Dwarven Denouement

1

Neana wasn't the average dwarf girl. She was different, though for small reasons. Like how she preferred vegetables over meat, or how she didn't take a liking to wearing a dress. The biggest thing that separated her and all the other dwarves in her village, was that she had no beard. It was never a problem when she was young, for children were ignorant to such things as "societal image". But as Neana grew came to the age of 68, she realized that she wasn't the kind of pretty that other dwarf girls were. She didn't have big ears, or a big nose. She wasn't very pudgy, or stout. What troubled her the most was her lack of beard.

It was around the time of adolescents that Neana started hearing the cruel remarks of her classmates. Things like, "Beardless twig", or "Cursed bald-faced whore", were the most reoccurring of the names she got called. One day the insults were fired more than usual, and Neana ran home with tears in her eyes. She ran straight past her mother in the kitchen and up to her room, accidentally slamming the door.

"Neana, darling, please don't slam the door.", her mother called up to her. "Men gajamu!", shouted Neana, walking over to her bed putting her face in her hands. "Men kemgu gajum menu-oh! Neana are you alright? Are you hurt?" Neana didn't hear her mother come up the stairs and open the door. She didn't want her mother to see her crying so she didn't turn around as she answered her mother. "No ma'am. I'm fine." "Don't you lie to me.", her mother said sternly.

When she didn't respond, Neana suddenly felt her mothers arms wrap her up in a hug and pull her over to the bed. "What's the matter darling?" "I'm not pretty like all the other dwarf girls.", she finally said,"My ears and nose are to small, I'm not fat enough, and to top it off I have no beard! I'm an ugly dwarf.", Neana, said softly due to her not trusting her voice. Her mother stayed quiet for a minute, thinking of what to say. She then took Neana's face into her hands and looked into her eyes.

"But you are a beautiful Neana. It should not matter if you have a beard, big ears or nose at all. What matters is how you choose to act. If you are to act and be like all those girls in the village, with spitefulness and hate, you would surely be exceedingly ugly, but if you choose to act with kindness, wonder and compassion, there is no doubt in my mind that you will be the most beautiful you you can be."

Neana was silent beside her, not fully believing what her mother was saying.

"And besides...", her mother said, finding something to make Neana smile,"..a beard would take away the attention from your elf-like beauty and grace."

Neana now burst into laughter. Clutching her stomach while tears of complete bliss came to her eyes. It had been a long time since she has laughed like that.

"Grace? Really ma?" "Alright well, maybe not so much grace, but you get my point. Now wash up, dinner has probably been ready for quite some time now." "Yes ma'am.", Neana chuckled.

Neana walked into the washroom, scrubbed her hands clean, and went downstairs to see her father walking through the front door. "Papa! Your back!", Neana said happily as she ran to her father hugging him, letting go as quickly as she got on. He smelt like ale again. "And just in time for supper to, I'm plating out the food dear, so you go wash up.", her mother said from in the kitchen. "Sure thing love, I'll be down in a moment."

After dinner Neana cleared the table, and went upstairs to get ready for bed. 5 minutes later she was in her bed being tucked in by her parents.

"Goodnight sweetie.", her father said, kissing the top of her head. "G'night papa." "Goodnight darling." "Goodnight mama."After Neana's father walked out, her mother kissed her cheek before walking towards the door.

"Wait! Ma, could you sing to me tonight? The song you used to sing to me when I was little? Please?" "I thought you were 'to old' for me to sing to you.", her mother said chuckling. "No...." "Alright dear." Neana closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep to her mothers sweet voice.

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Neana woke with a start. She had that dream again. She jumped out of bed and ran towards her easel. She grabbed her paint and dipped a brush in it, painting the little thing that she had remembered this time. She has had this dream ever since she could remember Neana would remember a different part of the dream each time she had it again.

Neana took a step back, gazing at her work. She was having a dream about a young woman, possibly a couple years older than her. This woman wore armor, armor suited for royalty. In her hands, she held an axe. She had at least 4 arrows in her body and a gash on her shoulder. The only thing missing was the face. Whenever Neana tried to remember the face of the woman, the dream would blur, and she would wake up.

Neana sighed, knowing she couldn't paint anything else on that picture.

By now, she was wide awake with no chance of going back to sleep. So she decided to paint until the morning. Just then an owl flew up on her window sill and stared at Neana with big yellow eyes.

"Wait! Stop right there, whatever you do, don't move!", said Neana giggling. The bird just tilted its head but stayed. Neana had furiously started painting. When she was done, the sun had just barely risen, the owl had fallen asleep and she had run out of paints.

"Well looks like I'm going to the market, huh?", she asked the sleeping owl.

Neana laughed at herself for talking to the bird and went downstairs to see her moth making breakfast.

"Morning darling, I made your favorite, jelly filled biscuits dipped in jam. Mm, delicious", said her mother cheerily. "Ma, that's your favorite!", laughed Neana. "Oh well, it seems that you are correct. Wait we're are you going?"

Neana had just put on her cloak and was reaching for the door handle as her mother questioned her.

"Uh, to the market?"

"The sun had barely risen, the market is not open."

"Ma, by the time I get there, it will be close to midday and everything will be open."

"Fine, but at least come eat some of your favorite breakfast."

"You mean YOUR favorite breakfast.", replied Neana, reluctantly reaching for the sticky pastry.

"Will the both of you just shut up already?! I'm trying to sleep and I have a horrible headache!"

Neana jumped at her fathers voice. She forgot. Stupid girl she scolded herself. With nothing left to say, her father stomped up the stairs and back into his room, slamming the door. Her mother looked at her and whispered,"Try not to be home to late alright? You know how much that angers him."

Neana just nodded her head. Her father got mad at anything. And everything when he was drunk. Feeling as though she'd made her point, Neana's mother went to tending the garden by the side of the house. Neana quickly finished her biscuit, grabbed her cloak, and went to the market.