There was a time when Ödön (pronounce: ɜ:ð ɜ:n) was still a little pig and knew nothing of our world. The little fella's day were mostly calm, doing nothing special, just watching the beach and the tides and the riptides. A friend lived under the deep blue, who Ödön only referred to as "father" or "old one". Sometimes the young one even looked at the high blue deep and looked at all the fishes who could fly. How the kiddo wanted to fly, just as high as those fishes, but this dream was unreachable, but being a daydreamer did nothing wrong, right?
Where the tot spent the days was a one of a kind place: there were small stones, some soft grass and if you looked over the ocean, you could see tall, strong mountains, hills, with lands that most likely no one touch before. Behind Ödön there was the forest, with trees standing next to each other, making it so dark that father never recommended to anyone to go in there, especially to children. On the top of everything was a big, round star, that was called the Sun, which was now behind the mountains.
"I wonder what could I find over there." The cub asked the old one who was rising up from the seas. He had pale blue skin and a big dark coat covering even his face. This man was no stranger to answer any question that came up in the kids mind.
"If you mean the mountains, and the Sun, why don't you see it yourself? You are big enough now."
Ödön raised that one big head and looked at the father. A strange feeling, it was nothing more, but said "go". However the sprout has lived here, next to this great friend, never saw anything else, just the water. "Do you think that I could fly someday?"
The man took a seat next to his friend and looked to the same horizon. This felt a big conversation, that could change the kid's life. "There are still a lot to see, know and make, and who know, maybe The Creator only, you could be one son of mine, who will actually fly, up there." He pointed to the sky and made the little one's eyes sparkle with joy and hope. He could never dare to lie to anyone, especially not his close acquaintances. He was a wise man who learnt from The books. So the young listened to the elderly and went far away.
Days, if not weeks passed by slowly, but eventfully, and Ödön did not take rest. The time shown new creatures; plants and animals and other ones. There were things that could speak, but the kid did not understand a thing they spoke.
One of the encounters made the pig cross ways with a tall, skinny creature, that resembled the old man in some ways. This one had white pale skin, big red eye and beautiful, long, wavy hair, and also had a big hat on the top of his head. This man could understand the small one, however at first he spoke a strange tongue. He was a polite joker, he said his name, which was Numara. He said this meant "count, earl" in his own language.
"Would you like to join my journey, where we'll make the wild tame, and the tame wild? I'm going behind the mountains." Asked the child and hoped in a positive answer.
"Some people say, happiness awaits us there, honey and milk. I was never happy, so I'm in."
However this new buddy made the whole process a whole slower, since Numara was afraid of the warm and he had to drink small animals' blood, but he promised on his life, that he would never drink a drop from his new friend's blood, so Ödön was calm and safe. But this last one brought up another question: where are they going to find food, and how could they get enough for a long way like that. This and similar questions bothered the fresh pair, and there were bigger problems, like the giants who roamed the lands without caring for smaller lives.
"This won't work like this, we need a place to hide and think for the night."
"Excuse me?" The kid never needed a place to hide, the father was strong enough to protect both of them.
"You know, a roof over your head. Where wild ones won't attack us, where we can sleep." He tried to mimic every word, so the sprout would understand it better."
This thought of a safe place was enticing to the kid, and to be honest, after all those days, it would be nice to have a nice sleep. The expedition so far was full of danger and hungry animals who saw the small creature as potential food material.
It was way too dark by the time they found a nice cave, it was not the deepest, but it was well hidden, so no one would see them, and it was wide enough to make fire. Actually Ödön wondered how are they would get anything warm, when Numara snapped his two fingers, and he held fire in his pale hands. The kid was amazed by such helpful power, but the man only gave enough time to wander a few seconds, because he fast put the fire on a small pile of woods and leafs. Therefore was fire, it was like if The Creator had pity on them, and gave them enough mice to feed on.
After that night the pig and the pale one's adventures continued and for their luck a lot of friends and mates joined them in the hope of finding happiness. However there was one who stood out of the rest for first sight, Dave, or how some others called him David, who was similar to the old man, again. He had blond hair, ocean blue eyes, and pale skin, but not as one as Numara. He said, his whole family were carpenters, so he was one to, and he knew everything about trees. Ödön welcomed this one with joy, even though the term "family" was unclear.
The troop got bigger and bigger each day and it was time to start going to the other sides of the land. Some folk said that there were people who lived there, but Ödön did not wanted to believe that. But there was a small hope that maybe some creatures would be there.
However this place's people thought otherwise. They though that the big mob that they were seeing were coming to make them their slaves, just like the others tried, but this one seemed especially dangerous to them, so they panicked and ran where they could. In this chaos were a brother and sister who knew nothing about threat, the boy was just a crawler, barely few weeks old.
The kid's troop saw and noticed nothing from that.
"If you allow me, I'll go forward to give good news, empress." Numara was a real gent who always knew what could make the kid feel a little happier and accepted. However Dave did not like this affable tongue, he could vomit whenever he heard the other man say such words to their "kaiser". That was another of those strange words that Dave used.
Yet, when they got to the place, there were nothing more just empty tents and fireplaces and smog. All of these things indicated that some people were here minutes ago. Out of the blue someone cried, but not in fear, it was a baby's cry for help. Ödön and Dave ran towards the noise without hesitation, but Numara was already coming towards them with the baby in his hands. Though the petite kid could not see the crying one, so Numara decided to sit down onto the dirt and showed the found boy around. Even Dave was in awe, but not because of the baby. He just simply never thought that his rival could be such a natural with babies, since the little doll went silent in his lap.
"Look, everyone, isn't this beautiful? We found a new recruit to our family."
"But he did not said a word! How should we know he wants to be with us?" Ödön was a stranger to care about smaller things, even if they were alive.
"He needs us, he would die other wise. Angel, how should we name him?" Numara looked at their extremely young looking leader and everyone waited for an answer.
"Cichy, like silent in my tongue." He reminded the teen of the ocean, of the father. He was always there, in good and bad times, no matter what. The infant had pale blue skin and small, curly, blond hair, with big black eyes, like a fish. That made the budding young one smile, but also bitter.
"Hey, are you okay?" Asked Nezumi, who was a chebil, which meant she was a lot like Ödön, the only thing that made them different is age. She had big, grey ears like a mouse, and basically her entire body was covered in small, grey hair. On the top of her head she wore a big, green bow.
Not that later everyone looked worried, since there were tear drops rolling down on the young's cheeks.
After all of this the young needed time to think about all the things that was waiting for them. It was not easy, and everyone agreed that they should stay a few days in the mountains, so Ödön had time to go back to the shore, a closer one was good enough too. If the old man lived in the ocean, it meant he would get out of it anywhere if his friend needed help, right? But no one was there, and it does not matter how much long the kid waited, nobody came.
"What are you doing here?" It was one of the gold fishes that liked to play with Ödön and do tricks, even mean ones.
"Hallelujah for The Creator! Say, have you seen the old man, who lives in the deep blue?"
The fish seemed huffish that the callow creature was not happy enough to see it. "He moved. Not here anymore."
The stripling was shocked and felt dumb. But he never left the ocean or its shore. He said he would be here as long as I need him. "Lying! You lying bastard! It's one of your tricks! I know he is here! He has to be."
"He followed a lady to the mountains. I hope you find him." It was a good thing that no gold fish could feel bad or knew if someone was angry at them. They lived as happy denses.
I never had anyone, just like him, and it was like this since the first day! ... And I left him here, alone. What kind of son am I to him, as he called me?
This trip did not make easier anything that was going on and inside Ödön. Everyone saw that nothing went as planned, so most of them thought it would be better if they left their leader alone, but they were foolish from one to one. Only the three closest people knew that their friend needed attention more than ever now. Numara made fresh cookies, Dave told every funny story that happened here the past two days and Nezumi made one of those tasty teas, since the second season can get could fast. Also they trained together to make their shapeshifting abilities even greater. The young learnt that there was another form of the body that which belongs to 'em.
"I think we should continue our voyage soon. Maybe tomorrow, or after that." This was a bold idea, but everyone trusted their rector.
"I don't see why's the hurry, but I'll follow you my liege, until my last breath." Nezumi was also one that followed easily anyone who seemed to have the higher ground. And to be honest, that made things so much easier which was a great ability because of another tiny trouble: Cichy. He was barely an infant anymore, more like a toddler, or a really small and simple child, who could not speak, but it could because of the way how everyone spoke their own language. In this mess how could a child learn a tongue to speak? Ödön was alarmed by this state, but maybe he just needed time. Maybe it was unusual for the smaller kid too to grow so fast.
To get past the mountains was actually a piece of cake, since the people who lived here before built their own roads. So this walk was actually pretty calming and nice for everyone until a point, where weird bits and tufts of meat covered some rocks. At first Dave tried to convince their leader that they should take another route, but even he knew there was not another way to go, so the troop stayed on the track. Then they saw a lady who was already in the gate of death, leaning on an old fence.
"You're just like my father in law... I made his mongrel two misbegotten kids... I'm not even mad that both of 'em kicked the bucket at a young age." She was breathing hard and her face only showed disgust. Ödön was furious, how could a mother say such things? Also the kiddo carried Cichy like a back bag, who looked at the woman, who's features softened when she saw the sprout, then she breathed out her soul.
Again, everything seemed to make thing more difficult than they should be. The gal changed dreams and ambitions fast. It is the 300th year of this miserable life if 'eirs, if changes are needed, fast work is needed.
Life never stopped, everyone went on with their own things. Nezumi found a nice man to tie her life together with, and just after a few months they announced that they are waiting for a baby, and so almost everyone said their best wishes to Nezumi and gave gifts to her. The people also got a name from their leader, they were together the Vissnaedians, it was like a family name for older and newer people as well, they liked the name. It gave them a feel of security, belonging. This was especially necessary since there were more of the ones coming who had bad intentions, wanted to rob, kill and take away purity of kids and youngs. However there was this man who always came when they were desperate for help, and the man scared away every foe and enemy.
There were also great things, or more correctly creatures, like Dave and Numara who became almost like brother figures to the young fella, however they were strange sometimes and always at each other's throat. They were arguing about things constantly like which of them likes their emperor better and which of them did greater things. So Ödön tried to calm their nerves down by saying things like they are both great and shown more than enough love. The two men couldn't resist such cuteness so they always stopped with their childish behavior for a few days, but not for enough.
No one could leave it unnoticed how Ödön was changing from one day to another, and it was not only just the fact that together with Nezumi they both were shapeshifers, it was something more. Spending more time with the ladies and the matrons of the village, to learn how to make baskets and stuff made every men's eyes wander at the leader.
"Okay, anyone dares to tell me why the men are looking at me in a strange way?!" The empress was mad and angry and mostly sad that no one talked the past days about this weird behaviour. "Like, of course, I'm your leader, I need to know how to fight, but when I become a mother, how will I teach my daughters to make beautiful baskets and braids?"
Since no one bat an eye at Ödön, Dave was the one to stand up and speak up silently. "Wait, so with a name like "Ödön" which is Valentin basically, you were a lady?!"
Numara could not hold it in, he had to laugh out as loud as he could, meanwhile Nezumi held her head in her hands. "Sweet Creator, you boys can be such dense. Of course she is a girl! She was the one who told me! Maybe ask another time, Dave? Maybe?"
"What's wrong with my name?" Ödön was really scared that it was something bad, that it meant something ugly. "The old man, father gave it to me, so I hold it in high esteem!"
Dave was clearly in a daze. A girl with a man's name. Jeez, her father was clearly a bad one. How could he?! And another one, how this she never realized that her name was this misleading? That old man of her never told a thing or two?
"Darling, if you like this name, I don't think that you need to change it..." Tried the mother figure to calm the conversation but it was too late, the small lady already was in her own mind set and thinking about other names.
"Davie, what was that name's girl thingy? You know!" Ödön slapped her hands on the table that they were sitting at this whole conversation and looked at the man with passion in her eyes.
"Ödön, you really don't have to because some MEN tend to get the wrong idea." At the same time Nezumi also looked at Dave with killer eyes.
Numara was making his nails prettier when he joined this pleasant chitchatting. "Don't compare me with this guy, thanks. I knew our empress was a beautiful, blooming queen."
"Davie, say it!"
"Valentina!"
"Who?" The other three asked like the whole conversation would not be because of this one name.
"I mean, she could be Valentina. It means the same, and it suits her better. But only if you want it." Dave tried to get himself out of this mess he got himself into, and it seemed like his plan worked. The damsel liked the word, the name, how it sounded, how it was round in her mouth. It was a new taste, a better one than her old name, this one was new, sweet and sparkling. It made perfect sense.
"Yeah, so be it, my name is Valentina from now on and no one can refer to me as anything else... maybe some nicknames are okay." The only thing that kept worry in her mind is how is she going to tell all of this to the father. Though, this was a problem for the time when they will meet again, because they will, eventually.
Dave had to go out to get some fresh air, this whole name problem gave him an headache and felt like a total blockhead, thinking this fragile, though tough and sweet youngster was a boy? It actually had some sense now, of course she would be a girl. How could I feel anything tow...
"So, did I won?" Numara appeared from thin air, like literally and was in Dave's face, only inches away from him.
Dave was mad inside, especially at himself, but showed confidence on his face, and had a smug smile, he was a real player. "Never, this does not change a thing. She is going to be my wife, not your's."
"Oh, so you're playing for both teams?"
"Go have a nice time with yourself. Pleasure yourself somewhere else." Dave had it all, he did not hated the ervan, just had a bad feeling about him, and he was always so nice to everyone else, but was mean, and only mean to Dave. "I can't handle your... things right now."
The supernatural creature flew above his rival's head and blocked his way. Yes, that was another quality in him that could drive Dave easily mental. "Hey, don't get me wrong, I think it's okay. Oh, really, I never talked about my family! I have a kid, name's Speranţă, means hope. Ze is a special little boy, but I've always loved zem, however ze has a little problem with zeir hunger."
"Why are you telling me now this? Did I say I care? Ze can do whatever ze wants." Dave was still angry, even though Numara was sincere and really wanted to open up to his most closet thing to a friend. Maybe some other day or night.
It was a dark, scary, stormy night and it was raining like it was pouring out of The Creators big barrel, that they were taking baths in. The man, who was always just wandering through the village was here this time of the day and everyone felt blessed because of this. He did not understand the cries and moans of his "name" - the Pilgrim - but he had a feeling that these people had a good reason to be sad and, or panicky. One of the locals led him into a tent and everything was clear: Nezumi was giving birth and she was in so much pain, that no one from the village ever saw before. They were frightened, like little children. He asked for how long she was in such torture and he only heard bad news. It was too long to have a simple childbirth, there must be some complications, that are troubling the mother and the child ass well. She was lying on soft clothes and plants, but this man knew that was the first thing they messed up.
"If she stays like this, the child will have problem coming out. We need to get her on a harder surface, but not the ground." He saw a wooden table and checked it if it would carry the woman and the baby and he was amazed by this excellent work, this could carry 6 men and would not even bend. "This is going to be perfect, help me get them over there." 3 other came to help the pilgrim and it seemed impossible, but they did it. Nezumi was still in huge pain and was still screaming for help. Her husband was there too and could only look at his wife in terror and fear. "Do not be distressed my child, I'll do every last thing that I can to help your family overcome this time." Meanwhile one of the women ran out, but did not say a word for what. Maybe she had too much and felt sick, the pilgrim understood that. He helped many people to give birth and it was never easy. Sometimes it was gruesome and full of blood, and even death, the last thing was one of the options, especially at places like this.
"Father?" A faint voice called the man who froze immediately. "So, you came?"
"Angel? First son?" He tried to call out who was it, but did not move, still he was only looking at Nezumi.
"Her name's Valentina, welcome your 'newborn' daughter." The mother in pain tried to call out the man for his mistake who realized in an instant what that meant. "And for the Creator's sake, someone help me get this girl out!"
"Pronto, on it. Ö- Valentina, please, get some wet clothes, clean ones and ask anyone if they have any nerve calming foods or drink, hurry." However it would never matter how Valentina was running any help, it was too late for the mother.
Not every first story needs a happy opening, some are sad and maybe make you cry, but that's okay, because I am still here and will tell you the whole story of the lost, found and faraway ones.