154: Arriving at Hawkshead

Arriving at Hawkshead

Music Recommendation: Background Noise - Trent Reznor2

—

Anastasia felt the cold breeze that swept through the forest, and her breath quickened as she scanned the trees with her brown eyes. In the past, she had envisioned a hundred scenarios for her arrival at Hawkshead, but none quite like this. 

Pressing her hand against the ground to stand up, she caught the sound of another crash not far from where she stood. The noise resembled the snapping of a tree, prompting her to briskly stride across the grassy terrain, the hem of her dress sweeping the ground as she moved. 

"Anastasia!" Dante called her name, who had been sent here along with her. 

"Dante." Anastasia felt relieved upon seeing him, and he quickly walked towards her and enveloped her in a hug. "I thought Viktor sent us to our own homes separately," she said, voicing her earlier concern. 

Pulling away from her, Dante's eyes landed on the distant arched bridge beneath which flowed a tranquil stream of water. His eyebrows furrowed as he recalled seeing the same bridge in Anastasia's drawing. He said, "Looks like he provided us with a fast pass to get here." 

"I cannot believe we are actually in Hawkshead. It feels surreal," Anastasia whispered, hearing the faint echoes of the villagers' voices in the distance. She could feel her heart pounding with eager anticipation, and she wondered how her parents would react upon seeing her.

"Who is there?!" demanded one of the village men after the sound of a breaking tree branch and whispered voices reached his ears from the forest. Holding a burning lantern, the villager led two other men in his wake. The light soon fell on Anastasia and Dante, revealing that Dante had shifted from his demon appearance to his earthling one. "A man and a woman spending time alone in the forest!"

"It doesn't look like they are from Hawkshead; they must be from the neighbouring village," said one of the men trailing behind the first one. 

"I am from this village," Anastasia responded, her memory failing to recognise the men's faces. She continued, "I am the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Flores. Anastasia." 

The men looked confused before their eyes widened, and they inquired, "A—Anastasia Flores? Hugh's daughter?!" 

Anastasia nodded, and the men became visibly excited to see her. The one holding the lantern exclaimed, "How did you find your way back? Where were you all these years?!" The questions didn't stop, as if they wanted to know every detail. 

"I am Jack Mower. You and your sister used to visit our house with your parents! You were so small when I last saw you, and look how much you have grown!" one village man said, stepping forward and coming uncomfortably close to Anastasia for Dante's liking. 

Stepping in front of Anastasia, Dante addressed the men, saying, "We would appreciate it if you could lead us to the Flores's house."

"Oh, absolutely! Hugh and Margaret are going to be ecstatic to hear about you!" one of them exclaimed, and with that, they led the couple out of the forest. 

When Anastasia entered the village, it was as if she had opened a flood of memories from the past. With the exception of a few additional houses and the trees that had grown tall along with her, everything seemed almost unchanged from her recollections. The memories she had made here remained fresh in her mind, and she could vividly picture her sister and her playing, running, and laughing. Innocence dripped from the little girls, who had been harshly torn from their family. 

Anastasia and Dante walked towards the rear of the group, and she whispered to him, "It looks like we arrived earlier than Gabriel." After all, he had boarded the ship only yesterday evening. 

"True," Dante replied, while keeping his eye on the men who kept turning around to look at them every few seconds. He grimly remarked, "Seems like everyone in this place is unusually friendly." A few villagers stopped what they were doing and followed them at a distance, wondering who they were. 

When they finally arrived in front of the Flores's house, the very place Anastasia called home during her childhood, one of the men eagerly knocked on the door. 

"Hugh! Open the door! You won't believe who's here to meet you!" the villager called out to the door with excitement. 

Anastasia's heart kept pounding in her chest, a blend of nervousness and eagerness. She felt Dante squeeze her hand, letting her know he was there right next to her. 

The door of the house finally swung open, and out stepped Anastasia's father. His once handsome face now bore traces of weariness, with dark shadows under his eyes. Streaks of grey now adorned his hair, serving as a visible reminder that time had marched on, even though he and his wife had been robbed of happiness. 

A frown etched across Mr. Flores's face as he asked the men, "What is the pressing matter, Jack?" Yet, even before the question fully left his lips, the man moved aside, and his eyes first landed on the unfamiliar tall man before him. He noticed dark smudges of mud staining the man's clothing. His eyes then shifted to the young woman standing next to him. 

Anastasia felt her throat choking upon seeing her father standing at the doorway. How long had it been that she yearned to return so that she could see him and her family? Tears welled up in her eyes, momentarily blurring her vision before spilling down her cheeks. 

"Papa…" Anastasia's voice quivered as she called him, feeling her heart clench. 

Mr. Flores's eyes widened as he looked at the young woman who had just addressed him as 'papa', and he slowly descended the two steps. He stared at her brown eyes and brown hair. It couldn't be…

"A—Anna, is that you?" Mr. Flores asked, his voice filled with disbelief, his own eyes welling up. 

Unable to form a word, Anastasia simply nodded and closed the distance between them. Her lips trembled, and as they stood face-to-face, an instant later, they embraced tightly. She whispered, "I am back, Papa." 

Mr. Flores held Anastasia close, tears escaping his eyes as he replied, still in shock, "You are back… I cannot believe it. You are back!"

The villagers, who had gathered near the house, smiled warmly as they witnessed the heartfelt reunion between father and daughter. Upon hearing Mr. Flores conversing with people in front of their house, Mrs. Flores and her son, Tomas, came over to see what was going on. 

Anastasia's emotions overcame her, and she began to sob. The ache of missing them all had been profound, and now, seeing them, she felt her heart might burst at any moment with overwhelming joy. This reunion had been her long-held dream, and a part of her dreaded that even if she reached Hawkshead, she might not be able to see them again. 

"Your mother and I missed you and Marianne terribly. Always wondering how you both were doing and what condition you were in." Mr. Flores gently stroked his daughter's head. He said, "I looked for you everywhere I could. Some of us even attempted to pursue the pirates, but our efforts were in vain, and we ended up stranded on an island for weeks."

Taking a deep breath, Anastasia replied, "I am so sorry you had to go through that."

Mr. Flores gently shook his head, his voice softening. "It wasn't your fault, my child. It wasn't your fault at all. It was those damn pirates who snatched you away and never allowed you to return." As they pulled away from each other, he looked behind her, searching for someone, before asking, "Where is Marianne?" 

pqdm.com