CHAPTER 2- The Crimson Child
19 years later...
Far from the royal halls of Valdhia. In a quiet riverside village nestled beneath rolling hills and misty trees- she lived. The girl once cursed at birth. Once marked by death itself...
Was now just a kind, quiet soul known to the villagers as Crimsa.
She smiled warmly as she helped an old woman lift a basket of herbs, brushing her dark crimson hair from her face. She was gentle helpful, and loved by many.
No one in the village know her past.
No one saw the faint mark on her neck, long hidden beneath the scarves she wore.
The woman who raised her, Vanessa watched her from the doorway of their cottage with soft eyes. Once broken by the pain of never having a child...
She now had a daughter stronger than destiny itself.
But sometimes...
when the moon turned red. Vanessa would notice her daughter standing alone by the river-
Her eyes glowing faintly. just like the night she was found.
And in those moments... Vanessa knew the peace they had would not last forever.
One day, Crimsa goes to nearby town to sell medicines. Crimsa wiped sweat from her brow as she handed over the last pouch of herbs at the town market.
"Thank you." The merchant said. "You and your mother saves more lives than you know."
Crimsa smiled politely "Just doing what we can."
She walked back along the dusty path toward the village, a basket of foods and a few coins in her arms. The sun was starting to set. Birds cried overhead. Everything felt peaceful.
But as she approached the edge of the village-
She smelled smoke.
Her eyes widened.
Flames, Screams, Destruction.
The fields were burning. Livestock lay wounded or dead.
And standing amidst it all were cloaked figures with eerie, Twisted grins- witches, casting hexes and setting fire with a flick of their fingers.
"Not again." Crimsa whispered, dropping her basket.
Just beyond them, a troop of armoured Valdhian knights arrived on horseback-
not to help...
but to collect the royal tax.
"Eighty percent," one knight barked. "We don't care what you lost. A deal is a deal."
The village elder trembled, holding out his hands. "But we were attacked- we have nothing left to give!"
CLANG.
The knight drew his sword. "Then you'll pay with something else."
Crimsa wasn't there yet-
but Vanessa stood in the knight's path, arms spread wide.
"Please." she said, trembling. "We are healers. We have nothing but our hands. Please spare them."
The knight glared at her- and stuck her across the face with his gauntlet.
She fell to the ground.
That's when Crimsa arrived.
"MAMA!" she screamed, rushing forward.
She threw herself at the knight with all the strength she had-
but she was still just a girl with no traini9ng, no weapon.
Just anger.
The knight barely flinched. WIth the hit of his sword, he slammed her to the ground, hard.
She gasped. choking on blood.
"Not bad for a peasant." The knight muttered.
Then looked at the others.
"Take her. The royal court will love this little fighter." The knight towered over her. looking down at the bruised girl struggling to stand.
He scoffed. Turning to his comrades.
"And this is why commoners should know their peace."
He kicked her basket aside. letting the herbs scatter into the dirt.
"Useless trash, pretending to be brave."
Crimsa winced. but didn't look away. Her eyes- silent furious- locked onto his.
The knight noticed, smirked, then said coldly:
"Don't glare at me like you're someone important."
And with that he turned away.
To be continued-