The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 19

Suranne grips her red cloak and strides towards their hut. She didn't notice anyone around.

“They might be in the farm,” she thought, but suddenly when she was approaching the stream, she heard Gwyndolyn. She looked around but she couldn't find her.

“Suranne, I'm here!” Shouted Gwyndolyn. She was opposite of the stream. She just came back from their favourite place, Fernhill. It takes a few minutes before Suranne sees her.

“Gwyndolyn, I miss you!”

“I miss you too, Suranne “

Suranne let her friend land on her hand when Gwyndolyn managed to cross their distance, then kissed her on her little forehead.

“How are you?” Gwyndolyn asked while they were on their way to their hut.

“I'm good! How about you?”

“I miss you! I thought you're not coming back anymore,” the fairy replied.

“I will come back of course. The family that I grew up with is here. How can I not come back?” Suranne replied, grinning at Gwyndolyn who was on her shoulder.

Gwyndolyn tears fall. She was moved by her statement. Suranne found out from the fairy that Helga and the knights are at the farm. They just went back to their normal routine after a couple of days to keep waiting for Suranne to come back.

Suranne then suggested to Gwyndolyn to surprise them by going to the farm. As expected, they are absolutely surprised when Suranne appears behind the huge tree where Gwyndolyn told her to hide while she will do the introduction of her comeback. She didn't like the idea at first, but she agreed later on. She saw how delightful they are for her to come back. Their eyes glistened with small tears even though they were trying to hide it from here.

“How are you? We thought that you won't come back to us anymore,” Helga said.

“I'm fine, Mother Fairy. It's just that I suffered from sore muscles after that night and I wasn't able to come back,” Suranne replied.

Frio suggested going home so they could talk properly. They then gathered at their wooden table outside of their hut. Suranne then told them everything she found out about her identity. She now understands why they were protective towards her and she admitted that she often snuck out of the woods.

“Then, what is your plan now, Your Highness?” Frio asked. He wanted to know Suranne's plan so they could guide her. The earlier they know, the earlier they can teach her.

“Mother said, I have to enhance the vested power in me, but I don't know how,” she said. Then she remembered how the knights called her Your Highness and called herself for not noticing it when she kept asking for her identity. She said that, if she gave attention to that before, she already knows or partly knows her identity. The knights chuckle with her realization of her identity the way she delivered it.

“Frio, Kitler, Orlando, it's not funny! Hmph!” She said, pretending that she is mad at them, but she burst into laughter when she saw their reactions.

Helga and the knights promised to help her, guide her on her goals.

“Mother fairy, how about the barrier, do we still need to use it?” She asked.

“I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we still need to protect you,” Helga replied.

She told her that, doesn't mean that she is the Princess of the kingdom of Asteria, she is safe. Helga said that when the bad people know her, her life would be endangered. But, Helga said with the approval of the knights, she can go out of the woods anytime she wants as long as she will let them know. According to them, she's now at her legal age and she deserves such rewards, however, she must be responsible for her actions in the future.

“Thank you so much, mother fairy,” she happily expressed.

“Who was the guy with you when you went out several times before, Your Highness?” Out of a sudden remembered the news that Kitler delivered, and asked.

Suranne then averted her gaze to Gwyndolyn. The fairy then nodded, gesturing to Suranne to admit who she is with. She then told everything about Dave or Prince Darvyn.

“He is not just a simple guy with magic skills, Your Highness,” Kitler said. The previous day, he decided to go out of the woods to find out the identity of the guy that became Suranne's friend.

“Who is he?”

“He is the Prince of Assimont and his name is Prince Darvyn Mayfair,” Kitler replied, which made even the fairies and the other knights in great surprise. He purposely didn't tell them what he just found out because he wanted Suranne to know it first.

“Are you sure of that, Kitler?” Suranne asked. She can't believe it.

Kitler narrated how he asked the people around Lakeside Village. The majority of the residents said that Prince Darvyn is just a guy with magical tricks, but he managed to meet a few of the pioneering residents of the village and told him that he is their Prince. Afterward, Suranne fell into silence. She thought of the possible reasons why the Prince had to pretend like nobody to her. She pouted her lips, sulking oblivious of the fact that the fairies and knights are exchanging stares as they are observing her actions. One thing in their minds, the Prince of Assimont is responsible for it. They also understand if she is going through some things that a lady should have, besides they know everything about the Prince of Assimont and they're fine with him. Hence, they aren't sure of him once he will find out Suranne's real identity.

“Uhm...Suranne, can I go with you when you go out of the woods again?” Gwyndolyn tried to break her silence.

“Sure, why not? We did it many times, right?”

Gwyndolyn then jolted away from Helga because what Suranne replied is trouble for her. Helga then darted at her with a fierce look but it did escape Suranne's knowledge.

“It's my fault, Mother Fairy. I'm always the one who asked her to go out even though she refused it many times,” Suranne told Helga.

Helga then told them to not do it again without asking their permission, at least they won't keep thinking about where they go and if something came up, it is easy to find them.

Suranne is satisfied with Helga's decision to give their freedom in going out of the woods, but still, they need to let the spell barrier stay now that her transformation gave an impact to the subjects of the Kingdoms nearby, and it reached the knowledge of the evil queen and gave her an idea about her.