I imagined tonight would be some conventional one: we're having a nice time sleeping with my father. Hence, I woke up with some weird dream.
My eyes were wide open as I roamed around my surroundings.
Mother wasn't here, but father and my brother were sound asleep. I sat for a minute to come back to my senses.
I took a short glimpse at my brother, who was clutching my father's arm tightly.
"He must be happy." I believe his facial expression is grateful for this.
I'm glad for him, and he must be craving for his father's devotion for such a long time now.
"I wonder why father can't treat him like how he treats me." but from today, Elke, you will no longer be a distance from our father. I'll make sure he will love us equally.
I was engaging with ideas like a promise to myself while envisioning how great it would be if our family wouldn't worry about stuff such as difficulties.
However, I halted my dream as the light of the moon reached inside the room.
I shifted my attention outside the glass door window, and I could see how enormous and astounding the red-blood color of the moon was tonight.
Perplexed I was, I decided to get out of bed. I was gently walking, heading to the glass door window.
"Woah. The moon tonight is so lovely, yet on the other hand, it was terrifying."
I was checking upon the two who were sleeping soundly. I unlatched the lock of the glass door and made a little space to get outside. I can't cease being fascinated by it.
The reflection of the moonlight somehow warms my body. Suddenly, the wind started to swirl about and play trough around me. My hair hoisted in mid-air gently swayed on my face so that I could feel the air wind.
Slowly, I spotted some strange lights that were swinging together with the air. It's circling me, curious I was. I attempted caressing them, but it avoided my stroke.
"This is very beautiful. What are these creatures? I had never seen them before." Where did these come from? Why did I only see them today?
"Your Highness! It is good to see you."
"Uwaah, it is definitely the Princess."
"She's lovely."
I heard tiny voices close to me. I investigated the surroundings and couldn't see anyone. The voice's source was only somewhere close. "Who are you? Are you chatting with me? Show yourself."
Though I was perplexed, I seek enlightenment.
"Oh. Can't the Princess see us? But didn't she just touch our fluorescent before?"
"Yeah, I saw that."
"Yeah! I fully agree."
I don't have any idea what they were talking about, fluorescent? Doesn't that mean a sort of light source? Am I wrong?
"Here, Your Highness. We are the lights."
One of the lights went near my face. I had to step backward since I didn't know what it was trying to achieve. The light delightfully agitatedly purls around me. Wait- No way! These lights were the ones that were communicating to me?
"Your Highness?"
I shuddered in fear. It's not that I was terrified, somewhat frightened if this is a dream or if it's not.
"Oh no, Your Highness is afraid because of you!"
"Oh no!" They all chorused.
"Wait, are you the ones that are talking? Really?"
I questioned them. Swaying to the mid-air back and forth, I waited for their answer. "Yes!" They once more said, synced at me.
"And we aren't ordinary lights. We are the spirit of the forest. The
"We can only check you once a year, and we're delighted we didn't miss this year."
"Absolutely!"
"We will be troubled if we won't be able to see your gorgeous face, your highness."
Piskies...
Did I hear that clearly? But I never had a shred of knowledge about them. This is my first time encountering entities like this.
"So, do you guys visit here once a year?"
"Yes! We adore visiting the Princess."
"Actually, the others were expecting to meet you, but they aren't allowed into the palace."
"We, magical creatures, aren't allowed to enter the palace. Your mother let us in discreetly when everyone is asleep."
My mother knew about them too? How come she doesn't mention them to me. Is she hiding something that she can't say to me or father?
"It'll be amazing if the others will be able to see you. I think it'll cause them immense enjoyment."
Are they trying to encourage me to go to the 'others' they claimed to me, and so, to meet them? Though, I, myself, am bewildered and fascinated about these beings. Why not go with them then? Father and Elke are sleeping.
"Let me visit them. I would be grateful to visit them."
"Really?"
"Really?!"
"Reeeeally?"
Everyone started to be boisterous and gossiping with each other. I can't understand them completely, but I suppose they were that grateful to hear me agree with them.
"So, where are we going?"
"To the heart of the forest."
"Heart of the forest?"
The longer this conversation is, the harder they make me understand what they are trying to say.
"Yes. Do you see the landscape after the palace wall? That forest will lead you to the depth, the heart."
"But father said that that area is forbidden because there are full of mysterious animals prowling around the darkness." I hesitated quickly as they were now convincing me to go to the forbidden woodland.
"He was talking about us, Your Highness."
I was somewhat astonished when I discovered that they might be expressing the truth. They are unknown creatures because their appearance wasn't like any other one. They are, in short, mysterious beings.
However, I'll change my mind about going with them today. I should at least do research about them.
"Umm... Can I go tomorrow instead? I need to prepare myself since you guys told me the Heart of the Forest is located in the forbidden forest."
"Eh? But the
Florid moon? So, the moon with crimson color is termed an ornate moon?
"Don't worry! I will go, I promise!"
"..."
Everyone went silent for a moment.
"Do you truly promise?"
"...Uh.. yeah?"
"If you ever violate your Promise to a creature like us. You won't like the punishment."
Huh- Punishment? T..there's such a form of punishment? I held back when I heard this kind of conversation. I instantly feared the punishment they were talking about.
"But then you already promised. The Promise won't be erased because the wind already marked it. Then we'll come again to escort you tomorrow night. Your... Highness."
The sound of their speech instead became harsh and unpleasant to hear. They vanished without any traces amid the thin air. I was afraid, heavily breathing.
"Did I just speak a word that may bring me into anything regrettable?"
To be continued. . .