In her room in the Society of Seamstresses, Vanessa, the Seamstress who had helped Shivam cross over to Heart, was contemplating a silver bowl full of sparkling water, her face dark with anxiety.

Through the surface of the water, she saw Shivam and a witch being attacked by the men of Blikrot. It looked like Shivam's journey was about to end before it could even begin.

She had to do something. She got up from her seat and started walking hurriedly towards the door. Although she wasn't trained for combat, maybe if she could cross over in time, she would be able to save Shivam's life.

"Wait, Vanessa," the broken, shaken voice of an ancient woman called from her behind. Vanessa turned, and was surprised to see the Elder Seamstress standing in her room.

"When did you come in?!" Vanessa asked.

"I have been watching you for some time now. Where do you think you're going?" The Elder Seamstress asked. She looked prehistoric with her age: her hair was white like summer clouds, her face mysteriously devoid of wrinkles, but her skin thinned to the point of translucency. Her eyeballs once were the deepest black, but they had turned blue with time. Whenever Vanessa looked at her she wondered how could one possibly stay alive for so long. And nobody exactly knew since when had she been the Elder One--it seemed as if since time immemorial, Isabel had been performing the duties of the Elder One.

"I am going to help Shivam. I can't let him get killed because of me. Besides, too many things depend on his survival," Vanessa, the Seamstress, said.

"Have you forgotten that Seamstresses never interfere in the lives of the people? Don't you understand by doing that you're going to disrespect our code of work? Since when did you become so rash in your thoughts and actions, Vanessa?" Isabel, The Elder One, asked. Her tone was mild but her manner was stern.

"Oh come on. Don't act like you don't know anything! If Blikrot is not stopped..." Vanessa began.

"You really think the boy who is struggling to fight four infernos as we speak has the slightest potential of defeating Blikrot?" The Elder One scolded Vanessa.

"But it was Preordained...the Soothsayer..." Vanessa began, impatient. Each passing second was valuable. There would be no point in crossing over if she didn't do it soon.

But Isabel seemed in no hurry, nor did she show any intention of letting Vanessa go. "Why do you bother your mind with what the Soothsayer said? If Shivam dies now, someone else may turn up for stopping Blikrot. You have already done your job, Vanessa. You helped the young man go to Heart. We can do nothing more than that."

"I should never have helped him to cross over," Vanessa said timidly.

"Wrong. If his love is true, he would have found some other way of going to his Heart. Love always finds a way....By helping him, you saved time...and as you know, time is very, very valuable," The Elder One said in a consoling tone.

"I don't understand these rules, I'll tell you that. I am allowed to help Shivam to cross the Fabric between the worlds, but I'm not allowed to help him any further? Why is that?" Vanessa asked.

"Because nothing controls us, and we are not free," Isabel, the Elder Seamstress, said mysteriously.

"What?" Vanessa asked, confused.

"Free Will and Fate, Vanessa, Free Will and Fate. We have to respect them, for we are, and are not, bound by them too," Isabel said, further confusing Vanessa.

"I don't understand. Listen: I'm going to help Shivam. I can't watch him die and sit here, doing nothing," Vanessa said, and started walking away.

"It's no use. The battle's lost and won," Isabel said.

"What? Oh no!" Vanessa ran to her silver bowl containing the sparkling water to take a look at what was happening in Heart. But she could see nothing. The images had vanished from her bowl.

"Why can't I SEE anything!" Vanessa said impatiently.

"You don't need to watch over any particular man anymore. Thus, I've undone the magic in your silver bowl," Isabel said, her ancient voice matter-of-fact.

"But tell me what happened to Shivam! I feel so responsible for whatever happens to him!"

"Promise me first that you won't try to run to Heart without my consent ever again, not even after I tell you what has passed over there," Isabel said.

"I promise," Vanessa said immediately. She just needed to know Shivam was still breathing, that was all.

"Okay then. I must say that Shivam has..." Isabel began.

***************

Author's Note

***************

Tell me what you think of the Seamstresses!