Ombra

The carriage was out of control, and the Prince noticed that there was no one to stop it anymore. He faintly heard a scream before the horses ran wild, and the situation he is in is more than proof that something had went wrong, and that his life is in terrible danger.

The Prince struggled regaining his balance because of the forest's road that was awfully bumpy, and his small body swayed from one side to the other while he desperately try to stand and reach for the door.

His hand slips, and he fall flat on his face when the carriage's wheel hit a stone. The Prince stands up again with blood running down his face, and reached for the door. He successfully takes hold of the door, and managed to open it but the horses were startled again, and the wheel that hit a stone before completely broke. The Prince flew out of the carriage, and rolled on the ground falling down a small hill, his head, hitting a boulder that knocked him out instantly.

   The cloaked men ran after the Prince's carriage that escaped, following the carriage's tracks closely, it led them towards the very heart of the dark forest. The group of men hesitated for a moment, they fear that if they continue on this road, none of them will come back alive. It is well-known that the dark forest is where witches, wild animals, ghosts and the such resides.

It may even be fitting to call it the very road that leads to the underworld but the sparkle of the gold coins that they are to receive is a temptation that is too hard to resist.

The hired mercenaries solidify their resolves, and continue on their journey to the heart of the forest to pursue the ignorant Prince.

     The time continue to march forward, and the Princess dreads every passing second that draws her closer to her fate. She is already wearing her gown, and only her veil was the missing piece to complete her look. The maids that assisted the Princess also feels restless because of the Princess pacing back and forth inside her room.

The maids thought that it might be because she is nervous. A trait somewhat most brides share on their wedding day but the Princess looks like she's ready to fly out of the window anytime soon.

In fact, the maids stayed with the Princess because the Butler instructed them to watch over the Princess in case she ever tries to escape or do something brazen enough to delay the wedding.

But the maids haven't encountered any problems of the sort so far but it doesn't mean that they should let their guards down. It is the Princess after all—known for her pranks, and mischief directed towards the poor Butler whenever she gets the chance.

The maids could only hope that her husband-to-be would have an agreeable personality, and the patience of a saint.

"You, there. I have a question for you."

The Princess speaks, and the maids immediately gave their attention to her. She was pointing towards the timid girl, her head lowered, and her eyes stuck to the floor.

"Yes, your Highness?"

The Princess hesitated for a moment but anymore of the suspense of waiting, and she might just really go with her instincts, and run away.

"Did the Butler leave a message for me? How about the Prince? Why haven't I heard from him yet?"

The maids looked at each other with puzzled looks, and none of them knew what answer could satisfy the Princess.

"T-The Butler didn't leave any message, your Highness. The Prince on the other hand haven't returned yet."

The Princess raised her eyebrow, and with a confused expression locked gazes with the maid that spoke.

"Haven't returned yet? Where did the Prince go?", The maid realizes her mistake that moment, and bit her lips. It wasn't supposed to be known by the Princess that the Prince secretly left the palace walls at midnight due to unknown reasons. The Butler told them not to utter a single word about what they witnessed, and to only silently watch over the Princess especially on the day of the wedding while the Duke and the trusted Butler investigates the young Prince, and his true intentions.

"I-I'm sorry, your Highness. I misspoken!"

The Princess found the maid's quick denial suspicious. It seems to her that they are hiding something, and the only way to find out is to take matters on her own hands.

      The Duke started growing weary of the young Prince's presence when the Butler reported to him that the Prince would release a raven from his chamber's window as a way to communicate with someone, likely, his father. The Duke since then planted a trusted servant of his own beside the Prince to watch his every move.

And, on this day of the supposed wedding of his daughter. The Duke was alerted by the servant he entrusted that the young Prince had made his move at midnight and that he left the palace walls with the few trusted guards that he came with when he first arrived at Emerald City.

The Duke with the Butler quickly made their move, and ride at midnight to follow after the young Prince's carriage but in the middle of the journey they lost track of the Prince, and his men. The tracks of the Prince's carriage led outside the Emerald City and into a small village where commoners would usually reside. It is a peaceful village that supplies the city of grains, and the like.

"Where the sea and fields are in complete harmony...", The Duke muttered upon realizing where they found themselves.

"Sea and fields?", The Butler asked confused.

"It's the famous saying of this particular village. I was quite young when my father last brought me here to see where the City would get most of its supplies of grains, fish and more. It's a peaceful village, and the majority of people who lives here are farmers or fishermen. I don't understand why someone of his status would wander around here. Especially, when there's not much to see."

Indeed. The Butler can see what the Duke was saying. There wasn't anything special about the place, and it was a fairly small village with quite a lot of drunk men lying on the streets.

There was truly nothing that would piqued a Prince's interest unless there was something more to this village than meets the eye? But the Duke himself said that it was just a commoner's village.

The Prince's actions is just as confusing as his personality.

The Butler looks around to see anyone of note, anyone suspicious at all but there was none. And, when the Duke and the Butler was about to give up searching the place for the young Prince, a carriage with a few guards wearing cloaks following it caught their eyes.

The Duke was convinced it is the young Prince inside the carriage. The two cautiously followed the carriage, putting a fair distance between them and the carriage to not raise suspicion from the guards.

The carriage led them to a path towards the dark forest, and the Duke immediately stopped on his tracks. He can already feel the cold air creeping under his coat, and something just feels off about the place. The forest looks much more eerie than usual, and the Butler can tell that going inside the forest could mean endangering their lives. They wouldn't have had the need to be too cautious if there were guards that came along with them but sadly, there was only the two of them to watch each other's backs.

"Your Highness, should we turn back now?"

The Duke looks straight at the path that they are about to take, and contemplates the choices that he is given. If they should turn back now, it would mean steering clear of the dangers the forest poses for the two of them, and they can go back to the palace in one piece.

But if they decide to continue onwards they might just find out what the Prince is up to, going to that remote village and now, entering this dangerous forest.

The truth might just be in their reach, and the Duke just cannot let this chance slip by.

"No, let us continue this path."

The Duke was firm with his words, and the trust the Butler has for the Duke was enough to convince him to continue the journey towards the forest that could very well be the last stop for anyone who arrogantly dares venture the forest thinking that the witches, the trolls, and such are just mythical beings that does not exist.

It wasn't called the dark forest for naught and for only scaring young children so that they won't disobey their parents. It is known even before the time of the current Duke to be a haunted forest that would make a madman out of the most sane person.

It is a forest that lives, and a forest that buried more bodies than one can count.