The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 11

At the Zurn Kingdom, a messenger came to the throne room. He rubbed his nose as soon as the servant opened the entrance for him. The pungent smell reeks that penetrates his nostrils. He is wondering how the servants can withstand the smell or he thinks that they might already have high immunity since they worked there almost every day during their shifts. He thought that the rumors are true that the queen executed the people inside the throne room and their blood and flesh were rotting inside and caused that reeking smell.

“What news do you bring, Mister?” Queen Vixra's voice echoed inside the throne room. The room is gloomy, creating a depressing ambiance. The candles made from animal fats are lit to give light to the platform where the queen is sitting but don't give enough light to the whole room. Moki's throne is empty. He was out since the queen asked him to lead the search for his niece.

“Your Majesty, one of your subjects sent me to deliver you the news,” the messenger started as he kneeled at the bottom of the platform and head raised to look at the queen after the servant ushered him in front of the queen.

“Continue.” Queen Vixra gestured her hand to let him continue to speak.

“He said his life is in danger so he sent me a message for he doesn't know if he can still come back here, alive,” the messenger said, which makes Queen Vixra straighten her back to pay attention to him. “He said that he found in one of the villages in the North a suspicious girl. He said he thinks the girl is the girl you are looking for,” he continued. He bends his head down in nervousness because he is not sure if the news will satisfy the Queen or he will be executed.

The queen asked him if her subject said that it is the girl she is looking for and the messenger pointed out the magical powers of the girl which the man told him in his message. A power that cannot be done by just an ordinary girl. The man can differentiate which one is just a trick or acquired genetically. The Queen then asked him to leave after he delivered the news. She is planning to see it for herself. She is planning to cross to the Northern Kingdom in a way that no one knows her identity and her plans. She laughed evilly after the messenger left, rubbing the head of the crow sitting on her knuckles. The crow then creates a shrill and cawing that sends goosebumps to the servants and knights inside the throne room. They know that the queen has evil plans and the crow is up to his master. While both are making such a noise, a thick black smoke radiates from the queen and seems to have a life that surrounds the queen and when the queen swerves her free hand, the cloud of thick black smoke slowly gets out of the throne room like they know their destination. The knight's and servants' faces are horrified by what they witnessed. They witnessed how evil the queen is, but are always horrified with every power that she shows right in front of them.

Back to the Lakeside Village, Nicholaus and the other knights are now in front of the guy who is sitting on the wooden bench put against the wall, his hands are tied on his back, his head hanging low, and his shoulder-length hair is loose and messy. He lifts his head slowly when he feels that there are people in front of him. When he saw Nicholaus, Brice, and Artus, he smirked. His lips are swollen because he fought with the three knights when they captured him but his strength is not enough to fight with the sturdy and well-built muscles of the knights.

“You cannot get any information from me,” he said and spat the blood that got inside his mouth from his lips.

“We say you are going in the South direction. Are you one of the subjects of the Kingdom of Asteria?” Nicholaus asked calmly.

The man laughed. “Asteria? The Kingdom of Asteria is gone decades ago and will never be back. It is now the Zurn Kingdom under her Majesty Queen Vixra,” he said and laughed like mocking the previous Kingdom of Asteria.

Nicholaus didn't argue with him. He is not in the position of arguing about the other Kingdom.

“Now, tell us why you are tailing us?” He asked.

“Even if you kill me, you cannot get any information from me,” the man refused. He knows that in any situation he will still be killed. If he tells the truth to the knights, he will be executed by his master. And about the knights in front of him, he doesn't know yet how they will punish him.

Artus came closer to Nicholaus and whispered. They planned not to pursue the investigation from the guy but Artus suggested waiting for the Prince's decision.

On the streets outside the inn, the villagers were in commotion when a woman came out of a sudden walk leisurely in the street in her long red dress paired with a wide red hat with a mesh veil that covered her face. Her appearance is so stunning that all the villagers and bystanders will take a look at her. She draws so much attention that she releases a devilish smile under her covered face. Prince Darvyn and Surrane who walk not far from the inn are curious when people are having a commotion. Suranne holds Prince Darvyn's s wrist to take him to what the people are looking at when Prince Darvyn stops her.

“Don't…” he said which made Suranne wonder why. “Let's go. Let's not join them.”

“But why?” She asked while they walked fast away from the place.

“Something is not right out there,” he shortly explains.

Prince Darvyn cannot say directly to Suranne that he had a bad feeling about what the people are looking at. He saw a woman in her red dress, but he knows it's just an illusion. A bad spirit was sent by someone and he wanted to find it out. He doesn't want someone to bring chaos to their Kingdom. The people are living peacefully and productively and he doesn't want anyone to ruin their lives, may that someone is powerful and evil, he will fight for all the subjects of the Kingdom. He decided he will go back to the palace after he separates from Suranne later that day.

“Dave, stop!” Suranne said after they reached a place that was away from the people. Prince Darvyn then stops and looks at Suranne.

“You're dragging me like you're dragging your baggage. My wrist hurts,” Suranne complained, pouting her lips while massaging her wrist.

“I'm sorry!” Prince Darvyn then took her arm and looked at her wrist. He saw the marks of his fingers being pressed tightly on Suranne's wrist which made it swollen a little. He looked around and he saw that they are at the back of the inn where his room is rented. He stops and thinks a little. He is close to Suranne but he cannot take her to his room. He respects her and he cannot let people say something about her if she is with him in a room.

“Is there any problem?” Suranne tilted her head to check on Prince Darvyn because of his sudden silence and looks bothered.

“Uhm, Suranne, I think we can't spend more time together for now. I need to go back home to attend to an emergency,” Prince Darvyn said. He thought of finding someone responsible behind that illusion and what is the reason why of all the places, it was sent in Lakeside Village where he was there.

“No problem.” Suranne agreed, shrugging her shoulders.

Prince Darvyn then finds ways to send Suranne to the place where he always sent her. Both are oblivious that this might be their last meeting. Gwyndolyn is following them. She also saw the illusion which drew attention to the people of the village. They were hypnotized that no one speaks but just stares at her like she was an angel descended from heaven.

“I may get busy, if you're sad, just come to the place where we always meet. I will be there.” Prince Darvyn said before he separated with Suranne but he wasn't sure which day because the King might let him get busy once he reported the strange things he saw. Suranne went speechless. She doesn't understand why she got the feeling that after this day, there is something that will happen and she can't control herself from thinking. She nodded to him but she wasn't sure if they'd be able to meet again. Deep inside her, she felt a strong force that seemed to be controlling her.

After he sent Suranne, Prince Darvyn went back to the inn. There he found his knights motionless but still alive. He woke them up.

“Where is he?” Nicholaus, who is half-awake, asked instantly.

“Who?” Prince Darvyn, who didn't know yet that they captured the man who was tailing them, asked.

Nicholaus then narrated to him what had happened and about the man that they abducted, but now on the loose with the help of a very strange woman. Prince Darvyn assumed that the man in an old straw hat was under the control of that woman and their reasons are still unclear for him. If it's because of him, they won't send people only these days. Everyone knows where they can find him. Suddenly, Suranne's image appeared in his mind.

“It must be her.”

“Who?” Nicholaus, who heard what he said, asked.

“Suranne!”

Nicholaus' brows furrowed. He cannot fathom why the Prince is saying that the target of that man is Suranne. Prince Darvyn explained mentioning the power that Suranne has and what kind of power it is. He explains that they are chasing Suranne maybe because of that ability that she possesses. Though he also doesn't understand why she has it because Suranne didn't mention anything to him. He didn't even know where she was dwelling. They just enjoy each other's company when they are together.

When the other knights were fully awake, Prince Darvyn decided to go back to the palace. He is still thankful that his knights are not killed by that stranger. Whoever she/he is, must know that it's not her territory and they are not her people.