Chapter 3 From the dark forest

It's been a very rough day at the palace of Harshan after the execution of the intruders took place in the town square. The chief guard had done his best to keep the elders from agreeing to this execution yet his efforts amounted nothing. All this was because of his new suspect and former lover 'Yaharan'. If he had suspected her earlier he would have used a simple trick to get the truth from those intruders but he had no choice since an immediate order means immediate. Now all he hoped for was to have his king back on his feet, strong and healthy like he used to be.

His illness seem not to be leaving anytime soon and the search for the princess seem to be a rootless turn out. Giving out a long sigh of exhaustion he left for his room. "You seem to have failed miserably today too" said a cunning and sexy looking Yaharan while lying on the bed of the chief guard. "Get out"...he said without taking a look at her and walking straight to his bathroom. "You know I can help you save this Kingdom from being attacked in the days to come sweet...heart" after stressing and stretching the word sweetheart she laughed audibly in a mocking manner to annoy the guard more. The guard came out looking so annoyed and pointed his finger at her " I know you have something to do with this tragedy upon this Kingdom and believe me, I am going to have a lot of joy slitting your throat apart after I get all the evidence I need witch"...!!! gritting the words witch in his teeth, he walked straight to grab her by her arm and pushed her towards the door. " Get out now"! " Before I..." He couldn't finish his words when Yaharan run towards him and kissed him so passionately which was very unexpected. After breaking the kiss she looked in his eyes " Herman...I know you don't trust me but I am innocent and I need you to believe me." The guard looked at her eyes and thought why on earth he had to fall in love with this cunning witch. He remembered clearly how she use to deny his kisses but now she was trying to make him get his trust and she did that with such a passionate kiss. He was now sure of his suspicions and not knowing where the thought came from, he thought of making her believe he now trusts her so he could know exactly what she's up to because it seems that's the only way to know what the fox in the sheep's clothing looks like; by letting the fox undress infront of him one day to finally see it's natural appearance and true nature.

Looking at her deceptive eyes he kissed her back passionately and groan while doing so. "I believe you". She broke the kiss and gave out a smile that couldn't come out as sincere but rather evil. He thought to himself "Yaharan your end is near".

Ten years later

**Forshan kingdom**

"Father, Father, cried a twelve year old girl who walked out from the hut to her old looking father. "Father, mother said you shouldn't stay outside for long the smoke from the burning trash comes directly to our hut " she said. "Sheyah, he said will coughing aloud, don't worry about me, am getting old that's why I cough it has nothing to do with the bad air,I have to come out and see the surroundings for a while". Limping back to his hut, his daughter helped him back to the not so bad looking room which smelled like flowers with a little smell of the smoke from outside. The old man who used to be an active hunter was now looking ill and limping on his leg. Sitting down after being helped by his daughter he looked at her and remembered the first day he found her in that divine yet terrifying encounter. He was smiling while admiring how good he has been with his wife in taking in such an adorable and beautiful girl. He use to fear the thought of sending her away to the palace one-day but that was just one of his problems now. Two years ago a fox tried to attack his daughter when she saved a baby sheep from being attacked by the fox, on trying to help the sheep escape, the fox jumped on his daughter which was a miracle how it only looked into her eyes without harming her but looked angry and vicious. On arriving he only ended up stepping on one of his traps that was meant to caught beasts like foxes from attacking his lambs. Unfortunately for him, he was rather hurt by his own trap. "Sheyah"! "ah" !! " someone help us"while he kept shouting and screaming at the pain in his leg and heart, some villagers arrived from their huts and attacked the fox who was still looking at the little girl and lamb which looked protected in the girl's arms. After killing the fox by the skilled hunters,they helped release their fellow hunter's leg and sent him to the health hunt to be treated by their physician. It was such an intense experience for him and his family afterwards, their daughter was now the center of attention, everyone wondered why the fox didn't harm her and were touched to know she was protecting a lamb too...the news spread among the villagers and most of the children refered to her as the protector when they saw her with her mother on market days. Recalling all these, the old man had no doubt his daughter was special by all standards and he hoped that one day just one day this special gift will one-day save them from slavery.

In the evening his wife arrived with her little but manageable income and food items for the house. Ever since her husband was hurt from that ordeal, she was now the active one who manages their farm and goes out to trade some of their farm crops and flocks. Her husband tried to let their daughter help and assist her but she refused almost everytime, except for when he receives long visits from his friends. She never liked their young and beautiful daughter among the so called friends of her husband, in their time some of the old men, could show interests to young girls and as friends, their fathers would have not much choice but to give them out for marriage at the age of fifteen as wives, sometimes when the girls get lucky, they get betrothed to younger men which was still not good but was better than old men.

On arrival the stress was evident on her face and movements. "Mummy, welcome home, I miss you so much" sheyah ran to her mother with such a joyous mood which made the woman forget a little about the stressful day, this wasn't the first time their daughter always welcomes her home with such a soothing joyous attitude. There were times she just welcomes her quietly but that had everything to do with her little fights with some of the children outside . She was happy to have such a beauty as a daughter...she hoped one-day her children will find her but even if they don't, this blessing was enough for her to be grateful. "Mother, I prepared your favourite food today, father enjoyed it very much". Sheyah said without caring whether her mom was in the mood to be cheered or not, she kept on talking and talking about the activities that went on, in the day,until she fell asleep on the wooden chair. Sighing, her mother,helped take her to the little bed for her and went to the room her husband laid. "You shouldn't be going out, the smoke is very unhealthy for you" she said. "Rassa, I am not a child, I can't be kept inside forever and stop trying to turn our daughter to a watch guard" he said looking very not bothered. "Sheyah is not a watch guard" she kept on talking about how their daughter was concerned about him as well and how they have no intention to stop caring.

"Rassa I have something to tell you", he coughed a bit while trying to say this. His wife saw how serious he looked and patted him " it's okay take your time, I am listening". Looking at his wife he knew he had lied to her years back but now is the time to tell her the truth before she does whatever she wants with their daughter which included marrying their daughter off. "I found sheyah in the dark forest"... A gasp escaped his wife's lips while she stood up looking at her husband in disbelief, how could he have hidden this from her all these years. "I am sorry but I didn't want you to reject her"...he said while reaching out to her hand. She shifted a little from him while looking hurt and betrayed. "How could you keep this from me? Sheyah is very adorable and I would have never rejected her, what if she is one of the missing important person's children" she said. "What would an important person's child do in the dark forest crying in between a python god?" Another very audible gasp escaped her lips, this time she looked like she could pass out." Manuel"!!! she looked so shocked and felt like her ears were misleading her. "Yes Rassa*cough* she isn't from the river bank like I told you, I didn't find her by the river side, I found her in that state in the dark forest. I knew you might reject her if I told you this entire truth because you fear the divine encounters *cough*" he said looking worried and regretful.

" You should have told me I...I .. I needed to know what if I wasn't good to her, what if I didn't love her, the gods would have been harsh on me, I just found her adorable and loved her on first sight, like who knows what would have happened to me, if I thought she was your hidden daughter and not from the river side like you said" she said looking very betrayed and wronged. "I am sorry I..." He was cut off by his wife "why are you telling me this now? Huh? Do you think you might depart soon?" She questioned while sobbing silently to avoid waking their daughter. With this said, her husband stood up and limped towards her and hugged her while sobbing with her. "I can't tell if I would depart soon but I still need to tell you everything".