CHAPTER FOUR

The horses were moving forward, but something strange occurred afterward, they started moving to the left and sometimes to the right; they were doing like drunken people that had no momentum. I didn't understand why this was happening, until I carefully look around.

The trees that didn't have fruit on it, started opening up their leaves to show the fruit they've hidden. The fruit got enlarged that you can't help but to become focus on them. If it was only one tree or one fruit that was doing like that, it would have been understandable but it looks to me as if they were taunting the horses because all the trees opened their hidden stacks of fruit at the same time.

The horses got attracted to the fruit that got bigger and wanted to go there, it's like they lose their senses and the only thing on their mind was to eat the fruit.

The fruit toyed with them, they were like pick me, pick me. Once, one horse was moving to one direction, the other horse will turn to the other direction. They were not coordinated and were enticed by the fruit.

The wagon became unstable as the horses fought for dominance, I was thinking we would be threw off the wagon and we were all going to be left alone in the forest. But that didn't happen because, they calm down and started to tread on the fruit that dropped on their way, it was like they were back to control. When this happened, the fruit went back to the tree and was hidden by the leaves of the tree they came from.

Nothing could possibly happen again, I thought as we moved for a while before the horses started jumping up; they were back to their previous state, jumping at the empty air and grabbing at nothing. I didn't see any fruit this time around, but when I looked up, I saw leaves hanging down. Looking upward again, I saw a tree that was hanging down from the air with its roots exposed in the air.

Its leaves were attracting the horses and I was terrified by it, because the more the horses tried to get closer by standing on their hind legs, the more the tree drop down bit by bit. It was getting closer to us and it seems as if it was going to drop on us any moment. I was shocked and at that moment, I was almost thinking that it would have been better to die where my corpse could be found and not inside the forest where I won't get a proper burial and be squashed by a tree. I was able to control my thought when I remembered the instruction, my mind went blank afterward, and I became numb and didn't know what to do or what to think about anymore. But, one thing was on my mind, I have to clear all my thought, this must be a test. And most importantly, we must pay our respect.

We narrowly escaped from below the hanging tree when a grand view awaits us. It was the world of the trees, there were some trees that were jumping about while some trees uprooted their roots and were moving about. I looked back to check on the rest of the group, and they were with us, but the path we took was no longer in existence. It looks completely cleared off.

I face the front so that I won't miss anything. Carlos stopped the horse when we got to the Kardi's. Waiting to see what was going to happen next, I looked at Arthur but his attention was focused on a particular tree. The tree he was looking at; has no leaves on it and it was branchless, it was like they have been trimmed off and couldn't grow again.

Well, let the show began, I said to myself as I also focus my attention on it. Suddenly, the surrounding trees became still and didn't move. Folding my hands, I didn't know what to say but I concluded that this was getting ridiculous.

Not taking my eye off from the bare tree, it suddenly transformed into a beautiful tree that has branches and green leaves with ripe fruits on it. Every leaf has a flower attached to it, the flower were closed and didn't open up. But three flowers suddenly pop out from the stem and were opened on the stem.

Arthur got down and moved to the back, I think he went to the lady carriage; this time around he was holding three pouches in his hand as he went to the direction of the tree. Dropping a pouch inside each flower, he shifted back.

Nothing happened for a moment, until the flowers attached to the leaves open up; I was surprised as tiny humans were coming out from each flower. This was the first time I was going to be seeing individual that was as tiny as they were. I think they were fairies. They were numerous as they swarm around the stem, checking the pouch in each flower and were talking aloud.

"Say Romi, should we let them go away this time spotless?" one of them asked aloud.

"They've done nothing wrong this time around, Isabel, just let them go," Romi replied back.

"But, I want to play with the fruits," Isabella murmured.

"Don't be naughty, Isabel, or you will be sent back to the forbidden forest again, the decision is not yours to make," Romi warned her.

"Don't threaten me, Romi or I will tell the queen," Isabella said.

"Tell me what, Isabella," a voice rings out.

The fairies all stopped swarming about and open up a path as a bigger fairy walks out from their midst, the fairy has a tiara on her head and was supported by two fairies on each side. I guess she must be the queen.

Arriving in front of Arthur, we didn't hear what they were discussing but I could see that Arthur did most of the talking while the queen listens.

"Isabella, come over," the queen voice rings out.

Isabella left the group of fairies as she came to the queen side. I didn't know what the queen asked of her but Arthur looked at me when Isabella left the queen side and entered one of the big flowers on the stem.

She came back a moment later holding a wrapped package in her hands, the queen said something to Arthur and all of them started coming over to the wagon. When Arthur arrived with them, he told us to get down from the carriage and also went to bring the rest of the group forward; we were all waiting for the queen to speak.

"Isabella, open the package now," the queen commanded.

Isabella opened the package and a sword was laid in it. I moved back, in front of us is the queen and also the way out of the forest, and behind us, there was no longer a way for retreat.

"One of you did the unimaginable," the queen voice rings out. It sounded as if she was disappointed. "For a very long time, the fairies were helpless and could only watch from a distant," the queen said. Turning to one of the fairies beside her, "Free the bee from its cage," she said.

The fairy she had spoken to, open the cage that was in her hand and a bee flew out. Landing on the queen outstretch hand.

"Go and find the bearer of the scent," the queen said to the bee.

Buzzing around as it went from one person to another; it finally got to me, landing on my shoulder. It went back to the queen and did a bee dance for the queen.

We were all lost looking at them; we didn't know what she was talking about or what was happening. The queen returned the bee back to the fairy beside her.

"I know you are all wondering about what is going on here," the queen said. "But, everything will come to light, maybe not now, but I can only say this, only the fated can hold this sword," the queen said.

"What are you talking about, my queen," Isabella asked.

"The boy had done the unimaginable, he has managed to survive after what he had touched in the forbidden forest," the queen said.

"What!" Isabella asked surprised. Moving over to where I was, she went around me. "How did you do it?" She asked me.

I was lost and I didn't know anything about what she was asking me about.

"Isabella," the queen called her back. Isabella went back to the queen. "Your lineage has been the guardian of the sword, and I know you wouldn't want to part with it, but it must be given to the fated," the queen said. "I know you will feel lonely without it and I sympathize with you, but the sword must be return to the fated, it's time to let it go," the queen said.

"He can take it," Isabella said in a dejected tone.

"You have to hand it over to him -- by yourself," the queen told Isabella.

"But …" Isabella said as she shed tears.

"The time has come for the sword to be given out, Isabella, it is for your benefit," the queen said.

Isabella came over to my side with the sword, "I hope that you will take care of the sword as much as you will take care of what you love," she said to me. "Stretch forth your hand."

I stretch forth my hand. Isabella took the sword out from the package, holding the sword in her hand. She makes a sharp cut on my palm with the sword. Placing the sword under the cut, my blood dripped on the sword.

"This is a sign and prove that you've taken the sword today and, you are now the owner of the sword," Isabella said passing the sword to me.

I collected it and it almost dropped from my hand, it was heavy and my hand was already shaking. I couldn't endure the pain for long. Slowly dropping it from my hand, Isabella snatched it back.

"My queen, he can't even carry it, how can he wield it?" Isabella asked the queen.

"Just give it to him, he will be able to, maybe not now but someday he will," the queen said. "You are all free to go," the queen said to us as she turned around to leave. Following behind her were her two entourages.

"What if she can come with us?" I asked suddenly.

"Nicholas!!" Arthur shouted my name to caution me.

The queen paused. "Isabella has never being out of the forest and no fairy has ever left the forest," the queen said.

"I want to go, I can't bear to be far away from the sword," Isabella said.

"Isabella, the outside world is dangerous and you won't always be safe, you will face a lot," the queen warned her. "But, nevertheless, since you have no other relatives in the forest, you are free to go, but don't forget that you must obey him if you choose to follow him," the queen said. "Do you still want to leave, knowing that you have to serve and obey the bearer of the sword," the queen asked.

Isabella stood on the same spot, still holding the sword. "Yes, I want to go," she finally concluded.

"Okay, then, it is your choice, but I must remind you that once you leave this place, you won't be a fairy anymore," the queen broke the news to her. "You will become a human just like him and you have to always be with him," the queen said, turning to me, "I know that you are the fated but you are still young, some people will want to take your possession, so do you have a magic bag," the queen asked me.

"No, I don't have that," I replied. I don't even know what a magic bag means.

"Then what is around your neck?" the queen asked.

"It is a pendant," I replied.

"Come," the queen told me. "You can all climb back on the wagon, I will soon release him," the queen said as I followed her.

Arriving under the tree and far from the group, she spoke to me in a hush tone. After collecting my pendant, she make a small cut on my pinky finger and drip the blood on the pendant, the pendant absolve this. She told me how it works and how to keep things in it. Calling Isabella over, she told me to keep her there, I did and I put the pendant back on. Leaving her and waving at her, it was time to leave the forest.

I went back and sat down beside Arthur, Carlos hit the horse and we were finally leaving the forest. Finally, we were done paying respect to the guardians and we were leaving the forest spotless.

The horse gallop at the sight of the opening, they could sense that they were going to be leaving the forest soon and it wasn't only them, I was getting excited waiting for what was to come.

We didn't say anything among us; it was like each one of us had our own thoughts running through our mind.

But, there seems to be a problem, I don't know anywhere not even the name of the kingdom that we were going, even the tale was left unfinished.

"So, where are you from?" Arthur asked after we left the forest.

"From the Rocks," I replied that was where I knew I came from and moreover in my previous life, 'Rocks' was the name of my hometown.

"Rocks' is not the name of any kingdom that I know of," Carlos was the one that talked. "But, people from the rocks wear furs."

"Forget about that, do you know the name of the kingdom that we are about to leave?" Arthur interrupted.

"No," I was clueless of everything in this world.

"That explains it, you were raised by a poor family and you had little to no knowledge about the kingdom around," Arthur concluded.

I was looking at him, really? Poor? I came from a rich family, how could I suddenly be poor? Looking at my clothe, yes, I am indeed poor, number one, I don't know where I was, number two, I don't know who I am, number three, I have no money and number four, I was doomed. Maybe, I will stick to that story, that way anybody I meet won't ask me where I am from. I came from the rocks.