IN ANOTHER LIFE , josie saltzman ✔️

50. Long Way from Home

A week has passed since Sophia made me realize that Cassius will rise. There was no doubt about that now. There was also no doubt that one of the portal bridges, probably the biggest there was, controlled the fate of Earth in that matter. There were only a handful of portal bridges that could be navigated and used to open a portal to anywhere on Alpha and Earth. When it would be time to say goodbye to Earth, I had to be the one being the farthest away from it to ensure Cassius will not reach Earth whether he still be in my head or not. James decided to stay on Alpha because he wanted to try and get to know me. Also because he had no real connections left on Earth, spending all his life looking for the family that didn't want him back when he was born. Sometime in the past week we got to talking about our romantic love lives, even though it was mainly me telling him all about his father although it hurt to remember Francis. James wasn't surprised to learn about Josie, but he was surprised to hear me telling her about the way the two of us had a soulbond and how I ultimately left her, not being sure what my place is in the world.
    „Would you ever go back to her," He'd asked to which I answered with a smile that I would go back to her in a heartbeat if I had the chance.
    Now we were getting ready for the ball of the century even though everyone had other things on their minds. James was unsure to attend such an event when he just came here but Henry of all people convinced him. „You wouldn't want to miss your mother drunk," He'd told him. „I don't drink anymore. It's a waste of alcohol since it takes a larger than normal amount of alcohol to get me drunk. Besides I am plenty fun without it," I'd told them both before I'd tried on my dress.
    Then we were here. The ballroom looked stunning with the golden accessories all over. A gilded chandelier hung over the midst of the room and illuminated everything with a golden shimmer as a band played music from the north side of the white double doors. The big balcony doors were swung open and revealed a bright light hovering over the railing and grey stone floor.
Astoria was the first person I saw. They were wearing a black gown that ended at the floor with gold embroidery all over it. The crest of the faes and their family crest was visible in a pin on their dress. Astoria wore a black coat, matching the gown. They nodded when they saw me and raised their glass which I replied to with a tight-lipped smile.
    Suddenly, Henry and John appeared to my left and right respectively and linked their arms through mine.
    „You know, I think this whole love triangle is getting old." I said and they chuckled.
    „It's only just getting started, darling." John spoke and and I shook my head softly as we walked up to Astoria. The fae wore their black hair in an incredibly elegant hairdo. Golden glitter was sprinkled all over them.
    „Miss Mikaelson," they said and took my hand as the brother's arms unlinked from mine. Astoria pulled me forward and twirled me around once with their hand holding my own.
    „You look absolutely gorgeous." Looking down, I saw the backless copper golden gown that ended at the floor with a golden bracelet around my right wrists that bore the Mikaelson crest as well as a small and round blue pendant gifted to me by my Aunt Freya around seven years back. The black heels I wore were hidden under the dress.
    „As do you, your majesty."
    „But I have to tell you, I saw the throne room earlier and you did amazing." Astoria said and I lifted an eyebrow.
    „What business took place in the throne room?" I asked and Astoria's eyes diverted from me to something or someone behind me.
    Turning around, I saw James standing in the doorway. He wore a tux he burrowed last minute from Henry. His hair was no longer tousled but neatly slicked back. He looked out of place and exactly how I felt. I still hated being at these kind of events but I had to.
    „Excuse me," I said to the men and Astoria. Setting one step infront of the other, I walked towards James with a head held high.
    „You made it," I said and he forced a smile. „Kinda had to. Henry certainly convinced me." He said and looked down to me.
    „He means well. He actually is a pretty good person once you get to know him outside of this king and crown world."
    James made a sound and nodded. Looking away, he set his eyes on someone or something else before he scoffed and turned his attention back to me, „I don't trust his brother, though. John seems like he would rather dance on the tables and cause chaos." I looked back to John for a moment who was in an intimate conversation with one of the servants. Having supernatural hearing was a blessing and a curse. The latter was here the case.
    „He can be a little mischievous, but he's been a great friend. You'll see that once you get to know these people you'll realize that they're pretty normal but with a huge amount of responsibility and a tendency to get carried away with something. None of them are dangerous, I assure you."
    James finally smiled and nodded again.
    „This really isn't your thing, huh?" I asked and we went on to the balcony where James raised the glass that he picked up along the short way and drank a sip.
    „It's not. My thing. Parties." He said and I looked out to the hills, leaning forward against the cold metal railing.
    „Yeah, mine either." I whispered and sighed deeply.
    „I don't mean to be forward but I'm just so interested in your being. I mean, a vampire, a werewolf, an earthwalker witch and a revilas." He said and actually sounded interested.
    „I'm stuck at eighteen forever, there's really nothing great about it. Trust me."
    „But don't revilas from royal bloodlines stop aging at eighteen, anyway? There must be more."
    „Well, female revilas reach immortality at eighteen, yeah, and male revilas at twenty, I think. There's just such a burden being the only of your kind. This whole loophole and being a Hale and a Mikaelson..." I stopped and looked down on my hands, hanging in the air, intertwined. „It's so exhausting, if I can be so frank."
    „But you're not the only of your kind. There's Hope, too, isn't there?" He said and my head jerked to the side.
    „How did you..."
    „Selina talked a lot. The only thing ever worth listening to was how there were two wonder children in one vampire family. And she didn't mean the academic kind."
    „Hope is off-topic. She's my sister and I love her more than anything which is why I will not talk about her in a room full of revilas with supernatural hearing."
    „Got it. So, back to you, then. What was my father like?"
    I chuckled bitterly, „Straight to it, wow." I began to think and the upcoming memories hurt like getting stabbed. Over and over. „Kind. Brave. Francis was a good guy which is why I tried to stay away from him at first. He was human. I've never met a man so unafraid and bold. In a good way. He stood up for himself and the people he cared for. He had a love for art and books, could have possibly recite any quote he ever read and favored, no matter how unpopular they might have been amongst his peers, if his peers would've been into books. Francis dared me to see the little things every day because the way I, well, we, lived at the time... It was near impossible to get excited over anything when you're on the run. But Francis... He made the best out of everything."
    „You were on the run." It was more of a statement than a question.
    „Yeah. My mother had me living on Alpha with Sophia until I was old enough to decide otherwise. My uncles, my aunt and my father were on the run from my grandfather. I don't want to get into it because that history is painful but eventually around fourteen or so, I made the decision to run with my family. For all the nice moments, it was nice. But when I met Francis and became pregnant with you... I was terrified. I had never known such agony and horror." I shook my head and let out a sigh as I felt my cheeks getting wet.
    Swiping the tears away with the cold back of my hand, I moved on.
    „When you were born, I already hated Alpha with every fiber of my being. I couldn't possible see Francis and me settling here, raising you... Because that meant giving up on my family and possibly never seeing them again because time was so very precious. At this time, my mother had already begun her duty as queen of Meridial and left us. It is now that I understand her and my father better than before. Their choices. The ones they were forced to do." I shook my head again.
    „I'm sorry. I now only in this moment I realize what my parents had to give up. It makes me want to have been much kinder to them than I really was."
    „I'm also sorry to have given you up, but I truly believe it was the only choice." I looked at him and could see tears glistening in his eyes.
    „I grew up in a great family. I wouldn't change that. It lead me to Lillian. It lead me to have Selina, however misguided she was. I had a good life. I didn't come here to make you feel bad or relive the moment you gave me away. I came here to get know my biological mother and father. And they sounded flawed but beautiful." He said and took another sip of his drink. Looking ahead, his eyes widened in wonder and I followed his gaze. Fairy lights began to light up the sky in a beautiful painting of gold, silver, red, green and blue.
    „Fairy lights, even though they hate the word fairy. They announce the spring. You can see them tomorrow all day long. If you're not afraid of heights, I could take you to the roof and we could watch them. Sophia usually lights fireworks and the likes." He looked back at me with a bright smile and nodded.
„That would be great."
„Hey, Amaya?" a voice spoke up behind me and I turned around to see Sophia, panting and heavily breathing. Her eyes were wide and her face was was chalk white.
„Sophia, what it is?" I asked her and stepped toward her.
Taking both of my hands in hers, I realized her eyes were glistening with tears.
„It's, um, it's..." She cut off and took a deep breath.
„It's Josie." She told me finally and I felt my heart stop.