Day 20: Wiene, the Red-Nose Vouivre
Wiene wasn't sure what had made her so different as a child. She had felt she had been born normal. She even had a mom and dad that loved her. But that didn't stop them from thinking there was something different about her. She had ignored it at the time, though.
So, Wiene moved on with her life. Like all the good little dragon children, she trained to pull Santa's sleigh for the big important day. It was during one day of her training that it finally happened. Wiene finally saw what made her so different.
She was on the track, racing the other dragons that would pull one of Santa's sleighs. The little dragon was pushing herself harder than ever before. She had been running all day along the track and could feel her breath coming out in huffs and puffs. Eventually, though, she slowed down and realized everyone was staring at her weirdly. She couldn't understand why that was happening, but then she realized that everything was bathed in some strange red light. Wiene had to stop and look around to realize what was happening. All the other little dragons had abandoned her, running away in fear.
"What's she doing!"
"She's a freak!"
"She's glowing red!"
Wiene started panicking.
"What's happening to me? What's happening to me?" asked the dragon girl.
Some elves came running from their workshop. Wiene recognized them; their names were Bell and Aiz. Wiene had seen them before, and they had helped her with some things. Both of them had been very kind.
"Please! Wiene, you have to come with us," said Bell, running on his little elf legs.
Ais nodded along, her hair bobbing along with the movement. The two took Wiene's reins, and they helped walk her somewhere else. Everyone continued to point and stare at her, dragons and elves alike. And while all that happened, the red glow seemed to follow Wiene across the yard.
"Bell, what's happening to me?" asked Wiene, the panic creeping into her voice. "Where's that red light coming from?"
Bell didn't answer; instead, he just turned to Ais and asked her to take Wiene into the stable at the edge of Santa's workshop. Bell said he had to go and find some other people to help him. Wiene barely held everything, though, just letting her panic cloud her sight and judgement. She started to thrash in Ais's grip, the elf doing her best to keep both hands on the reins.
Finally, Ais was able to take Wiene to the stable, and by the time she got there, other elves and Wiene's parents, Rei and Lyd, were there waiting for her.
"What happened to my daughter?" asked Rei. "Where is Wiene?"
Ais just pointed at Wiene and her shining red face. Rei ignored all of that, though, and just galloped over to nuzzle into her daughter and keep her safe. Lyd thanked the overs for their help and joined them.
"Um, excuse me," said elf Bell. "But can someone explain what's happening right now? Why is Wiene's forehead glowing red like that?"
Lyd was the one to answer.
"It's something she was born with. Her nose can glow red, but it's been a really long time since it happened," explained Lyd. "It usually only happens when she's stressed or angry. The last time it happened, she was a little girl, and she didn't remember."
"I'm…different?" asked Wiene. "Does that mean that I'll never pull Santa's sleigh?"
Rei frowned. "No, at all, Wiene. It means that there's something that makes you special. You do not have to feel bad about it!"
Ais and Bell nodded.
Wiene wanted to believe her parents and friends, but something told her otherwise. She always knew that she would be different, an outcast and never be the one to achieve her dreams.
Some years passed, and things only got worse for Wiene. She did what she could to keep her glow under control, but it wasn't always easy. There were a couple close calls and one incident. Each time it happened, it ended with Wiene being ridiculed and forced to run away and hide. Which meant that Wiene spent a lot of time alone. She grew up around her parents and the elves Bell and Ais. Along with them, she met Haruhime, Welf, Mikoto, and some other kind elves who did not judge her. They became her real family.
When she was hanging out with them, Wiene heard and saw the terrible news. It was already Christmas Eve, and there was a massive blizzard moving in over the North Pole. Wiene went to check and found that it was raging over almost the entirety of the North Pole. Wiene and her elf friends tried to make their way to the workshop but found it hard to make it through the snow.
"Where are we supposed to go?" asked Bell. "I can't see anything!" He held his arms over his eyes. "There's too much snow!"
Wiene saw Bell's trouble and wanted to do something. Everything about her life had been so frustrating for so long. No matter what she did, she couldn't do anything to help. And since she was so frustrated, her red glow came out too. Without Wiene realizing it, her whole face was lit up now.
"Wiene! That's it!" shouted Welf. "Use your light to get us to Santa's workshop!"
The others chimed in their encouragement, and Wiene felt pride for the first time in her life. She called for the elves to get behind her, and then she started making her way through the snow. The red glow of her face highlighted the way to the workshop. When they got there, they found everyone in a panic. Apparently, there was too much snow for Santa to deliver presents. That was when Bell and Ais rushed forward.
"Santa! Santa!" they shouted (well, Bell shouted. Ais whispered in his wake). "We have away! You can use Wiene!"
Santa turned from talking to Mrs. Claus and squatted down to listen to what the elves had to say. They explained the situation to him and then pointed and gestured to Wiene. Meanwhile, the little dragon girl was suddenly very self-conscious. People were staring at her again. But then, Santa walked on over.
"Well, Wiene, will you help me guide my sleigh tonight?" asked Santa.
Wiene looked to her friends, who nodded their encouragement. Then, she looked to Santa and gave a timid nod. With a mighty, 'Ho ho ho,' Santa led her over to the sleigh. She took off and lived the best life ever.
The End
Hestia added the next quilted square, with a dragon girl on full display, and sat back in her chair. She considered her options moving forward and what other stories to tell. There wasn't much left, but Hestia would find a way. She had to pass the time somehow.
