Hi everyone!

I'm so excited to share this story with you all. I've been toying around with it for a while. I love reading everyone's incredible work and decided to throw my hat into the ring.

Please leave a review if you can.

I will try my best to read some of your stories and return the favor.

Much Love.


Chapter 1: Scars

She sat alone on a log as she tended to the fire that she had used for her morning meal.

Today was a special day. Well, not entirely special, but more special than a typical day. Today was her birthday. Today meant little to her most years, but this year was different.

She felt different.

She closed her eyes and felt the swirl of energy around her heart. It was new. It was different. She was not sure yet if it was something she liked. She tried hard to think if she had felt this feeling before. Never, she had never felt this. She was curious to know what it was. And more importantly why it was happening now. Maybe it was because she was now eighteen. Finally of age.

She felt a change coming. She could sense it in her veins.

It was a warm morning. Warmer than it had been in a long time. The sun peaked through the trees more than it usually did. It was as if the sun knew it was a special day. He was smiling down at her. Warming her all over and making her hot.

After tying up her long dark brown hair, she removed her coat and boots, allowing her feet to touch the soft moss underneath. She couldn't help but look down at her arms. She had so many scars. More scars than someone her age should have.

More scars than someone twice her age should have.

She ran her hand down a large scar on her left arm. This particular scar stretched from the back of her upper arm, down over the inside of her elbow and down to her wrist. Thick and pale. A couple similar scars ran across her back, while another ran along her right leg, and another ran diagonal across her abdomen. Those are the ones that still left her with the occasional pain. That's when she closed her eyes and held her right hand over her heart. This was where the worst scar was. So small, but one that nearly killed her nonetheless. Many of her others were not significant. They were from endless days of surviving in the forest and from days of difficult training.

They made her feel tired. She felt much older than her age. Times like this she felt her actual age. She should be middle aged now with a child the same age as she appeared now. But for nearly thirty years, time stood still. Time stopped the day the Evil Queen left this land. Leaving the people left behind to wonder why they didn't age. She took them to a land far away of theirs, where the others lived the same day over and over again just as they did. That was until two years ago, when after a surge of bright energy came to their land and started time again.

She thought back to the days before she was so scarred. She thought about her. She felt the sadness fill her heart. So much time was wasted. She lived with pain every day and it felt as if she had to live every painful day over and over again. But she tried to be strong, strong for her. She remembered back to the day they met.

"One day your strength and bravery will surpass your beauty. Only then will you become useful to me."

That was the day she was given a chance. A chance to be.

She took a deep breath trying to go back to that time. A time when she had more hope. She was brought out of her thoughts as she felt someone behind her. She stiffened her back and greeted her visitor.

"I know you're there, you know."

"I gathered that. You're getting much better."

She turned her head a little to glance back at the man who had given her so much when she had so little. The man sat down on the log next to her. He took a moment to observe her movements before talking again. She was flighty. Guarded. Always with one arm stretched out before her.

"It is a beautiful day".

"Yes it is." She replied, turning to the man.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box tied with a blue ribbon. She had never said it out loud, but blue was her favorite color.

"For you" he said holding it out for her to take. "For me? What for?"

"For your birthday of course."

"I'm not really one for presents."

"I know."

With a small sigh she gave up. She allowed herself to untie the ribbon and open the box.

She pulled out a simple yet elegant gold ring with a single sapphire in the middle. It saddened her. The sapphire reminded her of another item with a similar stone. One that she lost long ago.

"It's beautiful. Where did you find such a ring?"

"It was my mother's. I inherited from her when she passed. It's been in our family for several generations."

She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't feel worthy of such a gift. She managed a small smile, "It is a thoughtful gift, but I can't accept it. It's too important to your family."

"You are my family. You are practically my daughter." He said it so simply, as if the words had been stamped in stone.

She gave him a small smile. It was true, he was practically her father. At least the only father figure she had ever known.

"Thank you, Robin"

"You're very much welcome, Lilla."


Who is this she? And why is she so important. It was difficult for me to pick a name for Lilla, but it will have a lotttt of significance in future chapters.

And how exactly does Lilla know Robin? Soon we will learn who she is and how Lilla got so many scars. I borrowed the title of the story from one of my favorite books. It's my favorite quote and will use it sometime in the story.

Hope you all enjoy it!

Hit me up with reviews. I'd love to hear everyone's guesses to these questions.

And does anyone know which book I got my story's title from. If you guess right then you're amazing!

Much Love,

AF