Deep in the Woods

Evangeline Temperance skipped through trees and hopped over foliage. Soon after her family moved to a cottage in Ambria, the forest became her favorite place. The birds accompanied her with beautiful melodies, the butterflies fluttered in her wake, the tree dwelling and ground dwelling creatures poked out of their holes at her appearance. She found a solace in the forest that she could not describe and, as young as she was, did not fully understand. In a strange way, the forest became more of a home to her than the cottage was.

Young and innocent, she followed the butterflies, echoed the birds and greeted furry friends, believing only in beautiful things. When she returned home each night, she brought with her a bouquet of wild flowers for her mother or a circlet of daises for her sister or a tiara of vines woven gracefully into her own long, ashen hair. Day by day, year after year, she arose with the sun to visit her wild friends. The trees shifted as she passed and the forest woke only when she appeared for, unbeknownst to her, beautiful Evangeline was their queen.

One fateful morning, the woodland queen did not return to her kingdom. Somber clouds filled the sky and the forest did not wake. Upon the next sunrise, she did not return either, nor the next, and the forest began to wilt. Each day, they longed for their queen to return love to their land, but she did not come. And so, despair sent the forest into a timeless sleep.