Journey to the'Dark Forest'

"Wow I like your horses they are beautiful" Eros said

"Yh god of Fire, Farrack gifted them to us" Kiara said with dreamy eyes.

"They most be special" Eros said with a smile.

"Of course they are, stop gawking at the horses let's get to business" Kyra said already getting tired of the two.

"Ok let's go" Eros said with a little chuckle already getting used to Kyra's indifference.

"Why is Kyra acting this way, it's looks like mama's death really affected her attitude" Kiara thought and sighed inwardly.

They get on their horses and leave the palace with Wynstar trailing beside them.

The Prince is already used to the tiger so he isn't that scared like before he even pats her head before getting on his brown horse.

The road to the Dark Forest is almost deserted so they only see a few people. They pass a few farms and see people working on them. The Prince is disguised as a commoner so people aren't able to recognize them.

"So Farrack gave you both a map, right?" Eros asked as the swift brisk wind was hitting his face while riding.

"Yes" Kiara said.

"Any of you have the idea why we are to go to the Dark Forest" Eros asked them.

"Neither Farrack nor the priests told us anything in particular he only said we should get to the heart of the forest first. I think it's to get us ready and we might meet some obstacles on the way, I don't know and he also said something else but I can't recall actually" Kiara replied thoughtfully.

" I think we'll just have to find out on our own because I know there's something we are missing" Kyra said

They rode their horses for a long time till it was almost dark. They found a cave and decided to stay there for the night.

"How are we going to sleep on a cave floor how is that possible or backs will ache" Eros whined.

"We didn't force you to join us on the journey so stop acting like a spoilt child and take this small pillow and sleep and don't make noise" Kyra said with no emotion on her face and Kiara giggled.

"Oh relax I've never slept on a hard surface before and thank you for bringing pillows along that was thoughtful" he said with a small smile.

Kyra brought out three morsels of bread and gave the other two one each while she ate one.

"There is a little stream outside if any of you will like to drink water" Kiara informed them.

"How would I drink water from a stream I'm not sure is clean it hasn't even been tested it or purified" Eros complained.

"Did we ask you to come with us?" Kyra asked already fed up with his complaints and Eros just fell quiet and looked down.

"Good!" Kyra thought

After eating the bread only Kyra, Kiara and Wynstar went outside to drink some water. Wynstar had eaten a large deer in the woods the day before so she is okay.

"The Prince will be really thirsty let's convince him to drink" Kiara suggested to Kyara when they were outside.

"He will get tired and drink he'll come to understand that he doesn't have a choice" Kyra replied and Kiara nodded in understanding.

After that they went inside to sleep and the Prince was already snoring lightly. "Isn't he just cute" Kiara smiled and Kyra just snorted.

At midnight Kiara went outside to just stare at the stars and think. She settled down on a rock.

She was thinking about her mama and also thinking about how indifferent Kyra has become since their mama's death and tears started following from her eyes she was crying silently and looking at the stars.

"Why did mama die? Why didn't the gods that she believed in so much consider her? Who the hell took her body? And why did the gods not allow us mourn our mama properly? Why did the gods give us this type of fate?" Kiara asked in her head.

She heard rustling of leaves and started cleaning her eyes as she noticed someone coming.

"Were you crying?" Eros asked her

"No" she said rather to quickly.

"You were" he said and sat down close to her "why were you crying?" He asked with concern in his voice.

"Why would you care, it's not your business" she sniffed

"You are right it's not my business but I'm concerned about what will make you cry late in the night" he replied

"It's nothing" she sniffed cleaning her tears.

"Tell me, it might help"

"Really!" She exclaimed with bright eyes like a sad kid who was suddenly gifted with a candy.

"Wasn't this the girl that was crying hard, she's cute" he chuckled in his head.

"Yes" he replied with a smile.

"It's my mama" she said with a low voice with her smile deflating.

"What, you miss her?" He asked and cleaned a trail of treats that fell from her eyes and she jerked because of the contact.

"Yes"

"After the mission you will see her don't cry"

"No, she's dead" she said crying harder.

"I'm sorry I didn't know" he said and hugged her.

"That is why Kyra is so indifferent, she used to be very playful but the second she saw our mama's dead body she changed, I miss my mama and I miss the old Kyra, she always tried to hide her pain for my sake. Her body even got missing after some days. We haven't even been able to mourn her death properly" she sobbed harder crying on his shoulder.

"Sorry just cry it out, everything will get better ok? And just know everything has a reason"

"So tell me now what reason is it that my mama died?"

"You might not know the reason now but you'll find out, and I have a feeling you guys will find the mystery behind your mama's death" he said.

"Ok let me just trust your words"

"Good" he said "now can you let me go you are squeezing me" he said and she left him abruptly and turned to the corner and blushed really hard in embarrassment.

"Let me go do what I came to do before I forget"

"Why did you come outside?"

"Ummm" he said scratching the back of his neck nervously and he could feel heat rising to his cheeks.

"Why are you nervous, are you hiding something?" Kiara asked tilting get head to the side causing her silver-white hair to fall to the side. Her hair was glittering under the moon light and he found it really attractive.

"Ummm I'm thirsty" he said still nervous and Kiara burst out laughing hard.

"Kyra said it, she said it" Kyra laughed harder hitting her thighs.

"She said what?"

"She said you'll get tired and understand that you don't have a choice and drink the water, she was right haha"

"She said that ?" He asked blushing.

"Yes" she smiled "now go on, go and drink to your satisfaction" she giggled and he just silently walked towards the lake with his face red to drink water.

After that they both went in to sleep.