Chapter 65: Coming of Age.
The following morning dawned bright and beautiful.
Golden sunlight spilled across the hidden kingdom, painting the crystal towers and silver-leafed trees in warm light. A gentle breeze drifted through the palace gardens, carrying the scent of flowers and fresh earth.
For once, the palace felt unusually lively.
Perhaps it was because two certain young women had spent the previous evening proudly announcing to anyone willing to listen that they had officially reached adulthood.
Or perhaps it was because the Queen herself had declared a small celebration.
Either way, the atmosphere felt lighter than usual.
Saline stood before a mirror inside her room, struggling to braid her long black hair.
At seventeen, she had grown into a striking young woman.
Her dark hair flowed down her back like silk, while her vivid green eyes remained as expressive as ever.
Unfortunately, adulthood had not improved her patience.
"This is impossible."
She glared at her reflection.
"How do people do this every day?"
Across the room, Florence looked up from her book.
"You’ve been saying that for ten years."
"And I’ve been correct for ten years."
Florence rolled her eyes.
The door opened.
Lilian entered.
Unlike Saline’s dramatic energy, Lilian carried herself with quiet elegance.
Her golden eyes remained just as unusual as the day she arrived in the kingdom.
Her brown hair had grown long and smooth, reaching almost to her waist.
The years had transformed her into a beautiful young woman.
Though one thing had never changed.
The calm smile that always appeared whenever Saline was being ridiculous.
Which happened frequently.
"You still haven’t finished?"
Saline pointed accusingly.
"It betrayed me."
"The braid?"
"The entire concept."
Lilian laughed.
A soft laugh.
The kind that always made Saline grin.
Moments later, the two young women were walking through the palace toward the throne room.
Today’s celebration carried an unusual tradition.
Every elf reaching adulthood was expected to travel into the forest and retrieve a flower.
Not just any flower.
A flower they had never seen before.
The bloom would then symbolize the beginning of their adult life.
Naturally, Saline thought the tradition sounded wonderful.
Mostly because it involved leaving palace duties behind for an entire day.
The large doors opened.
The throne room came into view.
Queen Calista sat upon her throne.
Even after all these years, she remained breathtaking.
Her long dark hair flowed over her shoulders while violet eyes watched the approaching girls with unmistakable fondness.
Saline immediately smiled.
"Your Majesty."
The Queen raised an eyebrow.
"Why do I feel nervous whenever you smile like that?"
Saline looked offended.
"I am deeply wounded."
"You would recover quickly."
Lilian covered her mouth.
The Queen looked toward her.
"Don’t encourage her."
"I wasn’t."
"You smiled at her nonsense."
"That’s because she looks ridiculous."
The Queen sighed dramatically.
"Both of you are impossible."
Yet amusement lingered in her voice.
The years had changed many things.
Among them was her relationship with the two girls.
Though she remained their Queen, affection had slowly found its place between them.
Especially with Saline.
Who possessed absolutely no fear of royalty whatsoever.
"You wished to see us?" Lilian asked.
The Queen nodded.
"Today marks your coming of age."
Her expression softened.
"I am proud of both of you."
The words carried genuine warmth.
Neither girl spoke immediately.
Because they knew the Queen rarely expressed such feelings openly.
"I expect great things from you."
Saline immediately groaned.
"There it is."
"There what is?"
"The responsibility speech."
"It is an excellent speech."
"It is a boring speech." Saline cried out dramatically.
The Queen stared.
Saline smiled innocently.
Lilian took several careful steps away from her friend.
The Queen noticed.
"A wise decision."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Saline gasped.
"Betrayal." As she placed her hand on her chest.
The throne room echoed with laughter.
Even several guards struggled not to smile.
Eventually the Queen waved them away.
"Go."
"Just like that?" Saline asked.
"Before I change my mind."
The young woman immediately bowed.
"Then we shall leave before wisdom finds you."
The Queen threw a decorative cushion at her.
Saline dodged.
Barely.
Then fled the throne room while laughing.
Lilian followed.
The Queen watched them disappear before shaking her head.
"They are going to cause trouble."
"No doubt," one of her advisors replied.
The Queen smiled faintly.
"Still..."
Her gaze lingered on the doorway.
"...the palace would feel empty without them."
Several hours later, the two friends ventured deep into the forest.
Far beyond the kingdom’s cultivated gardens.
Far beyond the places ordinary citizens frequented.
Saline walked jumping around while Lilian followed calmly.
"You realize we’re lost."
"We’re exploring."
"We’re lost."
"Exploring sounds better." Saline tried to convince her.
Lilian laughed.
They continued deeper.
Neither noticed the figure moving silently through the trees.
Watching them and following.
After nearly thirty minutes, Saline finally stopped.
Then sighed.
"We have company."
Lilian nodded.
"I know."
"She’s been following us forever."
"She isn’t very good at it."
Both girls exchanged a look.
Then continued walking.
Deliberately ignoring the person behind them.
The figure followed.
Branches rustled.
Leaves shifted.
Footsteps sounded.
Finally, Saline lost patience.
She spun around.
"You can come out now."
Silence.
Then a girl stepped from behind a tree.
Black hair with yellow eyes....she was an elf.
An expression full of arrogance.
Gina.
Lilian immediately groaned.
"Of course."
Gina crossed her arms.
"I wasn’t following you."
Saline raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"I was after you." She said to them proudly as she pointed at the two girls.
The two friends stared.
Gina smirked.
"There’s a difference."
"There really isn’t." Saline said shaking her head at her.
"There is."
"There isn’t."
"There is."
The two continued to argue between themselves when Saline suddenly raised her hands for Gina to stop talking.
Saline looked toward Lilian.
"Should we explain?"
"No." Lilian answered her.
"Good."
Gina scowled.
Then smiled.
A dangerous smile.
"Do you think I came alone?"
Before either girl could answer, movement erupted throughout the forest.
Several young elves emerged from hiding.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Saline blinked.
Lilian blinked.
Both slowly counted.
Then looked at each other.
"We are outnumbered."
"Significantly."
"Should we fight?"
"No."
"Run?"
"Definitely."
The decision took less than a second.
The moment Gina stepped forward dramatically...
The two girls bolted.
"WHAT?!"
Gina stared.
Then shrieked.
"AFTER THEM!"
The chase began instantly.
Laughter echoed through the forest.
Saline nearly tripped while running.
Lilian grabbed her arm.
"Careful!"
"I’m being careful!"
"You just hit a tree!"
"The tree moved towards me...I don’t trip okay!"
"It absolutely did not!"
Behind them, Gina screamed threats.
Neither listened.
Because frankly...
This wasn’t the first time.
Nine years earlier, Gina had attempted to become their friend.
Everything had gone wrong during a game of hide-and-seek.
Saline had been the seeker.
She found Lilian first.
The two immediately became distracted.
Then started playing together.
Then forgot about everyone else.
Including Gina.
The resulting grudge had lasted nearly a decade.
Since then Gina had formed her own group.
Tried excluding them.
Tried sabotaging them.
Tried competing with them.
Nothing worked.
Mostly because Saline and Lilian genuinely didn’t care which somehow made Gina even angrier.
The chase continued.
Through trees.
Over streams.
Past rocky hills.
Until suddenly...
Saline froze.
Lilian nearly crashed into her.
"What?"
Saline pointed ahead.
The cave.
The sealed cave.
The very place through which they had entered the kingdom years ago.
The entrance stood silent.
Strangely empty.
"No guards?" Lilian asked.
Saline frowned.
"There should be."
Yet nobody stood watch.
Not a single soldier.
Behind them, Gina’s group continued approaching.
Saline immediately made a decision.
"This way."
Lilian followed without hesitation.
Together they slipped into the cave.
Darkness surrounded them.
The sounds of pursuit faded.
Several minutes later they emerged from the opposite side.
And stopped.
Both stared.
Neither spoke.
Because standing before them was something they had not seen in years.
The outside world.
Mountains stretched across the horizon.
Forests extended endlessly beneath the sky.
The kingdom.
The real kingdom.
The human world.
Saline slowly turned.
A grin spread across her face.
"We escaped."
Lilian laughed.
A genuine laugh that was filled with excitement, wonder and freedom.
The world beyond the elves suddenly seemed enormous.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Exciting.
Everything at once.
Saline took several steps forward.
Then looked toward her friend.
"You know..."
Lilian raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"We should visit."
"The kingdom?"
Saline nodded.
A mischievous smile appeared.
"You’ve never seen it."
Lilian became quiet.
The wind lifted strands of her hair.
For a brief moment, uncertainty crossed her face.
Because unlike Saline...
She remembered nothing.
No family.
No home.
No past.
Only the hidden kingdom.
Only the life she had built there.
Saline’s expression softened.
She stepped closer.
Then gently took her friend’s hand.
"I still remember pieces."
Lilian looked at her.
"Not much."
Saline smiled.
"But enough."
The smile widened.
"And I think it’s time I showed you...and we would be back before anyone notice....and also it’s going to be a good adventure for us while Gina keeps chasing the air."
Lilian stared at her for several moments.
Then slowly smiled back.
Beyond them, the road stretched toward a world neither of them truly knew.
A world waiting patiently.
A world filled with answers.
And perhaps...
A world filled with the truths they had unknowingly left behind.
And together, standing before the kingdom beyond the mountains, they prepared to take their first step toward it.
