The oath

They stood in front of the entrance of the magic forest. It's been more than a few minutes but none dare to take a first step entering the forest nor has the courage to ask the young lady in the front line in their small expenditure group.

The magic forest has two to three layers, Elizebeth thought. The reason she didn't tell them to enter the forest was that she was busy studying the entrance and trying to remember the scenario inside the dream.

The first layer of the magic forest was the same as the normal forest. The trees and flowers inside were the same as the rest of the forest and maybe have one or two unique wildflowers.

The second layer has vibrant colors of the flowers and trees. Unique colors of flowers and trees. It's not an everyday occurrence to see the yellow, orange, purple, or blue trees from the trunk until the leaves. You would see the mixed color of flowers either. The living things inside there were out of their imagination boxes like sirens or werewolves. This place where they resided.

The third layer has identical flowers and tree species but much more vibrant and darker than the second layer. Usually, the phoenix and the dragon live inside the third layer. It situated their personality and also their high level. They were the highest-ranking magical beasts for a reason, after all.

She rubbed the horse head, and she predicted, the horse was uneasy due to the magic force from the entrance. "Put me down."

Derrick immediately yielded to her request. He got down first before she helped his young lady to stand on the ground. Nodding at the rest of the group to follow her lead without any sound.

Elizebeth studied everything around her including her people. She flexed her hand. These people will be a permanent adventure. These people will have to follow her selfish request against their own will.

"Let me be clear to you." She stood tall in her small body. Putting both her palms right palm wrapped around the left palm and putting on near her stomach. Her voice was so clear, sharp, and stern. Her face was so dignified. Her body posture was straight.

She was serious and they knew it. They paid attention to her. There's no cute Elizebeth presented. Just their master represents the Chandler house and the duke's daughter of Shar city.

"Back out if you are scared. I will not stop any of you." She started. She waddled towards the knights and also Emily and standing tall in front of them while sir Derrick stood behind her back, bowed his head towards her.

"Yes, My Lady." Derrick understood the underline of the words perfectly.

She patted her gown and twisted her lips, formulating her words. "However, no one dares open up what we are doing inside here. I'll personally come to you if any of you dare."

The knights and Emily's brains stuttered for a moment as their eyes trained on the young lady's confident and tight face, taking in more expression for their own satisfaction. Every part of them went on pause while thoughts caught up. The trees were green, the path was clear but why did their lady look extra colossal than usual? Her tiny frame but a dark demeanor towering them.

"You are free to go if you wish to. I will not hold you down. Just promise me one thing. What happens here stays here."

Their faces fell than a moving bullet train. In that instant their skins became greyed, their mouths hung with lips slightly parted and their eyes were as wide as they could stretch. Her lady was serious about entering the forest. Without them, if they cowered back. There's no hesitation in her voice; it's only conviction.

Emily plopped on the ground, her eyes started to pile up with a tear. "My Lady. The forest is a dan-" She stopped when Derrick ran in front of Elizebeth shielded her from talking to her young lady.

"You disappoint me, Emily." Elizebeth felt a spike of dread shot through her blood. That's exactly what she didn't want to do. She didn't want to picture her life without Emily by her side. She was the most trusted maid.

"My- My Lady." Emily blinked in shock to see her dry expression. The same face she showed when she spoke towards her least favorite people. "This humble servant is asking for your forgiveness, My Lady. She just committed an offense to you." She wiped off the tears and bowed on the ground, her palms touching the ground, her head hanging the same level as Elizebeth's knee.

"I'm doing this for the future. Even if I can't magically save all of you, I hope my adventure will be a lesson for you to prepare for the future."

Derrick clamped his teeth. She knew the future. His guess was not far-fetched. Prepare for the future. She must be talking about her dream. Derrick quickly turned his heel and kneeled like a knight, fist on the ground while another hand was put on his chest.

"I will follow My Lady from today onwards. I am Derrick Asper, the knight of the Chandler family will extend his hand and be Lady Elizebeth Diana Chandler's right hand and be with her, always."

Elizebeth shut her mouth, her tongue moved inside. She was trying to understand what's going yet amid chaos inside her head, her hand instinctively moved towards the knight. She's only watching her hand moving in shock as if some foreign controls her body.

"I will be loyal to you, My Lady." Derrick took the hand and kissed her back palm.

The knights flabbergasted by the sudden loyalty yet they were convinced to do so. The speech made by Elizebeth just did move their heart a bit. It wasn't a waste to specifically serve her. She was a good master. She would help them if they asked for one like she always did. It wasn't an entire scam. They also wanted to explore the world with her, their dearest master.

The knights followed the example of Derrick and stated their loyalty towards her one by one like their life depended on it. It's a knight's oath towards them to their master. From today onwards, their heartbeats were their master's heartbeat.

Emily couldn't believe her eyes. She scooted behind them. To get a knight oath was hard to even for the loyal subject. Even the loyal knight wouldn't carelessly give the oath to their master unless they saw the worth. Looking at them in determination, she bowed down to Elizebeth too. Maid didn't have the oath to offer but they blessed them their loyalty by kissing the feet.

"Lady Elizebeth Diana Chandler, I am Emily, the maid of Chandler family offers her loyalty to you. May my breath and your breath intertwine together. You are free to use me at your disposal." Emily moved slowly and took the hem of Elizebeth's gown and kissed.

Elizebeth felt overwhelmed by the sudden oath of loyalty. Not only knights expressed their oath, but Emily also did the same too. Different from any noble, Chandler's family didn't wish their servant to kiss their feet, so they let them kiss the hem of the gown or clothes to express their loyalty. They valued their servants' merit. They were not a god, they wouldn't let their servants dirty their mouth to kiss something unclean even their feet.

She flexed her hand for the second time. She'd expected them to leave and there's nothing she could do about it but to be prepared. However, the loyalty oath from them was not part of the plan. She didn't desire them to bind them forcefully. The loyalty came with a huge responsibility. She had to bear it on her shoulder from now on. Unnecessary responsibility.

She frowned. She was going to survive alone after everything finished but suddenly she had baggage she had to carry along the way. She tugged the ends of her sleeves. A few years of hardship for an eternity slacking life. She could do that. She could endure all the pain.

But what a mere five-year-old could do?

"I'll accept your loyalty." She picked her hem gown, extended her hand, and bowed cutely to her subjects.

Everyone bowed too. Just like that, the ceremony ended. She looked at them with a bitter smile. From now on, these people would be her life support. From now on, these people would be her personal servants. All the secret orders she gives will be handed to any of them personally.

"Good. We will walk from here."

"Yes, My Lady." They answered and moved as fast as they could.

Emily and Elizebeth were waiting for them at the entrance bushes of the magical forest. This magical forest has been divided into two layers and the inner layer has been fence with magic, the only place they could enter was the entrance of the forest where it filled up with nothingness.

As if it welcomed them to enter with magnificent colors of trees and flowers surrounding them.