There are days where I laid in bed and stared into nothingness, so many things kept coming into my mind, I kept playing different scenarios over and over again, I couldn't stop even if I wanted to.
So many things keep coming into my mind, the one that gives me hope that maybe, just maybe they are wrong and my family is alive and well, it is true that they discovered my royalty status but that doesn't mean they know if my family is alive or not, I know they are alive, however, nothing changed in the way they treat me.
I may have been a bit paranoid at the beginning about not wanting them to know that I am royalty and especially that I am the heiress to the throne, I made sure to keep away from Ambrose as much as I could, I am unsure why but I just didn't want him anywhere near me and I am glad he too decided to stay away from me.
Dana had been the only one to come to visit me with three meals a day, Arcotos had been by my side ever since the moment I sent Dion out of my room after demanding to be taken home.
No one else disturbed me, it is either because they don't want to put me through emotional stress or because they don't care enough to come here. They do not know me anyway, besides who would visit me? And why should they?
It definitely can not be Aoife, I know that if Mu were melting and she had the power to help me she still won't, she made it very clear that she does not like me in any way.
Ambrose and Dion as well kept to themselves even when I left my room for evening strolls, during these times Dana would read me stories from their royal library about things that are of ancient history and she thought me new words and their meanings and how to use them.
These past six weeks had been nothing more than a phase of recovery and learning, it had also been torture because I just couldn't wait to see my family again, besides this I am grateful to Boreas and Khione for not letting me die here at such a young age, there must be a reason behind the near-death experience.
This whole thing shouldn't have happened in the first place.
"I guess this is goodbye then?"
"No, Aadya this is more of a see you soon farewell, we know you will be back." I pray not Dana because when I see my family there shouldn't be a reason to return here, I beg Boreas to not give me a reason to return here because the way I feel about this place it's like something is just not right, I don't know what it is but I don't like it. Maybe I am being unnecessarily paranoid?
Without exchanging more words I and Dion along with two winter fairies and Arcotos we leave the castle, walk down the streets that I and Dana came in through on my first arrival here when they found Dion, I and Arcotos in the forest, it feels like yesterday when I was filled with wonder and awe.
But now I leave with uncertainty and a very uncomfortable feeling, it's almost like my heart is heavy and grieving a loss, it may be because of Felicity and for all those who died that fateful night. Returning home would ignite all these memories and the wounds would feel fresh once more because it would be real then.
We cross the borders without any issues, we didn't have to hold anyone's hand to be transported out of their land we simply walked out into the forest, I look back in hopes of having a last look at the place I had supposedly lived in for the past five years.
To my utmost surprise I see nothing but trees and dirt, "The barrier is up so the kingdom is magically protected, you won't be able to return without our help." I believe after one of the guards with golden-brown hair, tall and lanky noticed my confusion, he explained this to me on his own accord.
With a better understanding of what just occurred and a nod of my head to let him know that I had absorbed the information he had generously offered me, I let them lead us through the forest without saying anything else with Arcotos at my side and Dion behind me.
Before today, Dana had suggested she comes along with us but I refused, she had involved Ambrose but he said he wanted no part in our bicker after all he would prefer that I don't leave in the first place.
He didn't say this to my face, it was brought to us as a verbal message from one of their servants.
Dana gave up soon after when she saw that I wasn't going to change my decision, and forgive me for this but I had to be a bit hostile towards her to pass this message across.
I understand that she practically saved my life, according to their story; I couldn't confirm this from anyone else if what I was told is true because I do not trust anyone, including Dion.
It would have been really great if Arcotos could speak, he would tell me the truth I'm sure of it. Unfortunately, he can not, so I really have no other choice but to accept what I was told.
The trip was quite uneventful, no one spoke amongst themselves, all that could be heard is our footsteps as we navigate our way through the forest, this time although lost in my thoughts most of the time, I didn't trip on anything while thoughts swirled my mind, thinking of my family and what I would do when I see them.
How I would run up to my grandmother and plant thousands of kisses on her face, then I would hold my younger sister in my arms and probably cry tears of joy because I miss her beyond any word could fully describe.
Marcus, Selene and Hero won't be exempted from my bone-crushing hugs, Troilus should also prepare because I missed him so much as well even his scolding. Then there's my uncle and his wife, they would receive me with wonder I'm sure of it.
I would also beg them all to forgive me for not following them out the door that night in the food table room when the attack began because I had been crippled by fear, it is very shameful but they would forgive me I'm sure of it.
They probably thought I died since Dion and I never returned, I'm sure they would have missed Arcotos as well, I know their hearts would be completely shattered when they learn of Felicity's and Morgan's death but we will move.
We will move past the tragedy and build a good future for ourselves and our people because we have each other. There is no way Boreas would let such a tragedy befall me like that.
There is definitely no way that winter fairy King and his sister were being honest, after all, they practice black magic, so that means I can't trust them, right?
Night falls and the once silent forest turns slightly noisy with all the night creatures that have come out to play.
I make my way to a big tree, I look around it to make sure there aren't any venomous animal around it so that I could rest my head there, "Stop please, we have to sleep up in the trees, there could be Kolufos nearby and we wouldn't want to risk being eaten by them."
"What are Ko… K… Kolufos?" I ask with the utmost confusion.
The golden-brown haired winter fairy who I still don't know his name replies, "The Kolufos are from the Korowai tribe, they are known to eat the flesh of other beings and they are also known to move in a group of eight or ten which greatly outnumbers us, if we come across them we won't be able to survive it."
Wow, this is the first time I am hearing of these creatures or are they beings like us? Whoever or whatever they are they must be very dangerous and I really would rather return to my family in one piece.
"How come we have never come across this Korowai tribe?" Dion asks as he leans and rests his back against a tree that is bent in such a way that you would think it would fall any moment.
He makes a good point, and what if they are lying just to scare us or something, or maybe they think if they tell us of this tribe that is made up or so, they think we would be too scared to venture off on our own and leave them?
It could be possible.
"That is because they hunt during the night and not the day, it would be far safer for us to sleep in the tress." The black-haired winter fairy who I also don't know his name and I don't care enough to ask explains shortly.
He walks away from us with his heads looking up in the trees, is he looking for where we would sleep this night?
"He is right; it would be safer to sleep in the trees." I look at the golden brown-haired fairy closely, the stars provide very little light for me to see his facial features properly when I couldn't find anything that would give away any form of dishonesty I give in and agree to sleep in the trees with them all.
But there is one small problem, "Where would Arcotos sleep?"
"Who is Arcotos?" The black-haired fairy returns and asks.
In reply to his question, I point at my white-furred canis who is sitting on the dark forest floor with his pink tongue out at the side as he breathes heavily.
"We will find a way to put him in the trees with us.��
"Oh alright then."
"We should start climbing now it is already very late and they could come this way any time. They are very unpredictable sometimes." The golden brown-haired fairy says as he moves towards the tree to his left and his partner follows him as well.
I guess this means I would have to find a way to carry Arcotos up the tree with me.
"Arcotos come; we are going to try to climb this tree." The tree I pick on my right is slightly bent which should give Arcotos some leverage when climbing, this one looks stronger than the one Dion is resting his back against while he stands there and does nothing but watch me.
Seems like everyone wants to be on their own and not lend a helping hand, well it doesn't matter because I don't like any of them anyway.
It is proving to be a bit difficult for Arcotos to climb up the tree so I use my hands to push his hind limbs up and I provide support for him so he doesn't slide back down, I follow him up the tree slowly till we get to a branch that looks thick and big enough for us both.
When we settle in the tree with my back against the tree trunk, and Arcotos in my arms and in between my legs as they dangle off the edge at both sides of the branch.
After I am sure and satisfied that neither of us would fall off this tree which may lead to some broken bones, something I wouldn't dream of wanting, I realize that I haven't eaten anything since we left the castle this morning.
I had been so lost in my thoughts that I had ignored my body's cries for food unknowingly and now the rumbling in my stomach can not be ignored because it echoes and I am sure the others heard it.
"Princess Aadya catch." I look down to see Dion holding something that looks like a cloth wrapped to the shape of a ball, I ready myself to catch it with my arms stretched out slightly I wait for him to toss it in the air.
He swings his hand upward with a noticeable amount of force and luckily it came up in the air close to me and I managed to grab it before gravity could return it to the ground.
With a smile on my face, I tell him, "Thank you, goodnight Dion."
"You're welcome, my princess." I watch as he walks to the tree next to mine, climbs it then I watch as he opens a cloth that has food wrapped inside, it seems to be bread that he holds in his hands and I watch as he eats it then drinks from a small wooden bottle that must have water stored in it.
Without waiting anymore I quickly unwrap the cloth he had thrown to me, inside it, I find a loaf of bread that has some fruits in it, there's meat here as well and a wooden bottle similar to the one Dion is holding.
I open the bottle and gulp down as much water as I can, I hear Arcotos make those his whistle noises with his nose and I know he wants some, so I pour some water into his mouth, although some escape his mouth and falls to the floor down below.
After that I give him all the meat then I eat the bread and it tastes so good just like every food I've ever eaten in their kingdom.
I look across me to see he two winter fairies eating theirs as well, "Thank you for the food." I say to them.
"You're welcome." Only one of them replies, I believe it is the golden-brown haired winter fairy.
With a full belly and a lot of fears and hopes, I fall asleep on a tree branch with Arcotos in my arms.