Chapter Text
The sunshine filters through the tree leaves. Creating a beautiful scenery of light and shadows. For a little girl, the world is enormous and whimsical. No matter how mundane it truly is.
The butterflies are seen as little fairies. The trees are towers that contain secrets one can only dream of learning. The world is good if you look through a loved child’s eyes.
“Mommy! Daddy! Look what I found!” a little girl exclaimed, showing them a shiny crystal that was in her favorite colour. She ran towards her parents sitting on a blanket under a tree, both smiling and opening their arms for the girl.
When there were only a few steps left she opted to jump into her parents arms. “What did you find, little pivoine?” her mother asked, hugging her tighter so they were cheek to cheek as her father hugged her mother and her. She struggled to get out of the tight hold and showed them the crystal.
“Look! Isn’t it pretty? It’s my favorite colour too!” she exclaimed excitedly, eyes glimmering with joyfulness. The parents both smiled at her before agreeing with her. “Where did you find this sweetie?” her father asked, taking the crystal to inspect it further. “I found it near that tree over there! I even made a friend!” she answered happily, pointing towards the tree in the middle of a shallow lake.
“Really? Where are they? We want to meet them too.” her mother asked, looking around as her father nodded in agreement with her mother before following suit.
“They’re over there.” she giggled, pointing towards a spot near her and her family but...there was no one. Her parents looked at each other, seemingly agreeing to play along. “Oh, we are really sorry. We didn’t see them before.”
An imaginary friend. That was what they thought. Harmless and normal for children her age.
They stayed there laughing and conversing while watching the sun set into darkness.
Oh, how they mistake this as an imaginary friend phase will make them regret it as it will cause their precious daughter pain but for now they live happily unaware.
Once the sun fully set, they walked home together hand in hand with a curse attached to their daughter. Festering and growing. Unseen until it was too late.
A few weeks had passed since that day and their daughter fell terribly ill. She has been feeling cold and attacking the servants for blood. Her body runs hotter than normal. In and out of sleep, making her parents worry. Although for now she is asleep, satiated with the blood of her father.
He gave it without thinking. Is it painful? Of course. Watching the apple of your eye slowly deteriorate without warning nor reason.
“We can’t let her live like this forever.” her mother whispered, peering into her bedroom with her father.
“I know but I just can’t bear the thought of giving her away to the humans.” he sighs, covering his face that is stained with tears.
“You don’t think I thought of that?” she asked with an exasperated voice. Of course he knows. They are in pain. Losing hope is inevitable even for the strongest people.
They both hold each other as they know that they have to send her away. They closed the door and walked away with a heavy heart.
Their bright and warm home has not been that way for awhile. Smiles that don’t reach the eyes. Workers are frightened of approaching wherever their daughter is.
A hallway that used to be filled with their daughter’s laughter is no more.
An hour later she awoke from her slumber dazed and confused looking around the room. “Bun Bun, do you know what happened?” she started, holding her rabbit doll up to her eye level.
“I remembered being cold and being absolutely hungry…” she trailed off, putting Bun Bun down before climbing down the giant bed.
She walked over to the dollhouse that is on the other side of the room and pushed the hidden button. A wall near the dollhouse was pushed back by the mechanism and revealed a secret passageway.
“Time to search for mommy and daddy.” she stated before descending into the passageway. It was filled with spirals that descended up and down, hallways that are divided into multiple passageways, and secret windows hidden as a mirror or a portrait.
She walked through the passageways with ease, the map etched permanently in her brain.
She stopped at a certain window as she heard her parents talking. She climbed up the step stool to peer into the room.
“We need to send her away by tomorrow. Before her condition got worse.” her father stated, putting his hand on her mother’s shoulder.
“No, please just...one more day. We can send her away tomorrow but for now we spend all the time we have left.” her mother begged, looking at a portrait of their daughter.
“Look at them. They want to send you away.” a voice said as she had felt a presence coiling around her.
“No.”
The girl's small voice choked up by fear, betrayal, and despair. The tears welling up in her eyes. Denial. She refused to accept what was happening. The voice speaks no lie. She knows that
It feels like it is hugging her, comforting her. Looking behind her she saw her friend from days ago. “What are you doing here?” she gasped, tears started to well up in their eyes.
“I am here because I sense that you are in danger. You needed me.” she explained. Her presence was a pleasant surprise.
“Why don’t we just run away from here? I can help you.” she suggested, looking down at the little girl. A smile. A smile that reached her eyes, something that the little girl had not seen from the people around her.
The only one giving her that smile is her friend. “Yeah, I want to leave. Please take me away, Lione.” the little girl cried, on the shoulder of her friend. Took her away, she did. Never looking back that was the little girl’s decision.