“The Draconarth puppies are so cute! I always love the Messis festival! They need this every year!”

“Doreena, they DO have this every year. And every year I regret bringing you.”

            Doreena ran though the village common jumping a squealing at everything, including the draconarth pups. Draconarths are often considered the ugliest breed of pet in the world: six arms, five eyes, two legs, and completely covered in swirling grey and green scales. They are not what one would call cute. But that was how Doreena saw the world. Cute things need to be cuddled and protected, and the uncute needed to be cuddled and protected because they were still somehow cute.

            Doreena had lived in the village all her life with Papa. Papa’s real name was Bricrui. He was the town blacksmith, and jeweler, a surgeon. The odd pair got many glances of skepticism.

            Eight years ago, Bricrui suddenly had a daughter, Doreena. She appeared out nowhere. When asked, he simply stated, “A little fairy gave me a beautiful gift.” He always said it that way, like it was fact. Often the townsfolk gossiped, “He stole a girl from a village down south,” or “Give it a few more months. He’ll have a wife next.”

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            Though no one really knew where she came from, the villagers never cared enough to pry. They just accepted that Bricrui had a little girl, because, what else they could do.

            There was only one person who talked to Doreena. He was the only one without fear, the only one whose wagon Doreena loved as much as Papa.

            “Why hello little bit!”

            The only one who would approach Doreena with Papa there, Kelvyn. Kelvyn was an unusual man, who ran the best wagon in town. The sweetest man, who sold the sweetest sweets.

            “Kelv!”

            Doreena could never remember his name, but it didn’t stop her trying. She loved Kelv because he always gave her a candied cullun whenever she came in.

“Kelvyn, why must you give her one of those every time she walks by?”

Kelvyn responded in the same way he always did, “Why Bri, my young man! She’s the only one who’ll eat these vile things I created!”

            “Why did you make them then?”

“To tell you the truth, I have no earthly idea, Bri.”

            “Papa, can I go pet the pups again?”

“Yes, mea Stella,” Bricrui always seemed to sigh at every question he was ever asked. “We’ll go pet the ugliest creature that Ortus put on this continent.”