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Prologue

She didn’t kno many times she’d come here in the past few years Perhaps today would make the hundredth time, or perhaps the thousandth if she counted those dreams she had Every time she arrived, it all looked the saht, with a few rassy stretch ahead of her before it ended at the bank of the river The sae yew tree in the distance It was a rather small park, inconsequential when compared to others such as Hyde Park in London But this place, nestled in the countryside, held a special place in her heart

Elizabeth caaze to the sky It never seemed to rain here Every day was as sunny as the day she’d first coirl of barely ten years filled with such excite with a friend of hers, under the watchful and amused eyes of their parents, and for the hours that ensued, they were lost in the world of play

Now, at two-and-twenty years, she’d long since lost that childlike fervor Elizabeth didn’t care about running towards the gentle river in the distance, nor cli the twisted li a smile to her face anymore

“My Lady?” Elizabeth turned her head slightly to the side at the sound of her lady’s maid Gemma was an older woman who had been by Elizabeth’s side since Elizabeth was in her youth “Perhaps we should take our leave soon Lord Gillet did say there will be guests who you have to meet”

Ah, yes Those specials guests, one of as a gentlee, were the last people Elizabeth wanted to see

“I suppose,” sheBut she didn’t turn around Instead, she ventured closer to the tree, letting her wistful old ring he’d given her before he’d disappeared

Take this, Beth, as a symbol of my love for you It is a proether When we are older, I will officially ask for your hand in e

It had been so long since she’d seen his face, so long since she’d spoken to him One year had passed since she’d last seen hi for the day he would return to her, clinging to those words With every day that went by, with herher constantly, her deterain, that nothing would stop her fro him, even if she had to search across the seas

Nothing would co able to stand before this tree together once again And then would she ask why he’d left so suddenly in the first place

Without a word, without a letter, he’d simply disappeared The last time she’d seen him was one week after the death of histo handle the death of her own rief aside to console hiet the look on his face as he watched his round There had been no tears, no anguish Only hard anger

She didn’t see hi sixto inquire about his whereabouts Her visits were unhelpful and none of his other friends knehat had happened His disappearance had only added to her own distress and so when her father told her they would leave London and reside at their countryside manor, she had little choice but to accept

I care not about those guests when I still haven’t found you

The tears that were never far sprang to her eyes Elizabeth reached a hand out to touch the bark of the tree “Where are you, William?”

As if in response to her question, a sudden gust of wind caown Elizabeth curled her hand into a fist, letting it drop to her side, as she tried to hold back her sobs She was tired of crying But she was tired of failing, too

She wandered to the side, away froh bark This side of the tree etter, usually blocked froht, and so she normally stayed away But, for some reason, she went there today and she didn’t bother to ask herself why Then, so in the wind It seemed to be tethered to the tree