Wicked Woods

The Wicked Woods was a place cloaked in shadow and silence, whispered about in hushed tones by villagers who dared not wander too close. No path led through it, and none who entered were ever seen again. They said the trees could think, the vines could bite, and the wind itself would carry you astray.
But when a clever young princess fled the envy of a cruel and jealous queen, she found herself with no choice but to run toward the one place no one would follow: the Wicked Woods.

The forest did not welcome her. Thorns reached for her like claws and the shadows twisted into haunting shapes. Illusions lured her with false hope, while the darkness whispered every doubt she’d ever feared.

Yet she pressed on, step by trembling step, driven not by fear, but by fire. Her heart was strong, her mind sharp, and she would not turn back, because whatever awaited her forward, could not be worse than what she left behind.

Finally, as her courage outshone the tricks of the forest, something changed. The vines relaxed their grip. The thorns softened. She noticed a faint glow lit the air, and the trees slowly pulled apart, revealing a secret kingdom hidden in the very heart of the woods. It was a place untouched by time, steeped in quiet magic.

And waiting there was her reward: sweet, warm, and wholly unexpected. It was home.