d the forest of food. The market stalls are only half-laden with edible goods, from which I steal some apples and a loaf

ock on the side-window and wait for

it us. Come in,' she says, smiling, a

ime. I've just boiled a pot

ely. What is tea?' I

and alone?' She asks, pulling

er,' Vivian places a warm drin

ful. Sip it slowly. Don't burn

my hands around the war

Ember. Perhaps next time, he c

s for him. Someone might

mean?' Vivian

s a fox,

an repeats, w

a and Grace

fox,'

live with a fo

ave, in the for

a cave, in the forest?' Vivian asks for clari

g a brow and staring intently at my hooded

y of the Enchanted Fores

nted Fores

tory! Please tell it to us

ian says, smiling, placi

tting back down politely in their c

he most beautiful girl in all the land, so beautiful with eyes of violet, and a voice that mesmerises the coldest of hearts. She lives in the forest and claims the forest as hers. Anyone blessed enough to

a beautiful story.' I

l like that, Maia?

ave not,

her daughters wh

t a fairy tale, but a very good one.' Ella and

n?' I

ear?' S

be a long war? There is no food near my cave, and it will be weeks until food sprouts and grows. The villagers have

t makes sense now.' Vivian's e

t do

awe, and takes in my soft pale skin, my rosy-tinged cheeks, small nose, and plump, red lips, my midnight hair flows down to my hips. Ella and Grace are stunned, a real-life p

the Forest Princ

citedly, before pulling me down to their level, and squishing me i

eautiful girl in the land,

her mouth agape, taking it all in. She

'I'm sorry I di

es over to me with

protecting yourself,' she say

We will never tell anyone about you u

ised calmly in my lap. I feel e

e my whole existence, isolated, and alone. I tell her how the hunters have stripped my forest bare, and how I was left wi

nd play, and they leave the ki

d enough food to just get by, and then the he demanded more. Soldiers were sent into t

rom the neckline of her dress

ng let his people starve?' I ask, my eyes watery with

wolves will win the war and kill us all.

n front of their mothers, and roast them over fires, and