Mirabelle

Chapter 1

As the sun rises the young girl awakens to a beautiful day. She dresses in her favorite blue dress and brushes her long silvery-blonde hair. When she walks out of her room she walks right past her father's door and down the stairs to start breakfast. After a quick bite she washes the dishes and heads outside to attend to the chickens and horses. It is funny to her that she remembers what the animals are called and how to feed them and what their purposes are but not how she knows or whom she was taught by. Truth be told this is how she feels about lots of things including making her bed, cooking, washing dishes, laundry, sewing and hemming, and of course tending to the animals. Any common household chore and any knowledge like reading, writing and math are not things the girl remembers being taught. The worst thing is that she doesn't even remember her own name. Today was the anniversary of her being without her father for an entire year, not that she knew that. In 5 days it would be her birthday and another anniversary of something... special.

Tomorrow was her birthday. All that the 12 almost 13 year old knew is that something special was tomorrow. It was almost intuition and something prophetic telling her about an interesting day.

The sun was bright and happy up above in the sky and a slight breeze blew to keep the heat down. It was a gorgeous day, the best day of sorts for berry picking in the woods. So as soon as the orphan awoke that's what she did. The 13 year old grabbed her basket and ran into the forest cheerfully, humming a little song she had somehow picked up. The girl found all sorts of delicious berries. Huckleberries; blueberries; raspberries; blackberries; you name it. When sun reached the highest point in the sky, the girl sat down to have lunch. She ate cheese and crackers, jam and bread, berries of course and some nuts. As she finished her lunch a lady appeared. A very pretty lady with dark, silken hair and almond brown eyes. A perfect complexion, not too pale, not too tan. She was about 5 foot 9 and wearing a blood red dress of the prettiest silk.

"Hello," the young child said in her sweetest voice.

"Hello child." The lady replied in a silken voice.

"Not to be rude but would you mind telling me who you are?" The young girl asked, curious but not suspicious.

"Not at all darling. My name is Sora. Would you be gracious enough to tell me yours?" asked Sora.

"I would tell you my name but I don't know it." Replied the young girl.

"Do you not have a name?" Sora questioned politely. Sora could tell that this girl was very naïve and did not have much experience in the outside world.

"I think I once might have but I seem to have had all my memories erased, my name being one of them."

"Have you ever thought of giving yourself a new name?" Sora suggested.

"Well yes but I feel that I have a name even if I don't know it and that it would be wrong to change it or to call myself something else." Explained the child.

"I see. Well what if I told you there was a way to recall your memories?"

"I would be ever so grateful if you could help me." Pleaded the young girl.

"There is a witch who lives in a heavily protected castle inside a cave through the densest forest on the other side of the young Kings castle. It would be a long journey but you would get your memory back."

"All of it? Not just my name but everything?" The child asked.

"Everything you've forgotten will be restored. Would you like to take the quest?"

"Yes but where would I start. I may not know my own age but I do know that I'm pretty young."

"Don't worry I would help get you started. I could also give you back a few of your most important memories." Sora told the little girl.

"My name. Could you give me my name?"

"Only if you accept the quest. There is some powerful magic behind this offer. I am only a messenger sent to give you this chance at knowing so I don't know all of what is happening here."

"I accept the quest." The young girl said.

"You do. Well ok then. Your name is Mirabelle." The lady told the girl, "Exactly a year ago your father was arrested and taken from your house and a couple days later your memory was erased.

"I have a father? Is he still alive? Will I ever see him again?" Mirabelle asked so many questions directing them slightly to Sora but mostly for herself. "Thank you," Mirabelle started to say to Sora but stopped short for the lady had disappeared. Mirabelle was confused but also too excited to care.

"I HAVE A NAME!" she shouted into the wind. "I HAVE A FATHER!" The wind replied "you have a week to prepare then you must set out of your quest." Mirabelle stood very still as she listened to the voice repeat and fade. Mirabelle spent the rest of the day gathering more berries and some wood.