Of Acaretha and Orthelia

Introduction

This is the story of Ivy-Bennett Nash, a woman with more than one talent, whose life would drastically change forever. Ivy-Bennett Nash lived in a relatively small but influential and mysterious kingdom called the kingdom of Acaretha. It was home to many different types of people, some even with magical abilities. Ivy-Bennett was one of those. At just age six she discovered she had been blessed with the ability to transform into a bird. For years she would sneak off into the lush green forest that surrounded the mossy stone walls of Acaretha, learning how to control her ability, and by the time she was twelve she could control her powers without a flaw.  She could even transform between birds mid flight, and spent many hours sitting in a small glade just beyond the kingdom walls, singing as beautifully as a birds chirps in the waking hours. 

Growing up, Ivy-Bennett lived in a relatively big shop, (compared to the other, more crammed in bakeries and apothecaries of the area), where her mother sold all types of clothing; from simple dresses, shirts and trousers to elegant ballgowns and waistcoats that even the royal family brought and admired. Her mother was extremely skilled at her trade, gaining herself the name of the best seamstress in the kingdom by anyone that saw her work. From precise stitches that could hardly be seen, to detailed and delicate embroidery. Her sister had taught her to sew and had given her a basic education after a tragic fire had left them both orphaned and fending for themselves. Ivy-Bennett's mother had taught her two daughters, ivy and violet, her skills from a young age, and they would often be seen sat on a stool by their mother, sewing with the same speed yet precision. Their father worked in the farmers fields, tending to crops and helping to transport vegetables and the like to market to sell, as well as manual labour. However, unlike their mother, when he was young he had wanted to become a huntsman, like his own father, but due to his lack of skill was forced to take up a job on the farm. He hated his job but put up with it for not only his family's sake; but also for his own pride. After all, it was already diminishing to him that his wife and young daughters provided the most for the family. He wasn't at home much, as his shifts started early in the morning, however, when he came home at the end of each night they were a happy family, delighting in each others company. 

That was until Ivy-Bennett was thirteen and her sister ten, when their mother suddenly caught ill. They were told it was curable, but after asking for a doctors aid discovered it would be impossible for them to afford the cure. Over this time life became very hard for the family, the two daughters having to keep up the demand for their clothes whilst their father had to cut down his hours to see his wife for as long as possible. Not only were they struggling to pay for food and rent, but the happy family was filled with despair and sadness. The minute she breathed her last breath on that fateful day, all joy and union from within the house died with her. The two daughters were forced to not only run the house; but the shop too. Violet would clean the house and make the food, whist Ivy, (the more experienced seamstress), sew clothes all day and delivered them on foot, as well as buying their food from the market. Their father seemed to disappear from their lives, not being able to cope with the loss of his wife he turned to drinking, and he began to spend what little money he was paid from the farm at the local tavern. He also began to dislike his daughters, even hating to look at them, as they reminded him too much of his wife, Olivia. The only time the girls saw him was for the few morning hours at the weekend when he didn't have to work. But even during these few hours before he returned to the tavern, he was hung over and tired, refusing to acknowledge his daughters desperate pleas to have their father back. He was as good as a dead man to them. And yet, despite all of this, they still loved, helped and provided for him. 

With both of their parents suddenly gone, Ivy-Bennett had to grow up, and grow up fast, for her sisters sake. She began offering her services in the form of her transformation abilities in exchange for money, spending what little free time she had away from the shop on missions and small quests which often left her exhausted. By the time she was sixteen she was well known throughout the kingdom as a skilled missionary and the best seamstress in all of Acaretha, followed by her own sister. This reputation is what caused her life to change forever, starting on one fateful day in early spring...