Daughter of Chaos

Prologue

Nestled in the middle of a sheltered patch of trees, hidden from the road that led into town, sat a small cottage. By the looks of it, the structure had been built within the last few years, as it had barely been aged by the elements. A small porch stretched across the front of the building, with a covered overhang to protect from the weather. Evening had settled on the small clearing, the moon rising high in the sky as the cottage sat quietly in the shadows.

The sound of tiny footsteps padded against the deep mahogany floor boards, breaking through the striking silence that had descended upon the house mere hours ago. Amid the pale light of the moon and the shadows it cast, the footsteps headed in the direction of the master bedroom with practiced ease. Upon opening the door, the small child waddled over to the side of the bed where a pale arm dangled over the edge, leading up to the sleeping form of their mother. Her tail swayed nervously behind her as she reached up to place a hand on her mother's arm. Instantly, the woman woke with a start as she looked around in a daze, before her amber eyes rested on the child next to her.

"What's the matter, Naquori?" She mumbled, shifting to her side as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The gentle shift of the bed next to her signaled the rouse of her husband, and as she glanced over her shoulder at the blue skinned man next to her, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"I had a nightmare.." the timid voice of their daughter sounded like a whisper as she looked up at her, her bright blue eyes wide with fear. The poor girl looked like she was about to burst into tears, trembling in her nightgown as a single tear slid down her cheek. Her mother quickly picked her up, cradling her against her chest as her father came to rest beside them on the edge of the bed.

"Don't be afraid, sweetheart," his soothing tone put her at ease, reassuring her that she was safe. His hand found it's way to her head, idling between her tiny horns as he stroked her hair with his thumb. "Your mommy and I are here. Now, tell us about this nightmare."

Naquori looked between her parents for a moment, her mother gently cupping her cheek and wiping the tear stains away. A quiet hiccup broke the silence a moment later, earning a chuckle from the woman as she rocked her little girl in her arms. Her tail reached up and brushed some stray hair from her daughter's face, then poked her in the nose. Naquori giggled, carefully wrapping her pudgy fingers around the appendage as she smiled up at her parents.

"It's not so scary, now.  It was just a monster." The three year old stated matter of factly, poking the spade shaped end of her mother's tail.  The woman beamed at her child, pressing a kiss against her forehead before nuzzling her cheek. A knock at the door brought her attention up to the red haired teenager that stood, leaning against the door frame. The muddled look on her face held a hint of annoyance as she crossed her arms, her tail flicking back and forth behind her.

"She have another nightmare? What about this time?" The sarcasm dripped from her mouth with a roll of her eyes, and her mother sighed.

"Night terrors are normal for this age range, Elonwy. I remember a time when you had them as well." She narrowed her eyes on the older girl, holding a reproachful look at the sixteen year old. Elonwy scoffed, shaking her head as she pushed away from the door frame. A fire was lit in her eyes, and she glared at the trio from across the room.

"That's funny, mom. Seeing how you were barely around for half of my life. You gave me away, remember? The only reason I'm back is because my father killed the people you gave me to. They were there for my nightmares, not you. You were there when it was convenient." Her mother's face fell as she turned and stormed away, slamming her door shut just down the hall. Naquori watched the exchange with wide eyes, and her father began to rise from the bed.