Trees rustled around me, shaking their leafy boughs with lighthearted laughter. Pines loomed overhead, tall and dark, ominous guardians to a castle. They spoke of beautiful things to come, if one would only take the time to walk further into their domain. The whole forest was its own kingdom, young maple saplings as children, matured oaks as middle-aged adults, and wizened cedars as seniors.

The sun flickered through holes in the foliage, moving to the rhythm of the wind in the crowns of the trees, but there was never enough of it to light the forest entirely. Small pinecones littered the forest floor, thrown down to the ground by adolescent evergreens with the last storm. The air was damp and heavy, expectant. I was deep in the forest already – it was too late to turn back now. Birds cawed from the trees high above, taunting, daring me to move forward.

I stepped carefully over fallen branches and leaped over dead stumps, wincing at every crack of a twig. In the silent forest, my movements were too loud, too out of place. I did not belong, and yet I wished to be here, far away from the rest of the world. Steadily, I made my way forward, tripping occasionally over hidden stones. The crows circled above, screeching throaty laughs at my clumsiness, tearing the blanket of silence into shreds. As I continued on, the trees spread out more evenly, letting the sun gaze upon what was below.

Before I realized it, I was standing in the courtyard of a castle. My imagination transformed the scene; the trees twisted into graceful stone statuettes, grass turned into a lush carpet, bird song became the melody of a hundred harps, playing a welcoming tune. It was nothing more than a large circle of bright green grass lined with daisies and small trees on the outside, but it was stunningly beautiful in its serenity. Apples, not entirely ripe, hung from the limbs of the trees, inviting me to pull one off and have a taste. It was juicy, and as sour as a lemon, forcing my lips into a sharp grimace. Ahead, the main hallway stretched as far as I could see, bright and cheerful, a promise of more fascinating things to come.

Excitement bubbled within me and my heart thudded in my chest. The apple forgotten, I followed a yellow butterfly down the hall without a second thought, eager to see what lay ahead. The butterfly fluttered to a stop on the petal of a blue flower, but it was no longer my point of interest. Stretched before me was a meadow of uncut grass, wild flowers, and cherry trees. Though it was not neat or arranged, as a garden would be, it held an underlying sense of untamed beauty in every blade of grass.

The fierce wind had calmed into a soft breeze, carrying with it the songs of many different birds. Bees buzzed from one flower to the next, working hard to collect nectar and make honey. The sun shone brightly, bathing every flower, every leaf and every petal in a gentle golden glow. It was like a picture from a fairytale; the forest is my kingdom, the meadow is my castle, and I am the queen.