The von Sieghilds were a noble and prominent family of the Celeia, a military lineage that branched out from the founding imperial family. Alaine was the youngest of three, her two older brothers already making a name with their military talents. Almost no one has seen her because of her sickly state. Rumours had it that due to complications during premature birth, she almost lost her life with her mother. But somehow, she survived. The doctor and midwife thought she was dead like her mother, but the midwife detected a frail and faint breath.
She did survive, but she had weak lungs. Watching her brothers, cousins, father and uncle practicing their martial arts daily while growing up caused her great envy because her lungs could not take strenuous activities. If she does practice those martial arts her family is known for, it would not take long before she's panting and out of breath. She did not want to give up so she secretly watched his brothers learn and imitated them. She learned how to sneak quietly around their mansion, and hide in a dark corner where she can properly observe her brothers' lessons without anyone knowing. When her father and masters discovered her, the adults around her shook their heads in pity. A genius in learning martial arts, but has no stamina. The gods are cruel.
Alaine did not want to give up; refused to give up. She continued to practice, but somehow, her lung capacity did not improve. As a result, she would be bedridden most of the time; collapsing into exhaustion every once in a while. While lying in her bed, she would glance out the windows and imagine what was under the vast sky that she can only see from their home.
She was nine when she first ventured out of their home. She sneaked about as usual, but this time, out the gates. She was so excited that her heart was pounding very hard, like the feeling she gets when she's about to faint from over exhaustion. She stopped on one side and forced herself to calm down, knowing that it would be sad if she fainted as soon as she set her foot outside. She looked around her, while taking small and slow steps, taking in everything from the people, pets, shops and food. It was not as if she really has not gone out of their home, but she was always in a carriage, watching from behind the curtains of a small window. And most of the time, it was only to the palace, when there is an important event (which she could not really attend because after reaching the palace, the King would arrange a room for her to comfortably rest). This was the first time she was down on the ground, going along with the bustle of the city's other residents.
She walked and walked; stopping every few minutes to rest. But even while resting, her eyes never stopped watching, observing. Listening.
Maybe because she used to learn everything from the shadows, that her memory and control of her presence got developed, now almost nobody notices her, even if the street was bustling. Seeing a group of kids that seemed around her age, she went close to them, curious at what they are crowding at.
It turned out to be a pretty girl, long wavy blonde hair cascading down to her waist. Her green and big eyes moist as she looked at the other kids surrounding her. She was holding a mangy pup in her hands, and an overturned basket of flowers at her feet.
"Please don't hurt him anymore," the girl implored the others.
"Hah! That dog stole my bread. I won't let him go!" said a kid slightly bigger than the others. "If you don't want to get hurt, too, put that dog down and mind your own business!"
"But he was just hungry," the girl said softly.
"And I wasn't?! You think I'd buy that bread if I wasn't hungry?!"
"Then why don't you just buy another one? It's not like the dog can spit out your bread and return it to you."
The bigger kid turned around to the new voice. He saw that it was a scrawny kid wearing plain clothes. She was so pale that it looked like the wind will knock her down. "Who are you? Are you with that kid?" he asked, pointing to the pretty girl holding the dog.
"No."
"Then why are you butting in?" he demanded.
"I just couldn't understand why you're still going after the puppy." Alaine tilted her head to the side, pondering. "Oh! Are you one of those so-called bullies?" she added with an enlightened expression. The other kids crowding around the pretty girl gaped at Alaine before snickering.
The bigger guy glared at the other kids before turning to Alaine, "Am not!"
Alaine's face scrunched up in confusion again. "Then why don't you just buy another one?"
The other kid's face got red. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I've no more money!"
"Oh." Alaine patted her side, looking down, pouting. "I don't have money either." She tilted her head again. "Is money important? How do we get money?" She knew her father will give her money if she asks, but if she did that, her Dad will find out she sneaked out of the mansion.
All the kids gaped at her in response, thinking, "What hole did she come out from that she doesn't know about these things?"