• “Please no more disappearing! I am so tired of worrying. You are not strong enough to go missing.” he cried. Kala took that as an insult so she yelled at him, “YOU THINK I AM SO WEAK? THEN COME ON RIGHT HERE AND NOW!” She yanked away and shoved the protesting man out the door and slammed it in his face. She stormed around the room and then saw something move in the trees outside her window. She stopped and looked outside. Then she saw Marigold move about the trees. She peeked out from the trees and streaked across the plain of grass between the castle and forest. She came to the wall of Kala’s tower and looked around. Then threw up her hair. But her hair grew and reached her window then she climbed her hair so fast she was there in a split second. She crawled into the room.
    “I heard what happened. I am sorry my brothers got you into trouble.” she said sorrowfully.
    “Brothers? Heard what happened? What?” Kala said confused.
    “Yes, those men who knocked you out were my brothers. They are also your cousins.” She said softly. Kala’s eyes widened.
    “So… that man was not lying?” She cried.
    “No.” she answered.
    “So you are also my cousin?” Kala asked now bewildered and angry with herself for yelling at her real father. Marigold brightened. “Yes, I am proud to be too.” Then she froze.
    “Your mother is here!” She hissed. She bolted over to the window and jumped out.
    “Wait!” Kala cried but jumped around when she heard her “mother” burst into the room. She ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her and it was so tight she could not breath.
    “Who were you talking to? I heard voices.” She said.
    “You are not my mother.” Kala whispered. Her mother’s eyes darkened then she looked away.
    “No I am not; but I love you as a real mother would.” She hugged her more but Kala pulled away.
    “You lied to me all these years? This is why I could never go outside or in the woods?” She asked. Her mother bit her lip and closed her eyes. She walked over to her bed and sat down.
    “Yes we lied to you. But we thought it was for the best. We thought we could run from the forest people.” She sighed.
    “They are not forest people. They are people and have feelings but they are also elves. Plus one is my friend and cousin.” Kala scorned her “mother”. Her mother’s eyes filled with rage and screeched, “You will go into the woods and say good bye to them all. And you will do it with Wilhelm.” Kala gasped and turned to the window and waited for the older women to leave the room. As she looked at the forest and the trees she thought she saw them wilt as if they were sad she was never going back. She pried her gaze away from them and slipped into bed. She had a hard time sleeping but got a bit. When she woke it was dawn and Wilhelm was at the window looking out. When he heard her wake he turned and helped her out of bed. She left the room with him but refused to eat any breakfast. She went to the stables with Wilhelm and mounted her lovely rose red horse. She trotted into the woods with a heavy heart. When they neared the clearing she went to a walk and so did Wilhelm. She dismounted her horse and walked to the edge of the clearing and tentatively stepped into the clearing. The king was giving orders to a group of young looking elves and seemed to sense her because he turned to her and looked surprised. He rushed over with a questioning look at the sadness and sorrow in her eyes.
    “I am sorry I yelled at you. I…I can not come here again. My mother has forbidden it.” Kala whispered. Her father gasped and looked so sad he might burst into tears. He took a step closer and took her head and kissed her on the head.
    “Take care my-” He was cut off by a blade that flashed out of the forest. She had lightning fast reflexes which she thought she never had and moved her father out off the way just in time. When they recovered Wilhelm was standing at the edge of the clearing with his sword unsheathed.