Journey (part two)

We had been traveling for a week now and were only one hundred miles in. The woods were hard to get through and there wasn't a clear path anymore. We never spoke again about what happened on our first day.

"Raven, look!" Oliver pointed towards the sky with a smile. I followed and saw a single snow flake falling.

I lit up instantly and ran towards the snowflake. It landed in my hand and filled me with so much happiness I began to cry.

"Happy birthday, Raven." Oliver smiles as he stood beside me and pulled out an emerald necklace.

"Oh Oliver, it's beautiful!" I sniffled and turned so he could put it on me.

"I know it's not as nice as..."

"It's perfect, Oliver!" I don't know why I did it but when I turned around....I kissed him.

He didn't seem to mind it much as we began a rhythm with our lips.

When I pulled away from him with blushing cheeks I couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

"I'm..."

He silenced me by planting another kiss on my lips. This time it was full off passion as his tongue explored my mouth and mine his.

I felt like I was floating....

"I'm glad you like it." He smiles and pulls away.

I just nod in agreement and follow him as he began to walk again.

When the snow started sticking to the ground I took the opportunity to gather a snowball and threw it at the back of his head.

"What was that for?" He asked wiping the snow off his head. I shook my head and walked on smiling until I felt a snowball hit my back.

I turned around and faced Oliver.  He just whistled and looked around like he hadn't thrown it at me. I used my magic to create a giant ball in my hand.

The look on his face was priceless as I threw it at him. I knocked him to the ground and caused me to burst with laughter.

"That isn't fair." He laughed with me.

"All is fair in love and war." I giggle and helped him up.

"I'm going to get you." He said. I squealed in delight and ran away from him, hiding behind a big tree.

"Come out come out wherever you are." He laughed and tried to find me.

We were acting like five year olds as we chased each other around.

We should've kept on with our journey but we were having too much fun and it ended when we ran into a royal guards camp.

"Well well well." The leader spoke up.

"If I knew it would be this easy, I wouldn't have bothered to bring all these mean."

"Eric!" Oliver stepped in front of me and practically shielded me.

"You're a traitor, Oliver." The leader, Eric, says.

"I swore to fight for the King. Not the bitch that sits on his throne." Oliver replies.

"And so you let a terrorist free to rain havoc on our kingdom?" Eric shoots back.

"Terrorist? If anyones the terrorist its my 'mother'" I growled.

"Raven..."

"Move, Oliver." I commanded.

"I am the daughter of King Elijah, Princess Raven Sensa Hart." I don't know where the confidence came from but my voice resonated through the trees and filled me with power. I waited a moment before I pulled my tiara from my bag and showed it to them.

"Your highness." Eric drops to one knee and his men follow suit. I didn't think it would've been that easy..

"Let's go, Raven." Oliver broke the silence.

"Where are you headed?" Eric asked.

"That is none of your concern, I'm taking her." He said and Eric smirked.

"You'll need me to deal with the other guards that are waiting at the next town." He said and I nodded.

"No." Oliver said and I looked at him.

"Oliver, we could use his help." I said and he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Fine." He finally said and stormed off.

"After you,  my lady." Eric bowed and I walked in front of him after Oliver.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked and he sighed.

"I don't trust him." He said.

Why?" I asked and he looked at me.

"He's working for your mother, who's planning on probably locking you away for the rest of your life, if you need reminding." He said and turned away from me.

"Oliver." I said and he turned back around.

"What." He asked again and I pulled him close to me.

"Don't." He pulled away and began to walk again.

I just sighed to myself and walked behind the two men as they bickered like an old married couple.

*

      I had gotten a room and waited for Oliver to come in. When he didn't I went to find him in the town. 

I eventually found Eric at the tavern.

He was getting drunk of course. I didn't see Oliver and just sighed before joining Eric at a table.

"Your highness." He slurs quietly.

"Have you seen Oliver?" I asked.

"He went off with a lady not too long ago." He smirks.

He what!

My blood boiled at the thought...

"You look like you could use a drink." He chuckles and slides his pint over.

"I've only ever had wine." I admitted before taking a long sip of the ale.

It wasn't too bad but definitely not the best. .

       A few pints later, I was dancing with Eric completely off beat and definitely wasted.

I didn't know how much time had passed since the first pint but I was feeling good and having more fun then I had ever had back at the castle.

Only for it to be interrupted by Oliver.

"Get your hands off of her, now." He wasn't happy seeing Erics hands all over me.

"She doesn't seem to mind it." Eric smirks and grips onto me tighter.

"Come on. We're leaving now." Oliver pulls me away from Eric and practically drags me out of the tavern.

"What's your deal?" I giggle as he leads me back to the inn.

"He shouldn't have been touching you." He says angrily.

"Hehe jealous?" I ask as he closes the door to our room.

"You're drunk." He scowls.

"I was jealous you went off with some lady." I giggle again and take my shoes off.

"So you decide to get drunk and let Eric feel you up?" He growls.

"Well it's not like you were going to do it." I smirk.

"You have no idea what I want to do to you, Raven." He comes close to me and grips my chin.

I gasp in surprise and go wide eyed as he traces my lip with his thumb.

"And before you accuse me of being with another woman. I went off with a woman that owns a magic shop to see if there were any books that could help you with your powers." He goes into his pocket and pulls out a small book.

He leans in close to my ear and whispers softly.

"I'm running you a bath and then you're getting to bed. When you're sober and thinking straight, we'll talk more about the things I want to do with your beautiful body."

*

       I woke up with a bad headache and a very sore throat. I groaned and turned over to see Oliver sleeping beside me and Eric on the floor passed out.

"Good morning." Oliver  opened his eyes  and got up. I massaged my temples as his voice irritated my headache.

"Here, this'll help with your head." He said and handed me a glass of water.

"Thank you." I said.

"Get dressed, gather your things, and let's get going." He says.

"What about Eric?" I asked.

"He'll be fine."

I just shrug and do as he says.

I didn't really remember most of the night before but I knew he was angry with me.

  "Why are you angry with me?" I asked as we made our way out of the town.

"Do you remember anything that happened last night?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I remember having too much to drink with Eric then waking up this morning in bed." I told him and he nodded and kept walking.

"Did i say something?" I asked.

"We're almost to the Kingdom of The Lost. Let's just focus and we should be there by nightfall."

"Are you nervous?" I asked.

"No. As soon as we get you there and I know you're safe with your father then I'm free." He said. I felt a pain in my chest as he spoke but chose to just keep my thoughts to myself.

Of course he'd leave as soon as we got there.

How stupid of me to think he'd stay.

*

We were almost there. My stomach churned with anxiety the closer we got. And the questions of what if kept replaying over and over in my head.

"What's the matter? You've barely said a word since this morning." Oliver brings my attention back to reality.

"Nothing." I say. What could I say that could make sense?

I was either about to be reunited with my father or be let down once again. Oliver was about to leave and I thought I was in love with him. I was angry and upset and just in a storm of mixed emotions.

"Raven....." He stops. I look up from the ground and see Sophias chariot and an army behind her.

Are you fucking serious!

"Did you really think I was that stupid?" She glared angrily. I cried out as guards gripped my arms and dragged both Oliver and I to her.

"Let me go you stupid bitch." I growled and a guard slapped me across the face. Sophia laughed and came closer to me.

"I only let you get this far so that you could lead me straight to your father." She smiles.

"What does he have to do with any of this?" I asked.

"He has everything to do with this! You should have never been born in the first place!! But your slut mother couldn't help but seduce him." She says angrily and turns to Oliver

"Oh, I almost forgot about the little pet of yours." She laughs and goes towards him.

"Don't you fucking dare." I spat at her as she held a dagger to his throat.

"Awe he is a handsome little fellow. No wonder you lusted for him." She says and plays with his hair.

"I'm warning you." My stomach tightened and I felt my magic grow to life.

"Oh? Is the little brat angry with me?" She smiled. "What If i were to just..." She took the dagger and plunged it into his stomach.

"NO!" I screamed loud and felt power surge through my body. The guards that held me were thrown away in a rush as I attacked Sophia, punching and fighting over the dagger in her hands.

"Get off of me." She screamed but there was no stopping my fury. Light surrounded me as I punched repeatedly.

"Raven stop!" I heard Oliver say on the ground but it only made me angrier. I had the dagger now.

All the years locked away...the years of neglect...I let my power take over me as I plunged the dagger into her. Everything around the three of us swirled and crashed into one another. Bodies, trees, snow, and rocks....

"Raven!" Oliver cried holding his side. I quickly went to him and pulled him up. I held him close to me as he limped towards the castle, a shield of magic around us protecting us from the storm I created.

Everything happened so fast...

"Raven." He says weakly.

"Just hold on, we're almost there." I was crying now. The realization hitting.

"You're going to be okay." I sobbed as I opened the doors.

I blacked out as we stepped through the Kingdom Of The Lost.....

Present day a year later

I woke up to my alarm clock blaring in my ears.

"Ugh." I groaned and got up. I took a shower and got dressed for another day of hell.

"You can do this." I gave myself a pep talk and got in my car, heading to Jackson's to pick him up.

"Good morning, beautiful." He said and got in.

"Hey." I said and drove the short distance to our school.

"You're always so enthused to go to school." He smirked at me as I found a parking spot. I grabbed my bag out of the back before getting out and heading in. I absolutely hated high school.