The Dangerous Forest

As Lila continues her walk through the forest, a sense of unease settles over her. The atmosphere feels strangely eerie, far from the idyllic and safe environment she expected while searching for her mother, Queen Elizabeth.

"Shouldn't the non-dangerous forest be filled with rainbows and sunshine? What's with this dark and gloomy ambiance?" Lila murmurs to herself, her umbrella held close at her side as if seeking comfort from its familiar presence.

Suddenly, she halts in her tracks, her senses on high alert as she hears growls and rustling in the nearby bushes. Lila's heart skips a beat, hoping it's nothing more than harmless wildlife since she believes she chose the safe path. However, the growing tension causes her to gulp nervously, her eyes scanning the shadows for any signs of danger.

"Oh no, not now..." Lila's voice trembles with worry as she feels a surge of blood in her throat, leading to a cough that leaves her hands stained with blood. The rustling noises nearby cease, replaced by a curious sniffing sound, hinting that something has caught wind of the scent of blood.

Quickly, Lila wipes the bloodstains on her dress, wishing she had a handkerchief handy. Typically, servants carry handkerchiefs for their masters in their pockets, a convenience not afforded by dresses. However, Lila finds herself without such assistance, a reminder of her lack of companionship within the castle walls.

Lila lets out a sigh of relief as she continues her walk through the forest, the tranquility momentarily interrupted by the sound of something emerging from the nearby bushes. Her steps falter, and she turns around, only to spot a wolf emerging from the foliage.

Her initial surprise at seeing a wolf in what should have been the safe part of the forest quickly gives way to realization. "Wolves are usually in the danger..." she starts to think, but then remembers the maid's earlier words. "That's right!" Lila exclaims softly to herself, feeling a mix of frustration and understanding. "Mother wouldn't venture into the forest in the first place. She always avoided it," she scolds herself mentally. "How could I forget such a basic thing!?"

The realization dawns on her that the maids must have deliberately misled her. Doubts and suspicions swirl in her mind. "Must they want me dead that badly?" she wonders, her thoughts tinged with a touch of bitterness. "Can't they just wait for the illness to run its course?" Lila muses, her tone reflecting her father's pragmatic nature. The sense of betrayal and uncertainty weighs heavily on her. 

With a menacing growl, the wolf lunges forward, catching Lila off guard. Panic surges through her veins, causing her to drop her umbrella in her haste to flee from the approaching danger. Her heart races as she sprints away from the wolf, the pounding of her footsteps echoing in the quiet forest.

However, Lila's weak constitution betrays her, and soon she finds herself gasping for breath, her lungs burning from the exertion. Despite the overwhelming urge to surrender to exhaustion, she pushes herself to keep running. In her mind, there is no room for giving up—not when faced with life-or-death situations like this.

Every step feels like a battle, each breath a struggle against the tightening grip of fear. The distant sound of the wolf's growls reminds her of the imminent danger, urging her to find a way to outpace the predator that threatens her very existence.

As Lila's desperate sprint slows to a weary jog, the relentless wolf closes the distance and pounces, tackling her to the forest floor. Panic sets in as she struggles to free herself from the wolf's grip, its weight pressing down on her. The wolf's sharp claws rake across her skin, leaving painful scratches that elicit cries of agony from Lila.

Despite her best efforts to dodge, the wolf continues its assault, snapping and lunging with its jaws in an attempt to bite her. Lila twists and turns, narrowly avoiding the vicious bites until, in a moment of misfortune, the wolf sinks its teeth into her arm. A sharp, searing pain shoots through Lila, causing her to scream out in anguish.

The forest seems to close in around her, the sounds of struggle and pain mingling with the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of wildlife. Each moment feels like an eternity as Lila fights against the relentless predator, her determination to survive warring with the overwhelming odds stacked against her.

After someone kicks the wolf, causing it to whimper and fall before fleeing back to the bushes, Lila realizes that it was her mother who kicked the wolf. Her mother looks breathless and sickly, which surprises Lila.

"M-Mother..." Lila murmurs as she gradually sits up. Elizabeth swiftly turns, her expression filled with panic as she gazes at Lila. "Lila!" Elizabeth exclaims, quickly sitting down beside her daughter, alarmed by her condition.

"Don't worry, I've summoned the guards!" Elizabeth reassures Lila, who breathes a sigh of relief. However, panic rises again as her mother begins to heal her.

"Mother, please, don't! Healing me will only harm you!" Lila pleads anxiously, but all she sees is her mother's pained smile. "It's alright... you'll perish if your wounds aren't properly treated," Elizabeth replies, her voice strained with pain.

However, Lila knows her mother is right. The magicians or doctors in the palace would hardly make a genuine effort to treat her wounds; they would merely feign treatment, leaving her condition unchanged.

Elizabeth continues to cough up blood but persists in healing Lila, causing Lila immense pain to witness. Unable to bear seeing her mother in such a state, Lila quickly averts her gaze.

Then, as Elizabeth nears completion of the healing, she begins to cough up blood uncontrollably, the color turning black as her life approaches its end, which deeply worries Lila.

"Lila..." Elizabeth utters in a trembling voice, prompting Lila to immediately pay attention. "I want you to find happiness... your father will love you, and I'm certain he loves you even now, though it's becoming difficult to express," Elizabeth says, her voice filled with pain.

"Mother, why are you speaking as if you're-" Lila starts, but Elizabeth interrupts her. "Lila... please, live," Elizabeth says with a faint smile, her eyes closed and tears glistening, just as the guards finally arrive but Elizabeth slips into unconsciousness.

To be continued.

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