Calla Lily, The Eunuch King's Goblin Bride

"How many you got ?"

Ezlynn questioned to Eire who was still busy in plucking, clinging onto the vines.

"Just these much."

She lowered down her mini straw basket to the level for Ezlynn to peek into and see the pile of small round red sweet and sour cherries.

"These are too much. Don't pluck more otherwise the fruits will rot."

Ezlynn suggested.

"It will rot here too. No one eats from this wing as I know except the servants and that includes us. And believe me no one will inquire us how much we took away as no one will know."

Though Eire never came to this part of castle before but she was holding a membership of 'gossip club' who mastered in this regard. Ezlynn thought deeply but then sighed simply; acknowledging the truth of her words.

"Where is Charis ? "

Ezlynn muttered while her eyes searched for Charis along the enormously stretched forest's- tree walls.

"She was right there-"

Eire pointed out towards the entrance of the artificially grown giant forest in the middle of that so called massive garden.

"And then ? She vanished ?"

Ezlynn frowned, glaring at her, a bit angry for not keeping an eye on her.

"I should not have left you two alone to fetch these baskets. It is all my fault. Oh Good Gracious what am I gonna do ?"

She began to panic fully aware of what punishment would be allotted to them if anything happened to Charis. Without any second thought they both would be sentenced of beheading. Of course how would Eire know about this she had not seen friends and loved ones die right before her eyes.

But Ezlynn endured all this during her service of five years; she saw people die, vanishing, killed and eradicated like a disease.

"Why don't we move further into the forest and call out her name. Im sure she would be in, after all there is no other place she can go from here."

Eire sensed something big from her expressions and was eager to save the day; and themselves.

They both lingered towards the entrance and stepped in gulping.

"There's nothing wrong. It's all fine. It's all okey."

Eire was consoling herself, one hand clenched to the neckline and other holding the gown from waistline. She was continuously murmuring to herself.

"Will you shut up ? It's all fine here. Why ? Are you afraid, huh? There aren't any animals to rip us off."

Ezlynn became agitated; her whispering was audible in that sombre silent forest, like buzzing of honey bees.

"I'm aware of that."

Eire became red due to Ezlynn treating her like coward; though she was easy to threaten and mould like wax doll.

" But I heard there are some spirits laying into this damp forest. I don't want to move in further. I'll just wait here for you."

Her eyes were staring at the trees while Ezlynn was becoming impatient and aggressive due to her illogical blabbering and goofy behaviour.

"Don't dawdle or else I'll drag you with me. Ugh ! why am I even telling you this."

She rolled her eyes, held Eire's wrist and dragged her. They walked inside a few steps and witnessed a horrific sight. Charis was bent down, hovering over a river basin.

"Where this came from ?"

Ezlynn was astonished to see such a thing, when there was no river surrounding this area or so.

Charis joined her hands and made a cup,scooped some water and was about to sip when Ezlynn lunged forward to grab her hand.

"Wait ! You can't drink it."

A baffled Charis starred into her eyes with unuttered questions.

"It's not river water. There is no river look around. It's a mirage and the water-I think it's harmful."

Ezlynn explained, no wonder she was the head of servitude in East wing; intellectual, diligent and quick witted.

"Oh is that it ?"

Charis shook her head and a slight pang of pang hit her brain. She stood up dizzy and held one side of head while looking around.

"What the- my hands are covered in mud."

With an Ew expressions she tried to put off the wet mud which she scooped into her hands mistaking as water.

"It is indeed a mirage."

Eire was amused rooted there jaw dropped. As if the whole magical illusion disappeared within a blink.

"Certainly the forest is enchanted. We should head out as soon as possible. And Charis stay close."

The trio started to move backwards towards the path they took to enter. When Charis remembered something.

"Are all forests enchanted like this one ? Because when I - I woke up I found myself outside the kingdom in the forest and I drank from kind of- a similar lake."

As she stopped uttering Ezlynn who was keenly upto all ears covered her mouth with both hands as perhaps she heard a bad news.

"Oh my Goodness Charis that's why you are drained off your powers. Most things outside are enchanted here and suck you dry off your pneuma. I pity you Charis."

Charis felt like been hit by a lightening bolt. She worked so hard since childhood to cultivate upto the celestial deity level, it took her years to achieve and attain the level of high dan warrior. And it all vanished within moments only because of her carelessness.

"Is-is there any possible way to regain my strength ?"

Stuttering she couldn't believe herself what was happened already.

"I'll ask National master but I assure you there is hope because you are not dead yet even after such a huge loss."

Ezlynn patted on her shoulder and they stepped out.

"Let's grab the baskets and go back to the chamber. I'm tired."

Eire yawned and got a hold of the basket handle. While Charis's mind was acc.u.mulated with various thoughts, knowing that without her powers she was stranded here and it wasn't precise that she would live well and for long at least under the reign of King Theon.