A young girl about fifteen years old sat on a rickety wooden framed bed inside a brown tent with no furnishings. She had hair the color of freshly fallen snow that barely brushed her sharp chin. Her eyes were large and wide and as blue as the pure sky above. She had pale skin and thin lips. She stared down at her scuffed and dirty leather shoes. How she wished they were beautiful boots with heels that never wore out no matter how much they were used. She sighed and wiped her hands on her grimy and torn apron. It had been lacy once.
"Oi! Valerie!" A tall, lanky boy with many freckles and straw colored hair poked his head inside. "The royal family won't be a minute. Why don't cha bring 'em some water to refresh 'em from their long 'n hard journey?" he asked.
"Sure, David," Valerie replied, standing up. She brushed dirt off her apron to no real avail. An iron bucket filled with clear water sat next to the bed. She lifted it up into her thin arms and started more slowly toward the exit. David pushed back the curtain and she stumbled outside. The pathways between tents were congested with busy circus workers getting it ready for the royal family.
"Excuse me!" Valerie squeaked, squeezing between two burly men in red leotards.
"Sorry, Miss Valerie," said one of the men and he stepped out of her way.
"Thank you!" she replied before scurrying off to the winding road. The circus was nestled in a green valley between two large snow-peaked mountains. Finally she reached the edge of the circus and sank down onto the thick green grass. She pulled her knees to her chest and stared up at the blue sky.
Is this the way my life is gonna turn out? Working at this circus until I die? And then nobody will remember me. I'll fade into insignificance. I won't have done anything important with my life and left behind no legacy. I doubt I'll even have children. I mean…who would want to marry me, anyway? I want to live on forever and do something important. I want to be remembered. I want to do something that nobody else can. I want to make a difference, Valerie thought dejectedly. She sighed and looked toward the path. A golden carriage drawn by two beautiful, black horses came trundling toward her. Valerie shot upward and hoisted the bucket into her arms.
"Oh no…" she murmured to herself. She didn't have any cups to serve the water in. She would have kicked herself but that would mean spilling the water.
A small white, cat-like creature with pink eyes disappeared from the shadows and slipped through the many people toward Valerie's plain brown tent.
The carriage stopped in front of Valerie and two well dressed attendants in black jumped out. They opened the doors wide and two people dressed in gold and white stepped out. One was a muscular man with a chestnut colored beard and a long scarlet cape. The other was a woman with high cheekbones and thin eyes. She had an ever present frown like there was a constant supply of dung under her nose.
"Y-Your Majesties!" Valerie squeaked, falling into a clumsy curtsy that caused her to spill some of the water.
"Foolish servant girl," said the queen disdainfully.
"Don't say that," said a sweet voice from behind the pair. Valerie glanced upward and her cheeks turned bright pink. A young girl with beautiful caramel colored hair that fell in waves down her graceful back stepped out of the carriage. She had dark brown eyes that shone brightly and full lips. Her dress was pale pink with huge, puffy sleeves lined with lace. She stepped toward Valerie with a smile.
"Hello. My name is Princess Carmilla Archwood. What's your name?" she asked sweetly.
"V-V-Valerie B-Baker," stammered the white haired girl.
"Valerie? That's a very pretty name for a very pretty girl," replied Carmilla.
"I-I brought water but I don't have any cups," said Valerie embarrassedly with even redder cheeks.
"Thank you," Carmilla said. She took off her long, white gloves and placed them on the forearm of one of her attendants. She dipped her bare hands into the clear, cold water and took a sip from her cupped hands.
"CARMILLA!" gasped her mother.
"What?" asked the princess. She finished the rest of her water and straightened up. "I am parched and it is good water. What is wrong with that?" she asked.
"You are acting like a peasant!" reprimanded her father.
Carmilla took her gloves back from the attendant and slipped them on. She smiled at Valerie. "Thank you, Valerie. Perhaps we may get to know each other better while I am here," she said with a smile.
The white haired girl dropped into another bad curtsy. "I-if that is what you wish, Your Highness!"
"Oh, don't call me that. You may call me Carmilla," the princess replied.
"A-alright, Carmilla!"
It was dark outside by the time Valerie got back to her plain tent. It had been a very long day. The King was coming to collect taxes but also demanded the greatest hospitality and everyone had been rushing around to bring different things to the royal family. Carmilla had only made one request for a glass of water. Valerie sighed and let the tent flap close behind her.
"Hello, Valerie," said an unknown voice.
The blue eyed girl started and looked toward the source of the voice. A white cat like creature with bright pink eyes and a small smile was sitting on top of her bed. Valerie grabbed a small rock off the ground and held it up in a throwing position with shaking hands.
"What the Hell are you?!" she squeaked, desperately trying to sound more confident than she felt.
"My name is Kyubey! And if you make a contract with me I can turn you into a magical girl!" the creature said.
"A-a what?" Valerie asked with her brow furrowed.
"A magical girl! Magical girls are heroes who fight witches and protect the world!" Kyubey replied.
"W-witches? Like the ones that get burned on the stake?"
"No, the people that get burned on the stake are just regular humans. Witches are evil creatures that spread despair. They sow the seeds of rage, hatred, sorrow, and fear in the world. And it's up to magical girls to destroy them."
"But I can't be a magical girl even if I wanted to! I'm weak and I'm not very smart and nobody likes me," Valerie protested.
"That's where you're wrong. You have enormous potential to become a magical girl. There's not a single witch that you couldn't beat. I can't even begin to imagine how big the Soul Gem you'd create would be," said Kyubey.
Valerie looked down at her shoes and thought for a moment. In her pitiful fifteen year existence she had only made one friend. Only one person had ever been truly kind to her. And that meant so much. She looked back up and met Kyubey's eyes determinedly. "If I made a contract with you, would I be strong enough to protect Carmilla?" asked Valerie.
"Most definitely! If you want to make a contract with me all you have to do is make a wish! You get to wish for one thing, anything in all the world and it will come true!" Kyubey said energetically.
"And if I make a contract with you I have to fight these witch things right?" asked the white haired girl uncertainly.
"Yes. You are duty bound to fight witches for the rest of your life."
Valerie took a deep, shuddering breath. She closed her eyes for a second and then opened them with a new determination. "Alright. I have my wish."
Kyubey leapt off her bed and scurried so he was standing on the ground a few feet away from her. "Make your wish, Valerie."
"I wish…I wish to be able to protect my one and only friend, Carmilla!" Valerie exclaimed, her hands balled in fists. For a second nothing happened and then the tent was filled with a bright red light. Valerie gasped in pain and clutched at her heart. A huge red orb was slowly pulling itself from her chest. She threw back her head and dug her nails into the fabric around her heart. Scarlet light streamed up from around her and the orb freed itself from her heart. It hovered in the air above her expectantly.
"Take it now!" Kyubey shouted.
Valerie raised her shaking hands and clasped them tightly around the orb. The light became even brighter and the orb disappeared in a blinding flash. Valerie opened her trembling hands. Inside was a small red gem set in a golden bind. At the base was a small engraved gear.
"Congratulations, Valerie Baker. You are now a magical girl," Kyubey told her.
"A magical girl…"
