Disclaimer: I do not own COE.

Noah walked through the busy streets, searching for the correct vendor's stand. People bustled all about him- misers and beggars, women of questionable reputation and young dandies.

"Get out of here!" an irate voice shouted.

"Please," a far weaker voice responded.

"Out!" A girl, about twelve years of age, stumbled out on to the street. She turned around and came face to face with a small crowd that had assembled. Quickly, she pulled the maroon shawl that she was wearing over her forehead, but they had already seen.

A woman cried, "Look! She bears the mark of Cain!" One of the spectators ripped the shawl off the girl's head, revealing an ugly black scar that contrasted horribly with the girl's fair skin. People began to spit at her. Someone even hit her. Noah tried to move along, but when he saw the girl sink down to her knees in agony, crying uncontrollably, he couldn't help but feel the need to rescue her. It wasn't her fault that she was a daughter of the race of Cain. Noah fought his way into the crowd, took the girl's arm, and hurried her away from the market.

When they finally stopped running, the girl looked up at Noah with large, fearful eyes.

"Don't be afraid," he said kindly. "I'm not going to hurt you." The girl backed away. She'd heard that before. "Come, I'm going to let you live with me and my family." The girl's eyes widened in shock. A home? A family? The girl could hardly fathom the idea. Since her parents had been killed, she'd never belonged to a family, to a group. "What's your name?"

"Yonah," the girl replied. "Do you really mean for me to live with you?"

"Yes, Yonah."

"I can't do that." Yonah had known at one time that it was bad to disobey adults, but after years one the streets, she'd nearly forgotten.

"Why not?"

"To stay with you without earning such a privilege…"

"It is no privilege. We live a humble life- my wife, sons, and I."

"You don't know how much it means to me. I couldn't stay knowing that I did nothing to receive my place." Yonah turned and began walking away.

"Wait!" Noah called. She turned around. "You could be a sort of servant." He didn't say slave. Slavery was wrong, but paid servitude could by no means be against God's law. For a moment, Yonah contemplated. The thought of a home was incredibly tempting, and serving the family would mean that she would be earning her place. Convincing herself that she wasn't taking advantage of the family, Yonah gave the affirmative.

"Wonderful!" Noah exclaimed. "Come, the hut isn't too far a walk from here."

Yonah trailed slightly behind Noah for their journey. When a hut appeared on the horizon line, though, Yonah's heart began to leap. Finally, Noah and Yonah reached the hut. Noah went in first and called his family to assemble. Yonah hovered on the door's threshold as a middle-aged woman and three boys came in.

"What is it, Noah?" the woman asked. She looked to the girl standing in the doorway. Yonah instinctively groped for her scarf to cover her forehead, but realized that it was probably still lying on the ground in the market. Noah explained that Yonah would be working for them in exchange for shelter. The woman took Noah aside. "Noah, she bears the mark."

"I know, Mama, but she is a virtuous girl. It is not her fault that she was born into the race of Cain. Besides, she has no where else to go." Mama looked at Yonah, who was still standing uncertainly in the doorway. "She can stay."

Japheth, the youngest of Noah's sons, was the first of anyone to introduce himself to the newcomer. "Hello, I am Japheth."

Yonah curtseyed. "I am Yonah."

Fin

A/N: Please R&R! Flames are welcome!