VILLAIN: The Tyrant Majesty

Chapter 3 - Pine Forest

The next day she left early and passed in the secret way to the Pine Forest. No one would know where she is now, except her adviser who knows that she did some special errand. And that special errand is to return Lady Calyx's dagger. As far as she remember, Lady Calyx's lair lies in the middle of the Pine Forest. Which means she could encounter those wicked creatures that only Lady Calyx could tame. But legend has it that the dagger could tame those creatures.

However, it could also attract unwanted monsters and that's why she prefers to hide it. Better be safe than sorry, they say. It is in the middle of the afternoon when she decided to rest. The last time she journeyed here, she was desperate and angry. But now, she's calm and a bit tired. She decided to camp near the clump of pine trees. She lay down her hood and her supplies in the ground. She also gathered some twigs for her to set a fire going. And while she is doing all those, she could hear those monsters growling and she knows that those monsters had smelled her scent. 

Another reason why she should be careful is that, Pine Forest is also known as Night Forest due to its ability to have nighttime arrive quickly and be a bit longer than the outside world's nighttime. And in nighttime, the monsters and other dark creatures are very powerful and if your heart is weak, then they will play with your fears and eventually turn you mad. The madness cannot be cured by any means, except if Lady Calyx cures you herself.  However, Lady Calyx rarely does that and she does it to some people in exchange for a price.

She went back to the camping spot only to see another arrow. The same arrow that was shot in her bedpost yesterday. It has a note again.

I AM WATCHING YOU

This time there is nothing cited whom it came from. However, she have an inkling that it came from her persistent suitor. And so, she didn't light up the twigs she's supposed to light. She is a prey in this woods and there is another predator watching her. As she lay down underneath the pine trees, she wonders what the Lord of the kingdom underneath the trees wants from her. Since her father's death, suitors rarely ask for her hand. Now she's sure this Lord wants something more from her.

Her father made a lot of enemies in his rule. Seems like these enemies think that they will have their revenge now that she's ruling. Well, they're wrong, she's not going to surrender without a fight. While thinking of that, she closed her eyes and went to the land of dreams. This day had tire her and she'll surely need energy, for tomorrow is a day of another long journey.

-the next day-

She woke up with the sunlight streaming on her face and leaves scattered around her. She heard the singing voice of Calyx which is always heard in the morning at the Pine Forest. And by now, she knows that the sorceress has sensed her appearance, especially now that she carries the dagger. She sat up and opened her duffel bag in which her supplies for the journey is stored. She retrieved a tordu, a bread normally produced in their kingdom. She broke it in half and ate the other half. The uneaten half is stored in her bag again. It will serve as a food for the return journey if ever her predators won't catch her. 

Cassiopeia started walking underneath the cold pine trees. Even if the sun is shining brightly, the feel of the pine trees are cold in her skin. The birds fly away as she pass by them. It's as if those birds all work for the Lady of the Pine. But then she continued walking until she reached the place where she met the Lady a few years ago.

This is the heart of the forest and she felt the dagger grew heavy in her hold. The Pine Forest is trying to summon the Lady now for it felt the presence of dagger's power. And she readied herself for what the forest gives to her as she wait for the sorceress to arrive.