Chapter 107 - The Chase

Vaughn touched his face immediately and realized the blunder that he committed. The important business that he was supposed to do was to confess to her right after they accomplished their mission.

"Zenzen, this…"

He wanted to lie his way out of it, but he saw that Zenia's eyes contained fury and resentment with a hint of sadness.

"I have given you ample time to explain yourself and even warned you many times to tell me your secrets and confess while I'm being good. I don't have a lot of patience, but I still waited for you to come clean. You know I hate liars, but you…"

"Zenzen, I intend to tell it to you after the mission but the night is so beautiful that I want to spend more time with you. I did not want to hide it longer than necessary."

Zenia tried to hold back her tears. She did not want to give Vaughn any idea that she cared about him, although it was exactly the truth. She cared so much about him that it hurt too much.

"Crown Prince of Tissuria, we're through."

Zenia's words were like bolts of lightning that pierced through Vaughn's heart. He felt his world crumbling down before his eyes. The dark night became even darker and the initial wonderful feeling that he had earlier turned into wisps of smoke.

Thunderbolt neighed and stomped his hooves in front of Quicksilver as if taunting the master and beast. He felt Zenia's pain and knew who caused it. He galloped away from the Crown Prince and trod the path that led to the Principality of Ismund.

Vaughn did not hesitate to run after Zenia as he commanded his silver steed to go faster than before. Vaughn believed that he would be able to catch up because he had already seen how fast Thunderbolt could go.

"Zenia, please hear me out first," Vaughn shouted when he was almost near Zenia.

Thunderbolt ran faster and left them once more. Zenia did not utter a word, and her silence brought unimaginable fear to Vaughn. He had gone through so many things in his life and braved them all. He thought he had already faced the most terrifying event in his life – he was wrong.

He had never feared death but at that moment, he was trembling in fear. He could not lose her. He did not want to lose her. He would beg and kneel if he had to just to make her return to his side. The wind wiped Vaughn's tears from his eyes as he tried to make Quicksilver go even faster than ever.

He reached out his hand to grab hold of Zenia. He wanted to embrace her tightly within his arms and never let her go. He had loved for far too long, and he did not dare and wouldn't dare to love anyone else. Without Zenia, his world would fall apart.

Thunderbolt sensed what Vaughn wanted to do and showed his real speed. The gust of wind that Thunderbolt left behind almost toppled Quicksilver. When Vaughn and his horse finally recovered, he could only see the rear of Zenia's horse. Vaughn could not believe that Thunderbolt could really be as fast as Zenia had described it.

He could not believe that there really was a horse that could surpass Quicksilver's speed. Vaughn had no plan to give up. He nudged Quicksilver to follow Thunderbolt even though the chance of catching up was very slim. He needed to show his sincerity and hoped that Zenia would be touched by it and decided to stop running away from him.

Zenia felt that someone was running after them and looked back. She saw Vaughn in his silver steed. He still did not give up and chased after them. Zenia scoffed and whispered to Thunderbolt.

'I leave my fate to you.'

Thunderbolt seemed to understand what his master just told him. They were almost at the cliff that separated Tissuria and Ishelon. If a bridge could be built there, the travel time between Tissuria and Ishelon would be cut in half. Since both parties were unwilling to cooperate, the plan to build the bridge was buried along with the hope that Tissuria and Ishelon could live as one.

Vaughn estimated the distance between the cliff and Ishelon. He knew what Zenia was trying to do. Thunderbolt went even faster than before.

"Zenia, don't do it!" Vaughn shouted, but it was futile.

Thunderbolt jumped off the cliff majestically. Vaughn had to rub his eyes in an attempt to get a clearer view. Thunderbolt seemed to have grown a pair of wings as he landed gently and safely on Ishelon's ground.

Thunderbolt neighed and stomped as if giving Vaughn a warning not to bother his master anymore, and he ran off to the direction of the Anisen Manor. Vaughn could still not believe his eyes. He had never met a horse as magnificent as Thunderbolt. His silver steed paled in comparison. It was a horse truly worth of his master.

Vaughn looked for another route that could take him fast to Ishelon. He knew that he should be bringing gifts to appease his wife and in-laws, but his main concern was retrieving his wife. It would take days to prepare the gifts, and he couldn't bear to wait for so many days before he could be reunited with his wife.

The fastest route he found would take him three days to reach the Anisen Manor. He could be there in one or two days if he would travel non-stop. He could rest for a bit for Quicksilver's sake. He already decided to get Zenia no matter what.

It took Zenia and Thunderbolt only three hours to reach the Anisen Manor. The guards of the gate recognized Thunderbolt even though he had a different color. They also knew his rider.

"Open the gates, it's the Young Miss!"

They quickly opened the gates and Thunderbolt passed through with ease. Renaria heard it and went to the front door quickly. Somita and Jena heard it too, and they went out to welcome Zenia home. The maids and stewards were too happy that their Young Miss had come home. They did not bother to know the reason for Zenia's sudden arrival.

Ovid and Zander were not there when Zenia arrived. They had been very busy training the mini-private army for Zenia. The father and son planned to surprise Zenia and deploy it after three months.

Zenia jumped off Thunderbolt and ran to her mother when she saw her. The usual demeanor of a high-ranked military official of Isahelon was untraceable. Zenia hugged her mother and cried. Renaria had no idea what happened to her daughter, although she had a hunch.

"Welcome home Zenzen," she whispered in her daughter's ear as she hugged her back.