BXBX NOVEL Chapter 241 - Beyond
The carriage stopped in the middle of the forest after a long journey of about two hours. John thanked the coachman and he walked down the carriage. Roselyn hesitated whether to walk down or not as the forest was so dense that she almost felt scared, if there wasn't John with her she would have probably stayed inside.
She walked down and John smiled, "it's fine. Trust me you will love the place." He whispered to her. She gazed down as she spotted few big stones on the topsoil as if someone purposely created a path.
It winded along the forest, Roselyn took a long breath and found the courage to walk down the carriage. She hold John's hand and walked closer to him when they proceeded to the south side of the path through the forest. Despite some rocks and the inclined pebbled topsoil, it was pretty easy to follow, but they had to be careful as there was no fence, and the drop down to the arrival destination was quite far.
They kept walking for about ten minutes, John stood before her and always checked on her if she was fine or if she needed help.
They reached an ancient stone staircase which ran down to some trees and ivy that impeded the view below. The staircase looked very steep and in poor condition, but that seemed to be pretty much the only way to get down there and John was sure to take that direction so Roselyn despite her concerns followed him.
"Ready?" John asked and even if Roselyn wasn't so sure about whether she was truly ready or not she nodded.
"I am." Her voice came out as a peak as she was both curious yet quite worried about what she could find on the bottom.
They climbed through the staircase, Roselyn could feel the delicate breeze and in a fraction of a second she felt reassured and she smiled. John went to turn left to head westwards along few branches of ivy, he moved them to the side like if it was a curtain while Roselyn bent her head down to walk through it.
After walking few steps in the middle of the plants they finally arrived at destination. When Roselyn saw the heavenly view in front of her she dropped her jaw and covered her mouth in disbelief. It was so beautiful she couldn't stop staring at it.
It was a beautiful gorge, but the water was odd, it had a brownish-reddish color.
The water followed a path and fell from the stones delicately at a peace that make Roselyn unconsciously breathe in sync with it. The noise of the water was so relaxing Roselyn couldn't believe that was real.
"It is called Devil's Pulpit because the water becomes red as it fell, this is why it reminded me of me. It matches with the color of my eyes and people linked this beautiful gorge to a devil." John said as he walked in the middle of the water, he kneeled to cup his hands and started playing with the water letting it fall down his hand and admiring how crimson it looked.
"My relatives referred to me like the devil of the family and I always told myself that someday people will finally look behind the surface. They just see what they want to see, but behind my red eyes and my complicated past there is peace and calm." John said as he smiled forcefully as if those memories were painful.
Roselyn smiled, "you're one of the best people I've met John. They don't know you at all."
Roselyn lifted her feet to jump on a tree's trunk that laid down in the middle of the water. She carefully walked on it and then stepped on a stone right in front of John. She crunched on it as she sank her hand in the water. It was so cold yet it felt so refreshing.
"I found my peace thanks to you. Before meeting you I thought there was just a version of myself, the version everyone saw in me. The brutal John who was obsessed with control and who loved to use his power against less strong people who dared to oppose to his will." He continued as he kept staring down at the water, he didn't want to be seen by Roselyn with eyes filled with tears while he recalled his past.
"John," Roselyn said as her voice broke hearing him sound so vulnerable, "you're not that person and I am sure you never was that person. You only needed someone to look at you for who you truly were." Roselyn replied to him as she felt her heart sink at how sorry she was to see him in that condition.
Roselyn never believed she changed him, she was sure he always had a vulnerable sweet part but maybe he never dared to find it. Like she always believed in love deep down but before John, she never found anyone worthy to make her reconsider her skeptical critical opinion about relationships.
They found each other at the right time to be the lifesaver of the other and to drag each other out of their stall situation.
"I wish you could see yourself how I see you, maybe then you will understand what an amazing person you are and how much you really helped me." She whispered to him as her eyes filled with tears as well but of commotion. John finally met her gaze and seeing her crying made him smile hugely.
"Don't cry." He scolded her in a whisper and Roselyn giggled as she wiped off the tears. She thought she may look silly at his eyes right now but she truly was so grateful to have met him in her life.
"I'm beyond grateful to have you in my life, John." She said, hearing her John's heart began to race and he could feel shiver all over his body, that was probably what love was.. Being so excited and happy that even your body reacted to the sweet words of your loved one.