The Queen Of Eternity

A friend from the past

"How do we get out of here?" Ocean asks.

I look around the room and my eyes stop when met with what seems like a door. 

"That?"

Ocean shrugs walking towards it as I keep staring at the words on the stack of newspapers. 

The headlines intrigue me.

The world has just lost its Queen.

Venatrix or Themis? Or my mom? Or someone different altogether?

Kayan. King or murderer? 

"Esmeray! A little help here, please," Ocean stays still trying to open the door but just pulling and groaning instead. 

I walk up to her and the door opens on it's own, whining like it's the first time it's been used in centuries. 

"How did you do that?" She asks, hands on her hips and a pout on her lips. 

I shrug, trying to hide my own confusion. 

"I'll go first." I tell her.

Ocean nods as I peek out the door and step out. 

My eyes twitch as I come out onto sunlight.

"What the hell?" I blurt out. 

The last thing I remember is being in that room in the palace. But the thing is, we are definitely not at the palace. 

"Ocean, come out." 

She steps out, hand shielding her eyes from the sun. 

"How did we get here?"

I ignore the question because I don't know.

"This looks a hill. Are there hills this green in Queloband? There-"

"HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM."

Someone yells from behind us and I, instinctively, kick the person's ankles, making them lose their balance and drop their gun.

I drop to one knee, the other knee on the person's leg and my hands pining them to the ground by the waist. 

In other context, this could be pretty hot. 

"Essie? Esmeray! OH MY GOD. Hi, hi!"

That's when I finally look at the person. 

"Jake?" 

I move my knee from his leg and spring up to my feet, offering him a hand.

"What are you- How are you alive?" I sputter out before throwing my arms around his neck as he pulls me in by my waist peppering the side of my face with kisses.

Blood thumps behind my ear as an embarrassing giggle escapes, most likely turning me red with excitement.

"Uh...I am a human and I am alive because of your Mom," He replies as I pull back.

He cups my chin and lifts my face up, "God, I missed you."

I don't reply.

He stands up, offering me his head.

I turn around to face a very puzzled Ocean. 

"Ocean, this is Jake. We used to be friends before my father...well, nevermind that.  He was innocent. After that...well, we lost touch. To say the least."

Ocean blinks at me before shaking Jake's hand. 

"She missed a point. We were friends with benefits, if ya know what I mean."

I roll my eyes and move away from him, desperately trying not to remember those parts of our relationship.

"Don't roll your eyes. It was good while it lasted."

"Nice to meet you, Jake." Ocean's friendly smile returns on her face.

"If you got here how I think you got here then I need to take you to my camp and then from there you can go back to the palace, assuming you're not planning on running away?" He asks. 

    My mind travels back to that night when we were sprawled up on my bed, his hand wrapped around my waist as I sleepily told him about my dream to run away one day. 

"No. I have to go back."

He nods understandingly and gestures us to follow him.

Ocean looks at me, her eyes asking for approval of him and I nod. 

   Jake and Luke were the first people I ever trusted. And I am hoping I still can. 

We walk downhill in silence and then through a place that can only be termed as a messy but beautiful cluster of trees.

He halts, motions Ocean to keep walking and starts to walk beside me instead.

"You look great," is his conversation opener. 

How do you have a conversation with someone you were super close with and then you thought he was killed by your father but is actually alive and your super guilty that you didn't know and slowly even kind of forgot about him? 

I do the smart thing and keep my emotions were they belong. Locked up in a vault inside my head. 

"Thanks. You too."

      He hasn't changed much but his hazel eyes now gleam in a kind of maturity that only comes from years of struggle.

The kind of gleam that wasn't there when I last saw him.

His blonde hair is still as messy and unkept as always, but his voice is a little deeper. 

"Soooo, who's this?" He asks, nodding towards Ocean.

"Ocean. Met her on my birthday gala. Not my girlfriend, if that's what you meant."

He nods, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 

"How much farther?" Ocean asks.

"Not much. Just keep walking straight until I say otherwise."

We walk for a few more minutes in complete silence except once when Jake asked us to change the direction we were walking in.

Then, he asked us to keep walking straight. 

His arms brush against mine a few times. Enough times to not be considered accidents.

"Stop," He says as we reach a waterfall. 

Ocean takes a step back and stands beside me as he mutters who knows what under his breath. 

The waterfall slides open into two parts, revealing a well lit tunnel. 

I gape at the sight.

Holy fucking shit.

"Follow me." Jake walks inside the tunnel. 

Ocean and I exchange glances before following him inside.

We keep walking until Jake suddenly stops and I crash against his back. 

"Careful," He says and I can almost hear his smug smirk. "Alright ladies, hold on to each other, close your eyes and enjoy the ride."

I don't have the time to process his words before I feel Ocean's soft fingers interlocking with mine on one hand and Jake's calloused hand on the other.

And then darkness, again.