~Chapter One~

December 24, 1687

Christmas had always been a time of great joy at the Baldwin mansion. Always filled with extravagant lights, and joyfully soothing music.

It was a celebration everyone could attend, and people would come from far and wide just to get a glimps. However, this year was different.

As Men, Women, and children arrived in their fancy carages, and elegant attire, Arianna was locked away in her room. Her once snow white hair, now stained red, hung passed her shoulders. She sat on her windowsill, watching as people who she once knew disappeared through the front doors of her home.

And she watched as her childhood friends arrived in their elegant dresses, and join together arm in arm, not sparing her a single thought. Arianna wanted to cry, but she knew it wouldnt help her situation. For Arianna, being locked away in her room during every holiday, and every family gathering, had been her life for the past four years. She is now eight and can only pray that she can one day go back to the life she once had.

When her Father didnt look upon her with shame, and her mother didn't look at her with pitty or saddness. She wanted to be happy again.

A sudden knock echoed from across her room and brought her out of her thoughts. With her heart beating she quickly jumped from her perch on the windowsill, brushed the wrinckles from her dress, and quickly made her way to the door.

It had been a few days since anyone had come to see her. Besides the maids who brought her meals no one in her family ever really came to see her. But she already had her dinner, so who could possible want to see her?

Arianna approached the door with caution, opening it just enough to peek through and see who waited on the side.

To Arianna's surprise the person waiting on the other side was none other than her little brother Marcus.

Marcus was a small boy who was four years younger then herself, with hair as white as snow, and cheeks still as roung as when he was a baby.

Arianna sighed in relief and opened a door a little wider and kneeled before her brother.

"What are you doing here Marcus? Does Father know you're up here?" she asked

"Nope" he said with a smile only for it to drop a second later. "Will you be coming to the celebration this year, Ari?" he asked with a hint of saddness as he clutched his teddy bear tighter to his chest.

Arianna was shocked, but oh so happy that someone remembered her, but that happiness was quickly replaced with regret.

"No Marcus, I wont be attending this year either." she explain almost choking on the last part.

Marcus's shoulders slumped and his eyes filled with tears as he jumped into his sisters arms. "Why does Father hate you so much?" he whispered.

Arianna wanted to again cry but didnt allow herself the opportunity. "Father doesn't hate me Marcus, he's just angry that's all." she whispered back while rubbing Marcus's back.

Marcus nodded in understanding while sniffling.

Arianna's vision blurred with unshed tears, but blinked them away before they could fall and put Marcus back on his feet.

bending down Arianna kissed his forhead before saying "Now I think it's about time you get back to the party, Mother might being worrying about you." she laughed

Marcus sniffed and wiped his tears away while nodding. He hugged his sister one last time and kissed her forehead before scampering back down the hall from where he came.

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.

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Later that evening when the festivities had died down and everone left for home. Arianna watched as a light sprinkle of snow began to fall from the night sky, further covering the ground with its white softness.

In bed, Arianna remained awake until the sounds of hushed shouting echoed from outside her room. Fear bloomed in her small chest as she sat up and further covered herself with her sheets.

"Oliver please! She's my only daughter dont do this!!!" Cried her mother, making Arianna shrink deeper into her sheets.

"Melony I refuse to have her under this roof any longer, she is a stain that needs to be wiped away!!!" Her Father screamed.

Tears finally fell from Arianna's eyes as the door to her room burst open and in came her Father. "Oliver, you dont need to di this there has to be a way to fix her condition." Her uncle Haden explained as he followed in from behind him.

"We've been looking for four years Haden, and each time we come back with the same answer. There is no way to fix her." Her Father seethed. " She should be thankful that I hadn't put her out of her misery yet ."

Before Arianna could react she was lifted from her bed and carried down the hall to the front entrance where a dark carage waited. She could hear her mothers cries as she reached for her but was stopped by servants.

Arianna was speachless. What was happening? What was going? What did Father mean when he said she was a stain?

Tears continued to fall from her eyes as her Father approached an elderly woman dresses thickly in dark clothing. Her hood did nothing to hide her face and even though she was dressed to intimidate her eyes held nothing but sympathy.

"You know what to do." Oliver huffed before passing off her. The movement startled Arianna back into the present and she quickly wrapped her arms around her Fathers neck. "Where am I going?! What's going on?!" She cried.

Oliver only looked at her with distain before forcing her arms. He didn't say anything, only nodded to the old woman and walked away.

This causes Arianna to remain speechless once again, and as she was gently placed in the carage she became aware at that moment that she would never see her home, her mother, nor her little brother again.

As the carage began to move Arianna's wales echoed throughout the cold, desolate, night.