Noire held her chest closely as she tried to slow her breathing. She won't find me here. She can't! It isn't possible. Is it? Her thoughts raced as she fought to keep her adrenaline from spiking up again. She had to remain calm. After a few deep breathes she peeked her head around the corner. She glared down the empty corridor hoping not to make out a figure. Good, I haven't been noticed. Yet. Her stomach lurched as she thought of what new hex her mother had formulated to test on her. She wished she could help her mother, but her mother always took advantage of her submissive personality to use her as a "guinea pig". I bet other kids don't have to hide from their mothers in fear of being hexed. She broke out in a cold sweat as she heard footsteps coming from down the hall. She hugged her knees as she tried to make herself less noticeable. As the footsteps approached nearer she bit her lip to keep herself from yelping in horror. As the footsteps appeared right next to her, Noire flinched and clenched her eyes shut to protect herself from the figure.
"Now what is going on here?" the figure asked. Noire's heart lifted as she realized her father, Gaius, was the one standing before her.
"Oh, Father!" Noire cried as she flung her arms around her father. She couldn't help but let a few tears roll down her cheek.
"What's the matter, kiddo?" Gaius inquired as he patted her on the head. Noire tried to speak, but she couldn't find the words to articulate to her father how she felt.
"You're still just 10. That much stress shouldn't be pent up in sucha sweet lil' girl." Gaius commented as he wiped the tears from his daughter's face.
"Oh dear what is going on over here?" a voice echoed from the other end of the hall. Noire couldn't help but tense up as she recognized the owner of the voice.
"Tharja, are you still casting hexes on our daughter?" Gaius grumbled as he attempted to hide the anger rising in his voice. Noire heard a soft chuckle from her mother as she stepped in view.
"Dearest Gaius, I have no idea what you are talking about." Tharja answered in a tone that implied that she knew very well what he just said.
"Noire, go play outside. Me and Mommy are going to have a talk right now" Gaius proclaimed as he beckoned Tharja into their room. Noire knew better than to question her father so she obeyed and walked outside. Noire soon found herself walking among the trees in the forest surrounding their house. Noire didn't have very many friends mostly because of her introverted nature, but she found that she really didn't mind. She heard a scuffling in the bushes next to the beaten path she was walking along. Noire jumped back in surprise as she heard something burst out of the shrub. At that moment a small black creature tackled her to the ground and she couldn't find the voice to scream as the events played out so quickly. She opened her eyes to find a dog began to lick her face. Noire quickly let out a sigh of relief as she giggled at the playful dog. After the dog licked her it quickly stepped off and began to wag its tail, kicking up dust behind it.
"Do you want to play, boy?" Noire asked softly as she picked up a twig from the ground. She looked at the dogs neck in shock to see there wasn't a collar to show that the animal had an owner.
"Hmm, you all alone?" Noire wondered aloud. She threw the stick and watched the dog chase it as she began brainstorming names. Shadow? No, too spooky. Cocoa? No, that's more of a girls name. Crow? That sounds like it belongs to a skinny dog. She thought as she saw the dog was questionably well fed. Raven? Yes, that's the one!
"You like the name Raven, boy?" Noire asked. The dog turned around and barked in what seemed like an approving manner. I've always wanted a dog! This is so great I can't wait to tell father. Noire patted her thigh signaling the dog to follow her. She ran to the kitchen in excitement.
"Father! Are you in here?" Noire called as she looked around the entered the room, Raven close behind her. They're probably still arguing in their room aren't they. Noire looked down at Raven to see him looking right up at her, tail wagging expectantly. She took Raven into her room and made him a bed out of an extra sheet she kept in the closet.
"You can sleep here tonight." Noire commented as she looked out the window to see the moon begin to rise. She climbed into bed and put out the candle at her bedside. I'm glad I finally have a friend. She thought happily to herself.
When Noire awoke she found that a heavy object had moved onto her lap during the middle of the night. She looked down the bed and saw Raven happily snoring away, curled up in a ball on her lap. She tried not to shift herself too much, in fear of waking Raven, but her efforts were futile as Raven perked his head up as she moved her weight. Raven licked her face as if to say: "Good morning, Friend. Let's have a good day, okay?" Noire giggled as the dog's soft tongue moved across her face leaving a trail of slobber in its wake. She wiped the drool off her mouth and patted the floor next to her bed to indicate she wanted the dog to get off so she could get up. Raven obediently listened and hopped off the bed and sat down and started wagging his tail. Noire stretched out her shoulders to relieve the stress of having a dog press down on her center of gravity. As she felt the satisfying pops of her muscles she let out a gasp of relief and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She looked down at her wrinkled clothes. Oops. Forgot to put on my pajamas before I got in bed. She had been scolded for it many times ,but it always happened to escape her mind. She put on a fresh pair of clothes and looked back at the spot she indicated to Raven and saw he was still waiting patiently with a look of intent in his eyes. I'm so glad my friend is so loyal! Noire walked down the hallway into the kitchen where she rounded up some morsels for her and Raven. Halfway through their breakfast, Noire's father walked in and saw that he was late to breakfast. Gaius always had a tendency of waking up later in the day. Noire chuckled to herself as she looked at the candy stains on her father's pajama shirt and his apparent bedhead.
"Like what you see, kiddo?" Gaius chuckled to himself as he rummaged through the pantry to find something to eat.
"Is Mother already in her study?" Noire asked. Gaius opened his mouth to answer, however he suddenly realized the mysterious guest under the table.
"Noire, whozat?" Gaius asked as he pointed to Raven with a fork. Noire looked at him in confusion only until she remembered Raven and Gaius hadn't been properly introduced.
"Oh! Father this is my new friend Raven. He's very friendly and well trained too." Noire said her face growing red with embarrassment.
"Well as long as he's a trained mutt, he's alright in my books." Gaius said shrugging his shoulders as he went back to scouring the cupboards. Noire's heart leaped with excitement as she realized that her new pet would be staying with her permanently. After she cleaned up for breakfast, Noire told her father that she would be taking Raven into town to get a collar. It filled Noire with glee as Raven followed at her heels in anticipation. Noire rarely went to town, mainly because they lived quite a distance away from the nearest town. She also wasn't very fond of the giant bustling crowds that usually inhabited the streets of the town. However, today she would make an exception for Raven. As she walked down the street she heard murmurs of Risen. She had only heard of these creatures a few select times. She heard they were undead risen from the dead by the Fell Dragon, Grima. Her parents had told her many times over that they were far away from the threat of Risen and the Fell Dragon. She knew little of the Fell Dragon ,but she heard the Dragon had been resurrected after the death of the exalt Chrom. She decided to push those thoughts out of her head and instead focus on Raven. She and Raven looked around, browsing many merchant tents until she came across the a tent that had an assortment of many different things. She saw a pretty white collar hanging off an accessory rack.
"Um...pardon me?" Noire politely asked. The merchant turned to her excitedly. The merchant had beautiful red hair and a very peppy expression on her face as she realized that she had a customer.
"What can I do for ya?" the merchant asked, trying to hide the pure glee from seeping into her voice. Noire guessed that this woman didn't have customers very often.
"Um...the collar?" Noire whispered staring at her feet. The merchant leaned forward.
"I'm sorry, come again?" she said cupping her hand around her ear.
"The collar please." A voice said behind her. Noire spun around in surprise to see a handsome boy with blonde hair standing behind her. As she looked him in the eye, he locked eye-contact with her and gave your a chivalrous wink. Noire blushed and quickly turned back.
"Just the collar?" the woman asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. The boy turned back to her.
" That all?" he asked. Noire shook her head. The merchant handed the collar to the boy and before Noire could pull out her coin purse, the boy put his money on the table. Noire started to protest but she looked back at him to see that he wouldn't accept her money. He handed her a collar and with it a rose that he somehow produced from his pocket. Noire blushed and quickly bent down to put the collar on Raven.
"So about my method of repayment.." The boy began. Noire's heart sank. Was this boy going to take advantage of her? He looked hardly older than she did.
"How about your name?" the boy inquired. Noire's stomach settled as she realized this was a lot less severe than she originally thought.
"Um…Noire." Noire answered brushing the dust of her knees.
"Nice to meet you, Noire. The name's Inigo! Don't you go and forget it!" Inigo stated cheerfully. Inigo kneeled down, becoming eye to eye with Raven.
"Who's this lil' fella?" He asked petting the dog with both hands on the sides of his face.
"Oh...this is Raven." Noire sputtered. Inigo looked up at her and grinned.
"That's a great name!" Inigo said as he turned back to Raven. Raven began licking Inigo's face causing Noire and Inigo to burst out in laughter.
"Well it's been nice meeting you, Inigo. But, I really should get going." Noire said pointing to the direction of her house with her thumb.
"Aww, promise you'll come back tomorrow?" Inigo said a disgruntled look on his face. Noire held her finger up to her bottom lip in thought.
"Well…I suppose I don't have anything tomorrow. S-s-sure. I guess so." Noire said chuckling to herself. Her heart soared as she saw a grin reappear on his face.
"Alright, see ya' later!" Inigo said waving his hand over his head. Noire smiled as she waved back to him and began the trek back to her house. I just made another friend! Noire thought to herself as she trudged down the path to her house. I can't wait for tomorrow!