Eternal Vows: The Biography of a Young Witchling ( On Hiatus )

Chapter One: New Beginnings

"Mother? May I ask you something?" Izumi frowned, helping her mother pull out weeds in the garden at the front of their cozy little farmhouse. She loved it there. It was wide open, with nothing but the animals to keep her company. Not only that, but there was an incredible view of the sky. She didn't know why she adored the clouds so much. But for some reason, they gave her a sense of comfort. Like if she were ever in danger, she just had to turn to them and things would be alright...

If only she knew.

"What is it? Are the children at school picking on you?" Aria asked, frowning lightly. "Should we have waited another year? Are you feeling like you don't belong? We could wait until you reach four years old, you know..."

Izumi shook her head. "Uh-uh...Izumi likes it at school. She knows she will make lots of friends." She replied.

"Then what's the matter?" Aria now had Izumi's full attention. She stopped pulling weeds and turned to look at her child. "Do you have a headache?"

"No, that's not it either...What are these? And why does Izumi have to hide them from Papa?" Izumi tugged back on the scarf holding her white hair back, revealing a pair of snowy cat ears poking up on the top of her head. They weren't fully grown yet, but they were developed enough to twitch and turn, picking up the tiny sounds of the farmland. "Izumi doesn't like wearing these all the time...It doesn't seem right...Shouldn't Papa like us for who we are?" She asked. Aria closed her eyes and let out a saddened sigh.

"Your father...He's a demon hunter. If he finds out we have these ears, I fear of what will happen." She explained, looking to the sky.

"Papa would hurt us?! Never!" Izumi gasped. She tilted her head in question. "Mother, where are your ears?" She asked, pointing to Aria's hair. Her mother just giggled.

"They're hiding! I used magic to make them dissapear. You see, your mother is a witch!" She replied, winking at her with a small smile. Izumi stared in half fascination, half determination. She knew what she was going to do to solve this problem, possibly for good.

"Mother, Izumi wants to learn magic too! Make Izumi a witch!" She shouted, her eyes bright with excitement. She stood, dusting off her white dress. It came to about her knees, and she was barefoot. She didn't like shoes, they always felt so uncomfortable on her feet. "Someday, I'll become the greatest witch in the world! Izumi will use magic to help people! Like a hero!"

Aria giggled, poking her daughter in the nose, which made her laugh harder when she went cross-eyed. "Come on, let's go make dinner. I bet your father is really hungry by now."

Izumi nodded, fixed her scarf and followed her mother inside.

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The next morning

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"I'm off to school!" Izumi called out, grabbing her bookbag and dashing out the door. She wore a pale blue and white plaid dress with white socks, blue shoes and a blue scarf tying her hair and her ears back. Today was her first official school day other than the parent teacher meetings. She was looking forward to meeting her classmates. So many questions ran in her head that day.

"Izumi." Io called to her. She smiled up at her father with her usual innocence.

"Don't worry, I remember! Call home if anything bad happens, keep to myself, stay on the path, and don't talk to strangers!" Izumi recited. Io smiled lightly and crouched down to her height, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Be careful. Some people may seem friendly at first...But there are people who believe witches are evil beings. Don't EVER reveal your secret to anyone in the classroom...You could get seriously hurt. That means--"