I'm sure that there's going to be some questions remaining but I HOPE in answering them later on or clearing things up in the end… if not then oh well I tried.

Either way enjoy!

In the crystal reflection of the small fishpond, she could see herself clearly. Haelori knew she was different from those whom surrounded her. More than once she had questioned Oilell about her appearance and had never received an answer. She covered the left side of her face and for a moment, she tried to picture herself whole. In her mind, she saw two silver grey eyes and her hair a mix of browns and blacks. Her illusion faded when a small frog jumped in the pond and caused it to ripple. No longer was she whole and instead one eye was garnet and the left side of her hair was a mix of reds on black. Maybe it was best to remain that way, as Oilell said, it made her unique.

Hael, as she was called, stood from the grass and looked up at the cloudy sky. Normally she would stay inside during the day with her aunt, Vila, or sleeping. Yet she was a child of nature and the sun, which irritated her fair skin when exposed far too long, had been hidden by clouds. She preferred the comfort of the night and the light of the moon better.

Hael walked in the tall grass and to the small hut where she lived with Vila. Oilell had left a year ago to live at Hawk's Keep with her son Dorik. Instead Vila, who was Oilell's aunt, had taken care of her. As she came closer, she could hear them speak and her curiosity caused her stop and listen. She knew the conversation was about her when she heard her name.

"What do you think will happen now?" Oilell asked Vila worriedly. "Lady Sive has told her…"

Vila shook her head. "She cannot take her away from you… They know it is a risk."

Oilell nodded reluctantly. "What worries me is that this time her mother, her family are all the Hawk's Keep. What if they take her from me? It has almost been eight years since I received her…" Hael scrunched up her face in confusion. She did not understand their conversation much nor of what they meant about family. What worried her was the fact that Oilell was considering in not taking her to the Hawk's Keep after she left. She had never seen such a beautiful city than Hawk's Keep and its Avian society but sadly, she had not gone to visit in years. Even then, the time she had gone, Oilell had covered her face with a dark veil in order to protect her from the sun. If only she could fly then she would be like them as well, she could be like Oilell.

Hael walked off far enough to get away from the conversation when she was suddenly picked up and mauled playfully by Dorik. She laughed and kicked as she tried to release herself from her brother's grasp and both fell to the ground laughing. She loved Dorik and had missed him dearly when he had left their home in the woods. A year ago, he and Oilell had gone live with his uncle at Hawk's Keep to live amongst others his age. Now he had returned, twelve years old and still the same as ever.

"Listening to conversations now?" he asked her out of breath. They lay on the grass and tried to catch their breath. Hael looked up at the sky and at the dark clouds.

She shrugged. "Nothing important. I thought they were taking me to Hawk's Keep again."

Dorik sat up. "Are they?"

Hael shook her head. "Doubt it. Besides I don't want to leave Vila alone. She has taught me a lot of things…stories."

Dorik laughed. "Stories? Of what?"

"Of when she was fighting as a soldier and survived the war and then how she found peace…" Hael sighed and looked up at the sky. "I want to meet to royal family…I've heard so many greats things about them from her. I think I want to be like Vila someday."

"Little Hael," Dorik laughed, "big dreams for a little girl such as you." He plucked some grass from the ground and threw it in Hael's face.

Hael sat up from the grass and pushed Dorik who only laughed in return. They chased each other playfully the whole day, both enjoying the little time that they would have together before he would go back to his home.