Septerra Inframagus: Claim Of the Invictus. [REWRITING]

[29] Escaping from Our Worlds

We were seated at the dining table, for lunch, with me at its head. Most of lunch was silent. Everyone wanted to leave and was only here as a sign of courtesy. The rulers couldn't even look into each other's faces. I broke the silence finally.

"I appreciate all of you coming here. I don't know a lot about the history of this land but I do know that ever since my father died all the lands have been at at war. Right now, we can't do that. The main reason I gathered you all here is because I wanted to tell you this.
Magnus has returned and he wants war. Inner conflict is an advantage to the enemy" I said.

King Adaran rose up only to tell me, "They're just rumours".

The other kings and queens agreed with him, mumbling. The blood in my veins boiled but I tied my tongue because I didn't want to fail my first peace treaty. Queen Elana was on my side but there was little she could do. Al's mom, Queen Nevada stood up to leave.

"Queen Nevada, where are you leaving?" I asked.

"To my home land. I have other things to do rather than listen to stupid theories" she said. I could no longer take it.

"Are you all really that naive? That you can't get over your own greed and wishes and work for the well fare of the world. Have you really forgotten the promise you made to the gods when they gave up their immortality? You know what? Fight among yourselves for this throne. That's what important. Not, the lives of the hundreds of students that are studying in Camp D'Hiver. Not the lives of the common people which by the way you have vowed to protect. Fight for this stupid throne. What are you even going to do with this power anyway?

Is it going to make you statisfied? Happy? Real happiness comes from serving not recieving. I am ashamed to say that the world is ruled by people who can't even rule themselves. MAGNUS IS BACK. HE HAS RETURNED. He sent us a personal message by attacking our students with a Manticore and then our magical studies teacher was badly bruised by a werewolf. I suppose all of you are foolish if you don't realise by now that all is endangered and you leaving this hall without signing this peace treaty might as well be the death sentence for Inframagus" I yelled.

All of them were staring at me. I waited for someone to say something.

Queen Elana was the first to speak. "The young prince is right. We are breaking vows and endangering lives just for a piece of dignity that we already have anyway. I'm in" she said picking up the pen on the table and signing the treaty.

"I'm in too" said queen Nevada. Everyone else followed them and soon I had all six signatures on the parchment.

I picked the paper up and said, "This, is real loyalty and open mindedness. Thank you for doing this. The battle Magnus proposed will happen at Eathen in front of Camp D'Hiver at sunrise tomorrow. Send your troops to defend us, but this is a battle for our protectors. It's our duty to find out what Magnus really wants and inform you. I will leave my court duties to Zahid till I return" I said.

The monarchs nodded and I took my leave, walking out of the dining hall and up towards my room. When I went in, I saw Al sitting down on my bed. She was really worried and in deep thought. I must have been staring because she noticed me and looked up. That's when I saw her face, and it looked like she was crying. She wiped her tears and put on a fake smile before I could see.

"Hey. Didn't see you there" she said. I couldn't stand to hear her voice breaking beyond her control. So, I went and sat next to her and held her hand.

"Hey. What's wrong?" I asked, trying to find the sparkle in the rare hue of her eyes.

"It's nothing. Sorry. I just get worked up about things sometimes" she said. A part of me was frustrated that she wouldn't just share her problems with me but I knew how hard it is to trust and believe in a person when you've been hurt in life, so, I let it go.

"Okay. Hey do you want to escape?" I asked.

"What?" she asked, smile appearing on her face.

"Let's escape to another world" I said.

She chuckled and the sound was something I could spend all day listening to. "How?" she asked.

I smiled, got up and pulled her out of the bed. I walked her downstairs and then walked out of the palace gates. I grabbed her hand and took her into the forests around the castle.

"We're going awfully far" she said, smiling.

"Just a little bit longer. I found this amazing place in the forests yesterday when I sneaked out without anyone knowing" I said.

"Needed an escape?" she asked.

I stopped, turned and looked at her and nodded my head lightly. I stopped when we reached a small waterfall, flowing into a pond that had crystal clear water that glowed and rocks all around it. The water was cold and freezing but refreshing.

"A bioluminescent pond? Wow" she said.

"It's exactly like the one from our painting remember?" I said.

"Yeah. I remember. Want to dive into the waters and float there too?" she asked.

As a reply to her question I took off all my fancy king clothes leaving my boxers on and jumped into the water making all the fish run away. The water was warm at the surface but really cold when we went deep. Alaska laughed at me and then took all of her clothes off except the black sports bra she wore on the inside and her own small black shorts. I looked at her surprised that she did it. She shrugged and cannon ball jumped into the pond splashing a lot of water onto me and wetting her hair. The way she looks right into my eyes makes me freeze everytime. 

We laughed at each other, splashing the water around and playing. I got up and went to stand under the waterfall. The water hit my head with a lot of force. Alaska followed me and did the same. I reached for her hand and she held it. I closed my eyes until the only sound I could hear was the water falling around me and the only thing I could feel was Alaska. Suddenly Al let go of my hand and I opened my eyes to see what was going on. Al walked into the waterfall and then disappeared. I panicked. I took a deep breath and walked into the waterfall and was astonished to see a cave hiding behind it. Al was floating around in the water and I lied down and floated next to her.

"Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to not be alive but still have a purpose?" she asked.

  "I think about it a lot" I said.

"You know how islet cells in the liver detoxify everything in our blood so easily? I wish every person had something like that sometimes. A detoxification system that got rid of all the bad stuff" she said.

"Yeah" I said.

Then, I swam towards the end of the water and got up and sat down on the sand. I looked around and took the stick that was lying next to me and wrote on the sand. Al wanted to know what I was doing so she swam over to me.

"What are you writing Philosopher?" she asked, sitting down next to me.

She read what I wrote out loud,

"Like the lakes in mid July, the way its warmth soothes you, waters clearer than ever and how it smiles with the sunshine bouncing off it, and how every time you dive deeper inside, it sends shivers down your spine with you least expecting it, and how that spectacular blue is all you can think of when you go to sleep. And all the while I imagine the water is you".

She didn't say anything for a while, and just smiled pondering over my lines.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever read" she said, placing a quick kiss on my cheek. I turned into a pulp, vulnerable, red tomato.

"Thanks for the escape. I really needed it" she said.

We both lied down on the sand and while she thought about her problems. I thought about the war.

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Hey!!!
I cried while writing this chapter for a reason I cannot unfortunately tell you. Tomorrow this book is coming to an end. I am excited, and really really sad.
Keep Reading,
Love,
Carla Brook.