
"I just found out, if the wasp from the dungeon can still come out. "
"Trust me, I will bring you back to your family."
"Thank you Edmun."
"Come on Olive."
Edmun pulled him up to his horse. Maybe Olive would feel awkward if she did not know Edmun was her cousin's brother. This time Olive hugged Edmun's waist while sitting behind him.
"Thank you Edmun, thank you very much."
Obviously Edmun was aware of Olive's sincerity.
"What did Aunt Gabriel say to you? "
"I've never felt like I had a brother all this time."
"Is Dominic being bad to you? "
Olive nodded without speaking.
Their horses started to enter the forbidden forest.
"Do you really know the right way?" ask Olive.
"Calm down Olive, I should have taken that day by yourself."
"Yes, maybe Prince Keive doesn't have to be wretched."
"Uncle Hoob says I can trust him, and I see he cares for you too."
"You mean Prince Keive? " yanya Olive is confused.
"Don't tell me you don't know that, there's no way she'd go this far to pick you up, for no reason."
"Prince Keive has always been kind to me, but really until that day I never thought he would."
the horse they were riding on instantly shrieked loudly as suddenly the ground they were passing through seemed to suddenly split apart.
Before long some creatures began to jell out from the ground, horses that increasingly panicked tiptoed to throw their bodies both.
"Olive stay with me."
Edmun pulled out a dagger that managed to make the creatures hiss backwards.
"Are they going?"
"They're just magic, Olive."
Olive does not know why it looks like the dagger in Edmun's hands that makes the forest creatures retreat.
"Dominik also has a knife like that," Olive just remembered his brother always took him when hunting for the forest.
"Every knight has it, because only they are allowed to cross the forbidden forest."
"Did your parents give it to you? " because Olive Edmund was just a bodyguard...
"This thing isn't mine, maybe Gabriel's husband had it first."
"Gabriel gave it to you? "
Edmun nodded, "he wants me to take you across this forbidden forest."
They rode back on their horses across the forbidden forest, "we must get to the forest boundary before evening, Olive. Hold this dagger and never look back."
Olive clung tightly to Edmun's waist which spurred her horse faster. So many creatures hissed like chasing them but Olive did not dare to turn back to the door like Edmund's message. Although during the day the bottom of the forbidden forest remained as dark as night, they began to pass through the foggy area, their horses refusing to continue their journey.
"Looks like your horse is scared? "
"Relax Olive it looks like we're approaching Latuza's palace."
"Who's Latuza? "
"He's the ruler of this forest."
"Will he let us through? "
"It seems we should get off the horse."
Edmun had tried to persuade his horse back but it seemed that the horse still refused to go deeper.
"Do you think we'd better walk? "
"Wait for Olive" Edmun blocked Olive's arm, which was still beside him.
"Something's wrong, get your splinter out."
Olive handed the dagger to Edmun.
Soon the dense fog began to fade and it was clear that the creatures were curling and wriggling on the trunk of a large tree not far from them.
Olive had never seen such a creature. Her entire body was like a slithering animal with scales and claws but her head resembled a woman who was extremely beautiful despite being terrifying.
Olive immediately shuffled in alarm and hid in the balim of Edmund's back.
"Latuza, we just want to cross your forest," said the captain.
"Of course, you can leave but leave the girl with you."
The creature came down from the tree branch and swerved to approach the two of them.
"Don't go near him, Latuza." Edmun tried to put a dagger in his hand .
"Keep that thing away, 'cause it's just a kid's toy that won't scare me."
"Please let us go."
"Sure I'd be very grateful you took him away from your King, and sent him here" the creature's laughter seemed to pierce the ceiling of the forest that echoed.
Olive still did not know why the terrible creature seemed to be impatient to swallow it.
"Look, I'm not gonna let you touch her."
"What can you do to prevent me, Young man," Latuza sneered with a disgusting grin.
The creature twisted around several tree trunks and in an instant the trunks were crushed into dust. The creature grinned with sharp teeth ready to tear them both apart. Even his footsteps clapped as his claws touched the ground.
"Hold this dagger and run if you have the chance" Edmun whispered to Olive, who was still shaking, standing behind him.
"I'm not leaving you."
"Percayala, Latuza just wants you."
"Edmun, I don't want to !"
"Run Olive.... Run!!! "
Edmun pushes Olive, then tries to block Latuza who starts chasing him. Edmun found a wooden rod to attack the female snake although it seems futile, Edmun's body was immediately bounced by the wagging tail of the female snake.
Olive was still running and Latuza was chasing her. The newly resurrected Edmun tried to jump on Latuza's body, and easily once again the creature was back to thicken it until it slammed.
Olive falls down among the forest bushes, panicking at not knowing what to do as the female snake begins to approach her with a whirring of her claws.
"Sadly weak creatures, even that fool sent you to come to me without needing to make me bother."
"Whatdoyouwant? " triak Olive as the witch gets closer.
"Don't be afraid little girl, I just want to play around a little with my King's beloved creatures."
Olive tried to roll back.
"I really don't know why you want me? "
"Your king should have warned you not to play too far," the creature curled and hissed again.
"Who are you really? "
Latuza only smiled at the end of her terrible lips.
"Look, have you ever seen a more perfect creature than me?"
Olive was stunned when she saw the creature suddenly turned into a human with a very charming form, while Olive had never seen such a perfect beauty, even though Olive realized it was all just a magic trick.
"You know why King Alzov doesn't want me anymore? " his hiss the female snake with her question.
"Look, you're just a helpless weakling, and I'll soon make your life a rage. But before that I want you to know King Alzov is our King and forever will only be our King."
"I don't care, I just want to get away from creatures that have cursed like you !"
"Foolish girl, no one can get away from her"..although the human-styled creature is still hissing like a female snake, "but I won't waste this opportunity."
"I'm not the weak girl you think I am" Olive unexpectedly managed to stick a dagger in her hand through the left chest of the creature.
"How dare you!! " Latuza flicked the dagger like a small thorn that did not hurt him at all, but it seemed that Olive's actions had just succeeded in provoking Latuza's wrath.
Olive immediately ran as Latuza threw her back with a dry hunk of tree trunk, Olive managed to dodge but it didn't seem like she would always be so lucky.. Olive again stumbled and fell, her body had rolled like a snowball while down the slope until finally her body crashed into her bag of moist soil on the edge of the swamp.
"You think you can run, you'll only make me more angry." The wrathful creature has returned to its original stature . His sharp claws were ready to tear Olive's body apart as a fresh arrow shot through her chest. The creature groaned, then returned with a grin of anger.
"Stop it or I'll really kill you, Latuza !"
Obviously Latuza knows that voice....
"The Mulya Artur... "
There was relief when Olive saw Prince Artur riding his dark horse complete with a bow and a litter that was still pointing straight towards the serpent.
"Don't you dare touch her! "
Olive herself did not know why suddenly the terrible creature shuffled, as if paying respect to the arrival of Prince Artur.
*****