The Hunt For The Lost Hero (Toli's POV)

Prologue

A scream echoed through the hall. A young, fair maiden shot her head up from the flower she was tending to. The woman rose, her voice slightly infused with panic. "Orchid?? Are you okay??"

A young voice squealed back at the woman when she heard the nickname that was blessed upon her by her sweet voice. Footsteps clattered against the cold ground as a small child ran to her mother.

"Mommy! Mommy! Guess what!" She shouted, completely ignoring the question her mother asked. Children could be so naive sometimes, yet the young, fair maiden didn't question it. As if it were obvious to her that her daughter was as fine as day.

"What did you do sweetheart?" Her mother asked, scooping up the small, brunette child in her arms.

"I pranked daddy!" The child shouted as her mother ran her delicate fingers through her hair. Her mother had a sweet smelling fragrance such as flowers, as if the scent was meant for her.

The woman looked down at her daughter, wondering what this "prank" was that she put her father into. She was a clever girl, a bit too clever so to say. But she was still a young child at best, born 6 years ago.

"Oh really? Did daddy catch you?" The woman asked as she sat the girl in her lap. She began braiding her daughter's hair out of pure bliss as she ran her fingers through the brown, near coffee shade of brown. As if someone poured a bit of creamer, but just a tad to lighten it up from black coffee.

"Nope! He's still sleeping." The girl said, almost proudly even. The woman chuckled as she shook her head, booping the 6 year old.

"Oh my dear Orchid, my deadly little Nightshade. Sometimes I wonder how I ended up with such beauty as yours. So exceedingly clever, beautiful, and mischievous. Your father and I are so proud of you." Her mother spoke with certainty, and the little girl's ears felt satisfied with the delicious words that fueled her confidence.

"Mama, will I be like you and daddy?" She asked hopefully as she clung onto her mother with a hopefully grin and a mischievous glint in her eye.

The woman sighed and pressed her forehead against her daughter's. She spoke clearly as she held her daughter's hands.

"You will be much stronger than me and daddy. And you will be much braver than you think, my dear. Follow your dreams and I will be there."

The woman kissed the girl's forehead softly as she pushed the hair from her face. The woman spoke up once more before the little girl could speak yet another word.

"Remember I am always here for you, even if you can't see me, because I love you..."