The story of Umira

Waking up

After falling asleep in Master's arms, I awoke the next day feeling reborn and thoroughly refreshed. I tried to stood up on my own, finding my legs steady, a marked improvement from the previous day's weakness. I freshened up, splashing my face with cool water from a nearby bowl and brushing my teeth. I then dressed in my water tribe attire tailored to my taste: a long black dress with multiple layers and a floor-length dress-style jacket lined with fur that peeked out subtly. While some might assume it looks cold, my ability to regulate my body temperature keeps me comfortable. This skill has been rumored to have been passed down from my grandfather who could manipulate the air to never feel too hot or cold, but I don't think so.

I rummaged through my bag and was relieved to find my hair needle, along with the pearl necklace from Gran Gran and the dangling earrings from my mother. I got ready to head out, opting to skip makeup today. The cold weather would naturally tint my lips and cheeks red, giving me all the color I needed.

I walked alone toward the festival stands nestled just below the mountain where I had been staying. The crunch of the snow underfoot was a familiar, comforting sound, and I was glad that some things never change. Upon reaching the festival's entrance, I looked around, my eyes sparkling with excitement. After everything that had happened, it felt glad to be here again. I took in the sights of the stands, each one brimming with little games and prizes to win, food stands offering both grilled and fresh options, and the ongoing shows. I loved it all and had almost forgotten what the festival felt like. It had been such a long time since my last visit.

As I moved from stand to stand, I felt the piercing stares of people around me.

"Look, mom! She has something red on her forehead? Is she hurt?" a child exclaimed, pointing directly at me.

"Aah! Yu, don't point at her! Be careful around people with an eye on their forehead... They are bad people," his mother whispered to him, not realizing I could hear every word.

"Hey! I'm not a bad person!" I retorted, annoyed. The woman gasped, grabbed her child, and hurried away.

"Rude..." I muttered, watching them disappear into the crowd.

I had forgotten about the symbol now marked on my forehead... It didn't bother me to have it, but the judgment from others was hard to take. Anyone can harbor evil thoughts behind a pleasant facade, but her words stung more than I expected. I unpinned my hair, letting it fall freely to cover my face, hoping to avoid further attention and judgment. The stares had been odd when I first walked through, and now I understood why.

With my hair shielding my face, I continued to explore the festival, but the joy of it was dampened. Despite trying to ignore the lingering stares, the feeling of being watched intensified after the child's outburst. The desire to retreat home and escape the scrutiny grew with every step.

"What are you doing?" I heard a voice behind me, causing me to whirl around.

"Master..." I gasped, caught off guard. His sudden appearance pulled me from my swirling thoughts, and for that, I was grateful.

"Why are you hiding your face?" he asked, tilting his head to the side curiously, much like a cat, while he took a drag from his cigarette.

"I... I... Apparently, my... eye scares people away," I confessed, finding it pointless to lie since he could always tell. Shamefaced, I stared at the ground, embarrassed to be seen with the mark I had chosen for myself.

"Don't do that. See it as a badge of honor for all the hard work you've done. Many would die to wear that mark proudly," he advised. He took the cigarette between his lips, plucked the hairpin from my hand, and moved behind me.