Barbara's Book of Fire

Chapter 9

"Oi! You'll trip yourself. Slow down a bit, girl." A concerned reminder flew just as the girl was about to bump her head into the robust man's stomach.

"Ah! Will do, sir!" Quick on her feet, the girl sidestepped and apologized for her mistake. "I'm sorry."

Mudded road, bustling shouts, a distant hammering of the blacksmith's anvil; it was a scene one could find in any rural village. A certain girl with the hair that resembled the bright autumn was running throughout the street with a smile of pure excitement plastered on her face. She ran past the busy muddy road, hugging a carefully wrapped antique book tight. 

Warm steam of hot air puffed out of her lips from time to time, yet she didn't seem to mind it in the slightest.

She ran past kids her age, who were busy playing by hacking their wooden swords, trying to defeat their friends. They saw the girl who ran with the biggest smile on her face; however, not one of them stopped to cut and called her. 

No, they knew better than to mess with the adorable girl, despite the burning curiosity to get closer to her. Each of them had come to learn that despite the short and small frame—The girl was not the kind to be trifled with—And they learned it the hard way.

Moments later, when houses were scarce and fields of farms filled the long ground, the young girl increased her speed till the stature of her dear mother entered her vision. She shouted out the remaining air that was left in her lungs.

"Ma!! Pa!! I got it! grandpa Levin let me borrow it since he'll be going to town!" The shouting made it worse as it torched the already exhausted body, yet she didn't care; She was just that happy and excited.

George and Daisy Travis were tending to their farm when they saw their little girl running and jumping to showcase the old book in her arms. The mud could be found all over the simple dress the woman had painstakingly coaxed her to wear. 

Daisy winced in frustration at the mess on her daughter. Still, she found it hard in her heart to reprimand the child when she saw how cheery and bright the girl looked.

"Look how excited your daughter is, Ma. Let's buy her a book tomorrow when we go into town, hm? What's the use stackin' up money when we can buy somethin' she likes, eh? What's say you?" It was a known fact that George was a fool for his troublesome daughter. Seeing as a single book was enough to send his daughter to cloud nine, George spared no second thoughts and coaxed his wife.

"You and your doting," Rebuked Daisy. She wiped strands of gray-colored hair that fell in her eyes, admonishing the man beside her. "She can borrow the book from the village's doctor; I think the old man also prefers her coming now and then. Besides, might as well use that money to buy her some pretty dresses. Look at that mess, Pa! She's a lady, for Myrna's sake!"

"If you wanna convince her with the dress and flowers, be my guest, love," George held his hand up, yielding. "I'm just sayin'...She's as stubborn as you are, Ma."

"That's why I said you're too soft on her, Pa! We need to be firm with her. Look at her; what man would ever fancy a lass with mud all over her dress...Also, her hair and face, for that matter." Nagged Daisy, stifled at her mischievous daughter's behavior. "At this rate, we don't even need to bother saving up for her dowry, Pa."

"What do you mean by dowry? No! She's still a little girl!" George's voice rose in denial as his wife shook her head helplessly in defeat. As their banter continued on, the girl finally arrived before them.

Precious and mesmerizing as the soul of the world were her eyes. Free and clear as a cloudless afternoon sky was her right eye, while her left eye adorned the radiant and purest emerald that could ever exist in Thessia.