Present Time —
Eve of the Hollow Season
Date: 13th of Virellan, Year of the Black Veil
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"Rosella… Rosella, my dear — where are you?"
The gentle voice of Rowena Vellcroft carried through the calm, mist-laced air. She stepped outside the small wooden cottage, her hand shielding her eyes as she scanned the distance.
A soft voice replied from afar.
"I'm here, Mama!"
Rowena followed the sound, and soon her eyes found her daughter — a delicate little figure crouched beside the wildflowers, her hands cradling something small and white. A soft, fragile bunny.
"My dear Rosella, what are you doing there? I've told you countless times not to go near the forest's edge."
"But Mama… look!"
Rosella held up the tiny, snow-white bunny, its fur gleaming like fresh snow under the morning light. Her eyes sparkled with joy.
"Isn't it beautiful? May I keep it, Mama? Please?"
Rosella Maren, at the tender age of nine, possessed a grace and innocence that seemed otherworldly. She was the kind of child who turned every head when she stepped into the capital streets of the Solvane Tribe.
Her skin was as soft and pale as first snow, her long dark brown hair cascading in silken waves that caught the sunlight like liquid chestnut. Her eyes, wide and glowing, were the color of rich earth — deep and warm. She dressed in simple clothes, but even those reflected the purity and light within her.
And it was because of this rare beauty that Rowena seldom let her leave the safety of their home.
Rowena kept her hidden — to shield her from the gaze of men, and the whispers of fate.
"Please, Mama?" Rosella pleaded, her little face forming a pout.
Rowena let out a sigh, her hand brushing against her chest, where age and frailty had begun to take hold.
"Alright, my little angel. You may keep her. After all, it's just you and an old woman like me in this lonely house."
Rosella immediately hugged her, the bunny safely between them.
"You're not old, Mama! You're so beautiful. You're the best Mama in the world."
A weary chuckle escaped Rowena's lips, though it was followed by a rough cough.
"Ah, my sweet child… my time in this world is fading. I don't know how long I'll remain here to see your beautiful face each morning."
Rosella's expression fell. Her eyes shimmered.
"Don't say that, Mama. The angels will protect you. I need you. I can't live without you."
Rowena knelt down, cupping Rosella's cheek.
"Oh, my little angel… you are my everything. And even if one day I must leave, know that you will always be protected by my love. I promise, before the end of my days, I'll teach you all you need to survive in this world."
Rosella's hand reached instinctively to the pendant around her neck — a simple silver necklace she never removed.
"Mama… why do you keep speaking of death? It scares me."
"One day, when you're older, you will understand these things, my dear."
She smiled softly.
"But not today."
Rowena glanced at the bunny, now nibbling at the loose threads of Rosella's sleeve.
"Now then, let's leave behind these dark talks. What shall you name your new little friend?"
"Oh right! The little bunny… are you a girl or a boy?"
Rowena laughed gently.
"She's a girl, sweet one. Where did you find her?"
"I was just near the forest's border, and she was there… lost, looking for something. So I picked her up."
Rowena's brow furrowed slightly.
"Strange… she seems drawn to your necklace."
"I know, Mama. She keeps nudging it. Maybe she likes it!"
Rowena's voice grew softer, more distant.
"Perhaps it's a sign… or perhaps she feels a bond with it."
"Whatever it is, Mama — I'll name her… Eira!"
Her face lit up with pride.
"Her fur is white like snow!"
Rowena smiled.
"What a beautiful name, my little angel. You're a clever girl."
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Hand in hand, mother and daughter made their way back to their cottage, the bunny nestled safely in Rosella's arms.
Their home stood at the very edge of the Solvane Forest, dangerously close to the cursed borders of the Umbren Tribe's Shadow Forest.
The wild creatures of the forest had long been Rosella's friends. And though she was an obedient child, never daring to cross into forbidden lands, she often wandered near the edge — playing in the meadows, speaking to the trees, and befriending every small animal she could find.
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Later that Evening
"Rosella, my dear… how's your academy going?"
"It's fine, Mama… but I don't like going."
"Why is that, child?"
"Because the teacher is too strict!"
Rowena laughed, a soft sound like wind through old trees.
"You only attend twice a week, my little one. The rest you learn here, with me. I know my Rosella is brave enough to handle it."
"Yes, Mama… but why can't I go out every day?"
Rowena's gaze grew distant for a moment.
"It's for your safety, my angel. You'll understand in time."
"When will I grow up?"
Rowena smiled, brushing a lock of dark hair from Rosella's forehead.
"Ah… for that, we must wait a few more years."
The two sat by the fire, the warmth of the hearth softening the chill that had begun to creep through the night. Eira curled up peacefully in Rosella's lap, content in her new home.
"Mama, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, sweetie. Go on…"
The little girl hesitated, twisting her fingers, then finally whispered,
"Mama… my classmates don't like me. They stay away from me. I don't have any friends… why?"
A sharp ache rose in her mother's heart.
"Oh, my dear Rosella…" She opened her arms. "Come here and hug Mama."
After a long embrace, she gently pulled back and cupped Rosella's face.
"Now listen to me carefully. It's okay not to have friends. I am your mother — you can tell me everything. I am the best friend you will ever have in your life, my sweet child. So never feel disheartened when other children don't get along with you."
She paused, then smiled softly.
"Have you ever wondered why… in a positive way?"
"In a positive way, Mama?"
"Yes. Think of it this way. People often feel comfortable with those who are like them, who match their manners and ways. But you, my dear… you are different. Different from all the others."
She brushed Rosella's hair back gently.
"That is why they don't feel at ease around you. Not because you are wrong — but because you are rare. Always love yourself and remain focused. Life is tough, sweetheart. It's okay not to have friends, and it's okay to be alone."
Her voice softened.
"The fewer the people, the quieter the heart. And sometimes… the better the life."
Silence hung heavy between them.
"I think I understand, Mama… I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie."
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Meanwhile, in the Umbren Tribe…
"Young master, your father awaits you in the mansion hall."
A tense silence followed.
"Leave."
"But, young master—"
"Did you not hear me? I said leave."
LucienDraeger stood alone in the dimly lit corridor, the flickering torchlight dancing against the stone walls.
He was clothed entirely in black, his tall frame both regal and imposing. His face, sharp and devastatingly handsome, bore a cruel expression — one that no longer belonged to a child.
It was his seventeenth name day.
And the night had only just begun.
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Chapter Four — To Be Continued…