Da

Part 1

Once upon a time, in a dark and deep valley, there was a village by the name of Kerast. This village was not particularly large, unlike a city or town, but was not small either. It was a medium-sized village, and the villagers happy.

Settled in the pit of the valley and surrounded by mountains and treacherous forests, the village was hidden to anyone who didn't live there. Very few people ever left the village—-and only for supplies. Kerast was protected by an ancient force, and anyone not of the blood of the village, could never penetrate the forests surrounding it.

The only way for outsiders to enter the village was through the mountains—-with peaks as high as the eyes can see, further than even the clouds, and avalanches the norm. Going through the mountain pass was as much a ticket to the underworld as trying to go through the forest; and so, the village lived in relative peace during times of turmoil and war.

In this village, was a small girl in her teenage years. She was of similiar height and weight to her peers and that was the only thing they had in common. Her eyes were as white as snow, with skin just as light. Only her pupils were black, and she had no color in her eyes or skin. Her hair was fiery red, hanging down to her shoulders. This was in stark contrast to her fair-to-dark skinned peers, with brown eyes, and brown or black hair.

She had many times tried to leave her home to go play with the village girls, only to be mocked and laughed at for her appearance. That, in addition to her being very sickly accumulated to her almost never leaving her home. She was not alone though. She had her many stuffed animals around to protect her from the sickness of loneliness. She also had Mona.

'Mona,' she thought, 'the sweetest and kindest woman in the whole world.' The girl was not far off from the truth. Mona lived across from the girl, and would come over every day to take care of the girl. Mona was a woman in her mid-twenties and was unable to bear children. Mona was an expert seamstress and had made all of the stuffed animals for the girl to play with. She cooked and brought food to the girl, and even did her dishes and laundry for her. Mona took care of her like any good mother would.

Mona was married to a kind man, but a political one. He was next in line for being the village chief and could not risk having the girl live with him and Mona. Despite many protests from the woman, he never relented: “If the village knew I had let the girl stay with us, you know I would lose my position and potential chiefdom. I simply cannot allow it. We've been over this before. I'm sorry, but she cannot stay with me.” That was always his reply, when Mona begged for him to let the girl stay with them.

In the village, the small girl was considered deformed, a freak of Mother Nature, and anyone who was associated with the girl was as chastised and mocked as the girl was for something she didn't even want or ask for. The only one who cared enough about the girl to risk their livelihood for her was Mona.