Once Upon A Time

Chapter 35

Although a little disturbed by Porlyusica's initial behavior, Lucy found herself enjoying her time staying at that little house. Wendy was such a delight, she talked to Lucy so sweetly and in a friendly way which made her feel so happy. Children usually looked at Lucy with fear and ran away or hid from her if they could. She tired to approach them in a kind manner but it was a futile effort because thanks to the "lies" they were told about her by their parents they would always be afraid of her.

"So Lusha where are you from?" Wendy asked her as the three of them ate together at the small dinner table. 

"No where special." She answered. "I just travel a lot so I don't really have a stable home."

"Really? I wish I could travel to different places but Granny says I'm too young."

"You are." Porlyusica said. "You can travel to anywhere in the world whenever you wish once you are grown. But while you're still a child you'll stay here with me."

"I'm not so little anymore Granny. I can do a lot of things on my own now."

"Yes you can do a lot of things on your own but not everything. You still haven't learned how to beware of strangers." She then turned to Lucy. "No offense Lusha."

"None taken ma'am. I understand believe me." Lucy said.

"I know I'm not supposed to talk to strangers but how else am I supposed to make friends?" Wendy asked. "I love you Granny, I really do but I'd like to have someone else to talk to once in and awhile."

"I understand Wendy and you can have friends but I think it would be best if I was with you when you set out to make them. Women and children are easy prey in this world and evil has a smiling face, you must learn to see past a person's facade."

"I don't understand."

"My point exactly. If you cannot understand what that means yet then you cannot possibly be ready to do everything on your own. You will be ready someday but that will take time and the sooner you learn to listen to me, the quicker it will go."

"Yes Granny." She accepted.

"Good. Now then I see that we've all finished our dinner so time for dessert. Wendy would you be a dear and bring out that honey cake I made earlier?"

Wendy jumped from her seat and headed straight for the kitchen like any child who had just been told that they were about to have something sweet. Porlyusica sighed and gave a light chuckle.

"When she gets like that she reminds me so much of her father, my son."

"She told me what happened to them." Lucy said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"It was a longtime ago, old people like me should be more accepting of death but then again your children aren't supposed to die before you."

"Very true." Lucy in a soft yet bitter voice. 

"My son was very young when he married and Wendy came along rather quickly. I didn't think he was ready for fatherhood yet but he surprised me with how he was with her. I used to tell him and his wife about all the joys they'd feel as they would watch her grow. Teach her to read, take her to her first village dance, spending Christmases and Birthdays with her, witnessing her wedding and later the birth of their first grandchild. Those moments I shared with my son were the happiest of my life and I was so excited that he was going to experience them with my granddaughter."

She bit back her lip before continuing.

"But then those damn rats had to come into the village and spread the black plague...To my son and his wife, no less. The doctor said there was no cure and after my daughter in-law passed, he said that healthy people had to stay away or they would catch it. So I was forced to take Wendy and leave my boy to die alone." She wiped away a tear that she had unintentionally let slip down her wrinkled cheek. "He'll never get to see her grow up and she'll never be able to remember how much he loved her."