly and she smiles to him.

"How?" The question filled the air without knowing who ask; Alyn who stood in a corner of the house came up, revealing to the men and answering the questions.

It was supposed to the knights and Lord Roderick, go back to Cloister but after they found a shelter that was not necessary. After the storm was gone, Elmont returned to search, worried about the safety of Isabelle.

Alyn explained that he had found the body of Elissa in the river, he said how he and the other monks rescue her, he tell that she had wounds in the chest and head and survived with great luck. Reminded that she lay in bed, unconscious... And the message, said that the monks sent but never arrived at Cloister.

All of the Knights listened in silence the story of Alyn, with varying degrees of surprise present on the face of inch one. But the gaze of Elissa couldn't break from Elmont. He stared at her, she could see in him suffering that was accumulated since he thought in her death but also joy at seeing her alive and saved, joy to see her there... Elissa could see in his body language.

Isabelle embraced Elissa, it was clear that she was not alright.

"Elmont could you?" Elissa ask looking where the farmer and his wife stood. He nodded knowing what she wanted. He smile and reaching for a small bag that was tied to his belt pulling out and handed to the farmer.

"I think it isn't necessary..." Roderick began to speak but Elissa interrupted.

"Of course it is" the bag was brown leather, when the farmer emptied the bag in the table, both his wife and him found without words. In the bag that Elmont had giving to them was more money than they have seen.

"We can't accept" Maria whispered

"You can and you will. Please..."

I love this story but I'm disappointed with this chapter. I thought that maybe the reunion should have been more extreme, more emotional but somehow I could not write the way I wanted to be, so the chapter isn't what I expected. I really hope I didn't disappoint anyone that is following this story and please tell what you think. It's important and I like to receive review.