The Forgotten Kingdoms (Featured in the #W.S Awards)

Preparations

Hello readers! I'm actually going to be posting regularly now(once a week). My update date is each Monday (except for a couple days when I will be at camp)
Crowd: *gasp*
Me: really... There's no need to sound so surprised!
Please remember that constructive criticisms is appreciated, and to vote and comment!
Now, without further ado...
Back to where we left off!
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"Relax Mae! It's only me." Oh thank goodness! It's only Eric! I close my eyes as relief washes over me.
"Come on Eric! I thought that I told you not to scare me like that!" I complain lightly, in reality, I haven't told him anything of the sort, but hopefully he won't know that.
"No you haven't!" Oh well...
"I have now! Anyways," I say, changing the subject "what are you doing here at this time of night?" I'm honestly curiouse... Wait. I'm guessing that Mom sent him out for me. "No, don't say why... I'm going to guess. Mom sent you, didn't she!" I say accusingly, why would he obey my mom?
"Yeah..." He sheepishly looks at the floor. When he sees me take a deep breath to start betraying him, he quickly speaks up. "I didn't have a choice Mae!" He pleads "Your mom is really, really worried for you!" He looks down at me with big eyes, begging for me to understand.
"Do you know what she told me Eric? Did she say why I left? Or did she just tell you that I'd run away again? Because I have a reason for leaving, an it's a very, very good one!" I say the last sentence vehemently.
Eric blinks in surprise at my outburst, freezing for a second in shock, because I'm not normally one for large emotive outbursts, "What is your reason then, Mae?" Eric asks, with a mocking tone in his voice. I look up at him sharply, furious that he would tease me about something like this. But when I do see his face, all that's there is curiosity and worry.
Get a grip, Mae. I tell myself... I really need to stop imagining things.
"Mae?" Erica worried voice derails my train of though, sending it careening off the tracks and down a hill to it's death. "Mae, are you alright?" I shake myself mentally, get a grip.
"Yeah, yes, I-I'm fine, t-thanks for asking. Sorry, what where you saying befor?" I stutter, suddenly realizing that I'm shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.
"So, what is your reason for leaving your mom?" Eric asks me gently, as if taking to a scared animal.
I close my eyes and sigh... So that's what we where talking about before I zone out. "I'll give you the short story-" Eric starts to protest, but I hold up my hand, and he stops like he's been gaged (minus the muffled swears that would be happening if I actually did gag him) "Eric, I'll give up the short story. I'm not going to argue with you." I say bluntly, "what happened was she heard us talking about the letter and my moms kingdom...And she didn't take it well. Actually, that's an understatement. S-she told m-me that my d-dad didn't want m-me, a-a-and..." I trail off, realizing that I was sobbing too much to talk. I'm actually surprised to be sobbing, I didn't even notice that I had started in the first place.
I'm even more surprised when Eric wraps his arms around me, giving me exactly what I need-comfort, and a good place to rest my head, while I cry into his jacket.
Finally my sobs subside, and I step back from Eric, my cheeks heating up.
Why do I always have blush at the most inconvenient times?
I look up at Eric, hoping that he won't be laughing at me, instead he looks down at me tenderly, "I'm sorry." He says, the look on his face is one of intense sadness... I can't help feeling a little touched that he's so sad for me. "Is there anything that I can do?" He asks cautiously, as if I might collapse at a loud sound, which I actually might, I feel so weak from my emotional outburst.
"No, well, is there anything that I can distract myself with?" I know from experience that it is better for me to get up and do something, than wallow in my sadness.
"Actually, yes, we have some preparations to make before we go the portal, it's not much, but it may take your mind off of things." He smiles sadly, looking to me almost as if he needs my approval. Hmm, that's odd... He's never done that before. Oh well, I dismiss the thought with a flick of my wrist.
"Really? What is it?" I'm sort of exited for what's to come, and sort of- no, very sad to be leaving my friends in this world... Hopefully I can make new ones, although I've never been good at that sort of thing. Oh well.
"Well, we have to get weapons, and then travel to a suitable location where you can be transported to your realm, and not appear in a mountain." I can't really tell if he's joking about me appearing in a mountain, or not, and I'm not sure that I want to find out...
"Ok, well, where can we get the weapons? Oh, and I already have my rapier, so I don't really need anything else." I'm glad that I don't have to learn another weapon from scratch... Because it takes years to become and expert, and I don't think that I have years.
"Oh, right... I guess that we can skip that step as well, because I already have mine as well, do you have anything other than your rapier? Or is that it?" Eric frowns, "Because if it is, then I can give you one if my daggers... You need to be able to protect yourself in close quarters." He's already handing me a wicked looking blade and a sheath for it. "Here, you put it on the edge of your belt like this" Eric brushes away the side of my shirt, hooks it gently on to the right side of my belt.
"Thanks," I say softly "but I don't know how to use it, so it won't be much use in my hands." I smile sheepishly and look down, already pulling the dagger off my belt and handing it back to him.
"I'll teach you then!" Eric exclaims pushing back my hand that's giving him back the dagger.
"Well then, all we need to do is find where I'll be safe to enter... Whatever you call it." I realized as I said that, that I had no idea what the land that I was supposed to be ruling was called.
"Oh, it's called Taerillya, I will explain more about how thing a work there once we are waiting for the portal. Anyways, do you know where 7 Acres Beach is? That will probably be the safest place for us to cross over. " he looks questioningly at me.
"Yes, I know where it is, but we still have a day left... Is it alright if I spend some time with Katty? I can't just leave her in the dark like this." I look pleadingly at Eric.
Eric sighs, "Of cours, but I do want to teach you the rudiments if using a dagger... It's very important that you can defend youself." I smile, happy that I didn't have to argue with him for once. "Anyways" Eric continues "you look exhausted... Do you have a plan for where you are going to sleep? I'm pretty sure that going back you your moms house isn't going to work well in your favour.."
"Well... I haven't actually thought about that.. I could always just sleep on. A park bench. They're comfortable enough." I sigh, resigning myself to a horrible back and neck ache when I wake up the next morning.
"What?" Eric looks offended "Come on, I'm sort of offended that you didn't think that I'd let you sleep on my couch! C'mon, you are going to sleep at my house." He smiles at my face slowly turning more and more red.
"But I don't want to impose-"
"Nope!" Eric interrupts me, "No if's, and's, or but's... You need a good sleep... And your not going to get that on a park bench."
"Fine!" I huff throwing my hand up in the air. "You win, I'll go home with you!"
Eric smirks "I knew I would get you there someday!" He exclaimes, I stop... Dd he really just say that? But when he laughs at my horrified expression, I let out a sigh of relief... He was joking. Thank goodness!
When I finally get to Eric's house after what seems like hours of walking, the first thing that I do is slip off my shoes and lay down on the couch, not even bothering to change clothes.
As I slip slide away into the land of dreams, I can feel him tucking a blanket around my shoulders... And then just like that, I'm asleep.
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Holy crap that was long(for me at least)! I just had a marathon of writing('caus I've started the next capt.).. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, as always, please remember to comment and vote!
And to the land of dreams for me!
G'night everyone!
-Mera