21 years ago...
"Grandma, Grandma" A little girl presume 7yrs or so with green eyes, and short hair, called out excitedly, her green eyes formed some droplets of tears at the edge, threatening to fall any moment from now. the feeling she was having was the one that concede both joy and sadness. she lean forward pouting out her red cherry lips.
"Please grandma, please..."
"Abigail.." her mother Theresa drawled as she gave the little girl a piercing warning gaze to compose herself. upon her mother's fierce gaze, the little girl wimped in fear. Abby lost herself during dinner, it was not her first time seeing her grandma but the thought of listening to her grandma's fairytales Every night, she felt tense when her grandmother told her they would be taking a break tonight.
She lost composure and starts pleading with her grandma over dinner, Unlike Theresa, Abigail was a lot different from her mother's features.. as she inherits her features from her grandmother who was just sitting opposite Theresa.
"Mother" Theresa called, Notice her mother's attention is now fully on her she continued. "I have arranged Abby's flight to her father, I don't feel comfortable with her around other kids here, I don't want her to be beaten up again like what happened last week."
"Mother why? but I don't want to leave her beside grandma is here and.." Before the seven-year-old could complete her speech, her mother cut in sharply.
"I do not want to see my daughter get beaten up to a pulp while her dumb brain still tells her, a charming silver dragon is gonna save her. I want her to wake up to reality not virtualize herself in some fantasy book" Theresa scoffed, ignoring her daughter completely. Theresa has been against her mother telling her daughter stories ever since the seven-year-old was beaten by her Age-mate, asking the 7yr old why she didn't defend herself, and the response she got gave her the big shock of her life, "I was waiting for the charming silver dragon to save me..." sniffing the young child continued..."But sadly he didn't" lament the young child.
What got Theresa angry was the fact this hasn't happened once but so many times that she has lost count, and when she complained about her response to her mother, she got a very annoying answer. "Let her be Theresa, she's just a child, besides children need stories to grow"
"Mother she needs to learn how to defend herself not wait for some stupid fairytale dragon..." Theresa ended up arguing with the old woman who seems to be in her early 90s, she has green eyes just like Abby and they made them, even more, look alike.
"Grandma, please tell mother I do not want to go and meet dad" lament the 7 years already who was in tears immediately after her mother broke the news.
The old lady turned her head to look at the young child, she slowly pats the child on the head before saying "Do not worry dear, you see your mother loves you, that is why she wants to send you away to meet your father to learn how to defend yourself" The old woman explained but still the young child shook her head vigorously in tears.
"Abby..." Theresa called again..." compose!" Her tone was so harsh that it sent shivers down the spine of the 7yrs old girl.
"Theresa don't be harsh on our little girl." The old woman said.
"Mother please not now..."She stops eating and stood up "I will be retiring to bed, now... Goodnight" she turn her gaze to the small girl, "Abby, you should finish up your food quickly, okay? I will check up on you later in to see if you've gone to Bed," she said softly, crossing to the other side where the little girl sat eating.
Theresa pulls her daughter into a tight embrace and mutters "I love you, baby, I do not wish for you to leave, it's hard on me too but I don't want to see you get hurt all the time, please try and understand" with that she pecks the child in her forehead and pulls her into another tight embrace before heading for her room.
After Theresa has gone, little Abby wipes her tears and then gave a cheeky smile at her grandma...
"Grandma, you pack everything up right? Cause I do not want my mother to notice am taking my stories book with me" The young child smirked.
Grandma let out a chuckle before saying" Don't worry child, everything is well coordinated."
"So grandma are you going to tell me a story before I leave?" asked the girl innocently as she bulge her green big eyes at her grandmother.
"Of course but it will be a different one" The woman finally gives in after much pressure from the little girl.
Later on After dinner...
The little girl was lying in her room with her grandma next to her, curiosity edifice in her as she can't wait to ask what the story is all about.
"So grandma what is today's story all about??" Curious Abby asked.
Abby has become fond of reading or listening to stories, it all started when she was Three, she and her mother had to visit granny but on their way going she accidentally sprained her ankle and which cause her to be in pain, getting to grandma's house she cried out her eyes until grandma tuck her in bed after telling her a wonderful story, telling her there's a charming silver dragon that takes away the pain. Grandma had told her that when she woke up in the morning, she won't feel any pain.
At first, Abby thought her grandma was joking, until the next morning when she found out she no longer feel pain and her ankle was good and healthy.
The timid and innocent child had believed instantly not knowing her grandma applied some ointment on her sprained ankle after she has gone to sleep.
Since then, the young child had taken a great interest in books and it becomes an addiction to her at a young age.
"Well, I've told you countless times about Kariba's story...would like to know the hidden facts about them???" grandma said ending her reply with a question.
A glint of shock flashes through the eyes of the little girl as she gulps looking at grandma "Grandma what do you mean by that? What facts" At such a young age Abby has great knowledge and intelligence that can bring her out as the best among her mates.
"Well the Kariba's in the children's blurbs are not entirely true, no one knows much of them, those are just writers' ideas with the little they got from the internet" Grandmother answered.
"Well, I know. And I would like to share it with you cause sooner or later, you might need it to survive" This time there was a hint of resentment in her voice, her tune was serious and her face became expressionless.