The Bastard Stag

Chapter 1- 5 Years Old

My father was taking me out for the day. It was a special day. I Aloe Konwell was turning 5 and my father was going to get me a fancy lady dress. I didn't particularly like dresses because they annoyed me when I tried climbing trees and fences and whatever else I could find. I usually wore trousers or just under clothes, but I was soon coming to realize that I was much too old to run around in my small clothes.

I was a girl though and wished to look as beautiful as the ladies that my father made jewelry for. I wanted a blue dress, with gold flowers all over cause Lady Ollena had beautiful dresses with gold flowers and so I wanted one too. I was rambling about how beautiful the dress would be and how all the princes would want to marry me because I would look like a beautiful lady. After walking down the street I realized we were heading toward the smithy, Tobho Mott's. I looked up at my father questioningly.

"Why are we going towards the Street of Steel?"

My father looked sad "We'll have to postpone the dress making Aloe; I'm so sorry" he started.

"But father! You promised me, you said I could get a beautiful dress, as pretty as Lady Ollena's!"

"I promise you we will go at the end of this week but I need to get the shipment of gems and metals from Tobho's and I have lots of work to do."

I was mad at my father for going back on his promise and so I didn't talk to him the rest of the walk to the smith's. When we got there I right away noticed a new boy was sitting hammering away at a chunk of iron. He was rail thin probably from hunger, I also saw that he also had thick black hair and dark blue eyes. I wasn't good around other kids and so I shied away, I may have been out going but I was shy as most children my age were. I had pulled my hair back with a rag before we had left because I didn't want it to get dirty but now I let it out to wipe my face because it was very warm inside the smithies. The flash of orange must have caught the boy's eye because he automatically looked up at me. I looked down because I didn't want him to think I was staring.

"Where'd you get hair like that?" He asked out of surprise. Not many people except the Tully's have red hair.

" It was kissed by fire" I said.

He looked at me weird. And said

" The last time I touched fire it burned me! Why would it make your hair red?"

He pointed to a red welt that traveled up his tiny bicep and into his shirt sleeve. I looked at him wide eyed thinking of what to say.

" Maybe it's because I'm special" I wondered. "I've never tried touching fire before!"

" Maybe then your skin'll turn orange" the boy said, his bright blue eyes sparkling.

" Let's go see!" I exclaimed, my head already looking around for the nearest flame.

"Oh we won't be burning anything, little lady." My father said laughing heartily with Tobho.

Tobho pointed towards the boy.

" Now this lad here's Gendry, he's my apprentice."

" How much they pay you" my father asked.

" Not a smidgen," said Tobho with the strangest smile ever.

" Now that I can't believe," my father said raising his eyebrows.

"Well I gotta be kindly, least sometimes," stated Tobho grumpily " Now common boy, introduce yourself to the little lady!"

He pulled the boy up from his seat by the scruff of his shirt. I saw that this young boy could be no taller than my shoulder. I giggled cause not many boys were shorter then me.

Gendry had been staring dumb found at Tobho. He looked bewildered for a second but the shook his head and found his voice.

" My names Gendry Waters and yours is?..." He asked me.

"My names Aloe Konwell." I said.

After and hour of my father haggling with Tobho and me having fun with Gendry in the street me and my father finally left. My father never went with me to get a dress, but he had given something a lot better then a dress. He had given me a friend, Gendry Waters.

COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK!

I'd really appreciate it guys. Ive already written some for this story, but if you have any suggestions I might just change the story line.