EPILOGUE
“Sofia!” Vincent called her. Few days had passed and everything was just like what it used to be. She goes to school in the morning and went home in the afternoon, or dropped by at the cake shop of her friend. She turned and waited for her neighbor. “I never noticed you had a haircut.” Vincent said to her.
Sofia smiled. “U-Ugh. Yeah… it seems like that.”
“It suits you anyway,” the young man remarked and smiled. She smiled back and walked to school together. They passed the same houses, streets and stores. A vision of the beautiful town of Pendragon flashed on her mind and it bring a radiant smile on her lips. Faces followed. The old, wise wizard with a lengthy white beard, Old Wizard Claw. The girl with a joyful smile on its face which dress had been tattered because of her, Flaire. Sofia chuckled silently. The brave boy of the Wolfspider clan, Raven. The young man who had saved her from stumbling down the stairs, Tristan. The young princess of Hesperia which her hair looks like, Asmaria. The girl who had saved her from death, Iris. And… the man who — … the arrogant, self-centered…
“So, can I ask you out later?” Vincent suddenly snapped. Sofia turned to the young man beside her. Is Vincent asking her out? Sofia laid in silence. Her first crush asked her out. She noticed the gem on her finger and suddenly simpered. That arrogant, self-centered… undeniably good-looking man. The man that had stolen her heart and broke it to pieces without even showing his face the moment she left! Chase… or Francis, ugh… whatsoever name he had. That fool! Vincent stared at her frowned.
Sofia made up her mind. She draw something from her bag. A letter she had been keeping for a long time. She extend it to Vincent who was puzzled. “Give this to Mrs. Wyndham. Tell her I love her.” Vincent reached for the letter with a confused look. Sofia dashed away.
“Hey — …!” Vincent hesitated but Sofia was out of his sight. He knitted his brow and sighed. Sofia went back to the place where she met the two people that had opened a new world for her. The world where she really belong. Home. She was definitely going home. Sofia clasped her hands together. She closed her eyes and think of Lynabria, its people… everyone. The ring will lead you home. Of course, home. The ring glistened and the speckles of red dust clothe her. Sofia began to vanish without a trace.
A beautiful melody brought her back to senses. She looked around. Sofia smiled. She was no longer in the human world. Her heart fluttered with joy. She was home. It was night and the moon shines brightly above. Sofia heard a sound like that of a flute. It was melancholy yet still a lovely harmony. She smelled a familiar scent — the Queen of the Night. Its bud began to open. A beautiful scenery before her eyes. The opening bud and the music creates a wonderful atmosphere. She was in the midst of a beautiful garden. She followed the tune that led her into a long reflecting pool that ran almost the entire length of the garden. Red tulips with their beautiful large flower, and trumpet-shaped flower of golden daffodils filled the pool along with several snowdrops with its white drooping flowers. It was a sign of the beginning of spring. Sofia suddenly halted. A tall figure of a man was playing a glistening, silver flute just quite a distance away from her. She draw near and gasped when the figure became perceivable by her senses. Francis! He was looking adorably sedate in all white. He was more of a prince look. He was dressed in the height of fashion. White suit with crisp white neck ruffs, narrow white pants and an exotic white coat embroidered lightly in gold thread and silver that came to just below his knees.
The young man was about to play another tune when he noticed of her presence. Chase turned to Sofia. He suddenly looked pale. Sofia knitted her brow. Wasn’t he glad seeing her? If it was about her dress, well she does not know that he would be looking like a gorgeous blue-eyed debonair. Sofia smirked and said, “I never thought you could play a flute.”
Chase regained his color. He could not believe his eyes. “It was really you.” Sofia arced a brow and smiled. “You might be mad at me,” he started. The flute vanished on his hand for it was just a mere artifice of the real one. Sofia preferred to be silence. Past is past. “My mother had taught me to play the instrument, anyway.” Now, he was talking.
She looked around. “Am I at your Palace garden?”
He shook his head and smirked. A dashing footsteps suddenly broke their conversation. It was Raven. The boy have not gotten any taller. Sofia chuckled upon seeing the child. “Fie! It was you! You came back!!” The child embraced her tightly. Sofia ruffled his hair.
“Ugh. Yeah… it seems like that,” she said, scratching the back of her head.
“Do you like it?” The child began to ask, gazing up on her.
Sofia frowned. “Like what?” Chase put a finger over his lips and gazed over the child secretly. Raven chuckled and kept his silence. Sofia made a face and said, “This garden was beautiful, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah! Master Chase had made this!” Raven blurted and suddenly came into a halt, hearing what he had just said. Chase turned his look away, rubbing his forehead. Raven laughed forcibly. He had blurted it out accidentally. His master might be mad at him. “U-Ugh… W-Well…” he started. “Yeah. T-The garden was beautiful. You also had a lake.” The child pointed at the shallow body of water that was glistening under the moonlight. Lilies were growing abundantly on its brink. “Kali had been almost mad at Master. He almost consumed all the Lady Dragon’s magic,” Raven blurted again. Chase sighed. Sofia noticed a spark on the dangling precious gem that hangs on his neck. She remember how she had bargained the necklace with the dragon, Kali.
Sofia smiled. “Many things had changed, I guess.”
“France!” A young maiden suddenly called out for his name. The lady was in deep ultramarine velvet dress, the underskirt of which was silky black with pattern of swirls and decorated with little diamonds that sparkled with her every step. Jades sparkled on her ears with hair that was somewhat wavy, extending down to her chest and dressed with hairpins studded with the same stones on one side. Sofia dropped her lips in awed.
“Aimee!” Raven turned to the young woman that had held his master’s arm. The child was about to utter something but hesitated, afraid that he might outspoken unnecessary things and worst, his Master’s secrets. The young woman smiled and turned to Sofia. Chase laid in silence.
“You are?” Aimee asked with a fine voice.
Sofia forcibly smile and curtly replied, “Sofia.” She wonder who could this beautiful damsel be? She suddenly turned somewhat pale but she managed to conceal it. Could it possibly be that she was the change that she never thought of? How long had she been gone? Years, maybe. Indeed. What else to expect? Chase was a fine, young prince and besides, he might not be expecting of her return anymore.
The woman awed. “Sofia? So, you’re the Hunter?” Sofia set a faint smile and nod. “I can’t believe this. You came back. Are you going to stay here forever?”
“U-Ugh. Well…” she stammered. Perhaps. But it seems that she was now having a doubt if coming back was a right thing. She laid in silence, puzzled. She was indecisive. The woman suddenly spoke, seeing the look in her eyes, “What a guileless question I’ve asked. Don’t mind it anymore.” Aimee turned to Raven. “I’ve found the lilacs. Do you want to come with me? It’s just over there.” Raven batted its eyelashes and shrugged his shoulders. The woman turned to her, “It was nice meeting you, Sofia. It’s Aimee, by the way.” Sofia nodded and smiled. The woman gazed on the young man and smiled before leaving.
They were like newlyweds, Sofia thought. She turned to Chase and said, “She was beautiful.” Chase arced a brow. “Your wife.” She added. The young man chuckled near hysteria and gazed on her.
“Well… Ugh. Beautiful. Of course, sure of that.” He cleared his throat and thrown his looked away. He could not hide the provocative smile on his lips. Whatever he was thinking, it might be a significant thing. Silence came between them. Aimee glanced at them on the distance and suddenly smiled. Sofia caught her and smiled back.
Sofia was turning red. She could not
perceived if it was because she was happy for him or awfully upset of herself. She was so wrong of going back for this man. He never waited for her anyway. But, come to think of it. She was the one who had turned her back away from him. Sofia took a deep breath and smiled. Since, things cannot be undone anymore. She might have to accept the thought that this man might not be the one for her. Well, let’s just presumed that this was just a visit to a friend. But her heart tells her of different thing.
“U-Ugh.” She started. Chase glanced at her with an insolent smile on his face. Sofia looked away, afraid that he might see the lingering sadness and tears on her eyes. “That clothing looks fine on you.” What an idiotic thing to start with! Sofia bit her lips. It feels like she was talking to a stranger that had taken her first kiss.
Chase sniggered and curtly said, “Thanks.”
She clenched her fist. It was awkward. She feels awkward on him. Why was he so cold and unspoken? Maybe it does not interests him. Courtly matters and fancy things never interests him. If only she could tell him things like, “You fool! I came back for you but you never waited for me! Or some dramatic things… Why? I have been faithful to you. You — …! Ugh! But she could not tell him those. Of course not.
“How did you manage to come back?” He asked without taking any glance on the young woman beside him. Of course he knew. It was what he planned and hoped for. She had been gone for such a long time and many things had changed. Only a thing remained that would not change and never will be.
“I was just taking a visit here. I missed the guys,” she replied. Of course it was a lie. She could not tell him especially if she would be the one to lose.
Chase smirked but never breathe a word. Liar, he thought. He made a spell on the ring that somehow, if she had made up her mind and had decided to come back… she would find her way. He was actually on the verge of losing his hope that Sofia would come back.
“How long have I been gone?” she finally asked.
“Years,” came his cold reply.
Sofia nodded. “In our world, it was just days,” she murmured. Chase scoffed. So, she had been thinking for days. A very inquisitive question entered Sofia’s mind. It would be awkward but somehow, she was fond of knowing the story. “How did you met Aimee?”
He looked at her for a moment and set an insolent smile on his face. “That’s private.” Sofia made a face. What an aloof person! Chase was just concealing his smile. Sofia came up another question, “D-Do you have already a kid?”
Chase turned to her, hiding another insolent grin. “Well, I always been hoping for a boy as handsome as me.” He suddenly covered his lips, restraining himself to laugh. This lady was an outrageous girl. Funny as she always was. Sofia caught his glanced and turned his look away. He could see that she was taken by the things he had said. She would hate him for sure.
Someone clears his throat behind them. It was Sever, who had not changed at all from the last time she had seen him. “May I interrupt you,” the young man said and went near them. Chase gazed on his cousin. Sever smiled and turned to Sofia. “How are you my lady?”
Sofia was about to say something when Aimee came running towards them with the lilacs on her hands. Raven followed her after. Sever smiled and stretched his welcoming arms. “How are you brother?” Aimee asked and embraced him tightly. Sofia widened her eyes. Did she heard it right? Brother? She shook her head in disbelief. If Aimee was Sever’s younger sister then… They were cousins. Sofia gritted her teeth. She could not believe that Chase had made fun of her! Ugh! This fool! How stupid could she be that she had believed his lies! She looked like a fool.
Chase smirked in silence. Sofia might have been furious on him. He caught her looking at him with a fretful look. He smiled innocently at her. Sever began to spoke, “Thank you for looking over my naughty sister. I want to have a talk with you two but we still have a long way to go. We’re travelling South.” Chase nodded. Aimee smiled at her cousin and said, “Good-bye, France.”
Sever patted his shoulders and said, “So long, His Majesty.”
“Cut it off,” he said and smiled. Sever laughed and the two began to vanish in an instant. Sofia waved her hand before they completely disappeared. Chase gazed at her and laughed, does not have the chance to keep his sentiment. Sofia turned red all over. Now he was completely mocking at her. His indecent laughter echoed the whole place.
“You fool!” Sofia grimaced. “You made a fool out of me!” She tried to pinch his nose but he caught her hands. Raven watched over them in silence, puzzled. There might be some things that only adult person have to deal with. He clears his throat. “I’ll just wait you inside,” the boy said and took his leave.
Chase could not restrain himself from laughing. Sofia laid in silence, annoyed. “So, let’s have a talk then,” he intoned, still grinning at the young woman. Sofia crossed her arms over her chest.
“Happy? You’re really an — chuuuu!” Sofia sneezed and blushed. How offending, she thought and rubbed her nose. The night was getting colder to her skin.
“That was cute,” Chase said and put his coat over her. “Let’s take a walk to the Palace.”
He led the way and Sofia followed. They had talked about so many things. She had been told that Asmaria was now placed in throne of Hesperia and Tristan had remained on her side. Claw remained at the Hidden Valley along with the other warlocks and had established a school of sorcery with Flaire as his apprentice. The dispute between the Academy and the Old Wizard had been settled. Etheria had been restored and the people went back to their lands under his reign as the Crown Prince of Etheria. Sofia sighed deeply. Indeed. A lot had occurred upon her absence. She turned to the young man beside her, “Then, what are you doing here at my Palace? Your people needs their Prince.”
“I was just paying a visit,” he replied and took hold of her hand. “I thought you would never return.”
“Well, I did.” Sofia gazed on him. “Besides, here is where I belong.”
He nodded. “That was clever of you,” he said. “Your people had been waiting for their dramatic Princess for such a long time.” They both chuckled.
“How was Victoria…I mean Isabelle?”
Chase guide her into the staircase before saying, “She was on the Palace. She often asked about you.” Sofia smiled and nodded. An aged woman greeted them with glee. She wore a fine tailored lilac silk with hair dressed in a bun and was decorated with an emerald pin. The time does not seem to wear out the beauty that she once possessed.
“Her Majesty,” the old woman curtsied at her. Sofia curtsied back with a smile. The woman turned to the young man on her side and does the same. “His Highness.” Chase slightly nod. “I had been in your family for such a long time, My Lady.”
“What should I call you, Auntie?” Sofia asked, uncomfortably. No one ever address such things to her. The woman smiled and replied, “Anything at your ease, My Lady.” Sofia chuckled and said, “You don’t have to address something like that to me, Auntie.” Chase smiled in silence.
The woman stared at her for a moment and said, “You are so looked like the Queen herself.” Sofia smiled thinking of the mother she have never met. “Come, I’ll show you your room,” the woman declared and led them upstairs. “The child had fallen asleep on one of the chambers, by the way.” The Palace was magnificent with its dazzling lights and exotic work of art. A beautiful fountain catered the midst of the entry hall. Red lotus filled the fountain base. Golden chandelier hanged just above it. There were silver bowls filled with lilacs, early roses, and lily of the valley. The bowls were decorated with elegant saxe blue design that lined the walls of the lovely hall. They took the corridor and went into a significant chamber. It was huge and lovely with silky white curtains laced with gold and silver. The candles were made pure of beeswax and scented with lavender. The chamber was beautifully furnished with large floor pillows and fine rugs that covered the marble floor. Her bed, supposedly were huge if just for herself but it was wonderfu
l with the fine fabrics that lies on it. A huge closet rest on one corner of the chamber that might contain all the things she needs. The room had a balcony that overlooks the garden just like the one on the Etherian Palace had.
The old woman gestured to leave. “Have a good rest, Lady Agatha.”
Sofia turned to the old woman. Chase also frowned. “What did you just call me?”
“Agatha, Her Ladyship,” came the reply. “Sofia Agatha vi Lynabria was your name. Have you not known of it, Her Highness?” Sofia gulped. Something caught her eyes. A huge family painting hanged upon the wall. It was a family of five. The man wearing a beautifully tailored apparel was his father, no other than the King himself. A beautiful woman was sitting beside him with two lovely children on both sides. The old woman noticed her interest. “You were so young on that painting, My Lady.” The lady pointed the girl on the far left and said, “This was Lady Valyrine. She was a year older than you. She had disappeared and never return.” Sofia stare aimlessly on the girl. Ebony hair that was black as the night sky and those eyes that glows like the starlight. It could not be a mistake. One thing she noticed, the girl held a flower on her hand… Iris. Chase gazed at Sofia with tears that raced down its beautiful face.
***
Sofia laid in silence as she watched the moon shines over the dark clouds. The torches had been lit up and the night was still. Tomorrow, she will be presented over the whole kingdom as their Princess. Sofia wonder if the title suits her. She could see the distant towns that surrounds the Palace, the wide dark forest and the silhouette of the Blue Mountains. Home. She was home. The world had called for her. Sofia saw the fireflies lighted the silver birch tree nearby.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” She heard a gentle voice on the corner. Sofia nodded and gazed on him. He smirked and went near her. “So, you find your place, Princess?” The gem on his ear glistened by the moonlight so as his turquoise eyes.
“Yep,” she replied and leaned on his broad shoulder. “Here.”
“By your people?” he further inquired.
Sofia smiled. “Perhaps, by your side…”
“Flatterer,” he intoned and poked her forehead.
Sofia chuckled and turned to him. “Years had passed. I left as soon as the first snow of winter had fallen, I never thought that I would return on the first bloom of spring.”
He smiled. “Many things had changed…” Chase took hold of her hand. “…but one thing remained.” Sofia set a smile on her face. He caressed her face and bent to kiss her forehead. “I’ve always wanted to spend the rest of forever with you, my princess. Although, I never knew if you would love a three thousand five hundred twenty six years old man…”
Thousand? He merely looked like a twenty year old, eye-catching figure. Sofia chuckled and said, “If that man had a face like yours.”
Chase laughed. “Very well Princess… Take my hand in marriage and we’ll immediately make a thousand copies of me.” He gazed at her with such seriousness. Sofia turned red and knocked his head unpredictably. “Fool!”
— FIN —
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
“FOR GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, SO THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM MAY NOT DIE BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” (JOHN 3:16)
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