The morning sun cast a soft light over the quiet riverbank. Dew glistened on the grass, and the air smelled faintly of wet earth.
A woman walking along the path froze. Something small and fragile caught her eye.
There, wrapped in a simple cloth, lay a baby girl. Her hair was unusual—white streaked with black—and her tiny body radiated an almost imperceptible warmth, like the world itself was noticing her.
"Who… could have left you here?" the woman whispered, carefully picking up the infant.
The baby stirred, letting out a soft cry that seemed… heavier than it should be. The woman shivered, though she didn't know why.
Nearby, her husband appeared, drawn by the sound. "Did you find a child?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
"Yes… I don't know who left her, but…" The woman held the baby closer, feeling a connection, she couldn't explain. "She seems familiar somehow."
The couple exchanged worried glances. Their village had seen many hardships, but something about this child felt different. Important. Dangerous, perhaps.
They decided to take her home. The baby didn't resist, only looked up at them with eyes that flickered faintly in the sunlight—eyes that seemed older than they should be, though she was only days old.
"She's beautiful," the woman said softly, tucking her into a cradle. "We'll take care of you. No one will harm you here."
But even as they spoke, the wind rustled strangely, carrying with it a sense of anticipation. Something had entered the world, and though it was small and fragile now, it would not remain so for long.
Lia, the child of unknown origin, slept peacefully, unaware of the future awaiting her.
With the world whispering around her, as if holding its breath.