The first night in the attic was something Juvia would never forget. It was so cold, dark, dull, and gloomy. With drafts and spider webs at almost every corner. Her bed was iron and the mattress was torn with springs sticking out. She had no blankets to keep her warm but on that first night she didn't notice the cold or the dark or how terribly uncomfortable the bed was. All she could think about was that her father, her dear father, the person she loved most in this world was gone. Gone forever and never coming back. She fell asleep that night hoping that this was just some awful dream and that come morning she would find that her father was still alive but when the first ray of sunshine peeked through the window, waking her, and allowing her to see that she was still in the attic she knew that it had been no dream.

She changed into the clothes Melanthe had given her to wear which consisted of a ragged frock, an old apron, a kerchief for her hair, and a worn out pair of shoes. First thing she had to do was go into the kitchen and bring the family their breakfast trays after the cook was finished preparing it. Once that was done she asked if she could have some breakfast as well. Melanthe gave her only a crust of bread and told her that she had to eat in the kitchen by the fireplace from now on. After breakfast she would get started on the many chores Melanthe would have her do.

Everyday she worked around at the clock, starting at the crack of dawn and long into the night. She found it hard to sleep and was given very little eat. Sometimes they would starve her just to teach her humility or at least that's what Melanthe would say whenever her husband objected. These tragic events had finally led the wife to reveal what kind of woman she really was. Proud, greedy, haughty, and cruel and like her older daughter she hated Juvia the moment she saw her. Hated her and would try everything she could to break the child. One of her worst attempts at this was not allowing Juvia to attend her own father's funeral. The poor girl begged and pleaded with her new mistress to just let her visit his grave but she heartlessly refused.

Briar was just as bad. She relished in the Juvia's suffering. Taunting her every chance she got and calling her names like wench, tramp, urchin. She would also mess up rooms that Juvia had just cleaned or break things purposely just to get her into trouble. She once got up early and locked Juvia in the attic so she wouldn't be able to get breakfast served on time. She was punished with no food for a week.

Ulrich tried to object to his wife's abuse but alas he was born without any spine or nerve so he always gave into the wicked woman. It was pathetic, disgraceful, cowardly and he knew it to be true. It made him ashamed but not ashamed enough to change it. Meredy was fearful of her mother and sister which considering the fact that she was a child, made her a more forgivable case than her father especially when Meredy would still try to be kind her despite her mother's demands. That time Juvia was punished with no food for a week, Meredy decided to bring her some after three days had gone by. She saved some leftovers from dinner, wrapped them up in a napkin, and sneaked into the kitchen where Juvia was cleaning the chimney.

"Juvia?" She said making sure no one but the young maid was there.

"Hello Meredy." Juvia greeted. "Did you want something?"

"No I brought you a little dinner." She unwrapped the napkin and offered her the roll and slice of meat she manged to save.

"Thank you but you shouldn't be giving me food. You'll get in trouble if your mother finds out." Juvia warned.

"I was really careful. She didn't see me. Besides she shouldn't be starving you, it was Briar's fault you were late with breakfast."

Juvia would have protested further but she was so hungry that she didn't have the strength to do so. She ate the roll first and it went down very quickly. But when she started to eat the meat they heard the loud heel clicks of Melanthe's fancy shoes as she walked into the kitchen. Meredy was right when she said her mother hadn't of seen her but her sister did and she snitched. There she stood next to her equally horrible mother with that vile grin of hers.

"What is the meaning of this?" The proud woman asked her younger daughter.

"It's my fault Mother." Meredy said. "I know that Juvia is not supposed to eat but she has been looking so frail lately that I thought-"

"Thought? You thought nothing Meredy. You're far too stupid." She snapped before turning to Juvia. "This was your idea wasn't it you little thief."

"But Mother I-"

"Silence! Go to your room! And as for you Juvia I am not amused that you are trying to manipulate my own daughter against me. Is that how you repay me for my generosity?"

"No ma'am." Juvia said.

"Insolent child. You'll sleep outside as punishment for your trickery."

"Ma'am please I didn't-"

"I will not hear any of your lies! Now go before I decide to sell you into slavery!"

It was no use arguing. Juvia had to accept her fate.

"Oh Juvia." Briar called in a sing-song manner to get her attention and when the servant girl turned around ash and soot was thrown into her face. "Now you'll blend in with the filthy beasts outside."

Both mother and daughter laughed without pity or remorse. Juvia ran out of the house and in the garden where she dropped to her knees and began to cry. She cried and cried and cried. Failing to understand what she could have possibly done to deserve this abuse? She knew that she had made mistakes and that she was not prefect but what sin did she commit that sentenced her to this inhuman new life? She had considered running away but where would she go? She didn't have any family and she didn't have any friends. She was all alone.

She sobbed for hours and when it became cold she went to look for a warm place to sleep in. One time during a trip back from the market she had seen an old dovecote just a little ways from the house. It had no blankets or fire place but it was a form of shelter so she would take it. It appeared to be empty but she heard something rustling inside. She assumed that it was most likely a dove but then the source of the rustling noise fell down from a perch and she saw that it was no dove but a boy.

"Are you hurt?" She asked him with concern.

"Shhh!" He hushed while trying to hide in the corner of the cote. "They're after me. Don't let them find me."

"Who?"

"Oh no here they come! If they talk to you don't believe what they say and for the love of God don't tell them where I am! If they find me they'll kill me!"

He hid deeper into the corner and covered himself with his shawl. Juvia could hear the sound of horses approaching and saw a group of men riding horseback with lit torches and loaded weapons. No doubt it was an angry mob.

"You girl!" The leader of the mob called out to her. "What are you doing out this late?"

"I was looking for shelter for the night. I'm a beggar with no home."

"We're looking for a boy who might have come by here. Did you see him?"

"No I don't think so." She answered.

"Think hard." He said and showed her a satchel of gold coins as a means to bribe her. She looked at the gold and for moment was tempted to talk. After all with that much money she could leave and find work somewhere while using the gold to support herself.

But then Juvia's eyes went to the window of the cote and over to the corner of the boy who was hiding. His eyes made contact with the her's. They were filled with such a great terror and they were begging her not to talk. Not to give into the desire for gold. He was petrified and if a child was petrified of something that meant he or she had good reason to. These men had weapons, they were intending to hurt him. She couldn't just let them do that.

"I'm sorry but I saw nothing. It was too dark anyway."

The man looked at her skeptically for a moment but eventually he accepted her answer and directed the mob to leave. As soon as they were gone Juvia went back into the dovecote.

"Thanks for not telling them." The boy sighed. "I thought I was going to pass out when he offered you that gold. If you had given me up I would so be dead."

"Why on earth were those men trying to kill you?" She asked,

"Long story. Let's just say rumors and lies can ruin a person's life so don't ever spread them"

"I've never seen you before. Do you live around here?"

"No but I'm on my way home tomorrow morning and I'm going to be in big trouble when I get back."

"Why?"

"Well I kinda went off on a little journey without telling my mother and she's really protective of me meaning that during my absence she had a panic attack."

"Why would you put her through something like that?"

"Because if I told her she wouldn't have let me go and I was certain that if I went on this trip things would workout better for us. I was wrong."

"I don't understand. Where were you going and what for?"

"No offense but I don't get personal with people I've just met."

"Oh right. Sorry I didn't mean to pry."

"So are you really homeless?"

"It's complicated. I was seeking shelter here but I'm not homeless. Then again I wouldn't consider that place a home."

"So your parents sent you out here?"

"My parents are gone. I now work as a servant for a well off family but my mistress decided to punish me by having me sleep outside."

"In cold weather like this? Doesn't she know you could freeze to death out here?"

"She knows and I think she hopes that will happen tonight."

"By any chance is your mistress a witch?"

"She looks and acts the part but she doesn't have any magic. Thank God for that. Still she does everything she can to hurt me, her and her daughter."

"Are they the ones who put all that ash on your face?"

"Oh I forgot about that." She grabbed her apron and used it to wipe her face.

"Can I see that for a minute?" He asked her.

He handed her the apron and he used it to polish something. It was a gold coin.

"Where did you get that?" She asked him.

He frowned angrily.

"The scourge of the earth threw it at me so I would leave. I would've chucked it back at him but money is scarce in my situation."

"Well at least your mission wasn't a complete loss. What will you buy with that?"

"Don't know yet. What would you buy if you had gold coin?"

"I guess a new pair of shoes."

"Shoes?"

"Yes mine are so worn out and my feet keep getting cut and blistered. I would ask for my master to buy me a new pair but the last time I did that my mistress struck me in the face. Said she'd do it again if I ever had the audacity to ask that money be spent on me."

"Wow and I thought I had it rough."

"Part of me hopes that I will freeze to death tonight."

"What? Why?"

"Because I don't know how much longer I can live like this. It's not like I can just leave. I'm an orphan, I have no family, no money, nothing. It's either poverty or abuse. Those are my choices in this life."

She was now trembling from the cold.

"It won't seem like that forever." The boy said.

"How do you know?"

"Because life is always changing. At least that's what my mother says. Anyway I'm sure you have a third choice in this."

"You might be right but...Right...Now..." She was wobbling. "My third choice...Looks...Like...Death."

Her lips were blue and her breath could be seen. She trembled and trembled until finally she lost consciousness.

"Oh no." He said when he saw her fall. He went to her side and gave her a few pokes. "Miss?...Miss?...Are you alive?"

He saw her chest move as she took a few breaths.

"Good she's alive. But for how long?" He thought."I better get her warm fast. I can't make a fire because it's took dark out to look for wood. I knew I should have swiped one of those torches."

He looked down at her shivering body.

"I guess if I can't make a fire there's only one thing to do. I just hope she doesn't think I'm crass for this."

He laid down beside her, put his arms around her, and pulled her close to him. Using his body heat to keep her alive the best way he could. He didn't know why he wanted to save her so badly, maybe it was because he could empathize with where she was coming from or that in a way she was worse off than he was.

He eventually fell asleep too but neither of them froze to death. In the morning it was much warmer and Juvia woke up to find the boy gone but he had left her his shawl and gold coin. There was a note on the coin saying that she needed it more than him and words could not describe how touched she was by his kindness.

When she returned to the attic she hid the coin in her box and saved it for a day she could use it. After that she pulled out the book containing her mother's letters and notes. She sat down and began to read the first page which was dated to the week before her birth.

My dearest child, if you're reading this then that means that at the moment you feel completely alone and neither me nor your father are there to comfort you. It hurts me so that I cannot hold you and assure you that all will be well but I hope these words will make up for it.

At times the world can be very cruel and ugly. There are people who will hurt you and try to break you. There were people who hurt me and your father but they never broke us. You are more special than you realize and you have your own kind of magic that will help you when we can't.

To use this secret power you have, all you must do is be kind and have faith. It will be trying but where there is kindness there is love and where there is love there is magic. To many it is a weakness but sometimes even the darkest of souls and the coldest of hearts can be turned to light and warmth with love and compassion.

I pray for the day I hold you in my arms my darling and never have to let you go. It will be long wait but I will be patient and I shall watch over you until then.

Love forever

Mother.

And for the first time since her father died Juvia felt hope. Hope that her life wouldn't be like this forever. That someday she would find happiness and until then she would not allow herself to be broken.

...

During the car ride back home Elkis was trying to clear her head and keep herself from being stressed. It was like everything wasn't making sense anymore. No one remembers anything from their life ten years ago, Nasha is somewhat flame retardant and could possibly be an unconscious arsonist, and Greige...Well he could be a healer but that was from Nakku's point of view and he wasn't always seeing what he actually saw.

"You know this town is hiding something right?" Greige asked her.

"What?"

"I heard what you told Miss Lockser, you can't remember anything about your past and neither can she or Nakku."

"Will stop eves dropping? It's annoying and rude."

"Sorry but I had to make sure that you didn't think I was crazy. But you don't which is good and even better you know that something isn't right about this town right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. You probably misheard."

"Oh come on. If you have outrageous theories and suspicions let me in on it. I'm great with figuring things out."

"I'm sure you are."

"Hey I maybe a kid but you should know that sometimes kids can figure things out that adults can't."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yes it is. You adults rely solely on logic and science. But we kids except for Nasha who thinks she's an adult but is really not, are open to the idea of things that can't be explained."

"No offense but that's because a lot of children are naive."

"It's not naivety...Okay sometimes it is but not this time. In cases it's faith and hope. For you guys seeing is believing but for us believing is seeing."

"And you believe I'm a storybook character?"

"Yes. I do."

"Oh boy." She sighed.

"I know you don't really believe me and I know you don't think I'm crazy either but you have to admit that there are secrets in this town. Secrets that are effecting you and everyone else."

"Okay you have me there but I don't believe in magic or fairy tales."

"I figured you'd say that but you'll come around eventually."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you're a hero and heroes may struggle but they always save the day in the end."

"Look can we just drop this for a minute. We're almost home anyway and I need to get started dinner."

"Fine live in denial." He sighed. "But you'll see I'm right. You know in movies no one ever believes the kid but in the end they're usually the ones who make sense."

"Yes but movies are not real life."

"No but sometimes they have good life lessons."

"I'll agree with you on that."

"Fair enough."