A few hours passed and I was starting to get hungry.
Although I had eaten before coming here, the food in my stomach had already been exhausted along the way.
I had fallen asleep and woken up multiple times because of the hunger I felt, and now, I couldn’t go back to sleep anymore, my mind was clouded with thoughts of all the delicious pastries that were at the mansion, and I could almost smell them.
I raised my head slowly and my eyes met a glowing fire fly, buzzing around in front of me.
This fire fly was the first source of light I had seen since my arrival here.
It let off a bright orange glow that caused the black fog around me to move away, revealing my feet and the ground beneath them.
The fire fly moved around in random directions around my face, then flew toward my left ear.
“You look tired,” A female voice whispered into my ear.
I hopped off the ground in fear and quickly backed away as the fire fly flew closer to me.
I quickly took off my shoes and swung them around in random directions with my eyes closed, hoping to chase the fire fly away or at least prevent it from getting too close.
The insect moved around my hands, dodging each swing until it got back in front of my face.
“Get away from me!” I exclaimed with fear in my eyes.
“Calm down!
I won’t hurt you,” it spoke with a whisper, its voice echoing softly before fading out into complete silence.
I stopped swinging my shoes around and stepped further back.
I stared at the glowing ball of light for a moment, then squinted my eyes to get a clearer view of what was really within that ball of light.
My eyes widened the moment I saw it; a tiny female floating mid-air without wings.
I had read stories of numerous monstrous creatures that lived beyond the large wall surrounding this forest, but never thought something so beautiful could live among them.
This glowing lady had blond hair tied in a large bun at the top of her head and wore a short white dress.
“You’re… you’re a pixie,” I said softly.
“I am indeed,” she replied, then giggled, placing her right palm on her lips.
This is a forest of evil, monstrous creatures live here,” I asked with a shocked expression on my face.
“I could ask you the same question.
I am a pixie, I’m small and I can get away from danger easily, besides that, my light scares off creatures of the darkness.
You on the other hand, are a defenceless little damsel.
What in the world are you doing here?” The pixie asked, flying around me and spreading her glowing dust all over my body.
“I committed a crime against the kingdom of Andreia.
I was supposed to be executed by beheading, but someone decided that it was a good idea to send me here.
The deal is that if I survive the next three days, I will be set free,” I replied, folding my arms against my chest.
“Oh my, what sort of crime would warrant a young and beautiful girl like you being executed?” The pixie asked.
“I murdered the queen.” I replied abruptly with an unremorseful look on my face.
I didn’t regret my actions against the queen one bit.
“Wow, that’s… a lot.
Anyway, you look hungry.
Would you like to eat some fruit?” The pixie asked.
I stared at her for a moment, then looked around.
“Fruit?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, believe it or not, there’s a large tree not too far from here that has the ability to produce any kind of fruit upon request.
That’s where I and the other pixies live, it’s the safest place here in the forest of the Damned because of the holy light that surrounds it.
I advise you come with me if you really want to survive the next three days,” The pixie explained.
I stared at her quietly with feeling a little sceptical.
The chances of such a thing happening in a place like this was close to zero.
But maybe, just maybe this was really the moon goddess’s way of protecting me.
Maybe the moon goddess sent her here to save my life.
“I’d rather just stay here, sir Steven said all I had to do was stay close to the edge of the forest and I would be fine.
I’m afraid if I moved further from this point, I will get lost,” I replied, putting my shoes back on.
“The edge of the forest?
My dear, you became lost the very moment you stepped into this forest.
The wall of trees that surrounds the forest is miles from where you’re standing right now.
If this sir Steven dares to enter the forest too, he also will get lost forever,” The pixie said with a smile, resting her hands on her waist.
“What?!” I exclaimed with fear in my eyes, the calmness I had gotten when the pixie arrived vanishing in only a second.
I turned to the direction I came into the forest through─the pixie was right; I was indeed lost.
The wall was really gone.
“Your choices are simple, stay here and wait till you die either by hunger or by being eaten alive or come with me, wait out your three days, and let the pixies lead you out of the forest,” The pixie suggested.
At this point I had no other choice but to listen to her.
I definitely did not want to meet any dangerous creature out here, and if there was a chance that this was the goddess’s way of protecting me, I wouldn’t let it slip by.
I let out a sigh, then turned back to the pixie.
“Fine, I’ll come with you.
I have no other choice,” I said softly.
“Yay!
The other pixies will be so happy to meet you, they love to make friends,” The pixie said ecstatically, flying around me rapidly.
I let out a short giggle as her glowing dust spread all around my body.
“Let’s go quickly before the monsters arrive,” I said with a bright smile, and followed the pixie into the darkness.