A MIRACLE - HER SALVATION
The moment Laurence hit the water, her body felt as though it shattered into million pieces. She had her bones broken before, but this time, the pain she was feeling made it felt like she can never walk again if she had a chance.
Furthermore, the cold water swallowing her slowly wasn’t anything comfortable at all. She was freezing and she doubt to herself that she had the ability to swim pass across this ocean and to the shore.
However, despite all of these misfortunes, Laurence did not regret her decision. She would chose to die by her own self means than by those people who dragged her way to where she was now.
As the water slowly swallowed her, Laurence opened her eyes. Under the ocean, she saw the little rays of the moon seeping through the transparent surface of the water illuminating a bit of her environment.
The water looked like gems glittering under the moons brilliance but the coldness it possessed can kill a person. However, for someone like Laurence who was abandoned by grace, she can find herself comfortable with this cold water the longer she stayed inside.
She did not resist the gravity pulling her down. She can’t even move her arms and legs. As she slowly descend, Laurence was accepting her death. And perhaps in the process of her dying, her mind begun to draw pictures and memories. They were those moment and scene she saw in their mansion before she was dragged to prison and was sentence as a witch.
Laurence was trying to research medicinal plants in the different climates and places in order to record it in books and to find more helpful researchers that can be the foundation of the prosperity of the empire.
She doesn’t have any thought of getting married to anyone but her father had decided for her to inherit the title of a count and lead the family. This was a great feat for a woman like her. She was respected and was expected to lead the family of Williams back to where it was before.
Laurence had a very loving family. Even though she was just an only child, she was loved by her parents who continue to support her. She thought that she had it all but all of those were just naive thought that lead to their own downfall.
Laurence’s father and mother were both dead. It happened two weeks before this night. It was a rainy day and thunderstorms took over the beautiful dark glittering skies. Laurence was sleeping in her room when the incident happened and like a desiccated corpse as though all of their blood were dried out. Her parents body were heavily cut into pieces and a big magic circle had been drawn on the floor with their blood.
Magic was forbidden in the empire. This empire where steam powered machinery was the top priority of the land, magic like the ancient times were considered to be forbidden for just like how people fear the unknown, they were also afraid of someone getting above them.
Magic can have different possibilities. It can create miracles and there were many people who had thoughts that if they do not have that miracle, no one will.
Laurence was never researching about magics but she entertained few ancient books about it hoping to break through her research. But just like a well plotted plot, she was framed of forbidden arts and magic.
Someone was behind all of this!
It forever left a trauma in her mind. She tried to call for help but the knights were fast to move and they all apprehended her accusing her that she was possessed by the devil and was practicing devil and forbidden arts because of the countless potions and materials she used in her research room.
She tried to plead for her innocence but then, everything escalated quickly and she wasn’t given a chance to speak. Laurence knew someone killed her parents. She wasn’t naive in the flow of power in the nobles but she never thought that there would be people who can kill and frame someone like that.
Clenching her teeth, she had many regrets in her life. She begun to slowly loath how care free she was in life and how invested she were in her research. If she was able to play her role well as the heir of the Williams county, this wouldn’t happened in the first place.
However, in her last moment in the court of defiance, she thought that her cousins would be there. She thought that their family and relatives would be there but they all abandoned her for the sake of their own reputation.
Despicable fools who only knew how to live for their own selfish gains!
Laurence’s mind was fast and made a list of names. If ever she get out of this water alive and was given a chance to live, she will visit them one by one. She was getting crazier with the coldness of the water buzzing her mind and numbing her pain.
As Laurence slowly sink and losing consciousness, she vowed under the cold water and the fishes as her audience. If she ever find herself a miracle to survive and life a new life, she would come back and make them pay one by one.
And she will start with Benedict Van Seinsfield. She met him only today but she knew that his family had been in dispute with her family. Furthermore, with all of the rumors going around, he was the one who led the investigations and made the conclusion that she was the witch herself.
He was a man full of hypocrisy and desperation. A perfect example of a person who can be easily manipulated if his desires were met.
Closing her eyes, Laurence prayed. This time not with the gods but to the devils under the ocean and the creatures lurking in the dark. If ever she was given a miracle, she would make them all pay one by one with their bloods.
She vowed to come back.
--
“Commander, what shall we do?!” the two knights who were with Duke Benedict Van Seinsfield panicked the moment they saw the witch fall to the water. They wanted to swim and retrieved her body but waves were big and they were afraid that they’ll drown their selves to death.
“Can she survive the water?”
“That’s absurd! She’s a witch, yes but this is nature! No one can survive the wrath of nature!”
“But what if?!”
Benedict clenched his jaw, eyes on the water. This was his mistake. He was taken over by his emotions and forgot that that cursed woman was the witch herself! She might have casted some spells to him using her words!
Damn it! He cursed inwardly under his breath.
Feeling his head aching, he knew to himself that he can’t dwell on such matters anymore. His engagement would soon. His family wanted him to gain this opportunity to make his name known and be higher than anyone else but all be damned, he let the witch escape.
No, she won’t survive! He said, quite determined. Benedict’s eyes went to the dark sky. He saw the thick clouds from afar gradually covering the stars and moon. The waves started to become turbulent. Even the fishes looked distress.
Benedict heaved his breath and walked to the deck thinking. The two knights followed his figure walking back and forth thinking.
“We’ll declare her dead and threw her body on the ocean for the fishes and sharks to eat. She won’t be able to survive this storm anyway,” Benedict said with confidence but in the back of his mind, there was a voice that was expressing its doubt.
‘Do you really think of that? Just like the knights, she is a witch! She’s capable’
Shut up! He muttered in his mind trying to calm himself. This was the biggest mistake he had ever done! Benedict always strive for perfection and never once before encounter such a humiliating sin like this!
The two knights looked at each other. They all have the same thought with their commander. With the condition of the waves, they were sure that she had already died.
“As you wished, Duke.”
Benedict nodded and turned his back in order to get inside his room. He opened the door and poured himself a strong cup of liquor downing it on his throat until he felt the burned. His mind was still playing her words and mockery. Her eyes that seemed to have given up on life but her rage was there. Even her useless information of her favorite flower.
Clematis.
He thought inside his mind. In that instant, an image of the flower formed. A white lavender seven petals appeared in his mind.
With such thoughts, he throw himself on his chair and took the map out of the drawers and using the sextant to pin point their next location. No one will know about this mistake. He thought, for he will take this to his grave.
--
In a small but bustling city, city of Orastin, a man who had gray sideburns but looked magnificent and dignified was walking through the ocean feeling the breeze suddenly stopped walking when he saw a figure washed through the shore.
His eyes turned to slits adjusting his gold rim glasses. In that same moment, his servants came to him in order to inform about his day schedule.
“My Lord!” one of his valet said. The noble man pointed the figure he saw. The Valet followed where his finger was pointing. His eyes widen in shock the moment he saw what his lord was pointing.
“Heavens!” he exclaimed. “How could a woman!” The noble Lord however, acted calm and dignified. He gave an order.
“Go and look at it. I feel like its a person.”
“Yes my lord!”
--
Inside a luxurious room with big bed and expensive furniture, a woman who was dressed in a chemise was laid in the soft bed. She was unconscious and barely breathing. Her limbs and whole body were covered in bandages. Just few steps away from her, the noble man and a doctor was talking.
“How can a person have these many bruises? Her leg should be amputated but it was a miracle that it moved when we were conducting the surgery. The best we could do is let her legs heal and do the physical treatment in order for her to walk again.”
“Then, are there medicines and maintenance needed for her?”
“There were several herbs and medicines I prescribe and already gave these to the head maid. However, my dear Lord, I am already guessing that the young lady had been severely tortured. I can assume that the mental trauma she had experience was far greater than her physical pain. I would suggest that she should visit a therapist.”
Silence lingered a little longer before the noble lord decided to speak.
“What an unfortunate child.” The noble man said but in contrast to his words, his voice did not have any emotions. Both of them waked towards the door still engaging in their conversation.
“Thank you for visiting doctor. I will call you soon after she regain consciousness.”
“I am really hoping, my Lord for her eyes to open soon. Judging by her age, she is around 20 this year. I hope she can fill the hole your daughter left.”
“I am not a person who just goes around accepting women as my daughter. However, I pity the child. I am willing to hear her situation and circumstances in the future.”
“Yes my Lord.”
As the two people had finished their talk, both of them exited the room leaving the patient behind. Time passed normally but the woman never woke up. One season after another came and went by but the woman was still on her bed. The bandage she had was gradually taken off but her eyes never opened.
This continued for months. The whole mansion was in distress thinking that the lady would soon die and that they should begin preparing her funeral. However, the noble Lord insisted on letting her stay in bed for she was still breathing.
They did not understand what their Lord was thinking but as days continued to go by, just like miracles described in ancient text, one day, her red beautiful ruby eyes finally opened and accepted the light from the sun.
Indeed, this was a miracle.
--