While we were enjoying our time together, a strange mark on Harton's neck caught my eye. It was similar to the mark I'd seen on Mrs. Charlotte's neck, but she'd said she didn't have one. Maybe I was just tired after the dance?  .
"Your Majesty, is Lady Zerah here?" A voice, unfamiliar yet urgent, cut through our conversation.
"Yeah, what is it?" I replied, my brow furrowing with confusion.
My lady, we need to go home now. It's about Mrs. Charlotte." The voice, belonging to one of the palace guards, held a note of urgency that sent a chill down my spine.  
What happened to her? Is she sick? Probably because she helped me so much today. I hope nothing bad happened.
"I'm sorry, Harton, but I need to go. I'll see you tomorrow." My voice trembled slightly as I spoke, my concern for Mrs. Charlotte overriding the disappointment of having to leave the ball early.
I left the ball without hesitation. Mrs. Charlotte was so important to me. She was always there to help me, to advise me, to make sure I was safe and happy. She was my only best friend, the one constant in my life. The thought of something happening to her, of losing her, filled me with a cold dread. 
When I arrived home, the house was filled with a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of stifled sobs. Everyone was gathered, their faces pale and drawn, their eyes red-rimmed with tears. They were saying Mrs. Charlotte's name, their voices choked with grief.
As I approached, I saw her lying there, pale and lifeless, her once vibrant face now still and serene. The mark was still there, etched onto her skin, a dark stain against her pale complexion.
I wasn't imagining things, I wasn't alone in seeing it. It was real. And it was a chilling reminder of something sinister, something that had stolen Mrs. Charlotte from me.  
Harton had one too. Was he going to die like Mrs. Charlotte? No, it couldn't be. He was future the king, the one who was supposed to protect his people, not be a victim.  
Was this the consequence of declining that role? The one that had been offered to him, the one that Mrs. Charlotte had accepted? The one that had taken her life? A wave of fear and confusion washed over me.
This was a mystery, a dark secret that threatened to unravel everything I knew. And at the center of it all was the mark, a chilling symbol of something I couldn't comprehend.
"No! Mrs. Charlotte, it can't be! I need you! Who's going to dress me, do my hair, give me advice, play with me? You're the only person I talk to, the only friend I had is you." My voice cracked, my words tumbling out in a desperate plea.
"Don't leave me, please wake up! Is this a curse? I need to go there before it's too late."  
I needed to know what was happening, what this mark meant, and how to stop it. I had to go to the enchanted forest, to find answers, even if it meant facing the unknown. I couldn't stay here, paralyzed by grief. I had to act, for Mrs. Charlotte, for Harton, for myself.
"Please give Mrs. Charlotte a beautiful grave, coffin, and funeral. Give these gold coins to her family." I handed over a small pouch filled with glinting coins, a token of gratitude and respect for all she had done for me.
"And where is the horse?" I asked, my voice tinged with urgency. I needed to leave, to find answers, to unravel the mystery that had taken Mrs. Charlotte from me.  
The horse would be my steed, my companion on this journey into the unknown. It was time to face the truth, to confront the darkness that threatened to consume us all. Mrs. Charlotte deserved a proper farewell, and I needed to fulfill my duty to her, to Harton, to myself. 
The horse would take me to the enchanted forest, to the heart of the mystery, to the answers I sought.  
I leaned down and gently kissed Mrs. Charlotte's forehead, whispering a final goodbye. "I'll find out what happened, I promise," I murmured, my voice thick with emotion.  
Then, I mounted the horse, the saddle feeling strangely cold against my legs. I urged the animal forward, its hooves pounding against the cobblestone path as we rode towards the enchanted forest.  
The air grew colder, the shadows deeper, as we entered the realm of mystery and danger. I didn't want to be the reason for someone's death, but if I needed to do this, then be it. For Mrs. Charlotte, for Harton, for the truth, I would face the unknown. I would confront the darkness. I would find the answers.