Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 40|Departure

Thick, vibrant green vines twisted around all the buildings. Giant pastel pink flowers bloomed on the vines, puffing a fragrance into the atmosphere every five hours.

Rivers coursed through the city with a variety of fish within. The water, clearer than glass, had people parking their cars to watch the colourful, elegant fish swim through the river’s torrents.

The little Indian boy rippled the water with his finger and his mother pulled it out, dragging him to the car. The flowers on the vines of the buildings opened and fresh oxygen wafted the air of Ellevine Kingdom.

Everyone, even those in vehicles, stopped their bustling lives to inhale and exhale for one minute. After which, it was back to the grind.

Under the awning of a Chinese Restaurant, Gent and Bristine stared at Ellevine Palace in the distance. Green, pink and white hues highlighted its every visible crevice. It looked like a flower about to bloom with the massive Victoria Regia Lily on its steeple.

“Are you ready?” Bristine asked.

“Of course. The Grandour might be destroyed, but they’re still many stones to go around.”

“Let’s get them then. Starting with Ellevine.”

✧✧✧

Fallon and Miyu slept in the back seat of Ezra’s stolen car. To be fair, he didn’t steal it. He asked nicely to borrow it to travel to Sorden; but the royal chauffeurs weren’t the kindest people.

Henry drove by myself behind Ezra. The ride to Rion was a three-hour drive. It being only 4:03pm, they should arrive by 6pm. Granted, no stops are made, or they have any casualties to avoid.

Henry was falling to sleep the first time he drove through the forest and onto the highway overlooked the land. This time, salt could be in his eyes and he wouldn’t dare close them.

Driving on the highway during the day was as serene as walking through the forest.

Citizens of Uldine hadn’t the need to leave their Kingdom or respective City for anything, so the highway, most times, was like an apocalyptic road: deserted. But it was this emptiness that felt like Henry could relax into the beautiful, calm driving.

With the sunshine just above his rare view mirror, he squinted to block it out. But as time rolled by, the sunlight became a beautiful spectacle to gaze at as it set. The sky’s once azure field now was blotched with pink, red and orange.

Before he knew it, Henry and Ezra were driving into Rion Kingdom.

Ezra woke up the sleeping beauties and their eyes popped out their skulls at the magnificent, heaven touching buildings. Although night glazed upon them, the candescent lights sparkling in all the buildings added to its architectural glory.

The two black –and quite muddy- cars driving through the city to the palace snatched the attention of everyone wandering the pavements and outside bars.

The windows were tinted so black Rionic citizens’ reflections flashed before them. If it wasn’t tinted that dark, they would all see Fallon’s and Miyu’s mouth agape as they parked the cars next to the rest of the black –and quite clean- regal vehicles.

Many Rionic people assembled by the closing black gate waiting to witness who would exit the cars. The guards at the gate were irked by everyone’s pushy exuberance, and as the princes stepped out, cheers erupted.

“Prince Henry! You have returned once again!”

“Welcome back Prince Ezra!”

“Who are the two people with you?”