Chapter 3: The castle in the forest
For an hour or so, things moved in the right fashion.
Catching preys weren't difficult for me. I only had to use my arrow, once, and it hits the mark.
However, the animals I caught were small ones.
I needed to catch the bigger ones, so I can flaunt them in front of my stupid brothers, whose faces will have nothing but jealousy on them.
“Come on, boy.” I pet Starlight, “let's go deeper. The predators have gone into hiding. I think we need to seek them out.”
Starlight neighed, and off we went. He was faster, and eager, just like I am.
*****
The deeper we went into the forest, the darker it became, until I was unable to see anything in front of me.
“What's going on?” I turn around. Sure enough, in a distance, the sky was bright. However, around her, it was total darkness.
“Let's get out of here, Starlight.” I tried to steer the horse towards the place the light was coming from.
But he neighed, rose high in the air, and threw me down from his back.
I can hear his hooves as he galloped out of the place.
“Starlight!” I called out to him, but I heard no sound from him.
The entire place was quiet.
There was no other sound aside from that of my heavy breathing.
“Starlight!” I called out to him as I blindly touched the ground.
I stood up from the ground and blindly dusted my butt.
“Starlight!” I called out once more, but there was no sound.
My feet hit something, and when I felt the ground, I discovered it was my bow.
“Thank the gods,” I clutched to it as I made my way towards the light I saw in the distance.
The more I walked towards the light, the farther it became until I was fully engulfed in the dark
“What's going on?” I turn around, yet, I wasn't able to make out anything. I couldn't even see my hands.
Blindly, I walked, with my hands and the bows outstretched, to prevent myself from hitting my head on a tree, mistakenly.
Everything that's happening, is strange. I've been to this forest before, but never have I encountered such a strange thing as this.
Never have I been in this kind of predicament before. Even on the nights, I spent alone here, it has never been this dark.
I kept on walking until I saw a light in the distance.
It was like a breath of fresh air.
I hastily walked towards the light. Blindly, I escaped, hitting my head on a tree right in front of me.
It was a tricky thing to do, but at last, I managed to leave the forest without hitting my head on a tree.
“Thank the Gods.” I sighed heavily as I approached the light that got brighter the nearer I got.
Close to it, I discovered the light was coming from a house. And the closer I got, the more I discovered it was a castle.
The light I saw was coming from three of the windows of the Palace.
“What's a castle doing in the forest?” I wondered as I approached the great gates of the palace.
It was dark out here, so I had to touch the iron gates before I was able to find the entrance of the gate.
It wasn't locked like I thought it was, so I was able I slip in.
“Hello?” I called out but got no reply.
The place was silent. There was no one in the dark courtyard.
“Hello?” I called out once more as I walked closer to the palace.
There was no one around. The large compound only had the Palace looming up ahead, with no sign of people around.
“Hello?”
I called out once more as I glanced around.
The entire place was so silent, it caused me to shiver.
However, as the fearless princess, I was, The silence did not deter me.
Who knows, the occupants of the palace have gone to sleep. Or they are probably in that room with the lights on.
“Hello?” I called out as I walked to the door, half hoping the Butler will come and open the door at the sound of my voice.
Yet, as I continued further, I saw no one around, and neither did I hear a sound.
Aside from the sounds of my footsteps, there were no other sounds to be heard. It was as if I'm the only one around here.
Who am I kidding?
I'm the only one around here.
There were no guards around. Not even the busy sounds of maids walking around can be heard.
The entire place was as silent as a graveyard.
Yikes.
Why am I thinking of a grave in this situation?
I glance around the place before I hastened towards the door.
The crunching of leaves under my feet, made me frown.
However, I didn't allow myself to dwell further in the thoughts of why there were leaves in a supposed Palace.
I reached the doors and knocked on the door.
“Hello?” I moved to the side to prevent being banged on the face with the door.
“Hello?” I knocked on the door once more. This time, I made sure to knock so loudly for them to hear me out.
“Hello?” I called out when I didn't hear any response.
The entire place was still silent, and there was no sign of people around.
I knocked on the door once more before I mistakenly pushed on the door.
The heavy oak door opened with a noisy sound.
It sounded as if the door hasn't been opened for ages.
“Hello?” I called out, even with the opened door.
The inside was as silent as the outside. However, unlike the outside, there was a dim light coming from somewhere in the palace.
“Who's here? Hello? I lost my way while hunting in the forest, can I spend the night here?
It's okay if you don't want me to. I'm just a lost princess searching for a place to keep her head until the morning.”
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone