Forever

Chapter 4- Arrival

A few minutes later, the three of us were packed up and driving toward the airport. After a few minutes of playing around on my phone, my headache returned so I dropped the device onto my lap and rested my head on the back of the passenger seat.

Once the pounding in my head subsided, I noticed how quiet it suddenly seemed in the car. Usually my mom would be asking Chloe and I about our day, or one of us would have music playing through the stereo. I lifted my head to see that every few seconds my mom would look in the rear view mirror and make eye contact with Chloe as if they had some silent telepathy thing that I didn't know about.

I rolled my eyes, thinking that they had planned some other birthday suprise for me, and I leaned over the console to grab the aux cord that was dangling near my mothers feet. Before I could grab it, my head suddenly whacked into the back of the seat as the car lurched left, off the road.

My hands swung up to the sides of my face to try and stop the ringing in my ears and soon I realized that someone was screaming. It wasn't until after Chlo slapped her hand over my mouth that I realized it had been me.

I used my hands to push myself upright as she removed hers, and quickly looked over to see if my mother was alright. She was still driving off road, humming to herself, rather casually it seemed as if driving off road into the woods was a normal thing to do.

I looked back to Chloe to find her tapping her perfectly manicured fingers against her jeans while she looked out the window, looking very unalarmed.

I turned back to my mother. "Am I missing something here? Is this a joke? Have you found some weird short cut to the airport that you haven't told me about?"

My mom didn't take her eyes off the grassy path as she avoided trees and rocks every few feet. "Sweetie, we'll be there soon, just calm down."

"Calm down?", I asked. My voice high pitched and shrill. "Where the HELL are we going and why am I the only one that seems to understand that driving through the woods as the sun is going down is very not normal?!"

Before I got an answer, Chloe reached her arms around the back of my seat to rest her hands on my shoulders, doing her weird calming effect on me that always seemed to work. "Look." she whispered, pointing out my window.

I followed her hand to see a clearing up ahead. The trees that had been sparse and in no particular pattern on the previous path now came together in a circular pattern, surrounding the clearing as a type of wooden army. Their branches tangled together and lifted toward the almost moonlit sky, allowing just enough light in.

My mom parked the car at the edge of the clearing and got out in a graceful, almost cat like way, and motioned for us to follow. Chloe jumped out and came around to open my door for me, and upon seeing my baffled expression just shook her head and grabbed my hand to pull me from the car.

As soon as my feet hit the grass, I was pulled away again in such a dizzying manner that it took me a few seconds of pressing my hands to my eyes for my vision to finally settle down.

Glancing up, I noticed that my mother had come to a stop a few feet away from me. Her and Chloe were both looking toward a section of the trees, their thick branches swaying in the sudden breeze.

Below them, a section of air began to ripple, bend, and twirl, as if the wind had taken on a mind of its own.

The gentle dance ended almost as soon as it began, and in its place was a man. He crouched low to the mossy floor, as if having braced himself from a fall. Using his hands to push himself upright, he stood gracefully, lifting his chin so I could see his amber, cat like eyes.

His clothes seemed to be stitched together by the most delicate of hands. Colors of ember, greens, and browns chased each other around his wardrobe, beautifully complimenting the olive of his skin.

Unable to help it, I let out a gasp of awe, causing his feline eyes to land on mine with a knowing smirk. It was clear to see this was someone who commanded respect without trying. His beauty seemed otherworldly.

His eyes shifted to my mother, snapping me out of my daze. She stepped forward, coming to rest mere inches from this strange man.

He almost immediately bowed low at the waist, before again standing to his full height, a head above my mother.

Just a second passed before the man was pulled into a warm embrace, light laughter ringing around the clearing.

She released him, smiles upon both their faces.
"Oh, Garrik. It really is lovely to see you again," my mother mused.

Garrik looked down upon my mother with a look that told stories of years of friendship.
"Indeed, my queen. It has been too long."

He dragged his eyes away from my mother as the both of them turned to face Chloe and I. His sharp, but kind gaze rested on my face.

Once again he bowed. "You must be the princess. It will be my honor to finally escort you back home."