Chapter 27: A Palace Beneath the Trees
The forest was silent. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind and the faint breathing of Prince Kimo as he lay asleep, his head resting gently on a bed of moss. Oki sat beside him, her glowing green eyes watching over him. Her hair, now long and silky, flowed down her back like a river of light. Though she was still, her aura pulsed—steady, strong, and otherworldly.
Kimo had been unconscious for three days, the aftermath of using his power nearly tearing him apart. Oki hadn't moved from his side. She'd spent the days listening to the whispers of the forest spirits, waiting for him to return to consciousness. Finally, his fingers twitched. A low murmur escaped his lips.
"Mother…"
A frown crossed Oki's face as she leaned in. He was dreaming—no, seeing. The forest was granting him a vision.
In his mind, he stood in a garden filled with crystalline light. Queen Elira stood before him, her hands gently placed over his.
"Embrace it, Kimo… your power is not a curse. It is a gift, a shield, a flame. You are more than your fear… and more than your father knows."
His eyes snapped open, breathing quick and shallow.
"You saw her, didn't you?" Oki asked gently, placing a comforting hand on his chest.
Kimo nodded, still dazed. "She looked so real…"
"It was real," Oki whispered. "That wasn't a dream. It was a message."
He sat up slowly, looking around at the strange forest. "Why does this place feel like a normal forest to me, but you act like it's something else?"
Oki smiled and rose. She walked over and placed two fingers gently over his eyes. "Because it's not a forest. It's a palace—my palace."
Light broke through the illusion like sunlight through glass. The trees dissolved into tall, shining pillars. The moss turned into silver marble, and the air was filled with the sweet hum of magic. The forest was gone, replaced by an ethereal palace too beautiful to describe.
Kimo gasped. "Where… where are we?"
"My home," Oki said gently. "Not part of your kingdom… but not far, either."
"You're not… from here," Kimo said, his voice low.
She smiled. "No, my prince. I'm not Pzoor. And I was never meant to be a maid. I became one so I could stay close to you. How else would I protect you… fulfill my responsibility to you?"
Kimo stepped back slightly, unsure whether to feel betrayed or grateful. "Responsibility?"
Oki nodded slowly, a softness in her gaze. "I was ordered to protect you. That's why I'm here."
He clenched his fists. "Why? Why me?"
She stepped close and gently pulled his head to her chest, her voice a warm whisper. "Because you're more important than you know. And I'll never let you face this alone."
There was a silence that said more than words.
"I saw her… my mother," Kimo whispered again, his voice breaking. "She told me to embrace my power. She looked so real."
Oki's voice trembled, but her grip tightened. "Then it was real. Whatever you see or feel with her… don't treat it as a dream. Treat it as a vision. She's reaching for you… and you must reach back."
Kimo looked up at her. "Why are you really helping me?"
She hesitated, her expression unreadable. Then her voice, quiet but firm, said, "Because I was ordered to. But now… I choose to."
Meanwhile, back at the palace, chaos whispered through the halls. The king sat alone in the garden, his hands shaking. The queen watched from behind a golden column, her eyes narrowed.
"They're gone…" she muttered. "But they'll return. And when they do, I'll be ready."
to be continued....