“Get out!” Queen Lucida yelled.

The Queen Mother had ordered Hazel to leave when the physician arrived, so Hazel waited anxiously outside as the physician tended to the king. When the physician finally emerged, he informed Hazel that the king had been poisoned with Bich venom and needed urgent treatment. To make matters worse, the antidote was incredibly rare, and without it, the king might not survive beyond two days.

Hazel ached to be with her husband, but as she tried to rush in, she collided with Queen Lucida. Queen Lucida shoved Hazel back and stomped,

“Get out!”

Hazel collapsed to the ground, letting out a pained gasp.

‘You poisoned my son, you witch!’ Queen Lucida snarled, seizing a handful of Hazel’s blond hair and yanking it.

“You witch! Witch!”

Hazel cried, holding Queen Mother’s hand,

“Please! Please, mother!”

“You serve him the tea---Sophie!” Queen Lucida roared.

At the Queen Lucida's command, the guards fetched Sophie, who appeared before her, trembling.

“Moth….”

Queen Lucida struck Sophie’s face with a forceful slap

“Guards!!!”

The Guarda marched forward.

‘Lock her up and torture her until she confesses who sent her to poison my son!’ Queen Lucida commanded.

“Yes, Your Highness!”

"Without hesitation, the guards seized Sophie and led her away.

“You sent for the tea! You poison him!”

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“I can’t do that to my husband, mother,” Hazel cried, shaking her head. “I will never do that!”

“Really?” Queen Lucida let out a harsh laugh. “I will never do that!” She mimicked and sneered. “If you can fool everyone and your husband with your teary eyes, not me, Hazel; you can’t fool me. I’ve been suspicious of you since you ordered my son the tea without the food taster; you sent Sophie to poison the tea! You did!”

“No, no, mother!”

“You’re still denying it!” She grabbed Hazel's hair again and tugged at it.

“Listen,” Lucida let go of Hazel's hair. “My son only has two days to live, and I won’t sit back and watch. The cure has to be fine by all means; I don’t care! Guards!”

The guards matched forward.

“Prepare Hazel, she’ll be going to the Forest land with only eight guards and her maid,” She commanded.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The guards chorused.

Two guards matched toward Hazel and grabbed her arms; they dragged her up as she struggled with them.

“No, Mother! No! Please! Please!” Hazel screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“You poison my son, and you must find the cure. You only have two days to return.”

“I might not return Your Majesty! Have mercy! Please, mother.”

Queen Lucida gestured to the guards to drag Hazel away before she turned and strode back to the king’s treatment room.

“No, Robert! Robert!” Hazel shrieked.

The Forest Land was known to be dark, dense and dangerous. The people of Mazi heard of many people who had died in the forest. The territory lay dangerously close to the palace, so out of fear, King Luis had ordered tall fences to separate the Mazi kingdom from the forest.

King Luis was Robert's great-grandfather, so many people in Robert's, Robert’s father's, and grandfather's generation only heard stories about the forest land. None of them had seen it or dared pass through the threshold of land.

The people of the Forest land were also known for their physicians' ability to treat and produce medicine for any diseases or poisons. King Robert had planned to send armies into the Forest land when they couldn’t find the medicine for the children’s diseases. But Hazel had stopped him. She reminded him of the danger they heard about the forest, telling him it was not a good idea. Robert had reasoned with his wife and dropped the idea.

“Robert!” Hazel wished Robert could wake up at that moment and stop his mother's sinister actions. She imagined his furious look and working muscles if he could find out.

Hazel continued shouting at the top of her voice, hoping Robert could somehow hear her and wake. But her hope waned as she found herself standing with her maid and eight guards before the towering gate to the Forest Land.

Hazel and the guards looked up at the gate with fear etched on their screwed faces. They shivered as the armies marched to the gate and dragged it open.