Discovering*

I woke up with a troubled stomach. Instantly, my tiny body started to cry from reflex. I kept wailing non-stop until an old woman came into the room I was in.

"It's okay, young master, I'm here to change your diaper. I will proceed to feed you as well." She spoke in a soothing and warm voice which startled me.

I was amazed by her hospitality. While she was handling me skillfully as I started to observe my surroundings. I am wearing a thin white cloth covering all over me. The cradle I was in simply does not fit my environment.

The cradle I was in had a lot of detailed design, probably made by an excellent artist. The majority was a mix of blue and gold. I seem to inside a cabin made of lumber and bricks, hence, the cradle I was in certainly stood out like a sore thumb.

The old lady who I assume is my nanny, started staring at me with a mixture of confusion and awe. I start to giggle just to make myself seem 'normal' in her sight. She possessed a round face with not many wrinkles as her complexion compliments her. She owned a pair of clear hazel eyes, she had a turn-up nose and defined lips. Her hair was brown and wavy tied into loose braids, the was smell a fresh and earthly aroma.

Soon after she completed her duty, she rocks me in her arms gently side to side. Apparently, I wasn't sleeping. "Hm, are you not tired?"

She smiled and decided to put me down on the ground with a playmat over. There were only 2 toys, one of them was similar to rhinoceros with pink wings. The other was a tiger which was translucent blue, it felt very ghost-like. I decided not to choose either and crawl to my nanny.

I tugged on her long rag like a skirt. I peered up at her hoping to catch her attention.

I clutch harder, thankfully she looked at me confused. I sound out 'Where is mama?' it ended up like "Aweee uoos maaama?" My nanny was extremely amazed by my speaking abilities furthermore I was about a few months old.

My nanny looks at me stupefied. Trying to regain her composure processed what I just said, she had an epiphany, "Ahh! You want to see your mama?" She promptly frowned, trying to change her expression, she uses her soothing voice and diverts my attention by gently picking me and play a little game with me called 'Fly little bird'. I was being swung in the air slowly. I started to feel nauseous which made me feel awful, I straightaway begin squalling making a screeching loud sound.

She panicked and put me into the rocking motion with her arms trying to calm me down. Surprisingly, it worked. I heard a pair of footsteps near the door. "BETTY ARE YOU FOOLING AROUND INSIDE?" The voice was very high-pitched and it sounded annoyed.

While I'm still in her grasp, my nanny walked to the door and opened it. It revealed an infuriated lady in her teens. "Bethany, "— sounding patient " what are you doing?" Her foot tapping the floor excessively.

"I heard the young master's whimper and whining. So I decided to check on the young master." My nanny said with a tone of respect but her face shows otherwise. "Well, I need your assistance with the bedsheets and the clothes. I will tend to the young master."

Bethany put me down with utmost care and tuck me in as she heads towards the door, while the other maid gave me a death glare as if I had just taken her hard-earned money.

~

"Oh my! What happened to young master?!" Bethany exclaimed as she saw bloody fingernail marks on the back of my neck. Additionally, there were some purple bruises on my cheeks.

"This baby is broken. It did not scream at all even if I strangle it." —the teen sneered at me "Anyways why are you sooo respectful to this 'thing'." At this instant, I 'literally' saw venom pouring out of her dirty mouth.

Every time she speaks I notice lethal fume coming out of her mouth. "This 'thing' is hurt but doesn't say a thing! It is so boring!" She laughs maniacally leaving the disgusted Bethany alone with me. She rushed to my aid by washing my body to disinfect the wounds. I flinched every time Bethany put on the medicine on my skin.

"Young master... why didn't you cry? I would have come to rescue you from that monster hiding inside a sheep's skin!" I just avoiding her gaze, and stare up into the ceiling pretending I wasn't listening and thought, 'Isn't it typical that even if I scream nobody would hear me?' Bethany's tears stung her eyes but she didn't care as her salty tears drip onto me. I tilt my head to see her response. I saw her lips trembling. 'Why is Betty crying for me? I-I don't understand why? I feel bad for doing this to her... Should I have screamed?' regrets threaten to trickle into my thoughts.

After that incident, Bethany did not let that kid push her around any longer. Every night she would be on both her knees praying near my cradle, "Please"—she mumbles "Dear god, let those wounds heal from young master's body."

Bethany diligently apply medicine on my body until the injuries slightly disappear. However, some damaged wounds were extremely serious to fully recover and ultimately became scars.

~

When I was finally a year old, that teen maid left and found another job. So the house-made of dead trees and bricks, only Bethany and I were left in this house. Once again everything was serene.

I was also able to walk clumsily around the house with Bethany still watching me silently. Later that day, I discovered books when Bethany wasn't watching. I thought of sneaking these books into my room but eventually gave up as those books weigh 3 times heftier than me.

I only get to touch those books was when Bethany was away fetching water and restocking our food resources. During that time I would hastily walk towards the room that contains the books as well as a set of wooden table and chair, a window with the curtains over. Luckily the room was dimly lit by the table lamp.

I slowly recalled Bethany warning me not to go out of the house unattended by her. I was confused but shrugged off that thought and assume that we lived near the dangerous forested neighbourhood.

I stopped daydreaming and decided to flip open the first book titled, 'Lives in the past' It was written with the common tongue that —guess was a gift by Gyrent— I could comprehend easily.

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