Red

"Red...What a divine color it is..."

The words that started it all. All I was and would come to be. All it took to make me into the thing I was, that separated me from all of the rest. But to understand the meaning of this, I must tell you the story behind it all; starting at the beginning.

In the middle of December, on the eighth day of the month is the day that my life began. My parents were extatic and the entire town gathered around to await my birth. They were important people you see. Queen Elizabeth of England was my mother's sister and my father was of kin to her closest Duke. So therefore you see, I was born into a family of wealth and power.

As a babe, I lived in London, England and was spoiled with expensive clothes and other fine things. Though spoiled child I was, I was never one to take advantage of those around me. I suppose one could say that I was polite. I had no trouble dining with the Queen, or as I called her my Auntie Elizabeth, nor did I have trouble with aquainting several of the duke's and duchesses' children. I would spend days in my dresses, entertaining the wealthy with my wit and charm and then retire to my bedroom that night to have stories read to me of princesses, dungeons, dragons, knights and sorcerers. I always dreamed that instead of a princess like my mother had wanted for me, I was far more intrigued with the warrior of the stories; he strong, pure-hearted person who fought for thier beliefs, even if they died for what they stood for. This, of course, like any mother, worried her, but she indulged me, telling me simply that one day, I would be a fine queen, and if not that, a strikingly charming young woman. Sadly...she never lived to find out...

You see, there was a side of myself that I had to hide from the public eyes. When I was born, I had hair the color of snow and eyes the color of blood. It wasn't normal for any human to have those features, in fact, the midwife that helped birth me, claimed that I was a demon, sent from hell to take the souls of the living. Thankfully a handful of money was enough to encase her large mouth. My parents always held parties that I attended in candlelight so that my hair seemed blonde, like my mother's and my eyes seemed brown, like my father's. It worked for a while, but even our money and my family's wealth and tactics couldn't stop the inevitable.

It was a cold winter's night in January that changed my happy life. The moon was full outside, and the streets of London were busy. My mother, my Father and I were out to attend an evening gala at my Uncle's house. Being my Father's brother, my family could not refuse. Though upon arrival, I soon came to find the party was exceedingly dull and I grew very tired of it and the hot air that existed inside. I decided that I needed some air away from the massive exuberant crowd. Only five, and innocent as any child should be at that age, I ventured outside to the chilly night air. The instant change was amazing. Cool relief flushed over my cheeks like that of water cooling hot metal. The snow fell softly in small flurries and the night scenery was incredibly enticing. So enthralled with the outside, I was, that I didn't notice the gruff group of men approaching me. By the time I noticed, it was too late. They grabbed my tiny body up and pressed me for money, that they knew my family had some. The recognized me. Panicked as a child would ever be, liquid saline streamed like waterfalls down my face and my child voice screamed for someone to help me. I struggled and kicked until I couldn't any more. They laughed, and taunted me and closed their hands around my throat; choking me until I was nearly unconsious. They said they would hold me for ransom and take all of my parents money before killing me. I didn't have trouble believing them. Their eyes were that of previous murders of dozens. I couldn't help the feeling of sudden anger that washed over my senses. It overwhelmed and pumped strength into my tiny limbs and I felt stronger than before. I ripped my nails down the man who was holding me against the wall by my throat's arm and he cried out in pain before dropping me to the snow covered ground. I coughed and pulled air to my lungs as quickly as my aveoli would let me, grateful for the needed oxygen. The man grumbled obsene words loudly as he turned around and slung the back of his hand across my cheek for daring to wound him. My cheek stung like that of a handful of bees and I pressed my mittened hand to it. Tears came to my eyes once again as I looked at him; angry and humiliated for him striking me across the face but mostly they were terrified of my imminent death. At that moment the entire town chose this moment to rush out and see what all of the fuss was about. I expected the man to run, but he seemed frozen and terrified as he looked into my face. The rest of his team looked the same, looking at me as if I were satan himself.

"D-D-D-D" he sputtered as his body shook. I was very confused. I was sure he was scared of the mass that had gathered to watch him and his crew of evil men torture a little girl, and I was also sure that someone would rush up to save me. To my surprise, nobody moved. It was as if the world itself had paused. I stood up, and the man jumped back as if he had been stung.

"D-D-D-D-De-" he continued to sputter before putting his hands to each side of his head and screaming the word Demon as loud as he possibly could. I turned to the townspeople, expecting them to help me but they all just gasped and began to clone the actions that the man and his crew had performed. They were all wide eyed and had a look of terror in their eyes. It was then my mother and father ran out of the group, pausing hesitantly on sight of me, but then scooping me up in their arms murmuring words of comfort into my snowy locks.

"That is a demon child!" one lady screeched as she pointed her cane at me, "Her eyes are glowing red like the devil's!" I blinked in confusion. My eyes were-glowing...?

"The child is a witch!"

"She must be burned!"

"She is unholy!"

The crowd screamed out demands to my parents as they held me tightly; protecting me from the vile village peoples.

"Our child is NOT unholy! She is only strange! You know not of what you speak of!" my mother screamed in my defense; my father knelt next to us in silent protection. They continued their rants as my parents rushed me into our carriage and back home.

The next day, the people came to our house with pitch forks and torches, expecting my death, but my parents refused hatefully. I was their only child. I had to be protected.

Every day was the same for the next year. My parents could never leave the house, lest they be ambushed by the crowd waiting below. Guard were hired to help in our defense, but it was to no avail. Eventually we had to say our goodbyes to the city life and moved to a rual area of land, far back into the country. My mother and father took up the lives of the poor; farming and house jobs. My fancy dresses were sold and replaced by simple farm dresses and bonnets that would hide my snowy white hair from the world. It was a hard life, but we were all happy.

A mere month of living on the farm had taught me the secret nooks and crannies of the old barn and I went there to play often, even as my hardworking parents slept.

One night I awoke from a peaceful slumber to find that my favorite doll was missing from my bed. Childishly thinking that I couldn't sleep without it, I slipped quietly out of bed, tiptoed past my mother and father's room and down the moonlit trail to the barns to the west of the house, where I remembered leaving her.

I remember the night well, even to this day. The bangs and crunches of the woods around me, enticed me more than it should a child my age, and the night was quiet and peaceful. It settled around me like a comfortable blanket, and my eyes lit up in wonder as I watched the bats chase each other and the owls hunt the surrounding woods for prey.

The barn was so far from the house that I was tired easily from the walk up there with my little legs. So I sat for a while, and played with my dolls; enjoying the soft night air. Finally rested, I grabbed my doll and headed back for our house. I skipped and played on the way there, light as a bird's feather; enjoying life as a child should at my age.

When the house came into view, instead of the peaceful view I had expected, scorching orange and yellow light pierced my light-sensitive eyes. My house was aflame. I ran to it as quickly as I could, trying to reach my parents to see if they were harmed or not. It was then I made note of the amount of people around my house. Tears came to my eyes as I realized they were cheering. My parent's screams filtered my ears as I took off to them, such in a hurry, that I didn't see the large limb in my way. I tripped over it and hit my head on the rocky ground in front of me; my world, instantly black.

It had to have been mid-day of the next day when I awoke because the sun had risen to the middle of the sky. Upon rubbing my head, my memories rushed back to me. I convinced myself that it had just been a dream. That I had fell and fallen asleep out here, causing me to have a terrible nightmare. After a moment, I finally turned to see my house to make sure that I was dreaming and complete what my self-convincing had started. I found myself staring at the ashes of what used to be a beautiful two story barn house. Tears filtered my eyes. It hadn't been a dream after all...

I ran to the ashes to find only charred bits of jewelry and a bit of melted silverware in the aftermath of the large fire. Two freshly made mounds of dirt were marked:

Here lies Artie, Abigail, and Emma Michael.

Put to death for birthing and harboring a demon spawn.

The tears trailed down my face I lay ontop of their graves murmering their names over and over.

Mother...Father...

The would never hear my cries. They were gone to heaven, I had hoped. They were good people. They didn't deserve to burn in hell because of me.

After a while I began to walk, I didn't know where I was going...All I knew was that I had to keep moving and keep walking until my feet found where they were going...

Author's Note:

I hope chapter one of Red wasn't too depressing. It probably was...but it's going to get better so please keep reading...I had to kill her parents somehow so that I could introduce Grelle...v.v

Anyways, please Read and review!

-Crimson