Dear readers,
This Christmas, I wish each and every one of you to be enveloped in an aura of love, peace and joy. May the magic of this season illuminate your hearts and warm every corner of your lives.
May hope be reborn in every dawn, bringing with it the certainty of better days and the strength needed to overcome any challenge. May generosity be the common language we all share, creating indelible bonds of solidarity and compassion.
Remember to appreciate the simple moments, for it is in these details that the true essence of life lies. May gratitude be the path that guides your steps, reminding you of the blessings that permeate every journey.
This Christmas, I wish that every gift exchanged is more than just a pretty package, but a symbol of the care and affection we nurture for one another. May the lights that adorn the streets be shining reflections of the lights that dwell within each of you.
May the celebration of Christmas be an invitation to reflection, renewal and hope for the future. May harmony and understanding prevail in your homes, creating a welcoming environment full of love.
I wish you all a Christmas filled with precious memories, shared smiles and heartwarming moments. May the magic of this period last not only this season, but throughout the year, guiding us with the light of compassion and understanding.
Merry Christmas, dear readers. May this message resonate in your hearts, making this season even more special.
enjoy the Christmas chapters I'm leaving for you today, and next week I promise there will be more...
With love,
Heila Hans Shefter.
CHAPTER 103
At the bend in the solitude, where the darkness intertwined with the terrifying howl of the crow, Frankison, Lek and Mack advanced cautiously. Vultures hovered over the human carcasses, a macabre scene that marked the narrow, stony track.
The restless horses advanced, their hooves echoing against the wall. Fear hung in the air, and the shadows conspired as the trio advanced with weapons firmly in hand, Frankison leading the group, intent on finding Edward and the young pregnant woman on that sinister night. The unknown lurked around every bend, making the search even more challenging. The journey was truly a dark revelation as the three men advanced along the obscure trail, chasing the hope lost in that darkness.
As Frankison, Lek and Mack advanced deeper into the horrific value within the curve of solitude, the scene of death unfolded before them. The winding trail was witness to frequent robberies and slaughters, where danger manifested itself at every turn. The echo of bloody stories resounded off the rocky walls, warning the adventurers that they were in a territory where life was worth very little.
The vultures continued to hover over the carcasses, silent witnesses to the tragedies that unfolded in that cursed place. The horses, now even more nervous, neighed in anticipation of the imminent danger. Frankison, Lek, and Mack exchanged serious glances, aware that the journey was too long to be easy.
The coyote's howl echoed across the hillside, cutting through the early morning silence and sending shivers down the spines of the three mounties. It was a natural warning that the valley of death was watching, and danger was lurking around every corner. Every sound became a threatening suggestion, amplifying the feeling that evil lurked in every shadow.
However, he was driven by the determination to find Edward and the pregnant girl, and so the three boys were facing the unknown with great courage.
The twisted trees hid dark secrets and the darkness, coupled with the whispering of the wind, conspired to discourage any less resilient soul.
As they made their way along the haunted path around the bend of solitude, the sinister sound of death echoed in the dark night, creating a macabre soundtrack. However, as they turned a steep bend, they spotted a small light flickering in the distance, revealing the presence of a campfire.
With great caution, Frankison led the group and they followed him towards the light, weapons in hand, ready to face any threat that might emerge from the darkness. The crackling of the fire became more audible, a beacon of hope amidst the sinister landscape.
As they approached the fire, the Mounties discovered a modest camp with a single wagon; surrounded by the dancing flames were Edward and a young pregnant woman, both visibly tired and exhausted by a journey permeated by the tension of fear in that dark place.
Frankison, Lek and Mack looked at each other, surprise and trouble marking their faces as they saw the friend they had been looking for. Edward brought his gaze back, his eyes searching with a mixture of exhaustion and gratitude at seeing his fellow mountie.
The young pregnant woman, wrapped in a cloak that barely concealed the fragility of impending motherhood. Her eyes reflected fatigue, but there was also a pain, an enormous pain, which showed how much she had suffered at the hands of Charles Kensigton III.
Frankison, unable to contain his emotion, ran over and gave Edward a warm hug. In that gesture, the years disappeared, taking them back to the last time they had seen each other as children at the age of twelve; their friendship, created in innocence since childhood, had stood the test of time and proved stronger than ever.
Their embrace transcended words, telling stories of adventures shared, challenges overcome and a connection that time has not undone. Frankison and Edward exchanged meaningful glances, as if every wrinkle and scar on their faces told a part of the journey they had traveled apart.
It wasn't just a reunion of old friends, but a rediscovery of that special friendship we shared in our youth. Even in the face of the adversities of the curve of loneliness, the reunion brought a ray of light, a reminder that no matter how dark death was, friendship could illuminate even the darkest corners... the others watched silently, respecting the intimate moment between Frankison and Edward. The embers of the fire reflected in the longtime friends' watery eyes, as if past and present were intertwined in this exchange of affection. With that embrace, not only the bonds of friendship were renewed, but also the determination to face whatever the valley of death had in store and fight Charles together.
Frankison, with a broad smile on his face, spoke:
- Edward! Man, you've grown up a lot... look at you!
Edward, with his touch of humor, laughed and replied:
- Ah! Frankison... I've grown so much that I sometimes wonder if Mom's cooking has stretched me out a few inches. But you seem to have gained a few extra wrinkles since we last saw each other.
- And now I've gained a lot, my friend... you can't imagine what it's like to have a sister as beautiful as Elizabeth.
- It's a good thing she didn't pull you. If she'd had your ugly face or your bad gender, she'd have been lost.
Lek and Mack burst out laughing, they couldn't help themselves.
- Edward; my sister is my copy, you fool...
- Sorry Frankison, said Mack. I have to disagree.
- Me too... said Lek. She's much prettier, with those eyes as deep blue as the sea and that sweet way.
Mack added:
- Edward, I haven't known you very long..., but when you see Elizabeth, you'll be like us, all the fools who can't say no to her.
Edward laughed and knew very well what they were talking about, for years he and Frankison had been at her mercy... He explained his bond with Elizabeth, and so the two mounties discovered that he had been privileged with her friendship for a long time.
Malyn was introduced to everyone, and together they ate some snacks. They laughed a lot about some of their lives and Malyn became interested in getting to know this Elizabeth, because seeing the love and affection with which these four men spoke of her only made her curiosity grow.
Malyn went to lie down in the only tent set up there, as her last strength was running out.
The men would take turns resting, so as to avoid being caught in an ambush.
Frankison and Edward took the first shift.
- Edward, I need to thank you for everything you've done for my sister.
- Frankison, I wish I could have done more.
- You don't know how it feels to know that she's been going through so much trouble on her own.
- I couldn't see that girl all scarred up, and then her struggle at college. She never knew any better, sometimes I left money with the canteen owner, she worked there, but I paid her salary.
- What? Tell me that? Frankison asked in surprise.
Edward told her everything, explaining that when he went to visit her at college, he noticed something wrong with her. He waited a fortnight and came back, but first he looked for information about her situation and her studies. She had already been at college for more than six months, and that's when I found out that her parents refused to pay for her studies, housing or food, a way of forcing her to return home. She only ate lunch to save money, and she would do anything for a few cents. All the students in that place wanted to take advantage of her, they gave her the most humiliating tasks so that the Thatcher princess would be diminished. She washed everything from the bathrooms in the college to the bedrooms, and from what I learned, the students made a point of making the place dirty and unbearable so that she would have to wash it on her knees with her bare hands, she washed all their underwear, and from what I learned, sheets after the couples had sex, I think you understand how humiliating that must have been, they did everything to diminish or embarrass our Elizabeth.
- Frankison had tears streaming down his face, every day he learned more about the battle his sister had to fight and win.
- I should have been with her, Edward. I can't forgive myself for that.
Frankison told him what they had discovered and Edward was red with anger. He looked like a rabid dog, the only thing missing was the foam at the mouth, and when he found out that Willian Thatcher had tried to rape her in the stables... he went mad, his hands clenched so tightly as if he was going to punch someone, that the knuckles on his fingers turned completely white.
- I can't differ with this story, Frankison. This man is crazy.
- I know, Edward. And we won't allow him to do Beth any harm.
Lek and Mack arrived to take over her schedule, and ended up hearing part of the story, and it turned out that they had heard Charles talking about her, while in the jail cage, and that they didn't like the tone of debauchery or what he had been saying about her. Even without knowing her, we think that a man should respect a woman above all else.
- What did that bastard say about my sister? Frankison asked angrily.
Lek, embarrassed and with red cheeks, told him that he had laughed at the situation she had been put through, and loud and clear, he had mocked her and laughed about how she had silky smooth skin. That her body had curves and everything fit in his hands just right, that she had long, shapely legs, and that he had narrowly missed what he had been after for years.
Frankison had to be calmed down by Edward, because he was boiling over with rage.
The day was beginning to lighten, and Frankison and Edward preferred to continue their journey without resting; the sooner they reached Hope Valle, the better.
Edward looked at the tent from which Malyn had emerged and, looking into her eyes, smiled as he thought...
"I'll protect you with all my life, you'll be happy... I promise..."