In a lush forest filled with flora, animals, and monsters alike, lies a village. A simple mill village coupled with a forge for the local blacksmith. Here, we meet Seraphina, a young girl with emerald-like eyes, blond hair, and a beauty that surpasses the norm. She observes the outside of her house by the window.
"Boring, boring, boring," she muttered to herself. "What is there to do in this village other than gathering water for the house and gathering herbs for father..."
"If you hate it so much, why don't you just leave this village?" Jed interjects.
Seraphina looked at her little brother, who looked exactly like her except for his shorter hair. "Great idea, little brother, but I would have done that long ago if you had qualified to be the hunter for this village," she scoffed.
"Huh? Who are you to talk? I might not be qualified to be a hunter, but maybe I'm beyond just being a hunter. Maybe I am a knight," Jed retorted.
A burst of laughter sounded from Seraphina. "You? Becoming a knight? You can't even pull a bow properly, let alone handle a knife. How are you gonna pull off some knight bravado like that, huh?"
Jed blushed. "Oh yeah? Have you ever even held a bow before? They're so hard to pull you don't even know it. Besides, aren't you only good with the knife because you're the cook in the house?"
Seraphina grew red with anger. "What did you just say? I'll show you how knights deal with bandits, alright!"
Jed's face flushed with fear. "Alright, alright, quiet down you two. Run along now, Jed, go help your father gather the herbs he'll need to sell to the merchants coming by," their mother intervened.
Jed's face turned to relief. "Yes, mother."
Seraphina watched as he left before glancing at her mother, seeing her future self in her mother's emerald eyes, smooth skin, and blond hair. "But mother, he started it."
Her mother turned to her with a gentle look. "Give him a break, Seraphina. You know about his bad constitution. I don't know if your father can even find out how to cure this. We can't tell him either. I don't want to ruin his dreams yet."
Seraphina, with an annoyed look, said, "And you plan to crush those dreams in the future? Is that any better? Mother, hope is just a delectable poison, no?"
Her mother looked at her with sadness. "Maybe you're right. But I still want to see him happy and trying his best right now. I don't want to ruin it yet."
Seraphina looked out longingly at the window, seeing Jed with their father walking home. "Hope, huh. No. Maybe I'm just being too pessimistic. Father is a genius. He'll find out how to cure him one day, I'm sure of it."
In the middle of the night, while sleeping, Seraphina woke up to hushed whispers just outside her door. "Is there really no way?" Her mother's heartbroken voice was heard.
"I tried everything I could. I even asked my old master. It was impossible," her father's deep voice replied.
Hushed cries were heard as Seraphina glanced over to her sleeping little brother, Jed, with a sad look. She went over to Jed's bed and decided to sleep with him. 'Please, please get better,' Seraphina thought as she dozed off. Just moments after she fell asleep, a burst of light enveloped Jed before it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
The next day, Seraphina woke up to find herself alone in Jed's bed. "He woke up early? That's new..." she muttered. She got up and prepared herself for the day. Going outside, she saw Jed with their mother and father, smiling ear to ear.
"Look, Mom, I'm stronger than before! I can carry buckets on my own without Sister's help anymore," Jed said, flexing as he easily carried a gallon bucket.
"Well, aren't you a strong child. Maybe with this, you'll finally become the knight. Though finish up first and gather even more," their father spoke with much joy.
As Jed bolted out of the house, their mother rang out a cheer, joined by their father and Seraphina. "Can you believe it? Jed is finally cured! Did you finally find out how to cure him, Arthur?" their mother asked.
Arthur suddenly had a clueless look on his face. "Huh, you're right, but I haven't given him anything for a week already."
Seraphina, with a surprised look, said, "But that's impossible, Father. How could that be?"
Arthur looked at Seraphina, equally dumbfounded. "I don't know either."
Jed stepped into the room, carrying two buckets of water easily, giggling up and about. He looked at Seraphina smugly. "Now that I'm stronger, for sure I can finally pull a bow. With this strength, I'll be meeting the hunters later after I finish all this. How's that, huh? Now I can finally prove you wrong. I can be a knight, mwahahahaha!" Jed ran out as fast as lightning, his laughter ringing around the village.
"It's weird, but I know it's good news," Seraphina said, staring at her running brother.
Seraphina stared at her running brother, a mix of hope and curiosity swirling in her mind. She glanced at her father, Arthur, who was lost in thought, before approaching him to break the silence. "Father, let us go now and gather herbs for the day," she said as she picked up a woven basket.
"Ah, right," Arthur broke from his stupor.
As they walked together to the edge of the village, where the herbs were abundant, Seraphina turned to her father and asked, "Father, do you think Jed is truly cured? I've never heard of anyone suddenly ridding themselves of a bad constitution overnight."
Arthur sighed, unconvinced. "Using a potion on a random bird would be a waste, Seraphina. We could sell that potion and use the coin for our hearth and home."
Seraphina's heart sank at her father's practical words, but her compassion for the bird compelled her to stay. "Please, Father," she pleaded softly, "let me try something. I can't just leave it here."
Arthur sighed, unconvinced. "Pouring resources into a random animal won't undoubtedly help us. I'll leave you to it."
With a nod, Seraphina watched as her father walked away, leaving her alone with the injured bird. She gently cradled it in her hands, unsure of what to do next but determined to find a way to help.
As Seraphina pondered how to help the injured bird, a rustling in the bushes caught her attention. She turned to see a young man emerge, his sharp eyes scanning the scene before settling on her.
"Need a hand?" he asked, his voice calm and reassuring.
Startled, Seraphina looked up. "Who are you?"
"My name's Amon," he replied, crouching down to examine the bird. "I couldn't help but notice you seemed troubled. What's going on?"
Seraphina hesitated for a moment before explaining the situation. "This bird is hurt, and I don't know how to help it. My father thinks it's a waste of resources."
Amon nodded thoughtfully. "Your father isn't wrong about resources being precious. Sometimes it's better to let nature take its course."
Seraphina's heart sank, but she couldn't abandon the bird. "I understand, but I can't just let it die without trying something."
Amon shrugged. "If you insist on helping, maybe you can use one of those potions your father mentioned. Not that I think it's worth it for a bird, but it's your choice."
As Amon spoke, an idea sparked in Seraphina's mind. She remembered the herbs her father had taught her about and how to make a simple healing paste. Desperation mixed with determination, and she gathered the necessary herbs, her hands trembling slightly.
However, in her haste, she made a mistake while preparing the paste. The mixture wasn't right, and the bird's condition didn't improve. Frustration welled up in her, but she refused to give up.
"I'll try to make a healing paste," she said, more to herself than to Amon.
Amon watched, slightly amused but curious. "Do what you must."
Seraphina tried again, but this time, she focused on the bird with all her heart, imagining it healed and flying again. As she concentrated, a strange warmth emanated from her hands, surrounding the bird. Before her eyes, the bird's wounds began to close, and it fluttered its wings weakly, then more strongly, until it flew off into the trees.
Stunned, Seraphina looked at her hands. "What just happened?"
Amon's eyes gleamed with a knowing look. "That, Seraphina, was magic."