Behind it All (2)

Um… I’m just gonna look away.

“@#$&!!!!!”

…and cover my ears.

The queen spent a long while… politely scolding Elvira and the owner about their robbery. It was very… unexpected to hear her use that sort of language, not to mention the terrifying aura emanating from her body. So, I pretended not to notice anything – see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil and all that. This was the same woman who could kill a person with a single swipe of her hand. Well maybe not one, but at most two. And I’d still be dead either way.

In the end, the owner was ‘kind’ enough to reimburse me five hundred reales. From eighty thousand. Or about two to three nights in a city. I’m surprised they gave even that much.

As for the rest, we would need to earn that ourselves. It wasn’t a particularly difficult task, given my lucrative entertaining gig, but if I wanted to stay hidden from the kingdom, it would require a bit more leg work. After all, I couldn’t just declare the queen was still alive. That would make things worse. Luckily, the usurper king probably wouldn’t intentionally try to seek me out – at most a bounty on my head. In his mind, I was an omnipotent being whose pros weren’t worth the cons.

“Let’s get going, shall we?” Elvira said. At some point, she had switched into a guard’s armor, visor and all, adopting a masculine figure and voice. She… or he tossed us each – well, tossed to me and handed to the queen – a bag full of non-perishable food and water along with a cloak to hide our faces. The owner then led us through the back of the shop to an alleyway exit. With one final kneel, hand across his heart, we left him behind, making our escape.

Elvira confidently brought us through the back alleys and narrow paths, with many twists and turns, until we reached the capital gates. With how immaculate they were, I thought we would run into someone. However, there was nary a person in sight, almost as if purposely abandoned for this moment.

Of course, the same couldn’t be said for the castle walls. Standing in front of a metal door were two guards keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. In fact, they seemed to have noticed us immediately, yet once Elvira held up some object, they gave a brief nod before looking away. Even as we passed by through the entrance, their gazes stayed locked at either their feet or the sky until the door shut.

“I didn’t expect the queen to have so many allies,” I absentmindedly whispered.

“Huh? What in the world are you talking about? The supporters of the queen would never let such blatant corruption occur. No, they aligned themselves with that bastard, which as much as I loathe to admit it, helped.”

A short “Ah” was all I could say. The usurper king was purposely letting me escape, telling me to leave and never come back. Not so much an act of mercy, but to let sleeping dogs lie.

The hallway within the walls was dimly lit, wide enough for a person and a half to fit side by side. However, that’s all it was: a straight thoroughfare with no end in sight. It took a few minutes before we even came across a door blocking our path. And behind it? Another endless hallway. That exact scene played out three times before we finally came upon a sliding door on the inner wall. Of course, we still headed down three more hallways back the direction we came, pretty much like one giant U-turn. Only then did we come across the actual exit.

Elvira went out first, showing that same object to the guards, before motioning us to follow. It was my first time seeing the scenery outside the capital, actually the first time in a while I left my area of comfort, ignoring the kidnapping. The plains of grass glittered under the starlight while the forest beyond had an almost mysterious allure. Sure, I knew they were probably the same thing you saw in the countryside, but for some reason, at this moment, it made me feel like I had taken that first step forward.

Once we got out of earshot of the other guards, Elvira stopped and turned around. “Well then, this is where I wish you farewell, for the time being at least.” He brought his hand to his chest, making a solemn salute, one that felt much more grave than it should’ve been.

“Yes yes. I am sure to see you again soon.” The queen responded with a roll of her eyes, though she had a twinge of wistfulness.

“Well, I hope to never see you again,” I bluntly stated.

“How harsh,” he bemoaned like a woman, purposely off-putting. “There is a carriage with some additional goods loaded near the edge of the forest. Then, just follow the path south to Ambel.”

I nodded in response.

“Good luck.” Then, with a silent wave, he went back to the city, wearing an indescribable expression.

As for us two, we found the carriage – a horse-drawn SUV – exactly where she said it was. The queen offered to drive first, which I happily took her up on. My fatigue had been building for nearly half a day, and I couldn’t wait to pass out. I’ll choose not to think that a ninety year old woman has more stamina than me.

My mind drifted away as soon as I sat down in the back seat–

The stream has ended.

“Jest! You good in there?” I found myself standing in my room, back in my world. The computer, the bed, the moldy spot in the corner – nothing seemed out of place. But at the same time, I knew it was a dream. I knew if I opened that door, it would all come to an end. Given how tired I felt, I would normally just pass out on the bed, content with my life. But now…

“Hey Ana?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go out somewhere?”

“Huh? Are you sure you’re okay?”

I mean, fair question, but… “Hey! Even I want to go outside every so often. Especially with my girlfriend.”

“And where do you plan on taking me?”

“Uh… somewhere?” I could hear her giggling outside my room.

“Sure, I’d be happy to go somewhere with you.”

And I’ll make sure to say those words to the real you. I’ll try to talk to my parents. And I’ll try to keep moving.

“And what about me?” the familiar voice asked, weighing me down, yet at the same time, a bit lighter than usual.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully forgive or accept you.

“But that’s fine.”

Because I am me, or at least, that’s who I want to be.

So, I grabbed the doorknob and turned, hesitant but ready.

Until I finally made it home.