Where It Began and Ended: The Unsaid Farewell

Where it ended (Part II).

That seemed more than just a rendezvous;

It was a tryst.

That seemed more than just friendship;

It was love.

That seemed more than just the beginning;

It was an ending.

The town’s hall was decorated with special garnishes by the folks to celebrate after the lacked of society entertainment in the town, although they could barely be seen with the massive crowd that seemed it was impossible to even move an inch and it was to be expected of. Regardless, the merriment and jolly still lingered in the air as couples, friends and family danced the La Boulangere to the music playing. Anneliese pushed her away through the throng, searching for any familiar faces. Despite the fact she could be suffocated to death at any time but she was glad for the crowd because then, anyone would hardly notice the stains on her dress.

Whilst she was surviving her way through the loud crowd, she felt a pressure on her arm that was pulling her to the sidelines. Anneliese closed her eyes, hoping to see the face she longed to see upon. Although, she knew it would be seemingly impossible and she instantly shook the jinxed notion off her mind before opening her eyes… only to have her hope shattered into pieces when her eyes lay upon two chirpy sisters who were too chirpy for their own good. The feeling of irritation was unavoidable—a typical feeling she had whenever Anneliese saw them, this moment included. Howbeit, she tried to convince herself otherwise – to spare them a few moments without any ill feelings towards them. Anneliese greeted them with the same enthusiasm she was greeted with and the sisters began to talk most animatedly as though they were talking in codes that it was not even in Anneliese’s power to decipher.

Before they could speak another word, Anneliese quickly halted them from doing so. She smiled delightedly at the brief moment devoid of the sisters’ chatter. “Simply out of curiosity, did any of you pretty sisters see the Rhyses around?” She asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as she possibly could in order to keep any suspicions from arising.

The siblings tilted their heads in unison, looking at Anneliese with their round, puzzled eyes. “Why would the Rhyses be here?” One of them, Maria asked back.

Anneliese faked a chuckle and remarked, “Why, just wondering of course. This is, after all, a ball where everyone in Newbury is invited.”

They nodded sagely at the remark and the other sister, Marcia replied in her usual giggling manner. “You are correct, Miss Alden. But the Rhyses could not possibly be here and going away at the same time could they?” The sisters laughed, tickled by their own jest.

Anneliese grabbed Maria by the forearm on a sudden whim when they were excusing themselves to leave for the next dance. “Going away?” She demanded an answer, wondering whether it was only the sisters’ choice of words that led to her confusion.

“Y-Yes, Miss Alden. The Rhyses are departing for London as we speak.”  

Anneliese Alden ran, ran with absolute haste towards the Rhys’ manor. The staring eyes that she drew upon as she left the hall stirred up gossip, which Anneliese could care less what her actions may reflected her with. There were also calls of her name from her family but she could not afford to lose any more time than she already had. She needed to see Harrison. She had to. Anneliese arrived at the manor’s gate but it was dark. There was no sign of anyone from the Rhys’ family. The thought she would never see Harrison again terrified her so.

Ignoring the pain on her feet, she still ran her way up to the hill and saw a carriage riding so fast it was gone in the darkness by a few seconds. The unbearable sadness led her to climb higher up to the meadow – the sanctuary for her and Harris alone. She leaned against the bark and in spite of the sorrow; she could not shed a tear. All she could feel were sadness, sorrow and betrayal. The notion of Harrison Rhys leaving her untold wounded her deeply than any other wounds, but it too confused her more and more. The Harrison Rhys she knew would never let such cruelty befall to anyone, especially not to her. Clinging to the only hope she had, Anneliese dug a familiar spot near the meadow where a treasure was buried and it almost seemed that it was dug by someone only recently. When she felt something and heard a sound, the rush consumed her and there it was, the wooden box that contained all her and Harrison’s most loved things and their secret letters. Anneliese unlocked it with the key she wore as a necklace around her neck and above all other things, a paper painted of blue – the colour of the sky which was her and Harrison’s favourite colour – stood out the most. She unfolded it and noticed it almost instantly, the neat handwriting of Harrison Rhys. Anneliese read every word of it and her hand grasped her chest as the piercing pain grew even more unendurable. She fell to her knees and tears began to roll down her cheeks, that was beyond her control, as she desperately cried out that one name who meant a lot to her than anyone would have, ‘Harris…’