THE OMEN IN THE FOREST
1470 Words
Mara’s room was small, neat, and far simpler than the rest of the villa.
Selene sat cross-legged on the floor opposite her, a small pile of freshly washed clothes between them.
Folding laundry was not part of their duties, but Mara had insisted she wanted to do it herself.
Selene had shrugged and stayed.
Silence filled the room comfortably as they worked. The only sound was fabric shifting between their hands.
Selene glanced at Mara’s ears for a brief second before speaking.
“You’re half elf, aren’t you?”
Mara smiled a little. “Yes. My mother was human.”
Selene nodded once, then after a moment asked casually, “Do you have siblings?”
She hadn’t meant to pry. She was simply curious.
Mara’s hands slowed slightly as she folded a shirt.
“I do. A younger brother. Emil. He’s thirteen.”
Selene listened without interrupting.
“It’s just the two of us,” Mara continued. “We live alone. Since I started working here, he stays by himself most days. He’s learning leatherwork from the cobbler near our street. Says he wants to make saddles and armor for knights someday.”
There was a small fondness in her voice when she spoke about him.
Selene noticed.
“He pretends he’s fine being alone,” Mara added with a soft chuckle. “But I know he misses me.”
Selene finished folding the cloth in her hands and placed it on the pile before looking at her.
“You did well, Mara,” she said plainly.
“Managing life like that isn’t easy.”
Mara blinked, clearly not expecting that.
Selene didn’t say anything more. She simply picked up the next piece of clothing and continued folding.
The quiet in the room returned, but it felt warmer now.
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LATER THAT AFTERNOON
The training courtyard was quiet except for the faint hum of magic in the air.
Sera stood at the center, palm raised, strands of light weaving and snapping between her fingers. The palace mage stood a few steps away, watching intently.
The spell formed.
Flickered.
Collapsed.
Sera lowered her hand slowly. Her face was calm, almost blank — but Selene could see it. The tightness in her shoulders. The controlled breathing. The frustration she refused to show.
Selene stood nearby with Mara, arms loosely folded, watching.
She could see the effort. And she could see how much Sera hated not getting something right.
Footsteps approached.
Selene felt it before she turned.
Prince Damien.
A subtle shudder ran through her, one she forced down immediately as she straightened.
Mara bowed first. Selene followed.
“Your Highness.”
Damien inclined his head politely.
“Lady Selene. It is a pleasure meeting you again.”
He recognized her.
Selene kept her expression composed. “The pleasure is mine, Your Highness.”
His gaze lingered a moment before he said, calmly, “Please take good care of my sister.”
“I will,” Selene replied politely.
Damien’s attention shifted to Sera. The palace mage had already lowered his head in greeting.
“Sister,” Damien said. “I came to watch your practice.”
Sera only nodded once.
To Selene, their exchange felt… distant. Not cold. Not warm. Simply unfamiliar. It made her wonder how Sera managed all these years.
But she quickly stopped herself.
You haven’t seen everything. Don’t assume.
Sera tried the spell again.
The light twisted out of shape.
She exhaled sharply through her nose.
After a few more attempts, she lowered her hand. “That will be all for today.”
The palace mage bowed and stepped back.
Damien stepped forward slightly.
“I can see your frustration,” he said calmly.
Sera didn’t deny it.
“You’re pushing the spell outward,” he continued. “This one doesn’t answer force. Let it form inside your palm first. Contain it. Then release it gently, as if you’re letting water spill from your hand instead of throwing it.”
Sera looked at her palm.
She tried again.
This time, the light gathered softly, steadily… then expanded smoothly without breaking.
The spell held.
A small, satisfied smile touched her lips.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” Damien replied.
And just like that, he turned to leave.
Selene and Mara bowed as he walked past them.
Only after his footsteps faded from the courtyard did Selene realize how tense her body had been.
Her shoulders eased.
She could finally breathe.
Sera remained staring at her glowing hand, that faint smile still resting on her face
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A FEW DAYS LATER
The hunting grounds buzzed with polite excitement as nobles mounted their horses and knights checked their gear. Members of the Royal Family were present too.
Celeste spotted Selene first.
She hurried over and hugged her without hesitation. “I thought this would be the perfect chance to see you,” she whispered with a bright smile.
Selene only nodded, but her hand lingered briefly on Celeste’s arm before she stepped back to Sera’s side. Mara stood with them as expected.
The signal was given.
Everyone dispersed into the forest.
Sera turned out to be surprisingly skilled with a bow. Three deer fell cleanly to her arrows, each shot precise and calm. Mara praised her quietly.
Selene, however, wasn’t paying attention to the praise.
She was watching the trees.
They were going deeper.
Too deep.
This wasn’t the part of the forest assigned to them.
“Your Highness,” Selene started carefully, “we should head back toward the clearing-”
“Quiet, Selene,” Sera said, eyes scanning ahead.
Selene almost replied-
And then they stepped into a small open patch and came face to face with it.
A Fenrow.
Large. Muscled. Awake.
Selene’s eyes narrowed instantly.
They hibernate this season.
This was wrong.
It felt deliberate.
The Fenrow growled low and charged.
Sera lifted her hand, magic forming.
“Don’t!” Selene snapped. “Magic won’t work on it!”
The beast lunged.
Selene moved first.
Her leg shot forward and kicked the Fenrow hard enough to throw it off balance. In the same motion, she grabbed Mara with one arm and Sera with the other and ran.
Sera’s horse was left behind.
The Fenrow didn’t touch it.
It chased them.
Selene ran faster.
Branches whipped past. The ground shook behind them with heavy, rapid thuds.
Her only thought was clear.
Protect them.
They burst through a thicket—
And ran straight past Sirian.
He had heard the roar.
Confusion crossed his face as he saw Selene sprinting with Sera and Mara in her arms.
Then he heard the thudding footsteps.
He didn’t ask questions.
He jumped off his horse and drew his sword in one smooth motion.
The Fenrow burst from the trees.
Sirian stepped forward and slashed its belly deeply in a single, effortless strike.
The beast crashed to the ground.
Silence.
Selene gently set Sera and Mara down.
Sirian went straight to Sera.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes,” she said.
Only then did his gaze move to Selene — lingering a second too long, as if trying to understand how she had carried two people and outrun a Fenrow.
Before he could speak, Sera stepped slightly in front of them.
“She saved us. It was my fault the beast chased us in the first place.”
Sirian sighed softly. “I wasn’t blaming her. Or you.”
All three of them then looked at the Fenrow.
The same thought passing silently between them.
How was it awake?
It was rare for a Fenrow to wake during hibernation.
Even if someone tried to wake them.
Voices approached. Participants began gathering. A noble, pale and shaken, claimed he had witnessed the end — Sirian killing the beast.
Sirian set the body ablaze.
The hunting event ended earlier than expected.
In the commotion, Celeste never got to say goodbye to Selene.
Back in Sera’s room, Sera sat on her bed quietly.
Selene helped remove the outer layer of the clothes she had worn. Mara, though shaken, kept talking — more amazed than afraid.
“I’ve never seen anyone move like that,” Mara kept saying. “You carried us like we weighed nothing…”
Selene said nothing.
As she turned to leave, Sera stopped her.
“…Selene.”
She looked back.
“Thank you,” Sera said softly. “And… I’m sorry.”
Selene frowned slightly.
“I should have listened to you. You were trying to warn me and I ignored you because I wanted to keep going.”
Selene gave a small smile. Not deep. Not wide.
Then she bowed.
“I hope next time, Your Highness, you’ll listen.”
Sera nodded.
“Goodnight, Selene.”
“Goodnight, Your Highness.”
Selene stepped out of the room quietly.
- Writer
