New day new fic. I blame my friends for encouraging me to do this.

I greatly encourage you to stick around to the end because there is a twist.

Special thanks to Fuji on Discord for bet-reader

Chapter 1

"Wake up," Haelth groaned as she heard her sister Skylar call next to her. She pulls on the blanket over her to block out the noise and light.

"Haelth," Her sister hissed as a warning to her sister, "You need to get up."

"Nooo," Haelth snuggled into the futon.

"Haelth."

"No."

"Come on Haelth."

"No."

"Haelth…"

"No!" Haelth shouted as Skylar pulled off her covers. She ripped the cover out of Skylar's hands and pulled over herself, "I don't want to get up!" She hissed and snapped at Skylar's fingers for wandering too close to her. Skylar didn't react as her fingers were being snapped at, "I want to go back to sleep!"

Skylar huffed, "Fine!" Her sister walks away and Haelth snuggles deeper in her bed, "Guess I'll eat tempura alone." Haelth immediately throws her cover off.

"Tempura! Tempura!" The 7-year-old child sang along as her sister laughed at her as she got out of her room to the main cavern.

Haelth was into the big opening of the cavern that she and her family called home for now. The lamps that Haelth stole were off for now as daylight broke in the opening. This was a temporary home, as a bear destroyed the old one. They didn't have money to repair it, so they had to stay in this cave for now.

Her parents are trying to find their brother, Matthew, so they can stay with him. He left the family after marrying his wife to start his own family. Haelth didn't know where he was as it was just a year ago, and she had focused on her own life anyways. Not that she had a bad relationship with him, but he was busy with his family now. But now they need him more than ever...

That thought was cut short by a plate on the stone slab with the tempura on it. Haelth grabbed the tempura from the plate and ate it at a fast rate. She heard Skylar laugh at her.

"Slow down! Slow down!" Skylar pulls Haelth's hand back with one of her hands, "You're going to bite your finger off! If Mom was here she'll beat you for your lack of manners."

Haelth shoots her with a grin, "Well lucky me, 'cause she's not here." She looks down at Skylar's bowl and sees that Skylar hasn't touched her food, "Aren't you going to eat as well?" She asked her.

Skylar shook her head, "I'm not hungry but you can have some." She pushes the bowl over to Haelth. The 7-year-old's eyes brighten.

"GIMME!" She shouted as she reached out for the tempura. Her sister laughed as Haelth rubbed her stomach. For once her stomach was full for a while. They didn't have that much money to spend on food, besides some people giving them money. But even then it was not enough. So sometimes Haelth goes in hungry and has to steal to survive. Most of the time her family gives up what little they have and gives it to her.

The thought always makes Haelth feel guilty. So she always tried to get her family nice things, but they always rejected the items she'd steal for them Saying that 'she is the youngest and smallest out of all of them',' She needs it more than them'.

Which was bullshit.

After she was done eating she and Skylar went outside. The bright sun causes the young child to squint at the light. Once her eyes were adjusted she saw her other siblings playing tag at the bottom of the hill.

She smiles, "Leonard! Annabelle! Fionn!" Haelth ran down the steep hill with Skylar following her soon after.

"Haelth be careful!" His sister shouted as they watched her closely as her younger sister made her way down the hill. There was a ball and a couple of toys at the bottom of the hill. Haelth forgot to bring them up last time.

Haelth laughed as she and Skylar got down to the bottom.

"Miss me?" She greeted them.

"Like the pledge." Her sister Annabelle replied with a cheeky tone. Her twin, Leonard, rolls his eyes. They both were middle children. Younger than Skylar and Matthew but older than Fionn and Haelth. Fionn was the youngest son but still older than her by two years. There are 6 in total in Francis's family including Haelth. Which was big, but hey, they made it work.

"Look," Annabelle pointed at her with a playful smirk, "The runt finally woke up." Haelth narrowed her eyes at her sister in annoyance, "What? Did you think you'd grow a few inches if you slept long enough?" She laughed. Haelth took the ball that was next to Fionn and threw it at her. It bounces off in the dirt path as her sister stands there and she laughs at Haelth as she chases after it. It turns coughing and Leonard pats her back to help his twin.

"Ok, OK guys settle down!" Skylar told them. Haelth huffed while Annabelle stuck her tongue out on her.

"I'm going to go to town," Skylar told them.

"I'll be back by sunset, until then, stay here." She gives a pointed stare at Haelth while saying that.

Haelth looks away, crossing her arms, "It's for your good Haelth."

"Yeah, Yeah." Haelth waved her hand, dismissed.

"Be careful out," Fionn said to Skylar.

"I will," Skylar said as she walked down the road.

As soon as their sister was out of sight Leonard turned to his remaining siblings.

"Let's go play hide and seek."

"Yeah!" Fionn and Haelth cheered, Encouraging the idea.

Haelth giggled as she hid in a bush. Haelth knew they were looking for her in the trees, as she was so small she could fit in the hollows of the trees or climb high. So she decides to change up her tactic by hiding in the ground.

She listened for her siblings to try to find her, but then she heard multiple voices in the distance, the voices were not her sibling's voices. She looked behind her and pushed her way out of the brush, where she was up on a hill overseeing a road. She sees a lot of people coming down the road. There are a couple of people dressed in white kimonos and four that look like guards carrying some spears. They were guarding a carriage that was being pulled by a horse with a rider stealing it. Haelth tried to look into the carriage to see who was in it but the carriage had its windows closed so she couldn't see into it.

But as she tried to get a better look a loud voice shouted in her ear.

"FOUND YOU!" Haelth jumped and turned away to see Annabelle laughing at her face. So much that hacked and hit her chest.

"That doesn't count!" Haelth shouted at her.

"That so does!" Annabelle replied with grinned.

"No, it doesn't! I was distracted!" Haelth argues back.

"By what?" Her sister asked her.

Haelth points down the street at the carriage.

"By that!" Annabelle looked where she pointed at and her eyes narrowed. She moves closer and looks down at that group with the carriage being stopped by the village's gates.

"Who is that? Do you know what that is?" Haelth asked her sister.

"I have no idea," Annabelle said before calling out to her brother, "HEY LEONARD!"

"WHAT!" Leonard shouted as he and Fionn walked out of the brushes. His twin pointed at the group of people.

"Ever seen them before?" She asked him.

Leonard looked and shook his head.

"Never seen something like that before in my life." He answered her. Haelth and Fionn tilted their heads at the group making their way into the village. So their older siblings didn't know. Whoever it was, they must've been rich as the carriage looked nice from Haelth's point of view. Was it someone from the government? Traveling performer? Or actor? She bounces up and down thinking about it.

Fionn noticed her expression and shook his head.

"Whatever you're thinking about doing… just don't." He said, pointedly. His blue eyes looked at her in worried

Haelth huffed, "Oh yeah? If you were so 'smart', what was I thinking about doing then?" She responded with a cheeky grin.

"You're thinking of going into the village and checking it out." He gives a pointed look.

Haelth giggled, "You're right!"

Then she runs down the hill. Fionn shouted and ran after her. Annabelle and Leonard looked confused but followed them.

"Haelth, you're going to get into so much trouble!" Fionn shouted a warning at her as Haelth ran into the village. People moved out of the way while her siblings chased after her. The 7-year-old ducks under an alleyway as her siblings push her. Haelth grinned and walked in the opposite direction.

The market square was busting. Vendors selling different items and food. The smell was enough to make her mouth water. She saw a cart selling urban bowls and her stomach growled. She finds herself walking to the cart. She wants to eat those noodles, broth, and pork! But….she doesn't have money.

Even though Haelth ate all that tempura earlier, she's still hungry for some reason. She doesn't know why she's hungry. Was it the thought of eating more that made her feel more hungry than she currently did? Did she just feel 'sated'? Ugh...

Haelth stopped when she was before she got close enough. The smell was still taunting her to steal, even when there were so many people around in broad daylight. She'd never get away.

It wasn't fair…just because she and her family lost everything to something that was beyond their control, they went hungry. It wasn't fair. It's not fair one bit.

She huffed and forced herself to turn around. Her stomach protests in hunger. Hungar begins to eat her from the inside. But nothing she could do right now to stop it.

It.

Wasn't.

Fair.

She kicked a rock, it sank in the air and hit a woman who was selling some clothes. Haelth gasped as the woman lost her balance for a moment and knocked down her stand. Haelth backed away slowly and tried to blend into the crowd but the woman got up with the help of standbys and saw her.

"Hey!" Haelth bolts, "Wait! Stop! Police!" The woman called out and Haelth knew it was time to leave. She curses at her bright red-haired with blue tips. Make her stick out along with her tanned skin. Making her stand out. The child sees the police coming and ducks on the vendor.

She zig-zagged to dodge police's hands trying to grab her. People either tried to grab her or point where she was but for the small, skinny little girl she was. Haelth tricks them into thinking she is going to the other side as she backtracks and bolts.

As she races down the street a hand grabs her as she is passing by and pulls her in. The police rush by the ally as the person pulls Haelth into the shadows and covers her mouth.

The child squirmed and kicked, hitting the grabber's chest and nearly getting them to drop her.

"Haelth! Stop! It's me, Tabata!" Haelth blinks for a moment and stops kicking. She turned her head and young woman with dark bluish hair that was almost black hair with fawn brown eyes. She was wearing an old orange kimono. The child relaxes a bit and lets the woman set her down. The child gives the woman an annoyed glare.

"You scared me, Tabata-san!" Haelth huffed at her.

Ren rubs her arm nervously, "Yeah, sorry about that." She apologized. Haelth pouted and crossed her arms.

Ren reaches into her pocket and pulls out an onigiri, "To make up for you, do want to eat some onigiri with me?" She asked Haelth.

The 7-year-old nodded, "Oh boy, Yes I do!" Ren smiled and handed her an onigiri which she ate in glee. Ren was one of the few people that treated her family with respect. The reason why the village didn't like her or her siblings was because her father was foreign. While the twins can blend in so well because of their dark hair, the others can't really, because they have their father's light hair and tan skin. Haelth has gotten a lot of strange looks for villagers because of her bright red hair with blue tips.

"So how are you Haelth?" Ren asked her.

"I'm good! Me and my family are hanging in there." Haelth told her as she took another bite, her hands clutching the onigiri as if it'd disappear out of thin air any moment

Haelth tried to ignore the pitiful look she was getting from Ren. While she and her family were suggesting they were trying their best and that's good enough.

Right?

"If you and…your family want, you can live with me and my brother-" Haelth quickly shook her head before Ren finished her sentence.

"No!" Ren shrinks back at her outburst, so Haelth forced herself to calm down.

"I-I meant no.. it's okay. I mean, you guys are also having a hard time, right?" Haelth's family was huge. Her mom, her dad, her 4 siblings, and then her. Ren had to move in with her brother and his wife after her husband died. It was already small for three of them. So having more members puts more stress on Ren's family

Ren looks at her in pity. Health just wished people wouldn't worry all the time over her...

"Haelth…" The older woman reached out to her but Haelth had already taken off from the ally.

"My brothers and sister are looking for me! Sorry, Tabata-san!" The child explained as she ran.

Ren gave her a pitiful look, seeing the child run away.

Haelth runs away from the market street and keeps her head down. Most of the people either ignored her or sneered at her. She learned a long time ago to just ignore them or if they tried to hit her, fight back. Just like her mom told her. And she has a right to defend herself. After all, if they strike first then it's fair game.

"Hello there!" Haelth blinked in surprise as an adult stepped in front of her. She used to ignore her due to her hāfu state when this adult called out to her, she tensed up and was ready to bolt. She was genuinely confused about the intentions this adult had with her.

The adult man held his hand, seeing her tense up.

"Wooah there! I didn't me to startle you." He said with a smiling face. Haelth took a step back and got a good look at him. He was wearing a dark blue samue and had a very bald head. She wonders if he gets sunburned a lot since obviously, the man didn't have any hair.

"I'm here with the Eternal Paradise in Faith of Douma-sama, and where are your parents?-" Haelth kinda tunes out as the man talks on and on. She saw many other people wearing the same outfit, a huge crowd of them. There is one holding up an umbrella close to the shaded part of the building, which is silly to Haelth. Like there's not a cloud in the sky!

Now mentioning it, who's this 'Douma' guy? Is he the super-rich man in the carriage? Whoever and whatever he was, Haelth didn't care too much about who the person was.

As Health was thinking, something caught her eye. Health saw one of the women there talking to one of the villagers and their older-looking child pickpocketing a person in the group.

Haelth knows this brat Akira. He likes to make fun of her and Fionn. Even after she bit his hand, he still tried to bully them until Annabelle and Leonard beat him up.

But now he is trying to steal and she can't complain about that kind of stuff, because she steals too. But she was hungry, annoyed, and feeling very petty.

So she is going to take it out on him.

"AAHHH!" Haelth took off, bald man who was talking to her reeled back in shock as the child ran past him and tackled Akira.

"WHAT THE-" Akira looked down and saw Haelth wrap her skinny arm around his torso to push him aside, "Get off of me you brat!" He yelled and tried to pull her off. But Haelth held on and used her nails and teeth to bite and scratch him. As they were fighting in the dirt, the loose yen fell onto the ground and the lady noticed. Her eyes widen when she quickly checks her pockets, not feeling the money she once had a few moments ago

"HEY!" Akira looks at the woman who stomps over to them.

Akira notices the woman stomping over to them, and his eyes widen. He pushes Haelth off of him and Haelth lands into the dirt. Haelth noticed the situation and got the attention of nearby police.

"Get off of me, you crazy bitch!" He shouted as he took off.

"Ooof!" Haelth grumbled as she was thrown to the ground. Akira ran away as two police officers chased him.

Haelth huffed and got up. The woman who was getting pickpocketed by Akira helped Health up.

"Thank you! You certainly are a brave kid." She praised her as she looked over Haelth to make sure she was ok.

"It's fine." Haelth batted the woman's hands away. Not wanting a stranger to touch her. But then another group of people who grasped attention from the commotion started to gather around her which made her feel very uncomfortable.

"Thank you so much!"

"So brave!"

"Your parents must be so proud!"

"Yeah, but they're away for the moment," Haelth said shrinking and scooting away from them.

One of the men seemed to understand and backed off.

"Well if you need anything from us, we'll be happy to give it to you! Our Lord is very kind." He looks behind him at a shadowy part of the building. Haelth caned her head up to look at their 'Lord', but a familiar voice called out to her.

"Haelth!" Her blue eyes widened as she turned to see her sister. She stomps her way up to her. Haelth had to push her way through the crowd to escape her Sister.

"Sorry! I have to go my sister is here!" Haelth said as got out of the crowd.

One of the men looked confused, "Oh, your sister is coming? Why don't you and her stay here? We'll treat you to dinner!"

Haelth didn't reply until she got to her sister.

"Can we stay?" She asked her.

Skylar shook her head, "No we can't. The others are waiting and the police are looking for you." She told out, causing Haelth to flinch at her words and look down to the ground.

Skylar sighed, "We need to leave." She said as she grabbed Haelth's hand.

Haelth looked down. "Oh, okay." She said as Skylar led her away, far away from the crowd.

She turns her head to look at the small swarm of people.

"Sorry, I got to go!" She told them as her sister and she walked down the road.

The child ignored the weird glance she got from the group as they whispered among themselves.

What a weird group of people.. but hey, at least they were nice… sorta.

Haelth groaned as she watched the cave wall over her with a bored expression. Her parents were still out and her eldest sister went out to go look for them. Leave the 7-year-old along with other siblings. Her stomach growls and grumbles in annoyance.

"Where are they?!" She grumbled in annoyance, "I'm getting hungry!" She kicks a rock and it lands close to her brother, Fionn. Who jumps in surprise as the rock bounce closes his blind spot.

"Watch it, you brat!" Annabelle, her sister snapped at her. Her twin brother tries to calm her down.

"Anna calm down," he uses her nickname and hops to her, "She just angry, and besides," His tone shifts to teasing, "Wee lass can't hurt a fly." He switches to a Scottish accent.

Haelth got on her feet and kicked her brother in the shin.

"Who are you calling wee ye boggin blowfin!" She curses in their father's tongue as her brother smirks down at her. She went to tackle him, but he moved out of the way and she basically flew out of the cave.

"Ooof!" Haelth rolled as she fell down the hill, she rolled down the hill in a certain style to prevent fewer chances of injuries, as her mom taught her. The child rolled to the bottom and got up from the ground with a huff. She was about to climb up to give her brother a piece of her mind when, suddenly a voice behind her called out to Haelth.

"My, my, you poor thing." Haelth turned her head to see a very strange-looking man. He was very tall with blond hair like her brother's.

"Are you alright? You're so young and skinny. Where are your parents, child?" The man asked her, a concerned look on his face.

Haelth quickly got on her feet.

"I'm fine!" She said standing up, "My siblings and I live in that cave!" She pointed at the cave where her siblings were looking down at her.

"And our parents will be back soon!" The blond-haired man smiles, showing off his teeth.

"Oh, really?" He said, starting to walk up the hill, "Hello? Is anyone home?" He called out to her family as he chimed up.

Haelth followed him up the hill.

"Annabella! Everyone! Some weird man is here!" She points at the blond man. The man let out an amused snort as he got near the entrance of the cave.

"Hey! I'm not weird," The man tried to defend himself. Haelth catches up to him and walks to the entrance to the cave.

"Kinda weird are you're coming out in the night like that," She pointed to his clothes, "With that fancy get-up, you're just begging to get robbed."

The man laughed and ruffed her head, "Aww, don't worry about little old me. I can take care of myself." He said as he ducked under to get into the cave

Haelth ran in with him, "Everyone! Some guy I met in the woods wants to meet you!" Her siblings look at her in shock and concern.

"Haelth…" Haelth grabbed Fionn's hand and led him to the man.

"This is my brother, Fionn!" She told the blond man. His thick eyebrow furrowed in confusion as he took a look at her and her brother.

"...There's no one here, little one." The man said. Haelth felt cold panic bubbling up from her chest.

No, no, not now.

"Y-yes they are!" Haelth holds up her brother's hand, "See! He's here!" The 5-year-old shouted. The man's eyes looked down at her hand and shook his head.

"There's no one-" Haelth pulled him farther inside. The man's eyes slightly widen but lets the the girl guide him. In the cave, where the little lamp lights up the small cave, the girl extends her arms.

"This is my whole family!" She pointed at the twins, "These are my older siblings, the twins, Annabelle and Leonard!" The twins were surprisingly silent, only breaking when Annabelle coughed some blood, "And you already met my brother Fionn." Fionn's one eye looks down as the man looks over her.

"Haelth…" Leonard tried to comfort her, but it was a man that did.

"Oh you poor thing," The man wiped away his tears, "to be here all alone like this." He looks down at her in pity, "Where are your parents?" He asked as he kneeled at her level.

"I told you. They're away but they are going to be right back," Haelth told him.

The pitiful look he was giving made the child look down. They were right here with her. Why can't he see them?

Why?

She starts to shake but they pat her head, causing her to look up.

The man let a 'hmm' sound, "Well I can't in good conscience to leave you in a cave like this. I'll tell you what," He lifted her chin, she locked eyes with him. "Me and my little flock are staying in the village. You can stay with us until your parents come back."

"Haelth he is a stranger." Her brother Leonard pointed out. He was looking at the stranger with a worried look.

"I don't know you or your group." Haelth moved away from him and hissed at him. The man doesn't seem fazed at all.

"Come on now, we don't bite." He smiles at her, but Haelth still eyed him with a wary eye, so he holds up his hands, "But hey I know this…sketchy but we are staying in town for a couple of days. So if you want, you can come by and chat with us if you like. We don't bite"

He reached under his haori and pulled out a piece of bread, "Here." He hands her the food.

Haelth looks at him warily, "I don't have any money." The man laughed softly at her words and handed her the bread anyways.

"There's no money I need," He said handing it over, "just stop by when you get the chance. We'd love to have you over for dinner." With that, he got up and left.

Haelth looks at the bread, the opening of the cave. She rushed and called out to him as soon as he got to the bottom of the hill.

"What's your name?!" She asked him.

The man looked up to her with his rainbow eyes, "My name is Douma!" He answered her.

Giving her one last toothy smile before leaving.

Hopefully, you enjoy this. I wonder if any of you saw the twist coming. They're not all been revealed yet so please comment on what you guys think Haelth is suffering from. Though fair warning this fic gets dark.

Anyhow feel free to review, follow, and favorite this fic and I see you all next time.

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