MKTBP26: The Forest of Iluson
1003 Words
The day passed, and it was getting dark when Princess Tiny came back to the mansion from the mini-hill.
In front of the main door, "Your highness, we're glad that you're already here." Asta bowed her head and gave way to the princess.
She just emotionlessly got inside the mansion and was about to go straight towards her room when someone called her from the living room.
"Princess Tiny!" When she looked at the side of the living room, she saw Greg.
Greg was wearing a simple white man's dress, but he looked very handsome with it. His hands were on his back. He walked towards the princess with a very serious face.
She waited for him until he reached a 2-step distance from her. He immediately handed the bouquet of violet roses to the princess while bowing his head.
"Forgive me if I asked for help from one of your servants to pick these flowers last morning. This is really for you. That's why I want it to be cut and arranged perfectly." His words made the princess's face blush.
She was mesmerized for a moment until she made herself blink her eyes and came back to reality. She's feeling a little guilty about the punishment she recently meted out to Greg and Lisa.
She took the flowers from Greg and smiled so perfectly. "It's so beautiful!" Her smile made her even more stunning.
"You're much more beautiful than the flowers," Greg murmured, making Princess Tiny look at him.
"What did you say?" she asked.
Greg answered in a very serious tone, "You're much more beautiful than the flowers, your highness."
She was at a loss for words as she felt an overwhelming sense of happiness.
"Meme," her Minnie called, which woke her up. "Don't be flattered by his words; a lot like that has already been said to you."
"But I've never felt their sincerity, unlike Greg."
"So, you admit that you love him now?"
"Enough!" She said to her Minnie as she looked back to Greg, who was smiling widely at her now. "Thank you for the flowers." She was about to walk away, but Greg called her.
"Your highness, there's a great puppet show in the Castelet tonight. Will you be able to come with us and watch the show?"
The princess didn't look back at Greg anymore. "No, thanks. By the way, you have a task tomorrow. Don't stroll around too much tonight." She directly walked towards her room, with the bouquet of flowers in her hands.
***
Days, weeks, and months have passed, the final test for the trainees finally come.
"Today, we are going to the Forest of Iluson and will spent a couple of nights there. In the forest, you will learn about survival and again, team work. You are here not just to compete and show who is the best. You are soon to be the Minime Kingdom's warriors, and warriors don't fight for themselves but for the Kingdom. If you loose one, the kingdom will loose also. Do you understand?" Captain Edrian asked.
"Yes, sir!" everyone shouted in chorus.
"Again, you will be staying there overnight. There's a lot of danger inside the forest. You have three groups and you must stay with your team often for you to be safe. Are you ready?" he asked again.
"Yes, sir!" the trainees answered.
Then, princess Tiny came riding in her white horse.
"Ho, ho, ho!" she sounded to make the horse stop from running.
Everyone bowed down their heads before the princess. "Rise!" she ordered. "Take your things and let's start matching towards the forest now. The sun is going to shine soon, faster."
Everyone hastily move and take their bags. Then, they fall into three lines behind the princess, Captain Edrian and Captain Dan who are riding on their horses now.
Behind the trainees, there are 100 hundred warriors too.
"Let's go!" The princess immediately kicked her horse lightly to make it walk.
They traveled well, and nothing wrong happened. After five hours, they reached the forest of Iluson. Before they entered the forest, Captain Edrian gave the final instructions and reminders to the trainees.
Captain Edrian got down from his horse, just like Captain Dan did.
"Inside this forest, you'll encounter a lot of dangerous animals, even beasts. You will encounter a lot of traps that might kill you. Be extra careful and don't go alone. Don't be reckless, instead be responsible this time," Captain Edrian said. "Is it clear?" he asked.
"Yes, sir!" everyone exclaimed.
"We are not joking. There's a possibility that one of you can't get out of this forest alive. This is a real challenge, not a made-up plot by the officials. Now, if you are scared or you think you are too weak to be trapped, you may leave. If you think you can battle with whatever is inside this forest, you may quit," Captain Dan added.
Captain Bryce once handled 30 of the trainees, and the other 60 were handled by Captain Edrian and Captain Dan. Now, they are all here to take the challenge. No one among these 90 trainees resists and dares to live just because of the threat that the captains just said.
"If no one changes their mind, let's go now." Edrian walked towards the forest first, and the trainees followed him. On the other hand, Captain Dan waited for all of them to pass by and followed the last three trainees at the back.
The princess, Tiny, Captain Bryce, and 200 warriors were left outside the forest. In the trainees' thoughts, they will only be guarding there and will get inside if and only if necessary.
The reality is, Princess Tiny will send 100 assassins out of her 200 warriors to test the warriors inside the forest. It will be a long and tiresome night for them to fight against the beast. Well, it is just a single night inside the forest, but it will take 3 days here outside already.
- Writer
