Crumpled to the ground, a young girl with pale skin and short, cut auburn hair was on her knees, her tiny body shivering as the laughter of three boys surrounded her. They stood proudly over the trembling girl, their shadows cast long in the afternoon sun.
The leader of the group, a boy with a mop of unruly brown hair and dull brown-grey eyes, looked down at her with disdain. “You’re pathetic,” he laughed, his voice high-pitched but dripping with contempt. “This is the thing I’m supposed to marry?” He scoffed as he kicked dirt in her direction, the small clouds scattering over her torn dress.
“How unassuming,” another boy chimed in, his voice filled with mockery. He had dark hair and a sneer that seemed permanently etched onto his face. “I can’t believe your old man thought there might be some worth to her.”
The third boy, slightly taller with a tuft of unevenly cut red hair, shrugged nonchalantly. “Uncle just wants more workers for the farm,” he said indifferently. “She’s nothing more than another cow of a different type.”
The young girl shivered before her aggressors. The boys had always insulted her, but this time it felt different. There was a fire behind the leader's eyes, an anger she didn’t understand. “What are you talking about?” she spat, but the furrowing of their brows made her swallow her earlier bravery.
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The older boy scoffed, angrily kicking up another cloud of dirt. The girl quickly covered her eyes as sand found its way inside. “You dumb bitch, your old dirt bag of a father convinced the old man that you have enough value to join the family. Congratulations, bitch.” He spat down at her, his anger uncontainable.
“What are you—” but he cut her off, reaching down and grabbing her arm.
“Get up,” he ordered, yanking her to her feet. “You might be my cousin, but you're not worth our blood. My dad might have a soft spot for your old man, but you are not any family of mine, understand?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Good. Now we know you are nothing, but I need to hear you say it,” he demanded.
When she hesitated, he squeezed harder. Her cry of pain only made the others laugh. “Y-yes,” she said. “I’m nothing. I’m nothing,” she quickly agreed. The boy smiled, satisfied.
“Good,” he said, releasing her by pushing her back down into the dirt. “Our fathers might be in charge right now, but it’s better you know your place. Remember this,” he said coldly. “You belong to me. You do as I say, and maybe, just maybe, I won’t make your life a living hell.” Satisfied, he turned and left, his gang quickly following.
The young girl shivered, hugging herself in fear. “What just happened?” she cried softly. She didn’t understand. How could she? She was just a young girl of five, living in a remote village on the edge of the kingdom.