My name was Nana, daughter of Hana and Narol. My father was a lumberjack, he cut down one tree per day at the outskirt of the woods and chopped it down to smaller pieces. He sold it to whoever wanted to get the goods through a barter, mostly to the carpenters in the village.

Here in Audville, I was the youngest girl and had no friend of the same age, until that girl came to our village. When the group that visited the nearby city came back from a week long journey, Carl the hunter brought back a little girl. She was really a strange, skinny, stinky, and wearing a ragged cloth.

Whatever, I though, Now I have friend to play with. So I approached and greeted her. I told her my name and asked what was hers. She just stayed silent and looked at me with curious expression. Not being a fan of patient, I grabbed her hand and dragged her to the corner of the village where all other child usually play around. I told her that we would be playing Cynta's pendant. It was a story about a beautiful kind-hearted countryside girl named Cynta and a hideous arrogant noble girl named Ceila. I told her I would be Cynta and she would be Ceila. From there, we played the drama, until my mom told me to go home and asked me to help her preparing dinner. That day, I parted with her.

On dinner, I bragged to my family about my new friend Ceila and how fun it was to played with her. She was easy to order around. You are Ceila, play her part. Here, make a wagon from dirt. Now you must be miserable, the story dictated so. And so on and so on. That night, I had the soundest sleep I ever had.

On the next day, as soon as I was done with the morning routine of helping my mom, I went straight to Carl's house to ask Ceila playing again. Ceila! Ceiilaa! Let's Plaayy! or so I shouted in front of her house for quite long time to make her come out. After awhile, she finally did, but her hands was drenched in blood and she smelled horrible. Not long after her, Carl came out of the house too.

"What is it lass?" He asked.

"I come to ask Ceila to play". I said

He looked confused for awhile, "You mean her?" He asked while pointing his thumb at Ceila.

"Of course! Who else could it be!" What a silly old men, I thought.

He stayed silent for awhile. "Go, wash you hands and face first. Next day we will begin your skinning lesson earlier so you could go out and play around this time". He said to Ceila.

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

Ceila just nodded and went into the house without saying a word.

And so we played Cynta's Pendant again for that day.

Weeks went by and became a month, Months came by and became a year. As I gradually grew older, and my mind became smarter, I realized I had gave that girl a name of a villainess from a silly children story. Words had long spread throughout the village that she was Ceila, thanks to the younger me coming and yelling in front of her house everyday to ask her to play. Even when I tried to amend my blunder by asking herself her name so I could re-introduce her to the villagers, she quietly smiled and said I am Ceila. It was so creepy of her.

A stranger that I knew nothing about had taken the name I gave her as her identity, and she continued quietly living near me for the next decade.

--------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

Nine years had it been since she came to our village. Now a hunter just like her father. She unexpectedly grew up into a beauty, and unsurprisingly became an object of envy and jealousy among the women. How could she not? Her radiant yellow hair and eyes were so unfairly pretty, her white skin and slim build body were what we women wishing for so dearly, her cool and somewhat cold attitude were giving off an aura of nobility. Just like Ceila from the story, I thought.

There were times I caught myself wishing a calamity befell her. Because at the time, I learnt that a man that I had crush on was trying to woo her. Even thought he eventually failed to pass the invisible wall she put up around her, I was still worry he would try a second attempt or she decided to change up her mind.

Still, she was my childhood friend, so I tried to talk it out nicely with her. He is my crush, I fall in love with him, please don't let him approach you, and help me to get him. The woman yet again just nodded without saying a word, just like the first time we met. What a strange girl.

Few days after our girly talk, Ceila quietly gave me her subtle support. You see, there was this talk about who should go for the next periodical visit to the nearby city, and it was decided that the young man I had crush on and Ceila would be one of them. I was so dejected to not be included on the list, because based on few talks I had with other village girl, the journey to the city is the most effective way to bond and get close to the man you love. It was a week long journey and the city itself is the most beautiful place we could visit to get on a date. I barely could contain my tears when the talk about the list of people that would go came to a close. But suddenly, Ceila spoke out.

"I am not going", she said. For awhile all of us confused. Was she refusing the chance to get what basically was a week long holiday? Did she just challenge the final result of villagers discussion?

"Why?" asked one of the elder.

"I don't want to", she answered flat and refused to elaborate. The tone in the way she gave the answer was taunting, who wants to fight me to force me to go? or so the feeling I got from it.

The village folks didn't want to lengthen the debate any further, so came the talk who should go to replace her, and to our surprise, Ceila spoke out again.

"Nana haven't been to the city before." She said. and so it was decided I would go in her place. This time, I barely could contain my tears for completely different reason.

When the folks dispersed from the village square and went back to their home, I ran to Ceila to thank her.

"I knew you would help me to get close to him! thank you!" I said while hugging her.

"Huh? Oh, sure." is all what she said.

I went back home while cheerfully humming and half-dancing along the way. That day, I thought Ceila was the best childhood friend I ever had.