Chapter — The Prince Who Entered the Forest

  Arlis’s record

  We led the prince along the northern trail.

  At first glance—an ordinary one, like hundreds of others in our forest.

  But it was a false trail, created by us months earlier:

  it did not lead to our true city,

  but to an outer outpost,

  only recently completed,

  meant for negotiations and safe meetings.

  The Southern Path—the one that led to the true heart of the Forest—was hidden by mist and runes.

  Even the white wolves avoided it.

  The prince did not know this.

  But… he was not foolish.

  He watched the trees too carefully.

  He touched the bark with his fingers, as if testing its density.

  He listened to the wind, as though trying to catch a lie.

  When a squirrel darted across a branch, his hand twitched slightly—

  a soft, professional motion of someone accustomed to danger.

  The General walked beside him, solid as a cliff.

  White Wolf moved through the trees, in the shadows.

  Gray Shadow dissolved into the air.

  I felt tension in every leaf.

  Halfway there, the prince stopped.

  — Tell me, — he said calmly,

  but his tone was far too sharp for a casual question.

  — Is this your real path?

  The General did not change his expression.

  — It is the path that leads to the meeting place.

  The prince smiled at the corner of his mouth—a small, clever, almost respectful smile.

  We did not answer.

  But he understood everything without words.

  Ten minutes later, we stepped into a clearing.

  And then… the prince froze.

  Before him stood the outer outpost—a place we had built solely for negotiations, so no one would learn that our true city was ten times larger and stronger.

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  Even this “small” camp looked impressive:

  three tall wooden halls,

  a round council house,

  a training circle,

  two watchtowers,

  a miniature forge,

  warehouses,

  and a circular barrier of runic stones.

  And most importantly—

  the silhouettes of elves in green cloaks,

  moving soundlessly, swiftly, precisely,

  like a single organism.

  Even without magic, it was clear:

  these were not children.

  The prince saw only half of our strength—

  but even that was enough to make his eyes widen.

  He stepped forward.

  Looked for a long time.

  A very long time.

  And finally said:

  — This is… not a settlement.

  Not a caravan.

  Not refugees.

  He turned to me—straight to me.

  — This is a structure.

  Quiet.

  Young.

  But… well thought out.

  The General replied:

  — We protect our own.

  The prince shook his head.

  — No.

  You are building power.

  At that moment, White Wolf dropped down from the branch where he had been standing the entire time.

  His voice was soft, but firm:

  — We show only what is safe to show.

  A pause.

  — But we do not want war.

  The prince looked at White Wolf as if trying to read his thoughts.

  — You fear that the kingdom will see you as a threat.

  White Wolf did not blink.

  — We know it will.

  The prince took a step toward the council circle.

  — Then tell me plainly:

  what do you seek?

  Selia stepped forward.

  Her voice was quiet, but each word was like the needle of a compass:

  — We want peace.

  We want the right to build.

  The right to heal.

  The right to trade.

  She stopped and said what we had prepared for so long:

  — The Forest will not destroy the kingdom.

  But the Forest will not allow the kingdom to destroy it.

  Silence.

  Long, heavy silence.

  The prince studied her, as if weighing every word.

  Then he said:

  — That is… a reasonable position.

  We entered the round hall.

  At the table sat:

  the Prince,

  General Reim,

  Gray Shadow,

  Selia,

  Owl (economy),

  Lienna (medicine),

  and I—Arlis (intelligence).

  This was our first true council with a representative of the king.

  And the prince did not begin with threats.

  He began with acknowledgment.

  — You are impressive.

  Too large to ignore.

  Too young to trust.

  And too hidden to consider safe.

  He placed his palm on the table.

  — I need to see… that you do not seek destruction.

  The king will decide based on the report I write.

  Owl spoke calmly, as always:

  — We do not want a throne.

  We do not want land.

  We do not want power.

  — We want conditions under which we will be left to build our own world.

  The prince:

  — Be specific.

  — We will pay tax.

  But directly to the crown, not to the barons.

  Fixed.

  Honest.

  Transparent.

  The prince:

  — The barons will be furious.

  — The barons will not know where we are.

  We are hidden.

  And we will remain hidden.

  The prince fell silent.

  I could see it—he was weighing the options.

  And finally he said:

  — This… is possible.

  But you will have to prove your sincerity.

  Gray Shadow leaned forward:

  — We do not hide that we hide many things.

  But everything we show is honest.

  When the negotiations ended, the prince said:

  — I have seen enough.

  He rose.

  — I hope you will be good allies to the Kingdom.

  — That we will walk hand in hand.

  And before leaving, he added:

  — In seventeen days…

  the king will deliver his decision.

  We bowed.

  Not as subjects—

  but as equals.

  And he left our forest.

  “We did not open our cards.

  We showed only half of the first page.

  But the prince saw enough to understand the main thing:

  The Forest is not a threat.

  The Forest is a force with which a future can be built.

  And now—one step closer to the king.”