The Winds Carry Us (LevixOC)

Chapter 1: Cattle Don't Tell Secrets

Note: I want to apologize ahead of time if the spelling of the characters' names change as I've been writing this story for over a year on other websites, and upload the chapters from there to here. I use both the anime and manga as reference which is where the two different spellings come from, but I mostly go off the manga, so that's why the spelling of the names and places will change here and there. Ex) Conny & Connie. Bear with me until I get them all changed up. Other than that, please enjoy this journey and stay polite. 💕

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Growth is painful.

Change is painful.

But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong.

......

The wind blew the grass around where she lay. The sky was clear, void of any clouds. She lifted her hand and rested it on her pale chest, feeling her own heart beat as she watched the birds fly overhead. She watched as they flew from one tree to another, chirping happily as they brought meals to their newly hatched babies.

Must be nice.

She often wished she could fly too, as ridiculous as it sounded.

Especially away from her village.

Beyond the walls.

To someday see the world and all of its hidden treasures.

The leaves rustled in the wind. Everything was alive on this spring day. A feather flew by her face and into her icy hair that was fanned out around her in the grass. And then she remembered. She glanced over to the wicker basket sitting beside her. She had only collected a few dandelions, some elderberries, three turkey tail mushrooms and some camomile flowers.

"Lilly!" Her mother's voice echoed in the wind.

She wouldn't be pleased.

Lilly picked up her basket and lifted her dress slightly so she could slip her shoes back on. Then she made her way quickly towards her home.

Her mother and father owned their own apothecary in Ragako Village. Her father was Sven Holmes, and his wife was Emma. They often sent Lilly out to forage for the very herbs, fruits and flowers that they used to make their herbal concoctions. Her father made the medicinal tinctures, salves, oxymels, etc.

Her mother was in charge of making things like soaps, creams, and teas. They had passed down their valuable knowledge to Lilly, hoping one day she would take over for them and run the store herself. That is, if she didn't get married and move far away.

Her parents so badly wanted her to settle down and get married, preferably close to home of course. But even more so now that she was 19. Her beauty was "unmatched" they'd always say. And sure they were biased, she was their daughter after all. She was often told her traits were unusual or stunning. Men often stared, and it made her nervous at times.

She had inherited her father's fair skin tone, along with his pale blue eyes hidden under long, thick lashes. Her long hair was an icy platinum, with no warm undertone like most blondes. It was almost as white snow. She often wore it down, the ends of it hitting her mid-back. But she had inherited her mothers high cheekbones and her build, as well as her pink pouty lips. She was a petite girl, only coming in at 5 feet tall. She had a slender frame, but she had the curves of a woman now.

But her height bothered her the most.

She often had wished she was taller. She was the shortest in her village growing up, and was often teased. But her mother had always said to her that men liked smaller women.