Green
It had always been that way. If you had anything different from others, you would definitely be ostracised. It worked just the same for her. Unlike all the people in her village who had blue eyes, and golden hair, she had raven black hair, and emerald eyes. Abandoned by her parents since birth, she led a hard life.
A fateful morning, she planned to go to the market. Pulling a scarf over her raven black hair, she shaded her eyes and left her little abandoned cottage at the edge of the village, near the woods. Locking the doors, she went along to the market.
Going to the market was hard for her. There were many occasions where she got found out, and got chased away without being able to buy anything, which meant that she had to starve. Careful that she would not be found out, she held her basket close and walked.
" An apple for you Miss?" the stall vendor asked.
" No thank you," she politely declined., without looking up.
As soon as she got whatever she needed, she went back to her cottage only to find an injured soldier right by her doorstep. Stepping closer, she hesitated, unsure if she should help him. After some hard thinking, she decided to help him.
" Are you alright, Sir?" she asked, pulling down her scarf to make a make-shift tourniquet for the soldier.
" Such beautiful emerald orbs...," he trailed off after his pupils seemed to focus on her eyes.
Putting down her basket, she lugged the wounded soldier into her cottage. Stripping him of his armour, she found an angry wound across his torso.
Stopping the blood, she cleaned his wound and bandaged it up. It was the first time someone had said she had beautiful eyes. Though he probably was not in the right state of mind.
For the next few days, she whole-heartedly took care of him, using every single method to bring down his fever, changing his bandages every few hours. That morning, she went herb-picking in her garden, and found the soldier awake when she got back.
" Y-You're awake...," she stammered.
It was the first time she had been so close to another person in her house.
" Such beautiful emerald orbs, and silky raven hair..," he admired as she helped him sit up.
" Thank you...," she replied self-concious.
" I'm sure every girl would be green with envy," he smiled.
She did not know how to answer. Instead, she showed him as sad smile. She continued taking care of him as he continued to admire her hair.
It was only until the day he was about to leave, he found out that she was shunned by the rest of the villagers. She had walked him to the stables to get him a horse, and her scarf got pulled down by a kid trying to play pranks.
" A witch! Run! She's going to curse you!" someone screamed.
" Don't look into her green eyes! You'll be cursed! You'll die a horrible death!" another shouted and dragged the child who pulled her scarf down away, in the direction of the priest's house.
Grabbing her scarf that started flying in the wind, she immediately covered her head with it and ran all the way. Crashing into everything, muttering half-hearted apologies all the way to her hut.
" Stop! Miss!" the soldier called as he galloped on the horse.
He soon over took her, forcing her to stop, stopping the horse in front of her tracks.
" I can't believe those people. Calling you a witch," he said, grabbing onto her quivering shoulders.
" I'm sorry, you can leave now...," she tried to turn away.
" I'm not leaving until you come with me," he said firmly.
" But-"
" No buts. Your green emerald orbs are beautiful. Take off the scarf, and proudly lift your head," he said.
As soon as she lifted her head, what met her was a kiss, and she was swept off her feet, onto the horse and rode off with the soldier who would soon become her husband.
~END~
