Three days after Kayla vanished into the forest, life in the countryside slowly returned to a strange kind of normal. The manor was quieter, the woods warier. Her parents remained heavy with grief and confusion, while her siblings pretended nothing had happened. Ryn barely spoke to anyone, retreating into long rides and silent meals. He had not told the truth, not yet. He wasn't sure who would believe it.
Then, news came that changed the air around the estate.
The prince was coming.
Not for a grand event or a royal inspection—but simply, he said, to visit the countryside. Officially, the young Prince Kael had requested to tour several outer estates as part of his preparation to eventually take on greater responsibilities in the kingdom. It was not uncommon for royals to do so, but few had expected him to visit their quiet corner of the realm.
What no one knew—what even Kael himself barely understood—was that he had chosen this route because of a dream. For months now, the same dream returned: a girl, a crown, and a sense of something unfinished. Her face remained hidden, but her presence clung to him when he woke. He hadn't spoken to anyone about it. Not even his brothers.
He didn't know who she was. He didn't know if she was real. But when he looked at a map of the kingdom, his eyes had been drawn—again and again—to the countryside.
Prince Kael arrived without much ceremony. He preferred it that way. He traveled with a small retinue—just a handful of guards, a steward, and a servant. His arrival was marked by the clatter of hooves on the manor road, not by trumpets or parade.
He was polite, composed, and observant. At twenty-two, he carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had spent most of his life being watched. His dark hair was neatly tied back, his traveling cloak dusty from the road. He smiled when greeted, but it never quite reached his eyes.
The lord and lady of the estate welcomed him warmly, though they were still shadowed by Kayla's absence. They offered him the best room and a full meal. The prince accepted their hospitality graciously, asking thoughtful questions about the land, the people, and how the recent strange animal sightings had affected the area.
Mira, Darek, and Lysa were quick to make themselves presentable. Mira, especially, took great care with her appearance. She wore her finest gown and practiced her smiles. She saw the prince's visit as an opportunity—perhaps even the chance of a future match.
Kael, for his part, was courteous to them all. But he seemed distracted. He spent time walking the estate grounds, pausing near the edges of the forest, speaking to workers and villagers. He asked questions that puzzled the locals—had they seen anything unusual lately? Any strange lights? Any dreams that people talked about?
He didn't speak of the dream directly. It felt foolish, even to him. But something within kept nudging him forward, insisting that somewhere here—somewhere in this quiet land—was the answer he hadn't been able to find.
At the manor, he was respectful to his hosts and offered no sign of special interest in anyone. He joined a quiet dinner with the family, where Mira tried to lead the conversation and the others followed her cue. Ryn watched the prince quietly, answering his questions but saying little.
Later that evening, Kael took a short walk alone along the outer edge of the estate. The forest loomed nearby, dark and still. He didn't go in, only stood for a moment at its edge. The wind whispered through the trees. It felt familiar, though he had never been here before.
He didn't know why he felt drawn to it.
But something told him he would be back.
The prince's visit was brief. Two days. He left as quietly as he came, continuing his tour of the countryside. Officially, it was just another stop.
But in truth, Kael left with more questions than he arrived with—and a nagging sense that he had missed something important.
The manor returned to its routine, though the memory of his visit lingered.
And in the forest, deeper still, Kayla remained alive.
The world had not forgotten her.
Not yet.