1. Mysterious woods

The rain falls gently which is combined with dark looming mist made the night look eery the curtains are closed.

" mother. " a girl questions as a storm raged outside. Her tiny hands tightened their hold on the blanket everytime lightning flashed.

Her mother turns, as she was about to leave after a bedtime story, she looks like her daughter with brown eyes that shone with fiery light that look as if they have see the end of the world.

" what is it honey?" She questions seating besides her slightly frightened daughter that would never admit that.

" tell me about the woods." The girl cautiously started her eyes looking at her mother. " what is in there?" Her voice filled with curiosity.

The mother smiles fondly and says " there is everything you want. "

" really? " the girl questions knowing this is the only time she can talk about the Woods which means she would have something to tell her friends at her school. " like treasure ?"

" anything you want is there... But be warned everything you don't want is there too." He mother says wrapping an arm around her daughter. " nightmares are alive in the woods nothing can save you there..."

The girl looked at her mother frightfully. But the mother brushes her hair affectionately with a small smile. " but don't worry if you are outside of the woods which you are safe, nothing can get you here."

The girl smiles showing a gap where a tooth had been only few days ago. As fast as the relief was on her face it was quickly removed. " but grandpa is in the woods... " she says in the squeaky voice as thunder boomed and lightning flashed showing their shadows.

" your grandpa grew up in the woods... He can protect himself. " the mother says reassuringly hugging her daughter. " now ... Sleep. " she says kissing her daughters forehead.

" I love you mom." The daughter says with a slight yawn.

The mother smiles. " I love you" she says getting off the bed.

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Dawn is as amazing as twilight for me it had this magic I never understood. I look at the looming mountain of Ic which look like pointed skyscrapers but the dark foreboding aura makes you shiver at the sight of them. They separate us from the Woods in a  way...

I play music in my headphones like I usually do when I am jogging start my way back home with my father not home attending some Duke business in Grayland, in palace of King Dorian.

He calls it business but know he is negotiating my marriage with Prince Frances which is long a complex story that started before I was born.

I kick a pebble in my irritation, I like Francie but as friend not as a husband and I don't want to be a queen. We first met when I was 10, my father had just remarried to Talia an amazing woman and were expectating my half brother and sister. I sat by the corner because there was just too much arrogance in the party. But he came to me smiling trying to charm me... But I wasn't charmed so I decided that we should be friends and we have been close ever since. But the arrangement was set by my father and the king when they were only bachelors promising each other that their kids should marry... Blah blah blah now I am miserable.

A breeze blows my dark brown curls askew making me looking like a lunatic. My eyes look at the mist that covered the dark woods in the distance. A lightly jog towards the house.

The Woods is a worldwide phenomenon... Since it showed up out of nowhere fifty years go. No one knows what is in there but it's a known fact that if you get in you might not get out and if you get out you might not be the same. Like the first explorers who went it some knights and soldiers who never returned the only thing that returned was a bag with their insignia... Which was found on the Corldia Kingdom on the other side of the planet.

The strangest thing about it that has been known is that the woods is a single place that it everywhere,  is connected with all the twelve kingdoms but is not in the twelve kingdom... In brief explanation its like the woods exist in-between kingdoms.

Sorcerer's and witches have tried getting rid of it... And as everything else tried they failed.

Then the scientists decided to try their hand... What they gathered was that if anything technologically advised got within five Miles would shut down. Though they combated that issue with Magnetic repellent phones which they found that the Woods realises large quantity of 'organic' magnetic force that lingered and doesnt help anything. The closer you get to the woods the more the new 'improved' tech failed you and that left the science heads baffled. They decided to join forces with doctors by conducting research on the outer side of the woods. As any horror movie would tell you about scientists in unknown areas... They disappear without a trace. Duh-duh-Duh

I look up seeing Odetta hanging clothes on the washing line. Odetta has been my mother and main friend since my own mother disappeared in the woods. That is part of the reason we live a mile from the woods opening, even with my stepmothers objections.

I unclasp the gate latch pushing it inwardly, closing it quickly knowing that there are some critters that love open gates.

" Morning Odie " I greet wiping the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand.

She smiles lightly " morning, miss" she says her dark eyes gleaming with hidden excitement.

I frown walking closer to her. " what ?"

She squeals like a teenager " you are invited to the Summer ball."

My stomach drops, I know what will come after that... A proposal like my father said. my world freezes over.