“Alison,” I heard Nathan whisper beside me.
“I know. If things go well, this might be my last chance to see her again, Nate.”
I looked up at the sky and closed my eyes while rehashing memories of Demi playing with the snow. My little girl loved the snow so much that she could play with it all day without getting tired. Demi…
“I will work hard and do my best to make sure that whoever came here, he or she would get to stay here for at least a couple of weeks. I will offer him or her everything that I have and-“
“No, Alex-“
“Yes, Nate,” I said in a firm voice. “Heck, even if I have to give that person that throne, I would. Maybe I haven’t given my all that’s why all those who visited didn’t last long, but this time, I swear I will-“
“I swear, even if you are the king here again, I will still kick your ass if you don’t open your eyes now, Alex. That’s the reason why we are having a hard time understanding each other. What I’m trying to say is that Alison is here, your Alison. She is the human who got inside the book. She is your Alison! And she is heading this way! Come on, look!”
I opened my eyes right away. My chest was pounding as I followed the direction where Nathan was looking at. My jaw dropped upon confirming that he was right.
I blinked a few times thinking that my imagination was playing tricks on me. But she was really there. She may have looked older, and more matured now, but she was still as gorgeous as before.
Alison was dressed in warm, colorful clothes. She was wearing a red beret, pink scarf, and a yellow parka paired with rainbow-colored boots. Demi looked exactly the same when she first arrived in the kingdom.
Alison was busy looking around as she walked. She would constantly stop to accommodate the Armethians who would greet her and who would kneel in front of her upon recognizing her.
It was winter in our realm again, but when our eyes finally met after so many years, I was instantly reminded of autumn. Then and now, each time I see her, I remember the leaves falling… and my heart falling as well.
Tears slid down my cheeks. My heart raced. After what seemed a lifetime, a genuine smile curved my lips, but that smile had faded when I saw the emotion which registered in Alison’s eyes.
The light in her soul was still there. But it was not as bright as it used to. Of course, it had been so long. I should have known that things were no longer as they were before.
I had waited for this day for many years. And I had been practicing what to say once we get to see each other again.
I know I should come running to her just like what I had always dreamed of doing. But the second I saw the pain and hatred in Alison’s eyes, I had lost the courage to do so.
Instead, I remained standing there, unable to move as I watch Alison’s tears fall.

(Alison)
I FELT the chill in my bones, as my heart began pounding upon the mere sight of the man who destroyed me. I started walking slowly but then I stopped after a while until I could no longer focus on the greetings of the people around me.
I had no idea why they were acting so friendly to a stranger like me.
They were all looking at me as if I was their savior.
When I woke up a while ago, I was already lying in the woods covered by the snow. And since I came straight from my apartment, I was only wearing pajamas. I was also barefoot.
But to my surprise, all the people who saw me quickly ran back to their houses and returned with winter clothes in their hands. And even if I was embarrassed, I still accepted the clothes since I was starting to feel really cold.
They offered their houses, saying that their doors will remain open for me. Every person inside each house would come out to greet me. They also turned on the lights. They also offered food and drinks. All the carriages who passed by had also stopped for me and offered me a free trip to Eliran Castle which I declined politely.
I didn’t want to blindly put my trust in them that’s why after accepting the boots and the clothes, I bid them goodbye and continued exploring.
Besides, I had no idea why they would send me to the castle, and why they all seemed so excited about it.
For some unknown reason, I didn’t detect any threat in this place although it was my first time coming here and I absolutely knew no one. It was like I was walking towards my own home.
I felt comfortable but I no longer wanted to trust this feeling. I especially didn’t like to believe the sincerity in their eyes. I once fell victim to that.
That was the very reason why I was here, why I remained trapped in the past and wasn’t able to move on even if it had been so long.
I was in a new place with so many people, and they were all so strange, because it was like everybody in this place already knew who I was. I could see the recognition and happiness in their eyes. It was like they had seen some sort of a miracle through me.
“Lady Alison…” I heard some passersby uttered; disbelief was written in their faces. And I watched as how that emotion turned into joy which even made some of them broke into tears.
Why were they like this?
I didn’t get to respond to any of them when I saw a familiar man standing a few meters away from me.