Heidi and the Lord - Chapter 150

She stared outside the window of the carriage as trees sped past the moving carriage in the opposite direction in a haze. Since Heidi had stepped back in the carriage she hadn’t spoken a word. Her heart felt heavy, sorrow being the only emotion that clouded her mind for what she took stand for, and as time began to move forward, it made her wonder if it was right to go with the decision Nicholas had picked for her sister, Nora. Before coming to Bonelake, she had planned to leave the Curtis’ household therefore Heidi had looked past the trouble Nora had caused for her. Nora and Daniel were the only siblings she had ever come to know in her life and with that she had forgiven them because her mother had taught her well.

But things had begun to change and the change took place when Heidi had gone back to the slave establishment. She stood on the edge of the cliff at that time, alone. The push that she needed to tip her off had been provided by Nicholas when he told her what Nora had done after he sent her sister to the slave establishment. Did Nora hate her so much that she wanted her dead? Had she been so despicable? The information had been too much to put belief on for Heidi, after all both Nora and her had grown up together while living under the same roof.

When she told Nicholas that she was ready to face her sister, she didn’t know that she would fall short of words after seeing her behind the bars of the cell with tears. Or maybe she was just too tired to vent out emotions that she didn’t feel. Yet right now, she felt guilty for putting her sister through it and in her mind, Nora still had to grow up from being a spoilt child.

Feeling her hand being cradled in Nicholas’ warm hand, she turned towards him to hear him speak, “You have been very quiet. Everything alright?” and she sighed softly, her hand holding one of his to link the fingers.

“I don’t know if Nora deserves this,” seeing Nicholas frown of slight disapproval she continued, “I mean to say, I know she tried killing me but I am still here and end of the day it doesn’t change that she is my sister. I agree she can be a little naive and stupid but isn’t it a little too harsh?”

“Would you rather have her dead?” at Nicholas’ question she shook her head.

“Of course, not! But since mother died, I have looked after her. I know what happens to a person who goes to the slave establishment. Maybe a lesser punishment-”

“Trust me Heidi when I say I have met enough people in this lifetime to know there are some people whom you can’t change even after years. If she weren’t your sister I would have ripped every limb and joints of her until she screamed in agony of pain. You shouldn’t feel bad for what she has reaped. It is her own doing,” he stated without any remorse, he then changed the subject, “What did your aunt say?”

With her uncle, Raymond, who now served in the prison of the council, her aunt and her cousin had no one to support them. At Heidi’s worry, Nicholas had suggested for her family to move to Bonelake, not in the mansion but in the town that was close to the Rune mansion.

“She declined,” Heidi looked down at their locked fingers, “She said her parents asked her and Ruth to move in with them. Something that went along in lines of her parents being worried that it would be difficult for a single mother to lead life alone. You know with what happened…” the last few words trailing to a whisper, “I know she isn’t mad at me but I can’t shake the heaviness in my heart.”

“They will be fine. I have already asked people whom I know there to have an eye on them so that no harm comes upon them,” he smiled at her.

“Thank you,” she was grateful for him being considerate about it.

“Anytime, darling,” she saw the dimple on his cheek reappear before he leaned over the front of the glass and knocked on it for the coachman to stop the carriage. At Heidi’s questioning look, he replied, “Why don’t we take a walk in the woods?” and both of them stepped down, leaving the carriage behind with the coachman. Heidi looked around, the sky dark and the night quiet, she walked beside Nicholas as he held her hand, not letting it go. The sound of twigs breaking under their shoes on the ground was accompanied with the owls hooting somewhere distantly up in the trees.

“Where are we going?”

“You will see,” he made her curious when he sent her a smile over his shoulder.

After walking for a few more minutes, Heidi recognized the place after looking at the large black rocks. They had come to the lake of bones where most of the bodies were usually put into without a proper burial. The smokey greyish blue fog enveloped the entire so called lake leaving nothing to be seen of what was there beneath it. But unlike last time she was here with him, Nicholas took her to a large tree which wasn’t far from the lake.

He let her hand go, looking at the ground he spoke, “When my mother died, her relatives and my father didn’t give her a right burial,” by his words she understood that this might be where he had buried his mother, “My father dumped her here in the lake with the rest of them. After I was taken in by my father, I learnt to control the ghouls and got them to pick the remnants of my mother. I-put here here, next to the tree. I didn’t want her to be placed into that mess of bones like she was nobody because she was someone to me. I wanted her to rest in peace but I am no sure if she is in peace.”

“I am sure she is in peace now,” she assured Nicholas to see him nod.