Everything was normal and fine in the kingdom of Sheershider... An average couple named Donato and Soraya White were enjoying their lives here and everything was going well for them. The only thing they wanted was a child. It didn’t take long for even that wish to be fulfilled as soon, Soraya became pregnant. However, they were entirely unaware that their average life in their average neighborhood was about to change drastically with the birth of their daughter...

Nobody had suspected anything as Soraya White’s pregnancy was healthy and the baby seemed to be growing at an average rate. Unfortunately, she was born a bit too early. The child was born smaller than average with a tuft of black hair on the top of her head. She had extremely pale skin, even though babies are usually reddish when born and she had brown eyes.

"What should we name our baby girl?" Donato asked, gently holding the newborn.

"How about Chloe?" Soraya suggested, reaching a tired hand out to touch her child.

"Hmmm... Chloe White... That sounds good," Donato commented, smiling.

Donato and Soraya White would never get to enjoy raising Chloe White... Tragedy struck only a few days after her birth and both of her parents died of an unknown illness. It wasn't until the next day that the mailman discovered the dead parents and the nearly starved to death baby. He took the baby gently and carried her away from the house so she wouldn't have to die too.

Baby Chloe White grew up at an orphanage. Nobody wanted to adopt her because of how strange she looked. She only seemed to become stranger and stranger as she got older. The other children teased her, too. They liked to poke her and then jerk away as though they'd die from touching her.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“I bet your parents died because you’re ugly!” one kid once teased Chloe.

“Yeah? And what about your parents?” Chloe would respond, trying to hide how hurt she was.

There was a day, though, when the orphanage was so full that the children were to be adopted at half-price. In the odd kingdom they lived in, that was a normal thing to do. They also took pictures of every child each month to advertise in the papers, hoping that somebody would adopt them.

It was on that day, an ugly old lady came to the orphanage. Her name was Hytstens Dranaj, and as Chloe White would soon find out, she wasn't nice at all.

"Hello, Mrs. Dranaj, what brings you here today?" the orphanage owner asked the ugly lady.

"Oh, I heard you had a bunch of poor little kids who needed a good home... I have room in my house for one more child so I've come to adopt!" Hytstens said, “I felt so sorry for the poor little things!”

"Really? What child would you like to give a home to?" the owner asked.

"I'm looking for a strong young girl... Preferably with black hair and very fair skin," Hytstens said, "Do you happen to have one that fits that description...?"

The owner looked over at a few children who were playing nearby and spotted Chloe White staring off into space as she often did. It was as though she was receiving messages from the sky that nobody else could see.

"Yes, we have a child who matches that description. Her name is Chloe White," the owner said, returning her gaze to the ugly woman in front of her.

"Chloe White... Hmmm... She sounds perfect!" Hytstens said, she didn't mean it, though.

"We've seen how well you care for your other two daughters, so we know you'll take good care of Chloe White," the owner said.

“Why, of course! She’ll be pampered at my place!” Hytstens said.

The owner handed Hytstens Dranaj a large stack of papers to sign.

"Sign these papers, give the money, and Chloe White will be all yours," the owner said, “Hey, Chloe White! We've found you a mother!"

Chloe White was reluctant to go at first, but then she realized that this was her chance to get away from the bullies who were at the orphanage. She ran to where Hytstens Dranaj was and stopped abruptly, catching bad vibes from her.