It was a beautiful day in Oakvale. The sun was shining up in the sky, bathing rivers and lakes with a golden reflection. One of the sun rays entered through a nearby window, waking Dainara up. She opened her eyes slowly and stretched on her bed. An elegant white cat jumped on her bed purring happily.
-Good morning, Oakleaf. I guess it's time to get up.
Dainara quickly got dressed and looked out the window. Her beautiful long red hair waved with the morning breeze. It was indeed a beautiful day and she couldn´t wait to go out for her daily walk.
She went downstairs, where some servants were busy doing their chores. One of them, an old woman with a friendly and motherly face, seemed to be the one in charge.
Dainara approached her with a wide smile.
-Good morning, Nana.
The woman turned and smiled back.
-Good morning, my child. Your breakfast will be ready in a moment.
-Can you wrap it up for me? It´s a lovely day outside, I'll eat it on my way.
Nana smiled.
-Of course, my dear, as usual. It´s been years since you last had breakfast in the palace, as a young lady should.
-A young lady should enjoy her days too, Nana.- Dainara said while picking up the wrapped food- See you later!
-Be careful out there! Don´t leave town! They say some pirates arrived last night!- shouted Nana as Dainara left.
But they both knew where Dainara was going, to the same place where she had been going for the past four years: Sandwood Lake, a charming little lake in the very heart of Barrow Fields.
Dainara loved this place. Very few people knew of its existence or bothered to go there, so she had made it her private refuge. There, she felt at peace, she could cry as much as she wanted without anyone looking at her with pitiful eyes, she could tell her secrets to the birds and the fishes, she could lie down on the grass, close her eyes and forget about the world. She discovered it by chance four years ago, when she was just 14 and she was running away from her palace on that dreadful day…
Dainara was the daughter of Sigmund of Oakvale, a nobleman who was always generous to the town people. Her mother had died in childbirth, and she had been raised by her father and Nana, her nursemaid, who loved her as a daughter.
Dainara was truly happy, until one day her father was called to join his fellow noblemen in a war. Week after week, month after month, year after year, Dainara awaited for her father's return.
Until one rainy morning, she saw some knights approaching the palace.
-Father!
But her father was not there. One of the knights kneeled down and handed her a medallion.
-I'm sorry, my lady.
Dainara started running as fast as she could, ignoring Nana's shouts. She wanted to disappear, she couldn´t accept this reality.
She had been running for hours when she didn´t have any strength left in her body and she fainted. When she woke up, the first thing she saw was the lake and, for some reason, she felt some peace inside, as if in this little place of the world, nothing bad could happen. After that day, she had been coming here everyday.
Dainara arrived at Sandwood Lake and sat down on its shore.
-Good morning everyone! - she said to the birds signing on the trees and the lake's fishes- I have brought breakfast.
She opened the wrapped package and tossed some bread on the water and the grass.
She started eating her breakfast in silence. Suddenly, she had became serious and thoughtful.
-You know? Today it's exactly four years since they announced us father's death. Of course Nana must remember that too, but she didn´t mention anything so as to not make me sad…But I do remember, how could I forget? I think of him every day of my life, I miss him dearly.
As if they had understood her speech, the birds stopped their melodies.
Dainara couldn´t stop the tears coming to her eyes.
-Why did he have to go to such stupid war? We were at peace in Oakvale, he should have refused. How could he do this to me? Why did he abandon me?
Dainara started crying disconsolately.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind some trees.
-It should be considered a crime when a beautiful young lady cries.