The throne room emptied slowly, and reluctantly, like leaves falling from a tree, but a few stayed behind. The nobles spoke in hushed tones and whispers as they left. The echo of Jake's words still hung in the vast hall, haunting and alive.
Elena remained near the marble pillars outside the throne room, her hands clasped tightly before her as the king dismissed the court for the day. Her father and uncle, discussing whether the words Jake spoke of were true.
When the heavy doors closed, she and most of the nobles left.
She sighed in relief.
Jake had done it.
He had walked into the lion's den and announced himself, not as Lamore, not as a nameless ally from the shadows, but as Jake Lockvry.
The heir of one of the five underground families. A man whispered about in only rumors and secrets had appeared in the noble courts and revealed himself, but also revealed he was a shadow-mage. A powerful type of magic that was spoken of in only legends.
He had done it for her and his family.
With Jake's dramatic flair, he had made the talks of her and about Lamore disappear, and the threat of the possible invasion of the underground city, which could spark another civil war that The Pact Between One and Five had ended over 100 years ago.
But it came at a cost as she remembered Henry's funeral, where she saw him resting peacefully in a coffin, before they laid him to rest.
But as she thought of the implications of everything, she worried about what was gonna happen in the future? But a familiar and calming presence appeared as Elena recognized it; Jake was in her shadow.
"Elena," he spoke softly, as Elena leaned against the marble pillar and hid behind it.
Shadows rippled as he rose from her shadows, the marble pillar hiding both of them from the gazes of the crowd. Jake had already changed into something else and wore the same mask that he wore to the ball they went to, but his eyes, those golden eyes, were dimmer than usual, the strain of shadow magic and political theater weighing heavily on him.
"You're insane," she whispered, her voice shaking; "Why did you do that?" Her voice nearly broke as she asked.
"To save your family's name, and clear mine." His voice was calm, his golden eyes looking into her amber ones; "I also did it for you, Elena."
She felt a blush rush across her face. She knew that he would do many things for her, but to have him do what he just did and admit he did it for her. Her emotions for him rose.
"Y-You walked into the king's court, you invoked a clause no one has dared to touch in a century…" Her voice was still slightly shaking, as her mind rushed through so many thoughts: "Jake, you could have been executed on the spot!" Elena's voice finally failed her as she lurched forward, and he immediately enveloped her in a tight hug. Tears already soaking into his shirt as she listened to his heartbeat. Proof she hadn't lost him, yet.
The possibility of her best friend, the one who could show her so many new and delightful things, the one where she could make memories, the one where… she could be herself, and not have to put on an act. The one that she could lo-.
"I am here, I am alive," Jake spoke, interrupting her thoughts, but his words calmed her as he held her close to his chest, trying to comfort his friend.
He chuckled, "It's a good thing I'm hard to catch." He said, trying to lighten the mood.
Elena looked up at his eyes, captured in his molten golden gaze. She loved that his eyes were like gold itself, warm and soft.
In that moment, in that small moment of embrace and vulnerability, both showed. Neither spoke, the weight of everything, of Henry's death, their shared secret of their friendship, something they both knew they couldn't show to the world. It all sluffed away for both of them.
Her hands moved forward of their own accord, disconnected from the rest of her. She felt the rough stubble of his cheek as he allowed her to pull him closer, closing his eyes as though he was also trapped in a dream. Both of them were hoping not to wake up.
They shared a silent and hidden kiss. The barest brush of lips, that felt right to her, soft and delicate but with a hint of more. A promise for the future. The kiss that made her thoughts crystallize, the revelation that those feelings that stirred in her every time they were together had a name.
Love.
As their lips separated, she could feel the heat of his breath on her lips as she held his face close. Their eyes flickering open, amber meeting gold.
She blushed as she just realized what she had just done, but she didn't regret it, not even a doubt.
"J-Jake… - I am sorry," Elena stuttered. She didn't mind the kiss, but what about him? Her hands started to slip away from his cheeks. But his warm, rough hands caught hers.
A familiar playful smirk appeared on his face. "Elena, it's alright, I uh…" His mind raced with the implications, his heart pounded like war drums. But yet, hesitation still stood. He knew that he had some feelings for her. But their current situation. A forbidden love? A crime family heir and a noble house heir? In Love?
He didn't want Elena to get hurt if they were found out. He did want to be with her, but the timing, their situations it was too risky.
"I didn't mind it… I liked it," he said quickly, seeing the forming regret in her eyes.
"Elena, I…" His voice hesitated to say it, as he had never actually said the words before. Yet he pushed through; "I do love you, I do… but also, our situation is not the best…" He said as he held her hands that still cupped his cheeks.
Her mind raced at what he was implying, a slight blush appearing. "No, not that." He warned her him also blushing at what idea she had.
"I am talking about how we are young, and not truly in a place of power where we could defend ourselves if people found out." He explained as Elena's mind brushed away thoughts.
But as she took in his words, she also realized he was right; they were young and foolish, but also not in a position of proper power.
They were both heirs. "You're right, Jake." Her voice became somber as her heart clenched, knowing he was telling the truth.
"Sometimes, I forget our reality, and it's a terrible reality," she murmured.
"I know, it can be a terrible reality, but we can change it. The future is not set in stone; we are the hammer and chisel." His words sprang out of his mouth as ideas and plots were formed, and he had been thinking of this one for a while now. An idea that could work, and could set them free of their secret cage.
"Elena, we purge the corruption out of the noble courts, we position you in a way where you are seen as a flame that burns the weeds," Jake spoke with his eyes, filled with ideas and possibilities.
"What about you? You… you are an heir to the Lockvry family." Elena asked, her eyes sparkling at the idea, but also filled with worry.
He thought of his plan, but only spoke 3 words. "A redemption arc." He said, summarizing his plan. Almost every noble house has a darker side, yet they were limited in the underground city, while his family was one of the 5 families. He would be her shadow, her darkness.
Elena looked around, seeing that almost everyone was gone, and luckily enough, no one had noticed them. As she looked back at him, her warm smile glowing like a blaze as she kissed him once more, his lips accepting hers once more.
She spoke as they parted, "I love you, my Wolf." He chuckled and responded, "I love you, my Fox." Her smile grew more as she quickly walked and joined what remained of the crowd as Jake sank into the shadows.
She trusted him to shield her from the shadows of the night, while she led him as a flame into the light.